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Journey below the Antarctic Circle

Journey below the Antarctic Circle
£ 9155
Alternative escorted tours

There is nothing on this earth that can quite compare with the awesome beauty of Antarctica, and few of us have not dreamed of following Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen to these frozen wastelands at the bottom of the world. So why not turn those dreams into reality and join us on a very special journey to the Great White Continent?

Here, in this world of perpetual snow and ice below the 60th parallel, some of the world’s most enchanting creatures survive to bring colour and sound to an otherwise harsh and silent environment. Beaches resound to the raucous bellows of elephant, fur and leopard seals, humpback and minke whales glide effortlessly through the still, near-frozen waters, and colonies of Adelie, chinstrap, gentoo and king penguin congregate in huge numbers on the vast snow plains.

M/S Seaventure is the ideal vessel for such an expedition. Boasting the highest ice classification that can be granted to a passenger vessel, M/S Seaventure is exquisitely designed for navigating the polar regions. Spacious and well-designed suites are arranged over five decks, all equipped with their own sitting areas, flat screen TVs and luxury toiletries. Lastly, we have been fortunate enough to negotiate an excellent rate, so the expedition offers excellent value, especially for both the Triple Suites and the Single Supplements.

M/S Seaventure cruising the pristine waters of the Antarctic Peninsula

M/S Seaventure cruising the pristine waters of the Antarctic Peninsula

Zodiacs are used for the daily on-shore excursions and for the more adventurous, kayaking is also available (limited numbers) and maybe even a chance to spend a night on the ice-shelf.

M/S Seaventure is chartered from our good friends Polar Latitudes who provide all the Expedition expertise and we will be travelling with their usual dedicated team of on-board guides and lecturers. Iris and I will also be on hand to look after you and share what will be a great adventure.

View detailed itinerary here >>>

Bow of the M/S Seaventure arriving at the Antarctic Peninsula

The bow of the M/S Seaventure arriving at the Antarctic Peninsula

17 days from
per person
Tour Date:
24th February 2022 -
12th March 2022
Price Includes
  • Domestic flights
  • Airport transfers
  • Accommodation on a B&B basis in Buenos Aires and Ushuaia
  • Full board on the M/S Seaventure
  • Port fees and permits
  • See full list of inclusions/exclusions in downloadable 'detailed itinerary'
Price Excludes
  • International flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Visa fees (British passport holders do not require visas. Other nationalities should check with us)
  • Personal gratuities (guidelines will be provided)
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    Journey below the Antarctic Circle

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    Detailed Itinerary
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    Day 1 London - Buenos Aires

    Suggested flight (not included in the cost of the tour) British Airways BA 245 departing London Heathrow at 22.10 hrs. Subject to change.

    Day 2 Buenos Aires - Ushuaia
    Buenos Aires - Ushuaia

    Arrive in Buenos Aires at 09.10 hrs.

    Connect with domestic flight to Ushuaia, the capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego which divides the mountains, glaciers and forests of the island to the north and the waters of the Beagle Channel to the south. You will be met on arrival and transferred to Arakur Hotel, located within Cerro Alarkén Natural Reserve, where two nights are spent. Dinner at the hotel under own arrangements.

    Day 3 Ushuaia

    Full day to relax after your journey and enjoy your surroundings. Lunch under own arrangements. Welcome dinner at the hotel.

    Day 4 Ushuaia - Embarkation
    Ushuaia - Embarkation

    Half day sightseeing tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park. When the first Europeans arrived on this legendary island at the tip of Patagonia, it was inhabited by several hunter-gatherer Indian tribes who built large bonfires to protect themselves from the penetrating cold. Those early Spanish navigators saw the fires from their boats and named the island ‘Tierra de Los Fuegos’ – Fire Island.

    Lunch under own arrangements. We gather at our central meeting point, transfer to the pier and embark our expedition ship, M/S Seaventure. After settling into our cabins and exploring the ship, we meet our expedition team and enjoy a welcome cocktail and cast off, bound for Antarctica.

    11 nights aboard M/S Seaventure with all meals, guided excursions and lectures included.

    Day 5-6 At sea

    Sailing south towards Antarctica we will be joined by hundreds of seabirds including the wandering albatross. Giant petrels and smaller Cape petrels are also constant companions. Throughout the day our onboard experts educate us with a series of presentations about the environment, wildlife and history and the locations we aim to visit in the coming days.

    Day 7-9 Antarctic Circle - Lower Antarctica

    Given favourable ice conditions, our first goal will be to sail south of the Antarctic Circle and into Crystal Sound. A favoured landing site here is Detaille Island, home to an abandoned British science hut. ‘Base W’ was established in the 1950’s and is in a remarkable state of preservation providing a glimpse into the harsh life of early Antarctic visitors. Further exploration this far south is highly dependent on optimal weather and ice conditions. If conditions allow, we may push even further to the south.

