Basecamp Antarctica

In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through this scenic waterway, followed by seabirds.

During these two days we sail across the Drake Passage and encounter a variety of seabirds - these can include wandering, grey-headed, black-browed and the beautiful light-mantled sooty albatross, southern fulmars, Wilson's storm, blue, Cape and Antarctic petrels. We also look out for whales and, as we near the South Shetland Islands, we spot our first icebergs.

We will sail directly to 'High Antarctica', passing the Melchior islands and the Schollaert Channel between Brabant and Anvers Island. We will sail to the Neumayer Channel, where we position our ship for the multi-activity base camp. The protected waters around Wiencke Island will become our playground for all activities.
In this alpine environment there are great opportunities to explore the region on foot, by Zodiac and during kayak trips. Walkers will find opportunities to use snowshoes on hikes near the shore lines and the mountaineers will find their challenge by climbing hills and view points further inland, e.g. Jabet Peak (540 m). All climbs and excursions can only be conducted in good weather conditions.
 

We plan to stay two nights at anchor in order to allow two camp nights and two full activity days. We will visit the British research station and the post office at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. Close to Port Lockroy we may also offer a landing on Jougla Point with gentoo penguins and imperial shags. We sail through the spectacular Lemaire Channel to Booth Island, Pleneau and Petermann Island where we can find Adelie penguins and blue-eyed shags. In this area there are good chances to encounter humpback, minke and fin whales. 

Our second basecamp night will be erected near the mainland; we choose a camp site which is suitable and close to next day's activity. The mountaineers hope to reach the summit of Mt. Demaria (640 m) at Waddington Bay. A visit to one of the scientific stations in Antarctica will give you an insight about the life of modern Antarcticans working on the White Continent. Further south we may have time to visit the Ukrainian Vernadsky Station, where we will receive a warm welcome from the station crew.

In the afternoon at Neko Harbour we will have the opportunity to set foot on the Antarctic continent in a magnificent landscape of a huge glacier and enjoy the landscape during zodiac cruises, hikes and kayak excursions. A small group of mountaineers may climb up on higher grounds of the glacier. We will spend the night at Neko or near Paradise Bay with a camp erected ashore. We will leave Neko Harbour in the early morning after breaking our last camp and sail via Melchior Islands towards the open sea of the Drake Passage, where we again have a chance of seeing many seabirds.

On our way north, we are again followed by a great selection of seabirds while crossing the Drake Passage.

Arrive and disembark