Compare Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica: Explorers and Kings by Exodus Travels vs Luxury Antarctica Peninsula cruise by Audley Travel
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 20 days | 16 days |
| Price From | $ 21,371 | $ 16,557 |
| Price Per Day | $ 1,069 | $ 1,035 |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Private guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Luxury |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | All meals while on the ship included. Typical Meals The ships galley offers good quality service and cuisine throughout, with excellent chefs preparing international menus including vegetarian dishes, accompanied by a wide variety of drinks on sale from around the world. Breakfast: Buffet style – unlimited tea and coffee, a selection of fruit juices, hot options including bacon and eggs or omelettes, a selection of bread and toast and jam/honey/marmalade, fruit and cereal. Lunch: Three course set meal, or the occasional buffet or BBQ. Dinner: Three or four courses with a starter of soup and/or salad, a choice of mains with at least one vegetarian option and a dessert, with tea and coffee. Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this holiday - please do inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so that our local team can be well prepared. | N/A |
| Description |
Fascinating history, overwhelming wildlife and awesome beauty - the ultimate Antarctic expedition |
Antarctica’s a place of almost engulfing whiteness, hard to fathom yet libraries of writings have been dedicated to it. Whatever draws you there, our specialists understand. They have all experienced this ultimate wilderness first-hand and will work with you to plan an Antarctic expedition cruise that’s tailored to your needs. They’ll take into account how much time you want to spend at sea, how active you wish to be, and whether you want to expand your trip to take in South Georgia or the Falkland Islands. Our polar team will prepare you for the sights and the sensory bombardment of this land of eternal winter. Penguins are your constant (and you might spot whales, if you’re lucky). But, our specialists will explain, holidays to Antarctica are also about absorbing the sheer scale and surreal shapes of the continent’s landscapes: its glaciers, icebergs, ice floes and mountains. |
Day 1 Start Ushuaia, Argentina
Begin your journey in Ushuaia, a small but bustling port town at the tip of South America. This Argentine town is an ideal gateway for you to explore the southern extent of Patagonia while preparing for your adventure ahead. Get active in the mountains or enjoy handcrafted chocolate at a café in town
Day 2 Board ship and sail along the Beagle Channel
The morning is free to explore Ushuaia and the surrounding area, to do some last minute shopping, stroll around the town and down to the port or maybe go for a walk in the nearby national park. The transfer to the ship takes place in the afternoon. Once on board there is a get together for introductions to the expedition team, to learn about the ship and its layout, talk about the itinerary for the next 18 days and participate in the obligatory lifeboat drill. Departure from Ushuaia is normally around 6:00 p.m, and we set sail through the Beagle Channel in the early evening. The long days mean plenty of evening light in which to experience the beauty of the channel, and to perhaps enjoy your first wildlife sightings.
Day 3 Sail east towards the Falkland Islands
We sail in a north-easterly direction, enjoying a series of presentations that prepare you for the coming adventure. On deck the first sightings of albatross and petrels add to the sense of excitement.
Day 4 - 5 Falkland Islands
The rugged and remote Falkland archipelago contains two main islands - East and West, which we will explore by Zodiac excursions and daily landings. One landing that will surely stick out in memory is at Port Stanley. This unique British outpost has a ramshackle charm to it. The largest settlement in the Falklands, we’ll spend a day here visiting churches, museums, wandering around town and perhaps mingling with locals at a typical British pub. In terms of wildlife, the archipelago is home to a variety of penguin species, including Magellanic, Gentoo and Rockhopper. If lucky, we may spot King penguins here as well! We can also expect to see Black-browed albatross and many other bird species around the islands, including an opportunity to see the two endemic species: Cobb’s wren and the Falklands flightless Steamer duck. Our team of lecturers and specialists will be sure to educate you on the local flora and fauna in order to get the most of a memorable time in the Falklands.
Day 6 - 7 At sea sailing towards South Georgia
Sailing south, we’ll enter Antarctic waters by crossing the invisible biological boundary unique to Antarctica – the Antarctic Convergence. Encircling the continent, cold, northward-flowing Antarctic waters meet and mix with the warmer waters of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, creating the abundance of krill and microscopic marine life that attracts whales and other species to this part of the world. Ship staff will be sure to keep you posted when we cross this invisible, yet important, line.
Day 8 - 10 South Georgia
Reaching South Georgia you will observe towering, snow-covered mountains and glaciers when conditions are clear. South Georgia is the most mountainous of the many islands of the Southern Ocean and is a spectacular sight. We will cruise the more protected eastern coast of the island, seeking out suitable landing spots as conditions permit. We hope to get ashore at Salisbury Plain where colourful King penguins crowd the beaches in numbers that will leave you spellbound. The vast area is covered in a sea of birds: of adults and their young in hundreds of thousands. Another 75,000 pairs of King penguins nest at St Andrews Bay. Everywhere, albatross, skuas and Giant petrels wheel overhead, whilst Fur seals are found in good numbers along the shore or are seen frolicking in the water. At Grytviken, you visit the old whaling station, and the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton, undoubtedly one of the greatest of the Antarctic explorers.