    This vicinity marks our turnaround point and from now on, we cruise in a northerly direction exploring the dramatic coastline of the Antarctic Peninsula. There are several locations in the Fish and Argentine Island archipelagos which allow for zodiac cruising and potential shore landings. We hope to visit a working scientific base to learn of the important climate- related research happening here. A hike over the snowy saddle of nearby Winter Island allows us to stretch our legs and explore the old British Antarctic Survey hut.

    Petermann Island is home to a sizable Adelie penguin rookery. Adelies – the smallest of the Antarctic penguins nest here and share the location with Gentoo penguins and Imperial cormorants. The view to the north of Mount Shackleton and Mount Scott is impressive. These towering granite sentinels mark the southern entrance to the Lemaire Channel.

    Nearby Pleneau Island offers more opportunities for shore landings. Just off shore, in the shallow waters of the Penola Strait, massive icebergs run aground. Constant wind and wave action sculpts these gargantuan chunks of ice into fantastic shapes. For many, a zodiac cruise here will be a highlight of the voyage.

    Day 10-11 Gerlache Strait - Antarctica

    We aim to transit the Lemaire Channel on our way north towards Paradise Harbour. This may be the first opportunity to set foot on the continent of Antarctica itself. Nearby Neko Harbour offers another continental landing. Both locations offer terrific hiking opportunities up to panoramic viewpoints.

    Orne Harbour is another celebrated location we hope to visit and the hike up to a rocky knoll provides excellent access to a chinstrap penguin rookery.

    At Cuverville Island, there is a large Gentoo penguin colony which we observe at close quarters. Leopard seals are often sighted cruising the shallows along the landing site. We are now at our most northern point on the Peninsula. Visit Mikkelson Harbour and the nearby Cierva Cove. For the kayakers, a full circumnavigation of the island is a real thrill. It is in this vicinity we hope to spend a night ashore camping for those interested, if weather conditions permit.

    Day 12 South Shetland Islands

    Having crossed the Bransfield Strait overnight, we arrive in the South Shetland Islands. The adventure is not over and if conditions allow, we aim to sail the ship into the sunken volcanic caldera at Deception Island, or visit nearby Half Moon Island, home to a sizeable colony of rowdy chinstrap penguins that share their territory with fur seals and blue-eyed shags. The MacFarlane Strait is a good place to spot humpback whales. In the early evening, we push into the Drake Passage and chart a course back to South America.

    Day 13-14 Drake Passage

    As we make our way back to South America, we approach the entrance to the Beagle Channel before heading again across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage.

    If weather conditions allow, we hope to make a rounding of Cape Horn. This fabled stretch of water is home to legendary tales of exploration and early navigation.

    Day 15 Ushuaia - Buenos Aires
    Ushuaia - Buenos Aires

    In the early morning, we will arrive back in Ushuaia. Disembark from the ship and transfer to the airport for a domestic flight back to Buenos Aires. You will be met on arrival and transferred to the Recoleta Grand Hotel, situated in the heart of the bustling Recoleta district, where one night is spent. Buenos Aires, affectionately known as the ‘Paris of South America’, is a cosmopolitan city and European in appearance. Its architectural diversity reflects times of grandeur as well as a variety of cultural influences that extend to Spanish, British, Jewish, Arabian and more recently Chinese and Korean. Dinner under own arrangements.

    Day 16 Buenos Aires - London

    Transfer to the airport for the suggested flight (not included in the cost of the tour) British Airways BA 244 departing Buenos Aires at 14.15 hrs. Subject to change.

    Day 17 London

    Arrival London Heathrow at 06.35 hrs.

    THE ITINERARY
    Day 1
    London - Buenos Aires

    Suggested flight (not included in the cost of the tour) British Airways BA 245 departing London Heathrow at 22.10 hrs. Subject to change.

    Day 2
    Buenos Aires - Ushuaia

    Arrive in Buenos Aires at 09.10 hrs.

    Connect with domestic flight to Ushuaia, the capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego which divides the mountains, glaciers and forests of the island to the north and the waters of the Beagle Channel to the south. You will be met on arrival and transferred to Arakur Hotel, located within Cerro Alarkén Natural Reserve, where two nights are spent. Dinner at the hotel under own arrangements.

    Day 3
    Ushuaia

    Full day to relax after your journey and enjoy your surroundings. Lunch under own arrangements. Welcome dinner at the hotel.

    Day 4
    Ushuaia - Embarkation

    Half day sightseeing tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park. When the first Europeans arrived on this legendary island at the tip of Patagonia, it was inhabited by several hunter-gatherer Indian tribes who built large bonfires to protect themselves from the penetrating cold. Those early Spanish navigators saw the fires from their boats and named the island ‘Tierra de Los Fuegos’ – Fire Island.

