The Antarctic Explorers' Cruise
Please go to the 2006 cruises index
The 20-day Explorers' Expedition Cruise offers you a unique
opportunity to visit the stunning landscapes of South Georgia,
the Falkland islands, the South Shetlands and the Antarctic
Peninsula itself
All Explorers' Cruises take you to the Falkland Islands,
South Georgia, the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland
Islands to view abundant Antarctic wildlife.
Visit scientific bases and enjoy breathtaking scenery - icy
waterways, glaciers, icebergs, and rugged mountains.
No two Explorers' Cruises are exactly alike. The Captain
and Expedition Leader continually assess daily weather conditions
and wildlife opportunities to take full advantage of the extended
daylight in order to maximize time ashore. You will
become one of the fortunate few to have set foot on the continent
of Antarctica.
Our aim is to include as much time ashore and as many Zodiac
cruises as conditions will allow. With this in mind, we have
chosen vessels that enable us to keep passenger numbers small
enough for everyone to be out enjoying the wildlife and scenery
at the same time. This means that you get more time ashore,
or in Zodiacs, than with other larger vessels operating in
the Antarctic Peninsula.
The Explorers' Cruise is offered on one of three former Scientific
Research vessels Akademik Shokalskiy, Professor Molchanov,
Professor Multanovskiy or the Expedition Cruise Ship
MV Orlova.
View information
about Akademik Shokalskiy, Professor Molchanov, Professor
Multanovskiy ships
View information about
MV Orlova
Useful
information about these cruises
Departure dates for 2005/2006 |
We offer 6 departure dates between
6 November 2005 and 6 February 2006
Departures from and return to Ushuaia,
Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. (One cruise starts
in Puerto Madryn, Argentina)
Price
details and departure dates
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Check availability of this
cruise
 Back
to the Antarctic Cruises index
|
Call us to check availability:
UK: 0845 226 2475
Overseas: +44 1756 693609
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| DAY
1 |
Ushuaia,
Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Arrive in the southernmost city in the world.
Explore this 'frontier town' on your own and transfer
independently to the Hotel Los Nires or similar hotel. |
| DAY
2 |
Ushuaia
Enjoy a guided excursion to Tierra del Fuego
National Park. Following a traditional Argentine BBQ asado
lunch, you have some free time before transferring to
the ship for embarkation. |
| DAY
3 |
At
sea
Get to know the expedition team as the ship heads toward
the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). Our lecture series
begins.
|
| DAY 4 - 5 |
Falkland Islands
Explore some of the privately owned outer islands that
are home to great concentrations of wildlife - including
several species found nowhere else in the world. Flightless
Steamer Ducks, Magellanic Penguins and Gentoo Penguins
occupy Carcass Island. Nearby New Island boasts fantastic
Rockhopper Penguin rookeries as well as nesting Black-browed
Albatrosses and Blue-eyed Shags. Peale's and Commerson's
dolphins are often seen along the coasts of these islands
and frequently bow-ride and play alongside the Zodiacs.
Explore Stanley, the charming capital of the archipelago. |
| DAY 6 - 7 |
At sea
Spot pelagic birds from the deck, as the vessel sails
towards South Georgia. The shipboard historian offers
captivating presentations on the exploration of the southern
ocean. |
| DAY 8 - 11 |
South Georgia
South Georgia has an astonishing concentration of wildlife
as well as awe-inspiring scenery ranging from 7,000-foot
mountains and mighty glaciers to deep fjords and low-lying
grassland. It is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful
and inspiring places on Earth. Thousands of King Penguins
greet us at Salisbury Plain. Wandering Albatrosses nest
and thousands of fur seals breed at Prion Island. Huge
southern elephant seals and a substantial number of King
and Gentoo Penguins crowd the beaches at places such as
Gold Harbor. The island also played a significant role
in Ernest Shackleton's epic journey after the sinking
of his ship, the Endurance. At Grytviken, once an active
whaling station, you visit Shackleton's grave. |
| DAY 12 - 13 |
At sea
As the ship heads for Antarctica, our naturalists introduce
the wildlife and natural wonders that lie ahead. |
| DAY 14 - 17 |
South Shetland
Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
The Antarctic Peninsula, the most readily accessible part
of the White Continent, has some of the best wildlife
and scenery. You have plenty of time to experience the
special magic of this aweinspiring wilderness of snow,
ice, and mountains. Expect to see enormous rookeries of
Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins. Blue-eyed
Shags, Kelp Gulls, Cape Petrels, Snowy Sheathbills, and
Antarctic Terns are also abundant. You may also encounter
Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, as well as orcas,
humpback, and Minke whales.
Your first landfall could be Elephant Island, where Ernest
Shackleton's men found refuge during the epic "Endurance"
expedition, or Paulet Island with its vast Adélie
Penguin rookery. Ice conditions permitting, the expedition
then navigates the Antarctic Sound, or "iceberg alley",
where huge tabular icebergs drift north from the Antarctic
continent.
Our exploration of the Antarctic continent often begins
with a visit to the aptly named Paradise Bay, or to nearby
Neko Harbor. Glaciers fill the calm waters with an amazing
vista of icebergs, as you set foot on the Antarctic continent
itself. If pack ice and icebergs allow, you navigate some
of the most beautiful waterways in the world. Two in particular,
the Neumayer and Lemaire Channels, are impressive narrow
passages between towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers.
During the voyage we plan to visit one of the many Antarctic
research bases, perhaps stopping at Port Lockroy, a former
British scientific station that now houses a museum and
a post office. On some departures, the ship sails through
the narrow passage leading into the sunken caldera of
Deception Island. Here, if the tide allows, you may dip
your toes in the thermal waters of Pendulum Cove. |
| DAY 18 - 19 |
Drake Passage
Your journey across the famous Drake Passage,
named after the 16th-century English navigator Sir Francis
Drake, is an experience in itself. The ship is accompanied
most of the way by albatrosses - including the magnificent
Wandering Albatross - along with an impressive variety
of other seabirds such as Giant and Cape Petrels. You
have a good chance of spotting whales and dolphins. Meanwhile,
the program of lectures continues. |
| DAY 20 |
Ushuaia
Disembark after breakfast and transfer by bus
to the Antarctic Unit office located at the entrance to
the pier. If you are departing on the morning flight,
the transfer continues to the airport. |
| Read this itinerary as a
guide only; our exact route and program varies according
to ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife we encounter.
Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition.
Visits to research stations depend on final permission. |
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