Antarctica Cruise : Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctic Peninsula, 19 days/18 nights
This modern research vessel belongs to the Hydrographic Institute of Saint Ptersburg and is reinforced for ice and sailing in the frozen conditions of the Polar Regions. The ship offers travelers a dining room, lounge, library, infirmary, and sauna. The vessel is also great for excursions with its several Zodiac boats well suited for land tours and wildlife watching.
Superior
Located on Deck 4 with a double bed and a single sofa-bed. A private bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet. A sitting area with a desk, coffee maker, refrigerator and windows.
Designed especially for the cold, icy waters of the Polar Regions, this vessel is equipped with comforatble amenities that will help make your voyage a truly memorable experience. You will enjoy the dining room, lounge area, sauna, and lecture room as well as the various Zodiac crafts that will take you ashore for landing and wildlife spottings.
Superior
Located on Deck 4 with a double bed and a single sofa-bed. A private bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet. A sitting area with a desk, coffee maker, refrigerator and windows.
Designed as an ice-strength vessel, the Molchanov was built in 1983 as an oceanographic research ship. Since then, the ship has been transformed into a passenger vessel great for polar exploration. You will be accompanied by an excellent staff of nature and hictorical lecturers which will fill you in both on the ship and during your many landings and wildlife sightings.
Triple with Shared Facilities
Located on Deck 3 with two lower and one upper berth, a desk, a small washbasin, storage and hanging space and portholes. Shared shower and toilet facilities are conveniently located on the same deck.
Once a research vessel for the Dutch Navy, this ship has been completely remodeled for passenger cruises. The ship is equipped with comfortable amenities as well as plenty of open deck space great for viewing the rich wildlife and beautiful scenery.
Superior
Offers a queen size bed or two lower twin size beds.
This longer voyage will take you to many of the most popular destinations in Antarctica including the surrounding islands and the Antarctic Peninsula itself. You will see a multitude of wildlife with a backdrop of the some of the most breathtaking landscapes on the planet.
Day 01 : Embarkation
In the afternoon we will set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. We will head south through the Beagle Channel.
Day 02 : En Route to Antarctica
We will sail into the westerlies where the ship will be followed by several species of albatrosses, storm and diving petrels, and shearwaters.
Day 03 : Falkland Islands
We will spend the day on the western end of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). We will take a hike along the shoreline where we will encounter Magellanic and Gentoo penguins as well as water fowl and night herons.
Day 04 : Stanley, Falkland Islands
While in Stanley we will have a chance to enjoy the rich Falkland culture, a mix of both South American and Victorian flares. In the areas surrounding Stanley we will encounter a large number of stranded clippers from a century ago.
Days 05-06 : Heading to the Antarctic Convergence
We set sail toward South Georgia crossing the Antarctic Convergence. In as little as a few hours, the temperature will drop as much as 10 degrees Celsius as we enter the Antarctic waters. As we approach the Convergence we will see a large number of southern seabirds near the ship: albatross, shearwaters, petrels, prions, and skuas.
Days 07-10 : Exploring South Georgia
Once in South Georgia we will visit Grytviken with its abandoned whaling village, where King penguins now walk the streets and inhabit the old buildings. We will visit King Edwards Point, its British garrison, and the grave of Shackleton. We will see Fortuna Bay and Bay of Isles as well as Albatross Island, an important breeding area for Wandering Albatrosses. Salisbury Plain is home to a large colony of King penguins that will surely be worth seeing as well. We may also visit Elsehul, Right Whale Bay, Possession Bay, Gold Harbour, and Drygalski Fjord which will allow for a wide spectrum of landscapes and wildlife such as reindeer, fur seals, elephant seals, Gentoo penguins, Macaroni penguins, Grey-Headed albatrosses, Light-Mantled Sooty albatrosses, Northern and Southern Giant Petrels, White-Chinned Petrels, prions, storm petrels, Brown Skuas, Dominican Gulls, Antarctic Terns, sheathbills, and the endemic South Georgia Pintail.
Day 11 : At Sea
We will continue sailing toward the Antarctic Peninsula.
Day 12 : South Orkneys
We will visit the South Orkneys and Laurie Island and may visit the Argentine base where we will see breeding Southern Giant Petrels. With permission from the base we may also visit Punta Cormoran and its Adelie penguin colony.
Day 13 : At Sea
We continue at sea where we will approach sea ice and will see some high Antarctic species like Maccormick Skua, Snow Petrel, and the Emperor penguin. We may also have a chance to spot Minke whales as we approach the ice.
Days 14-16 : South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula
We will be visiting the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula during the next three days. This visit may include a stop in Paulet Island which features the remains of polar expeditions from as long ago as the early 1900s as well as hundreds of thousands of Adelie penguins. Also, while at the tip of the Weddell Sea we will see many magnificent table ice bergs rising out of the ocean. We may set foot on the Antarctic continent at Brown Bluff home to a stunning volcanic area. At the south end of Trinity Island at Mikkelson Harbour we can observe the Gentoo pengion colony as well as the Weddell and fur seals relaxing on the beach. In the beautiful Charlotte Bay near Portal Point, we will again have a chance to walk around the Antarctic continent with an impressive view of Crabeater seals. A breathtaking site is the view of Humpback and Minke whales in the Gerlache Strait. We will attempt to land at Baily Head on Deception Island where we will be surrounded by some 100,000 Chinstrap penguins. From here you can either take the boat or hike to Whaler Bay where we will observe the remains of the Hektor whaling station from the early 1900s. We also intend to visit Hannah Point, one of the Shetland’s greatest wildlife viewing spots with Giant Petrels, Cape Pigeons, Blue-Eyed Shag, Gentoo Penguins, Chinstrap Penguins, and some Macaroni penguins and elephant seals.
Days 17-18 : Returning through the Drake Passage
We will start our return journey north toward the Americas and will be followed by various seabirds as we cross the Drake Passage.
Day 19 : Disembarkation
We arrive in the morning in Ushuaia and disembark.
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