    Lunch under own arrangements. We gather at our central meeting point, transfer to the pier and embark our expedition ship, M/S Seaventure. After settling into our cabins and exploring the ship, we meet our expedition team and enjoy a welcome cocktail and cast off, bound for Antarctica.

    11 nights aboard M/S Seaventure with all meals, guided excursions and lectures included.

    Days 5 - 6
    At sea

    Sailing south towards Antarctica we will be joined by hundreds of seabirds including the wandering albatross. Giant petrels and smaller Cape petrels are also constant companions. Throughout the day our onboard experts educate us with a series of presentations about the environment, wildlife and history and the locations we aim to visit in the coming days.

    Days 7 - 9
    Antarctic Circle - Lower Antarctica

    Given favourable ice conditions, our first goal will be to sail south of the Antarctic Circle and into Crystal Sound. A favoured landing site here is Detaille Island, home to an abandoned British science hut. ‘Base W’ was established in the 1950’s and is in a remarkable state of preservation providing a glimpse into the harsh life of early Antarctic visitors. Further exploration this far south is highly dependent on optimal weather and ice conditions. If conditions allow, we may push even further to the south.

    This vicinity marks our turnaround point and from now on, we cruise in a northerly direction exploring the dramatic coastline of the Antarctic Peninsula. There are several locations in the Fish and Argentine Island archipelagos which allow for zodiac cruising and potential shore landings. We hope to visit a working scientific base to learn of the important climate- related research happening here. A hike over the snowy saddle of nearby Winter Island allows us to stretch our legs and explore the old British Antarctic Survey hut.

    Petermann Island is home to a sizable Adelie penguin rookery. Adelies – the smallest of the Antarctic penguins nest here and share the location with Gentoo penguins and Imperial cormorants. The view to the north of Mount Shackleton and Mount Scott is impressive. These towering granite sentinels mark the southern entrance to the Lemaire Channel.

    Nearby Pleneau Island offers more opportunities for shore landings. Just off shore, in the shallow waters of the Penola Strait, massive icebergs run aground. Constant wind and wave action sculpts these gargantuan chunks of ice into fantastic shapes. For many, a zodiac cruise here will be a highlight of the voyage.

    Days 10 - 11
    Gerlache Strait - Antarctica

    We aim to transit the Lemaire Channel on our way north towards Paradise Harbour. This may be the first opportunity to set foot on the continent of Antarctica itself. Nearby Neko Harbour offers another continental landing. Both locations offer terrific hiking opportunities up to panoramic viewpoints.

    Orne Harbour is another celebrated location we hope to visit and the hike up to a rocky knoll provides excellent access to a chinstrap penguin rookery.

    At Cuverville Island, there is a large Gentoo penguin colony which we observe at close quarters. Leopard seals are often sighted cruising the shallows along the landing site. We are now at our most northern point on the Peninsula. Visit Mikkelson Harbour and the nearby Cierva Cove. For the kayakers, a full circumnavigation of the island is a real thrill. It is in this vicinity we hope to spend a night ashore camping for those interested, if weather conditions permit.

    Day 12
    South Shetland Islands

    Having crossed the Bransfield Strait overnight, we arrive in the South Shetland Islands. The adventure is not over and if conditions allow, we aim to sail the ship into the sunken volcanic caldera at Deception Island, or visit nearby Half Moon Island, home to a sizeable colony of rowdy chinstrap penguins that share their territory with fur seals and blue-eyed shags. The MacFarlane Strait is a good place to spot humpback whales. In the early evening, we push into the Drake Passage and chart a course back to South America.

    Days 13 - 14
    Drake Passage

    As we make our way back to South America, we approach the entrance to the Beagle Channel before heading again across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage.

    If weather conditions allow, we hope to make a rounding of Cape Horn. This fabled stretch of water is home to legendary tales of exploration and early navigation.

    Day 15
    Ushuaia - Buenos Aires

    In the early morning, we will arrive back in Ushuaia. Disembark from the ship and transfer to the airport for a domestic flight back to Buenos Aires. You will be met on arrival and transferred to the Recoleta Grand Hotel, situated in the heart of the bustling Recoleta district, where one night is spent. Buenos Aires, affectionately known as the ‘Paris of South America’, is a cosmopolitan city and European in appearance. Its architectural diversity reflects times of grandeur as well as a variety of cultural influences that extend to Spanish, British, Jewish, Arabian and more recently Chinese and Korean. Dinner under own arrangements.

    Day 16
    Buenos Aires - London

    Transfer to the airport for the suggested flight (not included in the cost of the tour) British Airways BA 244 departing Buenos Aires at 14.15 hrs. Subject to change.

    Day 17
    London

    Arrival London Heathrow at 06.35 hrs.

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    • Gemma took on board all I asked for and arranged a fantastic itinerary. She was always prompt and professional both in planning the holiday and during the very circumstances of Covid. We would not hesitate to come back to The Ultimate Travel Company.

      -       TS, August 2020