Antarctica, South Georgia & Falklands Odyssey
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ANTARCTICA, SOUTH GEORGIA & FALKLANDS ODYSSEY ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR This is an epic voyage and a wildlife enthusiasts dream! Set sail from Ushuaia aboard the Ocean Endeavour to cross the turbulent Drake Passage to the world’s most remote continent - Antarctica. This pristine wilderness of snow and ice is the land of penguins and icebergs and the ultimate destination for the true adventurer. Follow in the wake of Shackleton as we sail from Elephant Island to South Georgia, the final burial place of this heroic polar explorer.This voyage will remain etched in your memory forever. DEPARTS: 11 MAR 2021 DURATION: 21 DAYS Highlights and inclusions: Unspoiled wilderness, uninhabited by man, where the penguins, seals, whales and seabirds are the true rulers. Experience the White Continent and encounter an incredible variety of wildlife. Take in the Sub-Antarctic South Shetland Islands and the spectacular Antarctic Peninsula. Discover the top wildlife destination in the world where you can see penguins, seals, whales and albatrosses. Admire breathtaking scenery such as icebergs, glaciated mountains and volcanoes. Enjoy regular zodiac excursions and on-shore landings. Benefit from a variety of on-board activities including educational lectures on the history, geology and ecology by the expedition team. Enjoy the amenities on board including expedition lounge, restaurant, bar, pool, jacuzzi, library, gym, sun deck, spa facilities and sauna. Your cruise is full-board including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Take advantage of optional activities during the voyage such as kayaking and snowshoeing. See below for more information. ANTARCTICA, SOUTH GEORGIA AND FALKLANDS ODYSSEY DAY 1: USHUAIA, ARGENTINA DAY 2: EMBARKATION IN USHUAIA Ushuaia is the most southerly city in the world and the This morning is free for you to explore Ushuaia, giving you capital of Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire). It has a dramatic time to wander the streets of this quaint port town, or setting, surrounded by mountains to the north and the discover Tierra del Fuego National Park. Beagle Channel to the south, making it a spectacular This morning is free for you to explore Ushuaia, giving you departure point for your Antarctic adventure. time to wander the streets of this quaint port town, or discover Tierra del Fuego National Park. On arrival, please make your way through to the Arrivals Hall where our representative will be waiting for you to transfer Transfer to the pier of Ushuaia for embarkation in the you to your hotel. He/she will be holding a sign with your late afternoon. You will be welcomed on board the Ocean name on it. Should you not be able to locate them, please Endeavour by the Expedition Team and the Ship’s Officers. refer to the front of your itinerary for emergency contact details of our representative office. This evening we set sail through the Beagle Channel that was named after the British ship the HMS Beagle. This Your cruise itinerary with an overnight stay in Ushuaia. If you famous channel transects the Tierra del Fuego archipelago arrive into Ushuaia early enough, the day is yours to explore. in the extreme south of South America, and is rich in Avenida San Martin and the surrounding streets are where wildlife. Keep a look out for Magellanic penguins, rock most hotels, shops, restaurants, cafes and tourist services cormorants, petrels and black-browed albatross from the are located. Why not check out the artisan markets whilst deck as well as sea lion colonies. you are here? Enjoy your first taste of life at sea and a welcome dinner. The Museo Marítimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia (Maritime & the Prison of Ushuaia Museum) is well worth a visit. DAY 3 & 4: CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE Located in the former prison of Ushuaia, the prison buildings now house four museums - the Maritime As we leave the Beagle Channel, prepare yourself for Museum, the Prison Museum, the Antarctic Museum and potentially rough seas as we enter the legendary Drake the Marine Museum of Art. The buildings date back to 1906 Passage. This infamous and unpredictable channel of water when convicts were transferred from Isla de los Estados separates the southernmost tip of South America from to Ushuaia to build this national prison. Construction was the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. It was named after the completed in 1920 and the cells that were designed for 380 English explorer, Sir Frances Drake. inmates, held up to 800 prisoners before closing in 1947. As we head southwards, there is time to get to know your shipmates and get an insight into the excitement ahead Tierra del Fuego National Park is a short bus ride with presentations from the Expedition Team on everything from Ushuaia and was the first shoreline national park Antarctic - from the