Antarctic Peninsula Including South Shetland… (trip)

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Antarctic Peninsula Including South Shetland Islands

  • Antarctica
  • Boats, Barges & Small Ship Cruises
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Period offered: December-February. The provider (view their profile) can provide you with specific departure dates, final prices, and other information.


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from $5,150* per person11 DaysDecember-February
Boutique accommodations Exertion level: 4
Operator: AdventureSmith Explorations 100 people max
The South Shetland Islands is a 335 mile long chain of islands that is located about 500 miles from Tierra del Fuego and about 75 miles from the Antarctic Peninsula. The archipelago consists of 11 major islands and numerous smaller ones. They are mainly mountainous and more than 80% glaciated. The islands are of volcanic origin.

This 10-12 day journey to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands encompasses all the highlights you dream of: penguins, icebergs, seals, seabirds and more! On board these small ships, you will share the experience with other adventurous voyagers to the final frontier, Antarctica.

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Locations visited/nearby

Ushuaia , Argentina , The Drake Passage , Antarctic Peninsula Islands, Antarctica

1 testimonial about this trip

  1. Reviewer: W. Murray located in St Paul, MN USA

    “The Antarctic Cruise was something else; it was an unbelievable experience. The crew were superb. I have no negative impressions to relate. The scenes of Antarctica were breathtaking, not to mention in the landings on the peninsula and numerous islands. The gear (coat and rubber boots) was perfect; I never got cold.  Penguins were encountered at just about every stop. We saw a couple of seals, too, and a few whales at sea. Those birds are incredibly photogenic and there must have been thousands of pictures taken by my fellow passengers. Thanks, AdventureSmith, for getting me into such a grand adventure. I have too many stories.”


1 testimonial about the provider, AdventureSmith Explorations:

  • Reviewer: R. and D. Ivanova

    Galapagos Motor Yacht Eric/Letty/Flamingo Cruise

    Thank you for the most incredible experience! We just came back from our trip to the Galapagos. We were on the Eric - a terrific yacht and an even greater team. The islands are beyond belief, but I wanted to tell you how perfect the entire trip was.  Everything went incredibly smoothly from our arrival (late) in Quito where our guide was waiting for us despite the late hour, to all transfers, luggage and ticket arrangements - everything. Our guides were fabulous, as was the entire crew, including the Captain.  AdventureSmith Explorations did a terrific job!

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Itinerary

Day 1 - Ushuaia, Argentina
Transfer on your own to the dock. Boarding begins at 4pm from the southernmost city in the world - Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina which is nestled in the shadow of the Andes and right at the base of the Beagle Channel. In the afternoon, sail through this scenic waterway.

Accommodations: M/V Plancius or M/V Ortelius
Included Meals: dinner

Days 2-3 - The Drake Passage
During these two days you will sail across the Drake Passage. 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.

After crossing the Antarctic Convergence, arrive in the circum-Antarctic up-welling zone. This area is home to varieties of albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, and petrels. Near the South Shetland Islands, glimpse our first icebergs. If the winds are favorable we might do our first landing in Antarctic waters in the evening of the third day at Aitcho Island or Penguin Island at the South Shetlands. These volcanic islands are windswept and often shrouded in mist and fog, but do offer subtle pleasures. There is a nice variety of flora (mosses, lichens and flowering grasses) and fauna, such as gentoo penguins, chinstrap penguins and southern giant petrels.

Accommodations: M/V Plancius or M/V Ortelius
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 4-8 - Antarctic Peninsula & South Shetland Islands
Sail directly to “High Antarctica”, passing the Melchior islands and the Schollaert Channel between Brabant and Anvers Island. On Cuverville Island, a small precipitous island, nestled between the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula and Danco Island, will be a large colony of Gentoo Penguins and breeding pairs of Brown Skuas. If landing on Danco Island, observe Chinstrap Penguins and possibly Weddell and Crabeater Seals. In Neko Harbour there is the opportunity to set foot on the Antarctic Continent in a magnificent landscape of huge glaciers calving at sea level. Enjoy the landscape surrounded by alpine peaks during zodiac cruises. In Paradise Bay again with its myriad icebergs and deep cut fjords, there is the opportunity to set foot on the Antarctic Continent again. Enjoy the opportunity for zodiac cruising between the icebergs in the inner parts of the fjords. In this area there are good chances to see Humpback Whales and Minke Whales.

Sail through the spectacular Lemaire Channel to Pleneau and Petermann Island to find Adelie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags. In this area there are good chances to encounter Humpback Whales, Minke Whales and Fin Whales. A visit to one of the scientific stations in Antarctica will give you an insight about the life of modern Antarcticans working on the White Continent. Further south we may visit the Ukrainian Vernadsky Station, for a warm welcome from the station crew. Sailing north through Neumayer Channel, hopefully permission is granted to visit the British research station and post office Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. Close to Port Lockroy there may be a landing on Jougla Point with Gentoo Penguins and Imperial Shags.

Heading North through the Gerlache Strait, arrive at the South Shetland Islands. Sail to Deception Island which is a sub-ducted crater, which opens into the sea, creating a natural harbor for the ship. Here we find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, thousands of Cape Pigeons and many Dominican Gulls, Brown and South Polar Skuas and Antarctic Terns. Wilson’s Storm Petrels and Black-bellied Storm Petrels nest in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay. The ship braves its entrance into the crater through the spectacular Neptune’s Bellow into the ring of Deception Island. Enjoy the opportunity for a long walk and kayak trip which will depend on site availability and weather conditions.

Leave from here and sail to Half Moon Island, to find a variety of Chinstrap Penguins. Seals often haul out on the beach. These volcanic islands of the South Shetlands are windswept and often shrouded in mist and fog, but do offer subtle pleasures. There is a nice variety of flora (mosses, lichens and flowering grasses) and fauna, such as Gentoo Penguins, Chinstrap Penguins and Southern Giant Petrels. The voyage continues through a narrow Strait to the open sea with direction Ushuaia.

Accommodations: M/V Plancius or M/V Ortelius
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 9-10 - The Drake Passage
The journey continues back across the Drake with time to reflect on what we have experienced, looking through photos and talking with the naturalists about all the wildlife and history of Antarctica.

Accommodations: M/V Plancius or M/V Ortelius
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 11 - Ushuaia, Argentina
Arrive in the morning in Ushuaia and disembark after breakfast. Transfer to airport for flights returning home or trip extension.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast

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