Antarctica Cruise - The Peninsula (Active Adventure)

This easygoing, compact adventure offers you the very best of Antarctica: exploring vast penguin rookeries; sighting Minke whales, leopard seals and other unique wildlife; and enjoying unforgettable walks on the White Continent surrounded by snowcapped peaks, giant tabular icebergs and crystal-blue seas. Sail aboard the Ocean Nova, a sleek and sturdy 68-passenger expedition ship with a fantastic glass-enclosed observation lounge.

Itinerary

Days 1-2: Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Arrive in Ushuaia, a small town at the "end of the world" surrounded by rugged peaks and glaciers, and transfer independently to your conveniently located hotel. The following day, in the afternoon, the Expedition Team gets you settled aboard your ship as you sail into the Beagle Channel to start your Antarctic expedition.

Days 3-5: Drake Passage and South Shetland Islands

You cross the famed Drake Passage, named for the 16th-century English navigator Sir Francis Drake, looking out for Wandering Albatross and other seabirds from the ship's spacious decks and promenades. You also cross the Antarctic Convergence, a biological barrier where cold polar waters sink beneath warmer waters from the temperate zones. Expect to sight the South Shetland Islands, lying just to the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, late in the afternoon on Day 4. On the planned landings you will explore penguin rookeries and have chances to spot Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals on the beaches or hunting their prey. You may also visit one of the many research bases in the archipelago. And keep an eye out for Antarctica's only two flowering plants, which thrive here during the short southern summer. On many visits the ship is able to sail through a narrow passage leading into the sunken volcanic caldera of Deception Island. Here, if the tide allows, you may wish to strip down to your bathing suit and take a dip in the thermal waters of Pendulum Cove.

Days 6-9: Exploring the Antarctic Peninsula

The Antarctic Peninsula is the most easily accessible part of the ?White Continent,? but it also has some of the most awe-inspiring scenery and a rich variety of wildlife. This voyage offers ample time to experience the special magic of this wilderness region. Among the places you may visit are aptly named Paradise Harbor, where glaciers fill the calm waters with a vista of icebergs sculpted by wind and weather. Here, you may set foot on the ?White Continent? itself. At Port Lockroy, you will find thriving colonies of penguins and shags and a former British scientific station that has recently been renovated and serves as a fascinating museum. Cuverville Island and Rongé Island, with their dramatic location, are home to a large colony of nearly 5,000 pairs of gentoo penguins. Many visitors find the Antarctic scenery as rewarding as the wildlife, and you will be enchanted by such beautiful waterways as the Neumayer and Lemaire channels. Located south of the spectacular Lemaire Channel and separated from the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula by Penola Strait is Petermann Island, on which we plan to land. Adélie and gentoo penguins, skuas and blue-eyed shags nest close to the landing site.

Days 10-11: Drake Passage

Today you leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage. In between bird watching and whale watching, and enjoying some final lectures by our expedition staff, this is a chance to relax and review our adventures before returning to Ushuaia.

Day 12: Ushuaia

You disembark after breakfast and transfer by bus to the Antarctic Unit office located at the entrance of the pier. Passengers departing the same day on the morning flight will continue by bus to the airport.