ANTARCTIC - SOUTH POLE
  
ANTARCTIC ADVENTURE
Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetlands
Cruise Ship 11 nights
Departures in January, February, November and December 
Ships: Ocean Nova, Akademik Shokalskiy
Exploring Antarctica on our Adventure Ships is the perfect travel experience for the active traveller.  Nimble and ice-strengthened, these ships provide exclusive access to the Antarctic Peninsula’s nooks and crannies.  Travelling with a tightly-knit group, you can see more and do more.  Optional adventures:  cross-country skiing, camping, mountaineering, kayaking, and kayak-camping are available on selected departures, details are available on the dates and rates sheet.
Antarctic Adventure - 2008 Route
Itinerary
Day 1 - Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
  Spend the night in our host hotel in Ushuaia, on the island of Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America.
Day 2 - Embarkation day
  By late afternoon you’ll be sailing the Beagle Channel toward the Drake Passage.
Days 3 & 4 - A passage to adventure
  Anticipation mounts crossing the Drake Passage.  Participate in briefings and presentations on the Antarctic ecosystem.  Watch for seabirds and marine mammals from the Bridge or deck, surrounded by the majesty of the Southern Ocean.
Days 5 to 9 - Everything for the ambitious adventurer
Many factors play a role in shaping the expedition’s progress.  Our goal is to give you the best possible active experience based on prevailing wind, weather and ice conditions.  We attempt to leave the ship to explore at least twice a day.  Perhaps you’ll feel salt spray on your face as the Zodiac weaves in and around grounded icebergs.  You could scramble to the top of a craggy hill for an unforgettable view of an icy chasm.  Strap on a harness for a polar plunge into frigid Antarctic waters.

The cycle of life
Over the course of the austral spring and summer, the sun lingers longer and longer, melting snow and ice.  Wildlife grows in abundance: chicks hatch and fledge, and pods of whales breach in a deep bay where a calving iceberg has churned up krill, the local delicacy.  The natural cycle of life ensures that every expedition is different.  And that every expedition is full of surprises!

That’s my pebble
In Antarctica, silence is so complete that interruptions become indelible memories: noisy penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, the boom and crack of a calving glacier in Neko Harbor or Paradise Bay.  Then there is the sound of breathing as your arms pump and your legs power up an incline on cross-country skis.  As you sail from island to shore to bay during four days in the Peninsula, the Expedition Team provides opportunities to test your endurance and engage your curiosity.

Soaring peaks and storied history
The soaring peaks and stark rocks of Lemaire Channel are just the excuse you need to grab your camera gear for a shooting session from the deck, if the channel is free of ice.  Afterward, you’ll have an excuse to warm up in the lounge while a member of the Expedition Team relates the storied history of the Peninsula.
Days 10 to 12 - Back across the Drake to Ushuaia
You’ll return via the Drake Passage to Ushuaia, having walked in the path of the great Antarctic adventurers.  As Cook, Ross, Scott and Shackleton did, you’ve stared at the same skies and wondered at the same vast landscape.  And now, like them, you understand the enduring lure of Antarctica.
Important Reminder:  Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy – and excitement – of expedition travel.  There are no guarantees that we can achieve everything we set out to accomplish.  A measure of flexibility is something all of us must bring to a voyage.
Departure Dates and Prices
Prices are per person and do not include international flights.
  OCEAN NOVA
Departure dates Number of nights Prices per person
 20 November 08 11 £3715
 30 November 08 11 £3715
 10 December 08 11 £3715
 20 December 08 11 £4090
 30 December 08 11 £4785
With option for kayaking, camping, mountaineering and cross country skiing
  AKADEMIK SHOKALSKIY
Departure dates Number of nights Prices per person
 22 November 08 11 £3660
 20 December 08 11 £3980
 30 December 08 11 £4625
 9 January 09 11 £4625
 6 February 09 11 £4625
 16 February 09 11 £4625
 26 February 09 11 £3980
With option for kayaking and camping
Price Includes:
  • Voyage as indicated in the itinerary.
  • Flights as indicated in the itinerary.
  • Pre- and post-cruise hotel accommodations in a shared twin room with breakfast as indicated in the itinerary.
  • All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship.
  • All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac and helicopter (as included in group excursions with no specific amount of helicopter time guaranteed).
  • A guided excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park prior to embarkation and a traditional Argentine asado lunch
  • The use of rubber boots for the duration of the voyage
  • Programme of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
  • Transfers and baggage handling between the hotels, airports and ship as indicated in the itinerary.
  • All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
  • Comprehensive pre-departure materials and handbook.
Price Excludes:
  • International flights.
  • Passport and visa expenses.
  • Government arrival and departure taxes.
  • Meals ashore.
  • Supplement for single hotel accommodations.
  • Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance. 
  • Excess baggage charges. 
  • All items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar and beverage charges and telecommunication charges, and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided). 
  • Any possible helicopter flying time in excess of that offered for the group will be charged at an hourly rate to be announced onboard.
 
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