Day 11 - 12 At sea sailing towards the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula
En route to the South Shetland Islands there is sometimes the chance to visit Elephant Island, depending on the ship’s progress and the weather. It is from this island that Sir Ernest Shackleton set out for South Georgia in a small boat in 1916, undertaking one of the most remarkable sailing journeys of all time and returning 132 days later to rescue his men.
Day 13 - 17 South Shetlands and Antarctic Peninsula
The most common reaction to arriving at the white continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is hard to put into words, as few places are as untouched, unique and enduring as Antarctica. You will discover that Antarctica is a land of extremes. At one moment you’ll be overcome with a feeling of complete desolation and silence, at the next moment you’ll be inspired by nature as a calving glacier crashes into the brilliant blue sea or a penguin comes waddling by to inspect your footwear. Guided hikes with the Expedition Team will have us trekking up a glacier, visiting a research station, or consorting with penguin colonies. Chinstrap, Gentoo and Adélie penguins are found here, along with Fur, Weddell, Crabeater and Leopard seals. Curious whales, such as Minkes, are often attracted to Zodiacs as well, giving us a chance to get within reaching distance of these majestic animals. Each day and each landing will present a new collection of creatures to entertain us.
Day 18 - 19 Sail back through the Drake Passage
Leaving the Antarctic Peninsula overnight our ship heads back across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage. The crossing is completed with the rounding of Cape Horn, weather permitting.
Day 20 Disembark and end in Ushuaia
In the early morning you arrive back in Ushuaia where your voyage ends. You are transferred either to town on to the airport for your onward flight to Buenos Aires.
Day 1 : International outbound flight
Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Buenos Aires.
Day 2 : Buenos Aires
Arrive in Buenos Aires. Have the afternoon to explore Argentina's diverse capital.
Day 3 : Ushuaia
Fly to the world's most southerly city of Ushuaia.
Day 4 : Polar Cruise
Free time to explore the city before you board the ship and set sail along the Beagle channel.Luxury ships in Antarctica give you a five star experience on board but still offer the landings you would expect on an expedition. On board you will find dedicated hotel staff in addition to the expedition team who are there to make your stay on board as comfortable as possible. Ships often have full spa facilities as well.
Day 5 : Polar Cruise
Crossing the Drake Passage.
Day 6 : Polar Cruise
Come to the end of the Drake Passage and start to spot the first icebergs as you approach the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula.
Day 7 : Polar Cruise
Shore landings and excursions on the Antarctic Peninsula and nearby islands such as Peterman, Livingston and Deception. There will generally be two excursions per day.
Day 8 : Polar Cruise
Today your vessel may visit Deception Island, a horseshoe-shaped volcanic caldera that is part of the South Shetland Islands. After squeezing through Neptune's Bellows, a narrow gap in the rocks, you might go ashore to explore an abandoned research station. There's also the novelty of bathing in Antarctic water in Pendulum Cove's hot springs.
Day 9 : Polar Cruise
Make sure you're out on deck today, as your vessel may sail through the Lemaire Channel. Named after a Belgian explorer to the Congo, this strait slicing between Booth Island and the Peninsula is bordered by towering cliffs of ice and glaciers. It's often choked with huge icebergs. If it's a still, sunny day, you'll get an added bonus - crystalline reflections of the cliffs and icebergs in the millpond-like waters.
Day 10 : Polar Cruise
Today, if weather conditions allow, you might make a shore landing to explore a working research station (most likely a British or Argentine-owned station). You'll meet the people who work here, ranging from engineers to chefs, and get a sense of what it's like to live and work in such a remote place and often in harsh, extreme conditions. It's also a great way of learning about the politics of Antarctica and its global governance under the Antarctic Treaty System.
Day 11 : Polar Cruise
If a shore landing is possible, today might see you walking and sitting among a penguin colony. Species include chinstraps and gentoos, and you'll be surprised at the cacophony they make. It's also possible to view some colonies from on board your vessel.
Day 12 : Polar Cruise
Start the crossing back over the Drake Passage.
Day 13 : Polar Cruise
At sea, crossing Drake Passage.
Day 14 : Buenos Aires
Early morning arrival back in Ushuaia and transfer to the airport for a flight to Buenos Aires, where you will spend the night.
Day 15 : International return flight
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
Day 16 : International return flight
Arrive home today to complete your journey.
