Antarctica Cruise - The Peninsula (Active Adventure) 2009/2010

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

Day 2: Ushuaia / Tierra del Fuego

Spend the morning with a local guide on a group excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park, then enjoy a traditional Argentine BBQ asado lunch. Settle into your cabin and get to know the ship. You will meet your Expedition Team as the ship heads through the scenic Beagle Channel.

Days 6-12: Antarctic Peninsula

Your exploration of the Antarctic continent may begin with a visit to the aptly named Paradise Bay, or to nearby Neko Harbor. Glaciers fill the calm waters with an amazing vista of icebergs as you set foot on the Antarctic continent itself. During the voyage, expect to see enormous rookeries of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins. You may also encounter Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, as well as orcas, humpback, and Minke whales. If pack ice and icebergs allow, the ship navigates some of the most beautiful waterways in the world. Two in particular, the Neumayer and Lemaire channels, are impressive narrow passages between towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers. Sailing south of the Lemaire Channel you may visit Petermann Island, where Adélie and Gentoo Penguins, skuas and Blue-eyed Shags nest close to the landing site.

The quest for the Antarctic Circle continues as the expedition pushes farther south. You will be in the vicinity of historic Stonington Island, which served briefly as a base for the Byrd's Little America Expedition in 1940. The site also served as the base for Finn Ronne's 1947-48 Antarctic Research Expedition that mapped a great portion of the continent by air. You will mark your arrival at the southernmost location with a celebration on board.

Days 3-5: Drake Passage & South Shetland Islands

Journey across the famous Drake Passage, named after the 16th-century English navigator Sir Francis Drake. As the ship sails, your naturalists and historians offer presentations on the marvels ahead. If weather allows, you can spend time on the deck spotting for albatrosses -- including the magnificent Wandering Albatross -- and other seabirds.

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.

Day 1: Ushuaia, Argentina

Arrive in the southernmost city in the world and make your way to the Hotel Los Nires or similar hotel.

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.