Travel Scandinavia Baltic Tours Antarctica Expedition Cruises

Categories Cruises

Please note that the itinerary is reversed on the February 19, 2014 departure.

Venturing Across the Antarctic Circle, beyond 66°33” South, takes you to a frozen region of brooding mountain ranges, massive blue icebergs and waterways taut with fast ice. Plentiful krill attracts the continent’s greatest variety and concentration of wildlife, including orcas, leopard seals, fur seals, penguins and snow petrels.

We cross the geographical milestone of the Antarctic Circle in the wake of hallowed explorers. It’s a moment to celebrate, and we do so with enthusiasm. In this frozen area of extraordinary beauty, the skies fall against a backdrop of bristling mountain ranges and surreal icebergs. Threading our way through an intricate system of icy waterways, we aim for the glorious Crystal Sound at the mouth of The Gullet.

In 2013/14 we will be offering two departures of this classic ‘Across the Antarctic Circle’ adventure! Both voyages are 10 days in length and offer the ‘Fly/Sail Experience’ providing you with more time in Antarctica and less time at sea, with only one Drake Passage crossing. Our optional kayaking, diving, and snorkeling activities are available on both departures.

Kayaking

Kayaking in the far-flung corners of the world is an experience guaranteed to refresh your soul. Led by experienced guides, paddling in small groups allows us the opportunity to paddle between ice floes, brash ice and icebergs of all shapes and sizes in the north and south as well as allowing easy and intimate access to beautiful coastlines in some of the world's most remote destinations

Itinerary

Step aboard your home-away-from-home and settle in to your comfortable cabin. There’s time to greet fellow passengers, meet the staff and explore the ship before our evening’s cruise down the Beagle Channel.

We cross Drake Passage, accompanied by albatross, petrels, fulmars and prions. Join our polar experts to learn about Antarctica’s unique wildlife and history, talk to fellow passengers, staff and crew, and prepare for landings with environmental and safety briefings.

Spirits soar as air and water temperatures fall, marking our crossing of the Antarctic Convergence. All eyes are peeled for the first iceberg, the first penguin and the first glimpse of land. With luck we go ashore this afternoon

We explore the Peninsula’s west coast, with time to watch the frenzied activities of penguin parents and chicks, to Zodiac cruise amongst icebergs and revel in the unparalleled beauty of vast, Antarctic land and icescapes. Further south, ice conditions govern our movements. Whether we cross the Circle via the ‘inner route’ or the Bellingshausen Sea, we celebrate in style. With luck we reach magnificent Crystal Sound, pass through the Gullet and steam on to Marguerite Bay. We may visit historical Stonington, Pourquoi Pas and Detaille islands.

We arrive at King George Island, time and weather permitting we will explore Fildes Bay and the remote Bellinghausen Church before meeting our charter flight back to Punta Arenas in Chile.

Notes