Antarctica Cruise: Adventure Ships

"Antarctic Adventure" Itinerary:

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• Days 1-2: Tierra del Fuego, a fiery beginning

• Spend the night in our host hotel in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, the Land of Fire. On the second day, take part in a guided tour of the nearby National Park, ending with a traditional Argentine asado barbecue. You'll be coasting down the Beagle Channel toward Antarctica by late afternoon.

• Days 3-4: A passage to adventure

• Anticipation mounts crossing the Drake Passage. Participate in briefings and presentations on the Antarctic ecosystem. Then watch for seabirds and marine mammals from the Bridge or the deck, surrounded by the majesty of the Southern Ocean. The first icebergs should appear on the horizon during Day 4.

• Days 5-9: Everything for the ambitious adventurer

• Many factors play a role in shaping the expedition's progress. Our goal is to give you the best possible active experience based on prevailing wind, weather, and ice conditions. We attempt as many as three landings a day. Perhaps, you'll feel salt spray on your face as the Zodiac weaves in and around grounded icebergs. You could scramble to the top of a craggy hill for an unforgettable view of an icy chasm. Strap on a harness for a polar plunge into frigid Antarctic waters.
  
  The cycle of life
  Over the course of the austral spring and summer, the sun lingers longer and longer, melting snow and ice. Wildlife grows in abundance: chicks hatch and fledge, and pods of whales breach in a deep bay where a calving iceberg has churned up krill, the local delicacy. The natural cycle of life ensures that every expedition is different. And that every expedition is full of surprises!
  
  That's my pebble
  In Antarctica, silence is so complete that interruptions become indelible memories: noisy penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, the boom and crack of a calving glacier in Neko Harbor or Paradise Bay. Then there is the sound of breathing as your arms pump and your legs power you up an incline on cross-country skis. As you sail from island to shore to bay during four days in the Peninsula, the Expedition Team provides opportunities to test your endurance and engage your curiosity.
  
  Soaring peaks and storied history
  The soaring peaks and stark rocks of Lemaire Channel are just the excuse you need to grab your camera gear for a shooting session from the deck, if the channel is free of ice. Afterward, you'll have an excuse to warm up below in the lounge with a member of the Expedition Team who will relate the storied history of the Peninsula.

• Days 10-12: "One gets the fever and can't stop going." - Shackleton

• You'll return via the Drake Passage to Ushuaia, having walked in the path of the great Antarctic adventurers. As Cook, Ross, Scott and Shackleton did, you've stared at the same skies and wondered at the same vast landscapes. And now, like them, you understand the enduring lure of Antarctica.

"Antarctic Adventure" Itinerary:

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• Days 1-2: Tierra del Fuego, a fiery beginning
• Days 3-4: A passage to adventure
• Days 5-9: Everything for the ambitious adventurer
• Days 10-12: "One gets the fever and can't stop going." - Shackleton

"Crossing the Circle" Itinerary:

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• Days 1-2: The end of civilization, the start of your adventure

• If you're eager for exercise after the flight, we suggest a hike to the glacier that hangs above the town. We'll have a comfortable bed in a local hotel waiting for you, when you return.
  
  The next day you'll tour the nearby National Park. There'll be time for a brisk walk to a secluded bay, before returning to Ushuaia for an asado barbecue lunch. Board your Adventure Ship in the late afternoon.

• Days 3-4: The Drake Passage: Furious Fifties, Screaming Sixties

• To sailors the Drake is legendary for its high winds and rolling seas, but you may be lucky and get calm weather. Regardless of the conditions, we'll keep you busy on deck, on the Bridge, and in the presentation room. We prepare you for boarding Zodiacs, shore landings, and, if you dare, polar dips.
  
  En route to Antarctica, you may find that delicious three-course meals are made even more interesting by the occasional shout of "Whales off the port side!" Will you continue eating or dash on the deck with your camera?

• Days 5-8: Hiking The Great White

• The Expedition Team is planning as many as three landings a day during this voyage. That means that the bow of your Zodiac will be riding high, as the driver opens the throttle so we can give you as much time as possible ashore. Once on land, hike The Great White, or just sit on a rock and watch penguins invest considerable energy in survival. Wildlife in the Antarctic is refreshingly unafraid of humans, making each visit feel like a trip to another planet. The jagged polar terrain is magnificent, and awe-inspiring.
  
  Got skills, use them
  Every cross-country skier, kayaker, camper or mountain-climber seeks that one perfect moment that they will relive for the rest of their lives. Perhaps you'll find that moment in Antarctica. Optional adventures are available on a first come, first served basis. You could drift past an azure iceberg after a hard paddle. You could rappel down a rock face after an exhilarating climb. As there are no ski trails in Antarctica, you could leave tracks in a pristine wilderness. While camping you could be compelled to reach for the sky, because the stars appear to be only an arm's length away.

