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Antarctica Birdwatching Tour
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Antarctica Birdwatching Tour
When: Thur 22 October - Fri 6 November 2009
Leader: Nigel Milius
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Antarctica Birdwatching Tour
Cost of berths range from
Triple cabin US$13,890/Twin cabin US$17,990
Cruise package Ushuaia to Ushuaia (14 Days)
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| Antarctica; the highest, windiest, coldest, most remote and scenically spectacular continent in the world. Twelve million square kilometres of uninhabited rock, almost entirely encrusted with ice. The last great wilderness on the planet; this starkly beautiful frozen world of snow and ice, is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating and unspoiled places on earth. As recently as 2004 a colony of 4,000 pairs of Emperor Penguins were discovered at a previously unknown site near Snow Hill Island, just off the Antarctic Peninsula. A few short years ago this area would only have been accessible to a handful of explores, scientists and adventurers. Now you can be one of the fortunate few to enjoy the once in a lifetime opportunity to take part in one of the world's greatest travel experiences. One of the many highlights of Antarctica birdwatching tour will be multiple visits, spread over a number of days, to the Snow Hill Island rookery, providing a unique opportunity to get to know the largest species of penguin in the world and the only bird that breeds on the frozen sea. Our expedition cruise ship, the `Kapitan Khlebnikov` is ideally suited for operation in the Antarctic, it is a polar-class icebreaker; which combines together 24,000 horsepower engines, advanced ice-breaking technology, helicopters which enable you to reach remote landing sites and creature comforts. This is the only boat that can visit this remote rookery at this time of year, because only a purpose-built icebreaker designed for cracking open polar ice can penetrate the Weddell Sea this nearly in the season. Our cruise will provide numerous opportunities to observe albatrosses, petrels, prions, shearwaters, diving-petrels, storm-petrels, skuas and seals at sea; we shall also wander amongst colonies of thousands of Adelie, Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins, accepted without question by creatures that have learned no fear of man. Whale watching is also a feature of the cruise and we are likely to enjoy some spectacular views of these magnificent creatures breaching close to the ship. Landings are carried out by both helicopters and a fleet of zodiacs. The zodiacs are rugged, fast-moving inflatables; which make safe landings possible just about anywhere. Our voyage begins in Ushuaia where we sail through the Beagle Channel and out into the South Atlantic and commence our crossing of the notorious waters of the Drake Passage. Admiring countless numbers of albatrosses and other seabirds, as we make our way to the Antarctic Peninsula where the greatest concentration of bird and animal life in the whole of Antarctica is to be found. We enjoy several days here, visiting penguin rookeries and observing the abundant wildlife, all set against the spectacular scenery of snow-covered mountains, giant icebergs, sparkling ice floes and fresh clean snow. Reluctantly we recross Drakes Passage, on our way back to Ushuaia, where we disembark. This Antarctica birdwatching tour will be a tour to remember. |
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