October 28, 2016
UNPRECEDENTED LOW LAST MINUTE ANTARCTICA RATES NOW BEING OFFERED
Inside cabins: US $5,999 per person
Ocean View cabins: US $6,950 per person
Suites: US: US $8,895 per person
Explore the South Atlantic Islands, which have everything from pubs to penguins, before embarking upon Antarctic adventures that are reminiscent of another century.
Voyage Highlights
Attend first-class scientific lectures
Visit historic whaling stations
Participate in optional post-programs such as an excursion to Lake Escondido or extend your stay in Buenos Aires
Overview:
You embark in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, where MS Fram sets course for the Falkland Islands. In this British settlement you will find a world of contrasts between the red buses and English pubs in Stanley, the capital, and the northwest part of the island with its seamless horizons, vast open spaces, stunning white sand beaches, and rich wildlife with penguins and albatross.
From the Falkland Islands, we head further south to the island of South Georgia. While en route you may attend a number of presentations about the area’s wildlife and whaling and polar history. In South Georgia we call on Grytviken and the great Shackleton’s final resting place. As the ship closes in on Antarctica, lectures on history, environmental issues, and wildlife further prepare guests for the adventures to come.
LIKE NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH
In Antarctica, we land at different historic places such as the ring-shaped Deception Island that used to harbor whaling ships until 1905; Cuverville Island, home to one of the largest known colonies of chinstrap penguins; Port Lockroy, the British station from World War II; and Wilhelmina Bay, often called ‘Whale-mina Bay’ because of the large numbers of humpback whales spotted here. Brown Bluff is recognizable by its 2,460-feet-high cliffs that dominate the landscape.
The landings offer you the opportunity to hike in alpine mountains, take kayaks out on the water among whales breaching the surface, meet the local penguins, and traverse glaciers.
Turning back, we sail through the Drake Passage, notorious among the early polar explorers, before making a landfall at the world’s southernmost town, Ushuaia, and ultimately, debarkation.
Day 1: Montevideo
Your adventure starts with an overnight stay in Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo. This vibrant and welcoming city is a modern metropolis with a historical center.
Day 2: Montevideo
The next day, before you embark on MS Fram, you can learn more about Montevideo on our city tour or explore on your own. We recommend a visit to the Ciudad Vieja (Old Town), the bustling Avenida 18 de Julio or one of the white, sandy beaches surrounding the city.
Day 3: At Sea
We set course for the Falkland Islands situated in the South Atlantic, about 1,600 kilometres from Antarctica.
Day 4: At Sea
We will begin our lecture series with a focus on the history and diverse wildlife of the Falklands as we keep a watch for wandering albatross and dusky dolphins.
Day 5: At Sea
We spend another relaxing, but exciting day at sea.
Day 6: Falklands
The Falklands Islands consist of two large islands and around 700 smaller ones with an estimated population of 3,000 persons. As we reach the westernmost settled outposts in the Falklands you will see remote farms that have been family-owned for six or seven generations. The sheep graze alongside immense colonies of albatross and rockhopper, king and macaroni penguins while predatory striated caracaras patrol overhead and upland geese forage at the water’s edge.
Day 7: Falklands
Stanley, the islands’ capital, makes a wonderful starting point for the various excursions we offer in the area. The town is easy enough to discover in a day on foot as the museum, post-office, plenty of shops with locally made wool items, and perhaps most importantly Stanley’s lively pubs are all centred on the port.
Day 8: Falklands
The Falklands are teeming with wonders of wildlife and nature. This is an unpolluted environment with fantastically clear blue skies, seamless horizons, vast open spaces and stunning white sand beaches. The penguins will come close to you, stop and take a glance, before continuing on their way in total disregard to your presence, giving you some great photo opportunities!
Day 9: At Sea
We spend two days cruising southward to beautiful South Georgia. En route you can participate in a number of presentations about the area’s wildlife, as well as whaling and polar history.
Day 10: At Sea
South Georgia’s rich history of exploration, whaling, and conflict is a formidable backdrop to its rugged scenery and bustling wildlife. Our expedition team is well versed in every facet of South Georgia, from its geology and glaciology to the mating rituals of sooty albatross and the legends of the Norwegian whalers. One of the fascinating stories that will be told is that of Sir Ernest Shackleton and the men of the ill-fated Endurance and how they were saved through astonishing feats of bravery and seamanship.
