Trip Details

Description:

A voyage to the Southernmost continent

Extreme by any measure, Antarctica is a place beyond the imagination of most travelers. The coldest, windiest, driest, most remote place on earth—Antarctica is radically different than nearly any experience you may have had in your life. Almost the entire continent—98 percent—is covered in ice that is thousands of years old. The largest Antarctic land animal, an insect called a midge, is no bigger than a coarse grain of sand. See orcas, penguins, albatross and seals. Finally, walk on the southernmost continent, a rare and rewarding experience.

Accommodations:

Contact us for details.

Itinerary:

1: Ushuaia
Our trip starts in Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. It is the capital of the Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and Southern Atlantic Islands Province, and surrounded by mountains, sea and forests. For those arriving early you may want to check out a number of activities including: horseback riding, hiking, wind sailing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, diving and beaver watching. You may want to visit the nearby Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, or Lago Escondido and Fagnano (lakes). The first night of our trip is in an Ushuaia hotel, including breakfast the next morning.

2-10: Antarctica Calls!
In the morning we transfer together to our ship. We then set sail down the fabled Beagle Channel and spend the next day and a half crossing the Drake Passage, a portion of the Southern Ocean which flows between South America and Antarctic Peninsula. As we approach the southernmost continent, sounds and shapes begin to form a new world around us. Antarctica, the last vast wilderness on the planet, is beautiful, scenic, serene, rugged and wild. Its huge icebergs, gigantic mountain ranges and endless polar plateaus boggle the mind. The scale is unfathomable and the weather can be inhuman, but the combination is magical and profound.
The South Shetland Islands and the waterways of the Antarctic Peninsula form one of the most spectacular wilderness areas on earth. Responding to the weather conditions and passenger interests, no two voyages are the same. The itinerary focuses on the areas with the greatest promise of wildlife – opportunities abound for viewing and encountering nesting penguins and seals, and whales seem to be everywhere! Our ice-rated expedition vessel can explore narrow channels and glacier-filled bays that large cruise ships cannot go near.
It wasn't until 1840 that Antarctica was confirmed as a continent. Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" began in the early 1820s when British and American commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions began exploring the region. Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific research on the continent. Seven countries have made territorial claims on the mainland of Antarctica, but not all claims are recognized. There are several year-round research stations there, and a few makeshift cities which operate in the southern summertime. The United States maintains a base at McMurdo Station, on the opposite side of the continent, closer to New Zealand. Tourism, still relatively new to the continent, continues to gain popularity, with over 30 ships sailing between South America and Antarctica in the 2008-9 season.
At Paradise Bay, dotted with spectacular icebergs that seem to reflect every color of the rainbow, we observe gentoo and chinstrap penguins. Sailing through the narrow Errera Channel, glacial walls rise high on both sides, leading to an awesome archipelago of icy islands, harboring penguin rookeries, elephant seals and myriad seabirds. We will also attempt several land excursions, including a visit to an abandoned whaling station. We may take a dip in the thermal waters at Pendulum Cove, a warm welcome from the icy lap of wilderness.
Our journey will be enriched by an expedition leader, several tour guides and naturalists with expertise in the region, video and slide presentations, lectures and coordination and support of an Alyson Adventures tour director (subject to minimum participation).

11: Heading home
We return to Ushuaia, happy, healthy and hopefully wiser after our Antarctic Adventure. We will send information about post-cruise travel options to those who book the cruise.

Details:

Highlights:

• Journey to Earth's most remote continent!
  
• See some of the most stunning wilderness on earth.
  
• View extraordinary concentrations of versatile wildlife such as penguins, seals and giant petrels.
  
• Glide alongside icebergs, as glacier fields rise up to rugged mountains.
  
• Ride a Zodiac raft to shore, then walk on the continent, a trek few people have ever made.
  
• Enjoy this once in a lifetime trek with a friendly group of gay men, lesbians and friends. (Please note that this is not a charter, so our group will be among other passengers on this 122-passenger ship.)
  
• Check FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) link for cabin descriptions and prices.

Dates and Price:
Dec. 28, 2010 to Jan. 7, 2011: $0: A trip for gay men, lesbians and friends.

Prices are per-person, based on double occupancy. Tours often fill up months before departure. We regularly update our travel schedule to show the status of this and other trips.

Travelling Alone?
So are most of the people who travel with us. You do not need to pay extra to travel by yourself. Prices are per-person, and the single supplement applies only if you'd like a room by yourself.

Location: Starts and ends in Ushuaia, Argentina

Price includes: All accommodations in an Ushuaia hotel for the first night of the tour, then aboard our Expediatoin ship (see FAQ link for cabin descriptions and prices); All shipboard meals including coffee, tea and cocoa 24 hours a day while on board; Ushuaia Airport arrival transfers; Local transfer to and from ship; Expedition leaders and lecturers; All shore excursions by Zodiac boat; Lectures, videos, slide and film shows; Photographic Journal on DVD; A pair of expedition boots on loan for shore landings, and a warm parka; Resident on-board medical officer; Alyson Adventures tour director (pending minimum participation) and assistance from local guides.

Not included: Airfare to and from Ushuaia (we suggest departing 9:30 am or later on final tour day); Visa and passport fees; Airport departure taxes; Additional hotel nights (optional stays available for Iguazu Falls, Buenos Aires and Ushuaia); Alcoholic drinks; Personal items such as laundry, telephone calls, and gratuities.

Options & Extensions:

Contact us for details.