Antarctic Explorer
- 11 Days
- Departure/Arrival:
- Punta Arenas, Chile, South America - Ushuaia, Argentina, South America
- Voyage code:
- ANP132G
- Ship:
- Greg Mortimer
- Price:
-
from USD $17,000.00/pp
Early Antarctic explorers returned from their voyages to the deep south with tales of a magnificent, ice-covered land teeming with life. Experience the awe-inspiring immensity of Antarctica and immerse yourself in the unimaginable beauty of the Antarctic Peninsula, where vast glaciers tumble into the sea, penguins are dwarfed by soaring peaks, and humpback and minke whales feast on abundant krill. Reduce your time on the high seas by flying at least one way across the Drake Passage.
Special guest
Scott Portelli - select voyages departing Dec 2020 & Jan 2021
International award-winning photographer, Scott Portelli, will be our photography guide for Antarctic Explorer ANP135G, departing in December 2020; ANP136G and ANP137G, departing in January 2021.
Highlights
- See and hear the busting activity of a penguin city
- Chance to spot leopard seals on ice floes from our Zodiacs
- Zodiac-cruise in search of feeding and breaching whales
- Skip one or two legs of the Drake Passage to maximise your holiday time in the white continent
Number of Passengers:
- ANP131G: 126 passengers (including kayakers)
- ANP132G, ANP135G, ANP136G, ANP137G, AEP143G, AEP146G, AEP150S, AEP151S, AEP152S, AEP153S: 126 passengers (including kayakers)
- ANP133G: 126 passengers (including kayakers and divers)
- ANP138G, ANP139G, AEP144G, AEP145G: 132 passengers (including kayakers and divers)
Antarctic Explorer (ANP133G, ANP136G, AEP144G, AEP146G, AEP151S) are FLY/FLY voyages that skip the Drake completely. Please refer to our Contingency Plans for Fly/Sail and Fly/Fly voyages.
- ANP131G, ANP135G, ANP138G, AEP143G, AEP150S – Sail/Fly
- ANP132G, ANP137G, ANP139G, AEP145G, AEP152S, AEP153S – Fly/Sail
- ANP133G, ANP136G, AEP144G, AEP146G, AEP151S – Fly/Fly
Gallery
In true expedition style we encourage exploration and adventure, offering flexibility in challenging environments in a way that puts you among the action to see and do as much as possible. This itinerary is only a guide and subject to change due to ice and weather conditions.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive In Punta Arenas
Arrive in Punta Arenas, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred to your hotel (preferred flights only). Upon arrival at your included hotel, kindly remind hotel check-in staff to provide you with Aurora Expeditions cabin tags. Please clearly label the tags with your name and ship cabin number.
Overlooking the Straits of Magellan, the city sits astride one of the world's most historic trade routes. Today, Punta Arenas reflects a great mix of cultures, from English sheep ranchers to Portuguese sailors, and it remains an utterly fascinating testament to Chile's rich history.
Tonight, we will gather to meet our fellow expeditioners and a briefing on the first leg of our expedition – our flight to Antarctica!
Day 2 Fly Punta Arenas To King George Island
This morning we will be transferred to Punta Arenas airport for our early morning charter flight to King George Island, Antarctica (weather permitting). The flight will take approximately one-and-a-half-hours.
On arrival at King George Island, our expedition team is on hand to greet you and provide you with gumboots for your Zodiac transfer to board the Greg Mortimer. You’ll have time to settle into your cabin before our important briefings. This evening, get to know your fellow expeditioners and friendly expedition team and crew at a welcome dinner to celebrate the start of a thrilling adventure to Antarctica.
NOTE: King George Island is located at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands and is one of the most remote places on Earth. A clear sky with perfect visibility is required in order to take off and land safely. We apologise in advance if you experience any delays.
NOTE: Satellite and weather information is checked before departure and during the flight. As bad weather conditions in Antarctica can delay our charter flight from departing on time, Aurora Expeditions has developed programs to offer you if we are delayed.
Days 3-8 Antarctic Peninsula
Over the next six days a host of choices are open to us and depending on ice and weather conditions, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula is ours to explore. Our experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to design our voyage from day to day. This allows us to make the best use of the prevailing weather, ice conditions and wildlife opportunities.
