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Antarctica Cruise: Crossing the Circle
Ship: Akademik Ioffe & Akademik Sergey Vavilov
Days: 15
Passengers: 110
Dates: 1/21/2011, 1/26/2011, 2/13/2011, 2/26/2011
Highlights:
Cross the Antarctic Circle on this expedition with kayaking and camping options. Casual, active and fun adventure!
Summary: This expedition is ideal for active travelers who want to hike, clamber, slide and explore by kayak. You fire up your spirit of adventure and take a few extra days to work your way far south to cross the Antarctic Circle and explore some of Antarctica’s most pristine and rarely visited areas. Enjoy plenty of time to explore the incredible wildlife colonies along the Antarctic Peninsula and in the South Shetland Islands, and you may stop at a few scientific research stations as well. Aboard your nimble, ice-stregthened Russian research vessel, navigate through some of the world’s most scenic waterways–many littered with colossal icebergs. Weather permitting, you will actually attempt to land on the Antarctic continent south of the Circle!
ExpeditionTrips’ Amelia Tockston, has sailed aboard the Akademik Ioffe. Click to view her travel journal and photos!
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Itinerary - In Brief
Itinerary - Detailed
Day 1:
Ushuaia, Argentina
Arrive in the southernmost city in the world and make your way to the Hotel Los Nires or similar hotel.
Day 2:
Ushuaia / Tierra del Fuego
Spend the morning with a local guide on a group excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park, then enjoy a traditional Argentine BBQ asado lunch. Settle into your cabin and get to know the ship. You will meet your Expedition Team as the ship heads through the scenic Beagle Channel.
Days 3-5:
Drake Passage & South Shetland Islands
Journey across the famous Drake Passage, named after the 16th-century English navigator Sir Francis Drake. As the ship sails, your naturalists and historians offer presentations on the marvels ahead. If weather allows, you can spend time on the deck spotting for albatrosses -- including the magnificent Wandering Albatross -- and other seabirds.
Days 6-12:
Antarctic Peninsula
Your exploration of the Antarctic continent may begin 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. During the voyage, expect to see enormous rookeries of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins. You may also encounter Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, as well as orcas, humpback, and Minke whales. If pack ice and icebergs allow, the ship navigates 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. Sailing south of the Lemaire Channel you may visit Petermann Island, where Adélie and Gentoo Penguins, skuas and Blue-eyed Shags nest close to the landing site.
The quest for the Antarctic Circle continues as the expedition pushes farther south. You will be in the vicinity of historic Stonington Island, which served briefly as a base for the Byrd's Little America Expedition in 1940. The site also served as the base for Finn Ronne's 1947-48 Antarctic Research Expedition that mapped a great portion of the continent by air. You will mark your arrival at the southernmost location with a celebration on board.
Days 13-14:
Drake Passage
You bid farewell to Antarctica as you sail north across the Drake Passage. The adventure is not over, as there are more opportunities to watch birds and whales cavorting in the open ocean.
Day 15:
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.
Please note: Read this itinerary as a guide only. Flexibility is the key to the enjoyment of this expedition. Every effort will be made to push for the Antarctic Circle. Since ice and weather conditions can change quickly, we cannot guarantee that the vessel will reach the Antarctic Circle. Visits to research stations depend on final permission.
Notes:
This itinerary operates aboard the Akademik Sergey Vavilov on 1/21/2011 and 2/13/2011, and aboard the Akademik Ioffe on 1/26/2011 and 2/26/2011.
Camping Option: $195 per person; all departures (minimum age 12 years, limited to 30 passengers)
Sea Kayaking: $795 per person; all departures (minimum age 16 years)
Photography Expedition: 2/26/2011
Wildlife photographer Paul Goldstein will be the special guest aboard this voyage. He is a Brit who shares his passion and skill with any polar traveler willing to keep up with him. He has spent 26 years in the travel industry and as a staff member aboard some of this operator's expeditions. Paul uses every hour of good light - and there are as many as 24 south of the Antarctic Circle--to educate and encourage all aboard to take photographs that they will be proud to show to friends and family.
Included:
Group transfer from airport to hotel regardless of arrival date; one night pre-expedition hotel accommodation with breakfast, as indicated in the itinerary. (The number of guests per room is the same as cabin occupancy on the ship. Due to limited availability, travelers who reserve a suite on board are accommodated in standard rooms at the hotel.); Group transfers from the hotel to the ship at the embarkation port, and from the ship to the local airport on disembarkation; Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping; All breakfasts, lunches and dinners on board throughout your voyage. (Please inform us of any dietary requirements as far in advance as possible. Unfortunately, the ships’ galleys cannot prepare kosher meals.); All shore landings per the daily program; Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader, including shore landings and other activities; All Zodiac transfers and cruising per the daily program; Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled; Photographic Album on DVD, documenting the voyage; A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore landings; an expedition parka – yours to keep; Coffee, tea, cocoa available around the clock; Hair dryer and bathrobe in every cabin; Comprehensive pre-departure materials, including a map and an informative Antarctic Reader; All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program; All luggage handling aboard ship; Emergency Evacuation Insurance for all passengers to a maximum benefit of $100,000 per person.
Not Included:
Any airfare; Passport and visa expenses; Government arrival and departure taxes; Any meals ashore with the exception of breakfast at the host hotel before embarkation; Baggage, cancellation and medical travel insurance; Excess baggage charges; Laundry, bar, beverage and other personal charges; Telecommunications charges; The customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for Hospitality Team members, ship’s crew and Expedition Team members.
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