trip specifics

price

2014

Day 1 - Bluff (Invercargill), New Zealand - Embark

Arrive to the largest urban center in New Zealand's Southland - Invercargill, a city of 49,000 people. Transfer from the Airport to the port and board Orion. Please note a taxi from the airport to the city center is about $15. Settle into your new home and embark on your wonderful adventure.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: dinner

Day 2 - Snares Islands, Scenic Zodiac Cruising

Two small rocky islands, North East and Broughton, comprise The Snares, the closest sub-Antarctic islands to New Zealand. The islands are covered with heavy tussock grass and wind-beaten forests of tree daisies. Weather permitting we'll launch our Zodiacs for an exploration of the sheltered eastern coastline as the island's wildlife protection program precludes landings. The Snares are home to huge numbers of breeding birds, 99 recorded species including albatross, Antarctic Terns and Snares Crested Penguins.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 - Auckland Islands, Wet landing

Sites in Port Ross may be visited including an abandoned Maori settlement, a German expedition observation point at Terror Cove and a WWII coast watching station at Ranui Cove. In Carnley Harbor castaway depots at Camp Cove, are marked by an A frame building built in 1887 by the crew of the Awarua, inscribed with the names of people from the French Bark Angou wrecked in 1905. We may cruise to Victoria Passage, a dramatic opening at the end of Carnley Harbor. The birdlife of Auckland Island is profuse.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 4-7 - At Sea

Relax while Orion's crew does the navigating. Orion’s Expedition Team will be on hand to prepare you for your expedition experience giving you an overview of all aspects of Antarctic life, with lectures and presentations on wildlife, ice, environmental sustainability and the history of polar exploration. These are given by some of the foremost experts in their fields including botany, marine biology, anthropology and history.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 8-12 - Commonwealth Bay Region

On 8 January 1912 Sir Douglas Mawson landed on the Antarctic continent after a journey from Hobart that took 36 days aboard the Aurora, a ship of just 612 tons. During these voyages to the Antarctic continent, Orion will be positioned in and around Commonwealth Bay on the Adelie coast of Antarctica. Your expedition team will lead a variety of opportunistic landings which may include sites at Cape Denison, Port Martin and Dumont d'Urville. In each instance landings ashore and Zodiac explorations are wholly subject to prevailing weather conditions, in an area Mawson described as "the home of the blizzard".

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 13-15 - At Sea

As we make our way through the Southern Ocean, Orion’s Expedition Team will be on hand to prepare you for your expedition experience giving you an overview of all aspects of Antarctic life, with lectures and presentations on wildlife, ice, environmental sustainability and the history of polar exploration. These are given by some of the foremost experts in their fields including botany, marine biology, anthropology and history.

We cross the Antarctic Convergence Zone where warm currents meet cold which rise to the surface resulting in nutrient laden waters, a sudden and substantial drop in temperature and abundant marine life. A band of fog defines the convergence and the icebergs may be sighted in this region. We transit a vast wilderness in the company of sea birds (especially albatross and petrels), whales and dolphins. If the opportunity arises we may try to cross directly over the South Magnetic Pole as we head south.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 16 - Macquarie Island

Often described as one of the "wonder spots" of the world, the sub-Antarctic island of Macquarie has been said to rival South Georgia in its magnificence, scenic diversity and prolific wildlife. Designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1933 and a World Heritage Site in 1997, Macquarie now operates a full-time manned station where biological and meteorological research is conducted. The station, located on the isthmus at Buckles Bay, is from where we will collect the Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife rangers who will be our guides.

Sandy Bay, situated halfway down the island's eastern seaboard, is our planned landing site. The Zodiacs will traverse breakwaters of giant kelp before reaching rocky beaches where landing conditions can best be described as "wet and challenging". Once ashore you'll find the bay, with its rugged backdrop of mountains and tussockcovered headlands, is home to 20,000 breeding pair of royal penguins, king penguins, rock hopper penguins, Gentoo penguins and elephant seals. This profusion of wildlife wasn't always so protected, the rusting remains of machinery used by whalers being stark reminders of the exploitation which took place on the island during its early history.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 17-18 - At Sea

Spend two days relaxing and reflecting as the natural beauty passes by.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 19 - Bluff (Invercargill), New Zealand

After breakfast, disembark in Bluff - The largest urban center in New Zealand's South land. For guests disembarking in Bluff we offer a complementary transfer from Orion to Invercargill on the day of arrival. The transfer is to the city center, or to the Invercargill airport.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast




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