Because we are so far south, we will experience approximately 18-20 hours of daylight and the days can be as busy as you wish. We will generally make landings or Zodiac excursions two, and occasionally three, times a day; cruising along spectacular ice cliffs, following whales that are feeding near the surface, and landing on the continent and its off-shore islands to visit penguin rookeries, seal haul outs, historic huts, and a few of our other favourite spots along the peninsula. There will be plenty of time for sleep when you get home!
There are many exciting places we can choose to visit; a sample of some of the places where we may land, hike, photograph or view spectacular wildlife follows:
Paradise Harbour
A protected bay surrounded by magnificent peaks and breathtaking glaciers, the rocky cliffs of this unforgettable piece of heaven provide perfect nesting sites for blue-eyed shags, terns and gulls. The serenity of Paradise Harbour envelops us once the sound of the dropping anchor fades from our ears. This is a haven for whales as we keep our eyes open for humpbacks, orcas and minkes, as well as crabeater seals, whilst we explore the bay in Zodiacs.
Hydrurga Rocks
This group of low-lying unprotected granitic rocks protrude from the sea, swept by ocean swells. At first, these rocks appear uninteresting, but on closer investigation, calm channels lead to a hidden interior where Weddell seals are hauled out on protected snow beds and noisy chinstrap penguins raise their families on rocky platforms. Hydrurga is the Latin family name for leopard seal (Hydrurga Leonina), and on occasions we see some skulking in the shallows. There are many places to simply sit and watch the rise and fall of clear green water and listen to the magic sounds and calls of the wildlife.
Half Moon Island
This wildlife-rich island is tucked into a neat bay at the eastern end of Livingston Island. On a clear day, the glaciers and mountains of Livingston Island dominate the vista. There is a large chinstrap penguin rookery tucked in between basaltic turrets coloured by yellow and orange lichens. Gulls nest on these turrets and there are often fur seals and elephant seals hauled out on the pebble beaches. At one extremity of the island, there is a large colony of nesting blue-eyed shags. At the other end lies a small Argentine station that is sometimes occupied by scientists conducting research on the penguin colony and surrounding waterways.
Lemaire Channel
If ice conditions allow, standing on the observation deck of the Greg Mortimer quietly moving through the narrow Lemaire Channel could be one of the highlights of our voyage. Cliffs tower 700 metres straight up out of the ocean on either side of the ship. The water can be so still that perfect reflections are mirrored on the surface and it is clear to see why this Channel is also known as “Kodak Alley”. Gigantic icebergs may clog the channel, creating navigational challenges for our Captain and crew; occasionally they may even obstruct our passage.
Port Lockroy
Located on Goudier Island, British Port Lockroy is an important site for both scientific research and visitors to the Antarctic continent. Designated a historic site in 1994 and opened to the Antarctic tourism industry in 1996, it was discovered in 1904 and used by the whaling industry in the first half of the 1900’s, was part of the British Operation Tabarin during World War II, and was later used as a British Research Station. Today, Pork Lockroy is manned by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust and operates as a museum, gift shop and Post Office for visitors from passing Antarctic expeditions. You can even send a postcard home from the Penguin Post Office, the world’s most southern Post Office!
Deception Island
Visiting Deception Island is like making a journey to the moon. We sail through the narrow opening of Neptune's Bellows to enter the flooded volcanic crater. The inside of the crater is an unworldly scene, virtually devoid of life. Glaciers flow down from the edge of the crater, littered with black volcanic ash.
We can explore the lifeless remains of a derelict whaling station and a vacant British base, or climb to the rim of the crater. Steam rises from the shore indicating that the water is actually warm enough for swimming, for those who dare. Outside the crater, if conditions allow, we might land at Bailey Head to explore the enormous chinstrap penguin rookery that featured in David Attenborough's Life in the Freezer series.
Neko Harbour
Located in Andvord Bay, Neko Harbour is an inlet home to gentoo penguins and regularly welcomes Weddell seals. The scenery is dramatic - towering peaks and calving glaciers surround the harbour. The thundering crack of the glaciers as they calve is sure to stop you in your tracks.
Robert Point
A fine example of the South Shetland Islands – tiny toes of land that are literally alive with wildlife. Here we will find two species of penguins breeding - chinstrap and gentoo. It is not uncommon to find wallows of elephant seals that are 60 beasts strong. Giant petrels nest on the ridgeline.