• Days 9-10: The Antarctic Circle--A celebration is in order

• Crossing the Antarctic Circle is still a rare and impressive achievement. Celebrate with a well-earned glass of champagne. Raise your glass to the intrepid explorers who have gone before.

• Days 11-12: Another fascinating coast, another incredible story

• During the voyage, your Expedition Team will keep you informed about the fabled history of each area we visit. Every name on the map of the Antarctic has a story to tell. The Loubert Coast is no exception. The French names that appear are the legacy of Jean- Baptiste Charcot, physician, yachtsman, and explorer. He, like you, lived for adventure.

• Days 13-15: Whales below, birds above, memories ahead

• While crossing the Drake once again, stay up late with new friends as the lingering twilight of the southern summer fades. Trade memories that will last forever while you puzzle over the mystery that is Antarctica.

"Crossing the Circle" Itinerary:

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• Days 1-2: The end of civilization, the start of your adventure
• Days 3-4: The Drake Passage: Furious Fifties, Screaming Sixties
• Days 5-8: Hiking The Great White
• Days 9-10: The Antarctic Circle--A celebration is in order
• Days 11-12: Another fascinating coast, another incredible story
• Days 13-15: Whales below, birds above, memories ahead

"Antarctic Quest" Itinerary:

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• Days 1-2: The quest that calls

• This extended adventure begins at the tip of South America, in Ushuaia, Argentina, with a night at a local hotel. Before boarding the ship on Day 2, tour the nearby National Park and sample local cuisine during an asado barbecue lunch.
  
  Charles Darwin was the first to identify the indigenous trees in the region. Ushuaia is situated on a channel named for the ship that brought him there, HMS Beagle.

• Days 3-5: The evolution of Darwin's inspiration

• En route to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), you learn more about Darwin. He visited the islands in 1833 on the voyage that led to his iconoclastic work, The Origin of Species.The shipboard education program introduces the flora and fauna that you can expect to encounter during landings. Properly prepared, you are zipped from the ship to shore in a Zodiac to hike to a plain where geese graze and Magellanic Penguins guard their burrows.
  
  You'll comb beaches and socialize with local residents. There are activities for a diverse range of interests - historical, natural and physical.

• Days 6-11: Welcome to a world of ice and birds

• The published account of James Cook's voyage to South Georgia brought fortune seekers to the island for nearly two hundred years. Now there are only a handful of scientists studying the abundant bird life and the glaciers that cover the island. The Expedition Team plans a series of landings including King Penguin rookeries, abandoned whaling stations and the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton. Different activity levels will be accommodated during the landings. You can be as active as you like.

• Days 12-17: Hang on, Shackleton's coming

• As the ship sails south and west, watch for tabular icebergs, as you will, at last, be in Antarctic waters. Landings in the South Shetlands Islands are planned. The northernmost island in the archipelago is Elephant Island, where the crew of Endurance waited for rescue. While a landing there is not likely, no exploration of the Antarctic is complete without hearing of the exploits of Shackleton and his crew.
  
  Jump in, the water is freezing
  The Expedition Team will be planning as many as three landings a day. You'll climb craggy hills, cruise in Zodiacs along granite beaches choked with brash ice and take a polar plunge, if you dare. Wildlife viewing will be a priority ashore and from the deck. The optional activities - camping or kayaking - are planned also. For all activities, included and optional, the Expedition Team consults weather reports and marine charts to find the best sites for a memorable experience.

• Days 18-20: The Drake Passage. Lake, or shake?

• 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. It is a most fitting end to your Antarctic quest.

"Antarctic Quest" Itinerary:

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• Days 1-2: The quest that calls
• Days 3-5: The evolution of Darwin's inspiration
• Days 6-11: Welcome to a world of ice and birds
• Days 12-17: Hang on, Shackleton's coming
• Days 18-20: The Drake Passage. Lake, or shake?

Although we do our best to adhere to the schedule listed above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control.

Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights; passport and visa expenses; government arrival and departure taxes; meals ashore; supplement for single hotel accommodations; baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended); excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar and beverage charges and telecommunications charges; and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for those who have served you aboard (guidelines will be provided).

The trip is rated easy to moderate [2]. During most shore landings, trip participants will have the opportunity to walk for short distances (less than 1 mile) while visiting penguin rookeries and exploring the landscape. Dependent on location, walks may involve crossing snowfields or bare, rocky terrain. Individuals prone to motion sickness should carry appropriate remedies as high seas may be encountered while crossing the Drake Passage.

This trip is subject to the booking information set forth in the current REI Adventures Reservation Information. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A full gear list and pre-departure information is sent upon sign-up. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased within 21 days of your initial trip deposit, the 'Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion' is waived (certain exclusions apply).

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Why wait? Space is limited, reserve your adventure today.

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