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EARLY BIRD OFFER: 10% + 10% When paid in full by 30 SEP 2020 + Free Transfer Package
Not only does this expedition include the most in-depth exploration of the Antarctic Peninsula, but it also offers the opportunity to venture farther south across the Antarctic Circle. As you head toward a milestone that few travelers reach, you’ll feel as if you’re in a world without borders, sailing across an endless stretch of sea dotted with ice. Dramatic ice formations will ignite your imagination as you search the landscape for the wildlife that calls it home. Whether it’s humpback whales alongside the ship, a leopard seal diving beneath your Zodiac, penguins sliding off an iceberg into crystal waters, or a giant petrel soaring above cracking sea ice, you’ll experience a sensory overload in Antarctica like you’ve never felt before.
Day 1 - Buenos Aires: Arrival Day
You may arrive in Buenos Aires at any time during Day 1 of your itinerary. Upon arriving in this splendid city, known for its architecture and rich European heritage, you will independently transfer to your group hotel (pre-expedition hotel night included in mandatory transfer package).
Day 2 - Ushuaia, Argentina: Embarkation Day
After an early breakfast at the hotel, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Ushuaia, Argentina.
Upon arrival, you will be transferred from the airport to a central downtown location to have some time on your own to explore this quaint port town before making your way to the pier.
After a late afternoon embarkation, you will sail along the historic Beagle Channel, which transects the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the extreme south of South America. Expect an air of anticipation as you depart—the next time you see land, you’ll be in a wildlife wonderland!
Day 3/4 - Crossing the Drake Passage
The waters of the Drake Passage are unpredictable, so hope for clear skies and a calm ocean. You’ll have plenty of time to gaze out at the sea, get to know your fellow shipmates and chat with your Expedition Team.
You will spend this time preparing for the exciting days ahead, with numerous educational and informative lectures presented by your Expedition Team. You’ll learn about everything from safety procedures to the history of whaling in Antarctica.
Day 5/7 - Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands
With the Drake Passage left in our wake, we make our approach to Antarctica. Get your cameras ready as the continent’s coastline makes its first appearance, signaling the start of your adventure in the realm of the Antarctic. You’ll see plentiful floating icebergs and be fixated on the ocean surface as curious whales spout and breach before your eyes.
As exciting as it can be from on board the ship, your true exploration occurs when you disembark and set foot on the White Continent. There are several potential landing sites that we may visit, including Neko Harbor, Orne Harbour or Paradise Harbour. Although weather dictates which specific landing sites we can visit, each one presents a new collection of wildlife and natural attractions.
Your days will be busy spotting wildlife and being mesmerized by the beauty of Antarctica. Watching penguins waddling on the beach and listening to the crackling and crumbling sounds of icebergs and glaciers will become your daily entertainment, while kayaking with whales and polar camping are optional activities available on select voyages (at an extra cost).
Day 8/9 - Antarctic Circle
Crossing the Antarctic Circle is an impressive achievement, as most expeditions to the Antarctic Peninsula do not reach this far south, which is officially noted at 66°33' S. You and your shipmates will celebrate in style with a well-earned glass of champagne! Make a toast and take pride in knowing you’ve made it to a part of the world visited by very few people.
Day 10/11 - Northbound Along the Peninsula
By now, your knowledge of Adélie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins will be matched by your ability to differentiate between a leopard, fur or Weddell seal. Terms like bergy bits and pancake ice will seem normal, yet there are still many tales to be told. As you head north, Zodiac excursions will fill your days, and your Expedition Team will continue offering presentations while giving you time to reflect on everything you’ve experienced.
Day 12/13 - Crossing the Drake Passage
As you recross the Drake, Antarctica fades away, leaving you with a collection of memories to last a lifetime. Excited conversations with your newfound friends will make the crossing fly by, regardless of weather and sea conditions. Your Expedition Team will round up its series of lectures as well, perhaps with a slideshow of the great landing sites and wildlife you’ve witnessed over the course of your voyage.
Day 14 - Ushuaia, Argentina: Disembarkation Day
You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. The mandatory transfer package includes a little taste of Patagonia with a Tierra del Fuego National Park tour before transferring to the airport for the return group charter flight to Buenos Aires.
Please consider that our voyages are expeditionary in nature. This means, that there are no concrete itineraries, your Captain and Expedition Leader will utilise their vast experience to chart the best course for your expedition depending on the climatic and environmental conditions. Mentioned highlights and wildlife cannot be guaranteed.