history and geology to the incredible established in Argentina. It is a rugged, mountainous park wildlife. with great views of Lapataia Bay and dramatic scenery of waterfalls, mountains, glaciers and lakes. There are many We will notice a drop in temperature as we cross the hiking trails within the park including the Coastal Path Antarctic Convergence and enter the waters of the Antarctic (Senda Costera) that connects Ensenada Bay to Lapataia Ocean. At the Antarctic Convergence, the colder polar Bay on Lago Roca. The park is home to many species of waters flowing north meet the warmer equatorial waters animal including the guanaco, Andean fox, North American flowing south. This mixing pushes nutrient rich waters to beaver, European rabbit and muskrat. There are also many the surface, attracting a variety of seabirds, whales and species of birds including the torrent duck, kelp goose, other species. Look out through the panoramic observation austral parakeet, Andean condor and the Magellanic windows or brave the elements outside on deck as you oystercatcher. keep your eyes peeled for albatrosses flying overhead, icebergs and maybe even breaching whales. The Fin del Mundo Train (End of the World Train) is a steam train that runs from Ushuaia to Tierra del Fuego National Park, providing an alternative way to get to the park. ANTARCTICA, SOUTH GEORGIA AND FALKLANDS ODYSSEY Leaving the Antarctic Convergence in our wake, we DAY9: ELEPHANT ISLAND & AT SEA continue south towards Antarctica, maybe making landfall by early evening on Day 4, if conditions are favourable. The Early this mroning we leave the Antarctic Peninsula and first sighting of land always brings great excitement, and the South Shetland Islands behind, we chart a course for is often embraced as the true beginning of any Antarctic historic Elephant Island. The crew of Shackleton’s Trans expedition. Antarctic Expedition (1914-17) took refuge on Elephant Island following the loss of their ship. The Endurance was DAYS 5 TO 8: SOUTH SHETLAND AND ANTARCTIC PEN. crushed by pack ice in the Weddell Sea. They camped at Point Wild and waited there whilst Shackleton sailed with 5 We explore the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic other men in the James Laird lifeboat to South Georgia. The Peninsula that is famed for its majestic mountains, glaciers, legendary rescue took four and a half months, and must imposing icebergs, ice-strewn waters and abundance be one of the most incredible adventure stories and most of wildlife. The scenery, wildlife and serene silence of heroic survival stories of all times. Antarctica will enchant and enthral and you will soon realise why this region has captivated the attention of explorers If conditions prevents a landing here, we will attempt to get and travellers for centuries. within viewing distance of Point Wild to see the Endurance Memorial Site and then set sail for South Georgia Your days on the Antarctic Peninsula will form the core of immediately after. your adventure. Every day will be different as we cruise by Zodiac amongst the beautifully sculpted icebergs and DAYS 10 TO 12: AT SEA take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore local bays, channels and landing sites. Unpredictable weather and ice As we voyage northeast towards South Georgia, watch conditions mean that the itinerary will be flexible, but will for whales from the ship’s bridge, listen to engaging talks make the most of wildlife sightings, as we aim to explore by the Expedition Team, take in the expansive views from penguin rookeries, seal and bird colonies, whale feeding the observation lounge, or maybe treat yourself to a spa. areas as well as visiting sites of historic and scientific If weather conditions are favourable, we hope to make interest and climbing to vantage points for panoramic landfall on South Georgia by late evening on day 11. views. There is always something new or unexpected to see, with opportunities for kayaking, snowshoeing DAYS 12 & 13: SOUTH GEORGIA and photography with an expert, which means that your expedition will be a unique and personal experience and The next 3 days are spent exploring the incredibly beautiful unlike any other. Enjoy the antics of thousands of curious island of South Georgia with its emerald green bays, penguins as you sit on a pebbled beach, scout for whales snow-covered peaks and blue glacier ice, where you will and seals as you cruise by Zodiac, visit a research base, be exposed to one of the world’s greatest wildlife areas. listen out for the mighty crack of a calving glacier and Known as the ‘Galapagos of the South’, South Georgia is maybe brave a polar plunge in the icy waters! home to over 30 million breeding birds, thousands of seals, the introduced Norwegian reindeer, nesting sites of the As we cruise through the Peninsula, the lecture programme wandering albatross, four breeding species of penguin and continues and sightseeing is at its most spectacular off the largest colony of king penguins on this planet.