Day 11: South Georgia
There is nowhere, in any latitude, quite like South Georgia. It offers magnificent mountain scenery with majestic glaciers and beaches teeming with wildlife. Its unique position inside the Antarctic ecosystem yet outside the limit of the yearly sea ice makes this 3,755 square kilometre island home to millions of breeding penguins, seals and seabirds.
Day 12: South Georgia
During our stay here, you will see Elephant seals lounge on the sand, fur seal pups race in and out of the water, albatross soar overhead, and king penguins by the thousands. We also plan to visit some of South Georgia’s abandoned whaling stations, a whaling museum, the Norwegian seaman’s church, and the tiny graveyard where we can pay our respects to the great Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Day 13: At Sea
In addition to spotting for the magnificent wandering albatross and other seabirds from deck, you can learn more about the wonders of the Deep South as we continue to Antarctica.
Day 14: At Sea
Antarctica is isolated from the rest of the world by thousands of miles of ocean. And even today, with all our technology, many parts of this continent remain unexplored. In winter Antarctica is even more isolated by the sea ice forming off the coast – virtually doubling the size of the continent. In summer it is a breeding ground for millions of penguins, whales and seals. Most wildlife thrives on the cornerstone species – krill. The krill population in the Southern Ocean is, in total, representing the largest biomass from one species on Earth – including human beings. People often become very humbled in their meeting with Antarctica. Imagination alone is not a sufficient tool to “get the picture” – a saying amongst Antarctic travellers is: “If you can describe Antarctica in words – you have probably never been there”. Our interesting lectures will be focusing on the history, environment and wildlife of Antarctica.
Our series also includes a thorough introduction to the Antarctic visitor guidelines from the Antarctic Treaty and International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). Some of the places we will see while exploring Antarctica is the ring shaped Deception Island that used to harbour whaling ships as recently as 1905. Cuverville Island is home to one of the largest known colonies of chinstrap penguins. Neko Harbour is beautifully located in the innermost part of Andvord Bay. Paradise Harbour got its descriptive name from the whalers during the last century. Port Lockroy is a British station from the 2nd World War that was turned into a museum in 1996. Wilhelmina Bay offers spectacular scenery and is often called “Whale-mina Bay”, because of the large numbers of humpback whales spotted here in December. The Antarctic Sound offers an astounding assortment of floating ice. Brown Bluff is recognisable by the 750m cliffs that dominate the landscape. After exploring this superlative-exhausting continent, we set course for Ushuaia.
Days 15-17: Antarctica
Antarctica is different from anywhere else you will ever experience! Once we have crossed the Antarctic Convergence you will start feeling the air getting crisper and colder. You will begin to see Antarctic penguins in the water, and don’t forget to be on the lookout for the first iceberg. There are no permanent human inhabitants in Antarctica, but it is home to millions of penguins and the feeding area for thousands of whales. The penguins are fearless when encountering humans – although they might be just as curious about you as you are about them. Some of the highlights you will experience while you are here include Deception Island and Half Moon Island, because of the resident colonies of chinstrap penguins. Enjoy beautiful vistas and the gentoo penguin colonies on Yankee Harbour, Cuverville Island, Neko Harbour, and Paradise Harbour. On Petermann Island you will see thousands of Adélie penguins. The British base in Port Lockroy is one of the most popular sites in Antarctica, and offers a peek into life on an Antarctic base in the 1950s. The nesting gentoo penguins surrounding the main building have become accustomed to the frequent human visitors. The huge ice shelves of the Antarctic Sound are home to an estimated half million Adélie penguins as well as gentoo penguins, leopard seals, and killer whales. The best way to experience Adélie penguins at Brown Bluff is to sit quietly and watch nature’s cutest comedians at work. When opportunities arise we will launch our kayaks, pitch tents ashore, and take you on unforgettable hikes to explore one the most beautiful, untouched places on the planet.
Day 18: Drake Passage
The Drake Passage is the stretch of ocean between the Antarctic Peninsula and the southern tip of Latin America. It was notorious among the early polar explorers and is a unique voyage which only a few have had the chance to experience.
Day 19: Drake Passage
You can use these days at sea to recap your experiences, sort your photos or simply relax on deck.
Day 20: Ushuaia / Buenos Aires
After a spectacular journey, we make landfall at the world’s southernmost town. Join an optional excursion to Lake Escondido or extend your stay in Buenos Aires with one of our optional post programmes.
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MS Fram (240 guests) is a true expedition ship with ice classified double hull, yet she also boasts luxurious “ocean liner” amenities and facilities.
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