trip specifics

price

This epic journey includes Antarctica, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. View abundant Antarctic wildlife, visit scientific bases and enjoy breathtaking scenery of icy waterways, glaciers, icebergs, and rugged mountains. For the adventurous, some departures offer sea kayaking and camping options. Begins and ends in Ushuaia, Argentina.

Optional Adventures

On selected Adventure Ship voyages, you may choose to heighten your Antarctic experience by kayaking. Space is limited, so we encourage you to book your active option when you book your expedition. Kayaking costs US $795 per person. To participate in these optional adventures, reserve your spot when you make your expedition reservation.

Day 1-2 - The Quest That Calls

This extended adventure begins at the tip of South America in Ushuaia, Argentina, with a night at a local hotel. Before boarding the ship on Day 2, explore on your own the nearby National Park or stroll the streets of the quaint town of Ushuaia. Board the ship and get settled in, meet the Expedition Team and set sail in the late afternoon on the Beagle Channel, named for the ship that brought Charles Darwin to Ushuaia.

Accommodations: Orlova, Clipper Adventurer, or Ocean Nova
Included Meals: breakfast and dinner on Day 2

Days 3-5 - The Evolution of Darwin's Inspiration

En route to the Falkland Islands, you learn more about Darwin. He visited the islands in 1833 on the voyage that led to his iconoclastic work, The Origin of Species. The shipboard education program introduces the flora and fauna that you can expect to encounter during landings. Properly prepared, you are zipped from the ship to shore in a Zodiac to hike to a plain where geese graze and Magellanic Penguins guard their burrows. You'll comb beaches and socialize with local residents. There are activities for a diverse range of interests - historical, natural and physical.

Accommodations: Orlova, Clipper Adventurer, or Ocean Nova
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 6-11 - Welcome to the world of ice and birds

The published account of James Cook's voyage to South Georgia brought fortune seekers to the island for nearly two hundred years. Now there are only a handful of scientists studying the abundant bird life and the glaciers that cover the island. The Expedition Team plans a series of landings including King Penguin rookeries, abandoned whaling stations and the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton. Different activity levels will be accommodated during the landings. You can be as active as you like.

Accommodations: Orlova, Clipper Adventurer, or Ocean Nova
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 12-17: Hang on, Shackleton's coming

As the ship sails south and west, watch for tabular icebergs, as you will, at last, be in Antarctic waters. Landings in the South Shetlands Islands are planned. The northernmost island in the archipelago is Elephant Island, where the crew of Endurance waited for rescue. While a landing there is not likely, no exploration of the Antarctic is complete without hearing of the exploits of Shackleton and his crew.
Jump in, the water is freezing The Expedition Team will be planning as many as three landings a day. You'll climb craggy hills, cruise in Zodiacs along granite beaches choked with brash ice and take a polar plunge, if you dare. Wildlife viewing will be a priority ashore and from the deck. The optional activities - camping or kayaking - are also planned. For all activities, included and optional, the Expedition Team consults weather reports and marine charts to find the best sites for a memorable experience.

Accommodations: Orlova, Clipper Adventurer, or Ocean Nova
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 18-20: The Drake Passage... Lake, or Shake?

This famous passage is notorious for its high winds and rolling seas. Crossing it is as much a part of the Antarctic experience as penguins and krill. All the great explorers have braved the Drake Passage. It is a most fitting end to your Antarctic quest.

Accommodations: Orlova, Clipper Adventurer, or Ocean Nova
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Photo courtesy of Tom Arban

Notes on Itinerary: Read this itinerary as a guide only; our exact route and program varies according to ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife we encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition. Visits to research stations depend on final permission.

Single Travelers: Solo travelers willing to share can reserve a triple or twin-shared cabin, where you will be matched with a person of the same gender. If the other cabin berth goes unsold, you will not be penalized. For those who desire single occupancy, cabins are available for single occupancy at additional cost.

Minimum Age for Children: 12 years
Children must be able to safely navigate a steep gangway, by themselves, in variable conditions. Expedition Leaders will determine if children are allowed on shore excursions and landings. If an Expedition Leader determines a child's participation in these activities is unsafe the child must stay on board, accompanied by an adult. On board our vessels we do not have any children facilities or activities, parents must bring all games, etc. Parents must be aware there is no hospital nearby and it may take several hours, sometimes even days to eventually get to the hospital. Parents are responsible for their children at all times, on land and on board. There is no babysitting available. There is no running around in or outside the vessel. Parents must provide a child’s life vest in order for the child to go into the zodiac.

Land Cost Includes: On some vessels, one night pre-cruise hotel accommodation in Ushuaia; shipboard accommodation, meals, shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage; Leadership by experienced expedition staff; Presentations by noted naturalists and other experts; Zodiac cruising and transfers to and from the ship for shore excursions; Comprehensive pre-departure information kit and Antarctic handbook; Group transfers and baggage handling as per itinerary; All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges; Daily international news bulletins.

Not Included: Airfares to the embarkation point and from the disembarkation point; adventure options of kayaking or diving; passport and visa expenses; government arrival and departure taxes; hotel accommodations; supplement for single hotel accommodations; meals while in Ushuaia; Rubber boots on all other vessels not specifically listed above; Trip Cancellation Insurance with emergency medical evacuation insurance (required); excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar and beverage charges and telecommunication charges; and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for those who have served you aboard (guidelines will be provided).

Reservations and Payment: A deposit of $1,500 per person is required to confirm a reservation on this Antarctic voyage. The deposit may be paid by bank wire transfer, check, money order or major credit card. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. We do NOT accept credit cards for Final Payment. Final payment can be made by check , money order or bank wire transfer. All prices and payments are in US dollars and no other currencies can be accepted.

Cancellation Policy: A special cancellation policy applies to all Antarctic and Arctic trips, which is stricter than the AdventureSmith Explorations policy. All requests for cancellations must be received in writing. Cancellations received:

180 days prior to departure are fully refunded less an administrative fee of $750 per person.
Between 179-90 days, per person deposit amount is forfeited.
Within 89 days all deposits and tariffs, whether paid or not, are due and forfeited.

Fuel Supplement: Note: should the price of marine fuel increase dramatically, we may have to institute a fuel surcharge.

Trip Insurance: Passengers traveling to the remote destinations of the Arctic and Antarctica are required to be covered by a travel insurance policy that includes emergency evacuation coverage. AdventureSmith recommend's our travelers protect their investment with Access America Insurance.



Vessel Descriptions: Click vessel links above for individual vessel descriptions. Vessels accommodate between 46 - 110 passengers and have ice-strengthened hulls designed specifically for polar travel.

Accommodations and Services Aboard: Vessels accommodate passengers in comfortable cabins. Public areas include a Lounge and bar with facilities for slide shows and lectures; Views are excellent from the large, open decks and the navigation bridge, where passengers are always welcome. The chefs produce a varied menu and the comfortable bar is stocked with a good selection of wine. Inform us of any special dietary requirements; however, note that the galleys unfortunately can not prepare kosher meals. The ship officers and crew are all highly experienced in ice navigation. The atmosphere aboard is relaxed and informal, more like a private expedition than a cruise.

Qualifications: This trip will be enjoyed by anyone who is in good health, has full mobility, and leads an active life. The expedition is ship-based and physically not very demanding. Although we spend as much time as possible ashore, you are welcome to remain aboard the ship if you like. To join any off-vessel excursions, passengers must be able to navigate the steep, 30-stair, gang-way, un-assisted both down and up. Daily excursions from the boat will be made in Zodiacs. Trip members will take excursions to specific areas for wildlife observation. Hiking time for most landings will be a couple of hours roundtrip with lots of time to stop to study, photograph and enjoy the flora and fauna. Some landings are dry but many are "wet", requiring cautious footing on slippery rocks. The boat staff will be on hand to assist. You are traveling in remote areas without access to sophisticated medical facilities, so you must not join this expedition if you have a life-threatening condition, or need daily medical treatment.

General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list, extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation.


We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today.

return to top of page

AdventureSmith Explorations

Travel Specialists  |  Contact Us