Antarctica: the Ice Kingdom
Antarctica: the Ice Kingdom
Incredible cruise to Antarctica
The name of this continent always evokes romantic associations with distant expeditions in which a person overcomes himself and does the impossible.
We invite you to an ideal expedition in which you will have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the mysterious and alluring Antarctica in the comfort of a cruise ship, with all the benefits of civilization available.
We have chosen the most interesting period for your expedition: right now the polar day reigns in Antarctica, and all its wonders can be observed around the clock.
The plane lands on the island of Tierra del Fuego at the airport, through the porthole you can see the Beagle Strait, a marina with yachts and ships.
You have arrived in the southernmost city of the Earth, Argentine Ushuaia. Paradoxically, the air temperature here rarely rises above 15 ° C, and the peaks of the surrounding mountains are always covered with snow caps. On the coat of arms of Ushuaia it is written “The end of the world, the beginning of everything”.
And it’s true: here ends the world in our usual understanding, and begins the one in which the pristine nature has not yet ceded its rights to man, the world of eternal ice, all shades of white and silence. Strong impressions are guaranteed.
The liner is moving towards the Antarctic Peninsula, through the raging Drake Strait, and at every step you can see something incredible. The closer to the Antarctic desert, the more often seals are found lying on ice floes and diving from them for prey, humpback whales showing their “butterfly” – the tail fin, which is visible when the whale goes under water
On Zodiac light boats you will be able to swim up to icebergs to see their visible part and learn how to determine their age, swim into secluded coves and make visits to the penguin colonies of Ghent and Adele, inspect scientific stations, sea lions will accompany you on a voyage, and albatrosses and other amazing birds will soar overhead.
You will see many places that most have only read about and will never visit: the South Shetland Islands, Tabarin Peninsula, Couverville Island. When you reach Paradise Bay and go ashore, feel the moment: after all, this is where you first set foot on the land of Antarctica.
Spectacular landscapes will emphasize the importance of this event: around – majestic glaciers, icebergs, untouched snow and rocky coast…
The exploratory spirit of your journey will be given by the participation of professional guides, together with whom you will go in search of crab–eating seals and Minke whales – the “smallest” representatives of whales, only 7-10 m in length.
Landing on the volcanic island of Paulet, you will feel how your eyes are charged with an abundance of black and white adele. And not far from them you can see a colony of blue–eyed cormorants – also, by the way, black and white – dapper birds with eyes as if circled with bright blue eyeliner.
One of the most picturesque places in Antarctica is the island of Pleno, in the Lemaire Strait, also known as the Valley of Icebergs. Slowly moving forward on the ship through the water, covered with crumbs of long-term ice, between icebergs of all shades of blue and gray, you will not want to let the camera out of your hands.
However, stock up on memory cards: after all, Deception Island is waiting for you ahead – the crater of an extinct volcano filled with seawater, into which you will swim through a single narrow passage.
A real white silence: the whaling station used to be in full swing here, from which now there are only rare houses that have gone into the snow up to the roofs and corroded melting pots for whale oil.
There is a small museum on Gaudier Island in the port of Lockroy, a former British science station. The exposition shows how life was at the Antarctic station, what stocks its inhabitants kept. In a souvenir shop, you can buy a postcard, sign it and send it to your family right from here. You can also ask to put a souvenir stamp of this island in your passport.
During the trip, the luxury liner will become your home, and the team and fellow travelers will become good friends. Each such voyage becomes an invaluable experience, not just an idle trip, but an opportunity to get to know our planet better, stock up on fresh and unusual impressions, radically change the situation and return to the familiar world, slightly changing for the better.
On the last evening of the voyage on the liner, the captain’s dinner will be held in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Special dishes in the invariably excellent performance of the chef will make this evening especially pleasant. We are sure that you will want to come back here with us again.