Other places we may visit around the Antarctic Peninsula are:
Pleneau Island
Vernadsky; a Ukrainian scientific base
Petermann Island
Penola Strait
Antarctic Sound
Cuverville Island
Danco Island
Enterprise Island
Melchior Islands
Days 9-10 Drake Passage Crossing
Today, our landings come to an end as we enter the Drake Passage for our return journey to South America. With lectures and videos to complete our Antarctic experience, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of Southern Ocean and the life that calls it home. There is time for reflection and discussion about what we have seen and experienced, and the impact this voyage has had on our attitude to life.
As we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting.
Day 11 Disembark Ushuaia
During the early morning, we cruise up the Beagle Channel, before quietly slipping into dock in Ushuaia, where we will be free to disembark around 8.00 am. Farewell your expedition team and fellow passengers as we all continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature. A transfer to downtown Ushuaia before continuing to the airport is included in the cost of the voyage.
NOTE: At the conclusion of the voyage, we do not recommend booking flights departing Ushuaia prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.
Inclusions
- Arrival transfer from airport to hotel on Day 1
- One night’s hotel accommodation with breakfast in Punta Arenas on Day 1
- Transfer from hotel to airport in Punta Arenas on Day 2
- Flight from Punta Arenas to King George Island on Day 2
- Transfer to downtown Ushuaia or airport on Day 11
- On-board accommodation during voyage including daily cabin service,
- All meals, snacks, tea and coffee during voyage
- Beer, house wine and soft drinks with dinner
- Captain’s Welcome and Farewell reception including four-course dinner, house cocktails, house beer and wine, non-alcoholic beverages ,
- All shore excursions and Zodiac cruises
- Educational lectures and guiding services from expedition team
- Free access to our onboard doctor for consultations relating to sea-sickness. A standard fee of US $60.00 (reclaimable through your travel
- insurance provider) applies for medical consultations not related to sea-sickness,
- A 3-in-1 waterproof polar expedition jacket
- Complimentary use of muck boots during the voyage
- Comprehensive pre-departure information
- Port surcharges, permits and landing fees
Exclusions
- International or domestic flights, unless specified
- Transfers not mentioned in the itinerary
- Airport arrival or departure taxes
- Passport, visa, reciprocity and vaccination charges
- Travel insurance or emergency evacuation charges
- Hotels and meals not included in itinerary
- Optional excursions not included in the itinerary
- Optional activity surcharges
- All items of a personal nature including but not limited to: alcoholic beverages and soft drinks (outside of dinner service), laundry services, personal clothing, medical expenses, gratuities, Wi-Fi, email or phone charges
Note: A $15 USD per person per day gratuity for the crew is automatically added to your onboard account. It is at your discretion if you would like to remove the tip (or increase/decrease the amount) when you settle your bill. It is not necessary to tip the expedition team members. This gratuity amount is included for suites as part of their ‘Suite Benefits’."
Who's on this voyage?
Justine Bornholdt
Assistant Expedition Leader & Expedition Coordinator
Dr Liz Pope
Expedition Leader, Deputy Expedition Leader, Assistant Expedition Leader & Expedition Guide
Dr Liz Pope
Expedition Leader, Deputy Expedition Leader, Assistant Expedition Leader & Expedition Guide
Justine Bornholdt
Assistant Expedition Leader & Expedition Coordinator
Included Activities
Bird watching
Lectures on wildlife, our environment, history and destinations
Photography
Polar plunge
Trips ashore
Walking
Whale and mammal spotting
Zodiac cruises
Add-on Activities
Sea Kayaking
From USD $1,200.00/pp
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*Terms & Conditions apply. Valid on select ship voyages only and select cabin categories. Offer is valid on new bookings only aboard the Greg Mortimer or Sylvia Earle which must be booked and deposited by March 31st 2020, or until sold out, whichever comes first. Promotion is subject to availability at the time of booking and capacity controlled. The promotion is not available in conjunction with any other offer, can be withdrawn at any time and is not redeemable for cash. Prices and offers correct at time of printing and subject to change. Normal booking terms and conditions apply. To confirm your booking, a completed booking form and non-refundable deposit of $2,500 pp in the booking currency is required within 7 days of reserved berth/s. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Please visit www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/terms-and-conditions for full terms and conditions.