Weddell Sea & Antarctic Peninsula Voyage (10% Discount)

• Rates Include

• Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary.
• All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea.
• All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
• Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
• Comprehensive pre-departure material.
• Not Included
• Any airfare.
• Whether on scheduled or charter flights.
• Pre- and post land arrangements.
• Transfer / from the vessel.
• Passport and visa expenses.
• Government arrival and departure taxes.
• Meals ashore.
• Baggage.
• Cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended).
• Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges.
• The customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).

Day-By-Day Itinerary.

Day   1

Ushuaia, Argentina

In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through this scenic waterway for the rest of the evening.

Day   2-3

Crossing the Drake Passage

During these two days we will sail across the Drake Passage. When we cross the Antarctic Convergence, we arrive in the circum-Antarctic up welling zone. In this area we may meet Wandering Albatrosses, Grey Headed Albatrosses, Black-browed Albatrosses, Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses, Cape Pigeons, Southern Fulmars, Wilson’s Storm Petrels, Blue Petrels and Antarctic Petrels.

Day   4

Souh Shetland Islands

We will sail into the Weddell Sea and if the Antarctic Sound is accessible and the ice does not prevent us to sail further, we might see the huge tabular icebergs that announce our arrival to the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. On Dundee Island, we will to get to the flat area in the west, where the American Lincoln Ellsworth , created a landing strip for his plane, when he began his Trans-Antarctic flight, Nov-Dec 1935. It is a great area for an extensive and easy walk along the coast. We plan to visit Paulet Island with a million pairs of Adelie Penguins.

Day   5

Snow Hill

In the afternoon we visit Snow Hill with the remains of the Nordenskiöld expedition. Between Snow Hill Island and James Ross Island we will make our first attempt to observe Emperor Penguins on the ice-edge making their way to open water. In case this should fail we will tray again on day 6. We might also visit Seymour Island, where many fossils can be found, and the Argentinean station Esperanza on the Antarctic Continent, where we can observe Adelie Penguins, Cape Petrels, Pale-faced Sheathbills, Skuas, Kelp Gulls and Antarctic Terns.

Day   6

Weddell Sea

If the ice allows us to go further into the Weddell Sea area we will visit Devil Island and Vega Island with a large colony of Adelie Penguins and a magnificent view for those hikers who can make it to the top of the hill. Melting ice sometimes provides spectacular waterfall from the cliffs close to point ‘Well-Met’.

Day   7

Argentinean station Esperanza

On our way north through the Antarctic Sound we might pay a visit to the Argentinean station Esperanza on the Antarctic Continent. We will still look out for Emperor penguins on the ice-floes. In the afternoon we may visit Gourdin Island, with three penguin species; Chinstraps, Gentoo and Adelies.

Day   8

Astrolabe Island

On rarely visited Astrolabe Island we will see a great variety of Antarctic birds, like breeding Antarctic Fulmars. Late in the afternoon we will sail along the Wright Ice Piedmont at the Antarctic Continent at Graham Land, mapped in the fifties of the last century based on photographs taken between 1955-57. The piedmont was named after the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright who made the first flight with an aero plane in December 1903.

Day   9

Cuverville Island

On our way further South we will sail to Cuverville Island, a small precipitous island, nestled between the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula and Danco Island. It contains a large colony of Gentoo Penguins and breeding pairs of Brown Skuas. In Neko Harbour we again will have the opportunity to set foot on the Antarctic Continent in a magnificent landscape of huge glaciers. An alternative could be sailing to Paradise Bay.
We will have the opportunity for zodiac cruising between the icebergs in the inner parts of the fjords. In these areas we have good chances to see Humpback Whales and Minke Whales.

Day   10

Melchior Islands

After sailing through the Neumayer Channel, we arrive at the Melchior Islands with a very beautiful landscape and again possibilities for zodiac cruising among the icebergs, where we may encounter Leopard Seals, Crabeater Seals and whales.

Day   11-12

 Drake Passage

Back in the Drake Passage on our way to Ushuaia.

Day   13

 Disembark

 We arrive in the morning in Ushuaia and disembark the vessel.