Antarctica holidays
| country: | Antarctica |
| departures: | 2008: 8 Dec, 17 Dec 2009: 14 Jan, 23 Jan, 1 Feb, 10 Feb, 3 Nov, 18 Dec 2010: 23 Jan, 1 Feb, 10 Feb |
| price: | From £4599 - £5299 (15 days) including flights from UK or from £3399 - £4299 excluding flights |
read 4 travellers reviews
"The scenery and wildlife of the Antarctic must be seen to be believed. The sheer expanse of this white wilderness and its isolation from human life create an atmosphere of adventure and awe like no other. The thrill of sailing on a genuine converted ice-breaker must be amazing."
- Lani, responsibletravel.com
- Lani, responsibletravel.com
the amazing things you'll be doing
From Ushuaia, the world most southerly city, you board your converted icebreaker and head out along the Beagle Channel into the Drake Passage. Your destination is the rugged and beautiful wilderness of Antarctica – the white continent. Followed by wandering albatross and storm petrels the anticipation grows as you catch sight of your first giant iceberg and finally reach land.
Many superlatives are used to describe Antarctica but nothing prepares you for its awe-inspiring beauty. Sculpted aquamarine icebergs float beneath vast glaciers and soaring cliffs provide the backdrop to abandoned whaling and research stations. Whilst the scenery is truly spectacular, for many the magical moments are those spent watching penguins run and slide on the ice, seals play or whales break the surface of the water.
Polar Star – About your cruise
Built for the Swedish Maritime Administration, the Polar Star is the first ice-breaker to be fully converted for expedition cruising. Carrying approximately 100 passengers the range of cabins and public rooms offer a high degree of comfort. There is a large observation lounge and open bridge policy. A full expedition/naturalist team on board will give talks on the wildlife, natural environment and history of the area. These experts will also accompany all our expeditions ashore which will normally be carried out in sturdy inflatable ‘zodiac’ boats. These expeditions will either land you ashore or will be water-based and will typically take place twice a day.
Please remember that as this is an expedition cruise, the exact programme may well be varied to take advantage of good ice and weather conditions as well as the movements of wildlife.
Many superlatives are used to describe Antarctica but nothing prepares you for its awe-inspiring beauty. Sculpted aquamarine icebergs float beneath vast glaciers and soaring cliffs provide the backdrop to abandoned whaling and research stations. Whilst the scenery is truly spectacular, for many the magical moments are those spent watching penguins run and slide on the ice, seals play or whales break the surface of the water.
Polar Star – About your cruise
Built for the Swedish Maritime Administration, the Polar Star is the first ice-breaker to be fully converted for expedition cruising. Carrying approximately 100 passengers the range of cabins and public rooms offer a high degree of comfort. There is a large observation lounge and open bridge policy. A full expedition/naturalist team on board will give talks on the wildlife, natural environment and history of the area. These experts will also accompany all our expeditions ashore which will normally be carried out in sturdy inflatable ‘zodiac’ boats. These expeditions will either land you ashore or will be water-based and will typically take place twice a day.
Please remember that as this is an expedition cruise, the exact programme may well be varied to take advantage of good ice and weather conditions as well as the movements of wildlife.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | Overnight flight to Buenos Aires & on to Ushuaia |
| Day 3: | Embark Polar Star |
| Day 4-5: | Cross Drake Passage |
| Day 6-8: | Cruise Antarctic Peninsula |
| Day 9: | South Shetland Islands |
| Day 10-11: | Cross Drake Passage |
| Day 12: | Disembark Ushuaia. Fly to Buenos Aires |
| Day 13: | Buenos Aires |
| Day 14-15: | Overnight flight to London |
travellers' tales
The Polar Star, crew and expedition team were all excellent and made the whole experience interesting and comfortable. We were blessed with good weather which always helps, but I'm sure even if it had been bad, it still would have been quite an experience. (more)
how this holiday makes a difference
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On this trip: With no 'government' in Antarctica, the regulations concerning visits are voluntary and regulated by the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO). All operators should ensure that activities are planned and conducted with environmental protection in mind. We are confident that on these cruises the utmost care will be taken not to damage the environment in any way. You will be fully briefed on board about conservation issues.
Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full. Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |