Antarctica - Educational Basecamp

Day 1: Embark in Ushuaia

Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.

Day 2-3: At Sea

Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too. Wandering albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, Cape petrels, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels are a few of the birds you might see.

Day 4: First Glimpses of Antarctica

As we head toward Antarctica, our first stop is the impressive Spert Island, where you can enjoy views of its towering cliffs and canyons from our Zodiacs and kayaks. After an exhilarating morning, we head to Mikklesen Harbor, where the goal is to land at the tiny D’Hainaut Island. Gentoo penguins can be seen on this island, which is surrounded by awe-inspiring glaciers and mountains welcoming us to Antarctica.

Day 5: Dobrowski Island

Today we visit Dobrowolski Island. Landings here can be tricky, but the reward is a beautiful island that is seldom visited, with a range of penguins and seals that rest on the rocks. A channel around the island offers kayakers a pleasant view of the terrain and wildlife. This is also where we’ve had the most luck seeing hauled-out leopard seals on the ice floes in recent years. Naturally, we cannot guarantee you will see any, but keep your fingers crossed!

Day 6: Flandres Bay

Today we head to the area of Flandres Bay, an uncharted area that will provide you the opportunity to see how we use technology to read the sea bed for navigational purposes. We hope to find new information about the coastline as well as finding new landing sites. This is a real expedition day, so flexibility is key, and venturing into the unknown is our aim.

Day 7: Anvers Island

We begin the day on the south side of Anvers Island, in Neumayer Channel, and hope to land at Damoy Point. This is a favorite of our program, with the secluded Dorian Bay nearby and the chance to snowshoe to a ridge that was once used as a ski-way for aircrafts. After a well-deserved lunch, we head along the Neumayer Channel to Börgen Bay and explore this dramatic area of coastline. Weather permitting, we might alternately visit Access Point, once used by John Biscoe to land on Anvers Island, and re-trace his historic footsteps.

Day 8: Pleneau & Petermann Islands

If the ice allows it, you can sail through the Lemaire Channel in search of Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags. There’s also a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales here, as well as leopard seals.

Day 9: Paradise Bay & Brown Station

Today you may be able to take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where there’s a good chance we will encounter humpback and minke whales. We might also be able to make a stop at Brown Station (Almirante Brown), an Argentine research facility with nearby nesting gentoos. A short hike up the hill behind the station offers exceptional views across Paradise Bay.

Day 10: Melchior Islands

These islands offer a beautiful landscape rich with icebergs. Leopard seals, crabeater seals, and whales are found here, and there are excellent opportunities for kayaking as well as shore-based activities.

Day 11-12: At Sea

Your return voyage is far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, we are again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.

Day 13: Disembark in Ushuaia

Every adventure, no matter how great, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia with memories that will accompany you wherever your next journey leads.

• 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.
• Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
• Luggage transfer from pick-up point to the vessel on the day of embarkation in Ushuaia.
• Pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation).
• Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.
• Comprehensive pre-departure material.

• Any airfare whether on scheduled or charter flights.
• Pre- and post-land arrangements.
• 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).

PLEASE NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per IAATO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with IAATO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed for our vessel is 10.5 knots.