Kayaking is probably one of the most intimate and inspiring ways you can explore the rugged coastlines and calm bays of the Polar regions.
Kayaking in the Polar Regions is highly weather-dependent, however we guarantee at least one outing throughout your voyage, but your kayak guides will take you out as many times as possible throughout your voyage.
While polar landscapes are spectacular from the sea, they’re even more stunning from the air, a view you can enjoy while seated in one of the two twin-engine helicopters stationed on Ultramarine. Typically in groups of 7 to 9, you will experience an unforgettable aerial tour of the Arctic during a 10- to 15-minute flightseeing excursion that’s included in the cost of the voyage. Additional helicopter activities may also be available for purchase onboard. Please note: all helicopter operations are weather- and logistics-dependent.
TRANSFER PACKAGE INCLUDES:
* One pre-night’s hotel accommodation in Buenos Aires with breakfast (Note: The number of guests per room is the same as cabin occupancy on the ship. Due to limited availability, travelers who reserve a suite on board are accommodated in standard rooms at the hotel. Triple rooms may not be available.)
* Group transfer from hotel to airport in Buenos Aires
* Group flight departing from Buenos Aires’ domestic airport (Aeroparque/AEP) to Ushuaia, and returning to Buenos Aires’ international airport (Ezeiza/EZE)
* Group transfer from Ushuaia airport to the ship, and return (Note: Transfer on arrival in Buenos Aires from airport to hotel at the beginning of the journey is not included. Please make your way to the included hotel.)
* Combined airport transfer and express bus tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park after disembarkation in Ushuaia
Stand-up paddleboarding will give you a very personal and unique perspective on Antarctica. Guided by experienced staff in small groups in good weather conditions on calm bays and harbours, reservations for 10 paddleboarders will be taken at time of booking
Our twin-engine helicopters will transfer you to the start of the most scenic hiking routes and then pick you up at the endpoint of the route. Each heli-hiking departure will be tailored to your personal needs and level of interest. You may choose to join one of our fast walking groups who will go for exploration and distance, one of our medium hiking routes where there will be plenty of time to stop for photography and reflection, or explore at a slower pace with ample time to enjoy the scenery and immerse yourself in your surroundings.
You will be transferred from Ultramarine’s heli-decks via our two twin-engine helicopters to a pre-selected destination. You’ll have time to explore the location, accompanied by team members, after which you’ll be picked up by the helicopters in the same location and returned to Ultramarine. Note: heli-landings are dependent on weather conditions and logistics.
Whale numbers swell in Antarctica over the southern summer. Arriving in Antarctica from November onwards, whale numbers reach their peak around December and January. Sightings and particularly breachings reach a pinnacle in February and March, when the Krill is closer to the surface. Some 10 species of whales are found in Antarctic water each summer, with the most abundant species being the Humpack.
In a continent of stunning views, Lemaire Channel has been called the Kodak Gap. Locked between the rocky vertical cliffs of Booth Island and the continent this one kilometer wide passage is one of the most photographed attractions of Antarctica. You will be glad your camera is digital.
This British base, established in 1944, on arrival you will receive a warm accolade both by the volunteers of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust and the colony of Gentoo penguins that nestles just by the old timber structure. Get small denomination US$ notes to buy a few postcards and send them home with Antarctic stamps from one of the southernmost Post Offices in the world.
Comfortable expedition boots and a high quality expedition parka, specifically designed for the polar regions.
You arrival and departure transfers are included in your expedition, as is the first nights accommodation at the cruise hotel
One of the newest ships in the polar fleet, Ultramarine, is designed to go beyond the familiar in polar exploration, to discover new places, and to immerse you in the best the region has to offer.
Equipped with two twin-engine helicopters, Ultramarine offers the most robust portfolio of adventure activities in the industry, the most spacious suites in its category, breathtaking public spaces, and more outdoor wildlife viewing spaces than other expedition ships its size. It also features an innovative mix of sustainability features that exceed all industry standards.
With all this and more, Ultramarine is set to deliver the ultimate polar expedition experience.
| Luxury star rating: | 5 |
| Guests #: | 199 |
| Crew #: | 140 |
| Ice Class: | PC6 |
| Speed: | 16 |
| Refurbished: |
| Year built: | 2021 |
| Length: | 128m |
| Width: | 22 |
| Draft: | 5 |
| Tonnage: | 13500 |
| Registry: | |
| Elec Outlets: |
We understand that the trip of a lifetime takes planning, so we make the financial commitments easy to manage.
