Copyright © Nile Travel International
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Nile Travel International is a South African based tour operator specialising in travel to all the above destinations. You can choose to join one of our scheduled tours listed below or we can customise a package for you.
Antarctica Peninsular Adventure
08 to 18 December 2012
“If Antarctica were music it would be Mozart. Art, and it would be Michelangelo. Literature, and it would be Shakespeare. And yet it is something even greater; the only place on earth that is still as it should be. May we never tame it” Andrew Denton
Tour Organiser/Leader
Kim Lings is the owner of Nile Travel and visited Antarctica in December 2006 and will be able to give you first hand advise on travel to this remote and exciting part of the world. Kim will accompany the tour to Antarctica if there is a minimum of 10 booked passengers.
Overview
Sailing in comfort aboard the Akademik Sergey Vavilov, we begin this 10 night expedition at the tip of South America. We chart a course through the Drake Passage and make visits along the way through the South Shetland Islands. When we arrive at the Antarctic Peninsula, be prepared to be dazzled. Even our experienced crew members many of whom have visited the southern region a hundred times or more are still astonished by its pristine beauty. The abundance of wildlife here is truly extraordinary including five seal species, massive penguin rookeries of Gentoo, Adelies and Chinstraps as well as a profusion of seabirds from Albatross to Skuas. It is nature you will experience up close and personal on frequent excursions inland.
Our journey will take us to Petermann Island or Wilhelmina Bay where we encounter colossal icebergs and, of course, the ice landscapes that stretch as far as the eye can see. Hardy adventurers or those with a yen for history have the chance to camp out on the ice overnight and feel the thrill and audacity of early explorers who attempted to conquer this continent.
As with all of our expeditions, safety is our top priority. For that reason weather, ice or other conditions may require us to change our itinerary and shore excursions as we go but that is half the fun of Polar exploring. Predictability is a word that has no relevance in this environment.
Day By Day Expedition Itinerary
Day 1 / Ushuaia
Today is the first day of our adventure. As we board the vessel in
Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city at the tip of Argentina, and start to become
familiar with 'our home' for the next 11 days we cannot help but wonder about the
exciting journey ahead of us. In the early evening, we set sail and begin our voyage
leaving behind Ushuaia and charting a course through the Beagle Channel.
Days 2 - 3 / Drake Passage
Crossing the Drake Passage, there is so much excitement in the air as we make our way ever closer to the white continent. Guests eagerly soak up the friendly atmosphere onboard as our numerous Polar experts prepare us for our adventures with presentations on everything Antarctic, from wildlife to history. Eventually, we will cross the Antarctic Convergence where we will notice a distinct drop in temperature as we enter the waters of the Antarctic Ocean. Along the way, we will witness many spectacular sights from icebergs to an array of seabirds and even several whale species some of which are known on occasion to fully breach from the sea.
Days 4 - 8 / Antarctic Peninsula
In the waterways of the Antarctic Peninsula, we will
hope to make as much time as possible to explore by inflatable Zodiac boats and marvel
up close at nature's glory. Planned excursions might include Neko Harbour, Wilhelmina
Bay and even the southerly Petermann Island, where we will observe Weddell, crab-eater
and elephant seals, skuas and other seabirds as well as a shocking abundance of penguins
including some very large colonies of the comical Adelie penguin. At Half Moon Island
we will observe a breeding colony of chinstrap penguins that share their territory
with fur seals and blue-eyed shags. We also hope to see the gentle humpback whale
dining on krill in its feeding grounds and possibly have an opportunity to observe
Orcas and Minke whales as we go.
We finally arrive on the continent of Antarctica at Paradise Harbour or Neko Harbour. Prepare to be dazzled by your first glimpse of the continent. The scenery here is amazing. In particular we will be struck by the oddly-shaped icebergs that look like sculptures, as well as the colossal 'tabular' icebergs that break away from the continent's ice shelf. We hope the weather will be mild enough to allow us all to step foot on the White Continent itself. Some may wish to camp on shore overnight. Whatever your vantage point, whether it is onboard or onshore expect to feel transformed as you experience twilight from the very bottom of the planet.
Days 9 - 10 / Drake Passage
As we leave this magical place and make our way north, heading again across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage before rounding Cape Horn, we have no doubt that time will be spent sharing and reflecting on the wonderful experiences of the last few days. Sailing down the Beagle Channel, we celebrate the conclusion of our Polar expedition at a special dinner.
Day 11 / Ushuaia
In the early morning, we will arrive back in Ushuaia. It is time
to say farewell to your crew and fellow travellers. Guests will be transported to
their hotels or to the airport for return flights home.
Nile Travel reserves the right to change the order of the itinerary, guide, hotels and cruise should the need arise. Nile Travel shall not be liable for any loss or harm, delay, damage or injury to property or person however caused. For a list of our full terms and conditions please visit www.nile.co.za.
TOUR PRICE
The above itinerary will cost from US $8 190 per person sharing a communal bathroom (shared between 2 cabins) or from $8 790 for a private bathroom cabin. Price excludes flights to and from Ushuaia which are normally in the region of R15 000 per person.
Extensions to other sites in South America like Iguazu Falls etc. are possible, please contact Kim for further details.
