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Ratings Explained
Trip Rating
11 days (begins and ends in Ushuaia)
Easy ship travel, optional walks and Zodiac rides, optional sea kayaking
10 nights aboard ship
2008
Nov 06-Nov 17
Nov 16-Nov 27
Dec 05-Dec 16
Dec 27-Jan 07
2009
Feb 06-Feb 17
13-day trip ventures into the rarely visited Weddell Sea. From $6,760. Ask for separate itinerary.
Vavilov
Ioffe
Winter 2008/2009
$4,400-$10,300 (depending on cabin & departure)
Fuel Surcharge - TBA
$695 Sea Kayaking Option
$995 Kayak Camping Option (available only on the 11/16/08 & 12/27/08 departures!) Single supplement varies—see detailed itinerary.

*The 2008-2009 season itinerary is 1 day longer as these trips include a pre-trip night in Ushuaia.

2008 Special Offer!
Book one of 3 departures (11/6-11/17, 11/16-11/27 or 12/5-12/16) by June 30th and receive $500-off per person! (Offer applies to new bookings only and is not combinable with any other specials or promotions. Trip must be booked directly with MTS—not commissionable by travel agents.)

(Please note—These are not exclusive MTS departures.)


ANTARCTICA: Antarctic Adventure

Cruising in Antarctica!

Call us 1-888-831-7526
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Antarctica is the last wild, unspoiled place on earth, the largest, purest wilderness we know, the only continent that has been almost free of human contact since the beginning of time. It is a realm whose beauty is so spectacular and otherworldly that it often leaves visitors speechless.

And on the Antarctic Peninsula, a 700-mile-long finger of land pointing toward the tip of South America, it's not just the breathtaking scenery that beckons, it's also the spectacular display of wildlife─millions of penguins and numerous other seabirds such as petrels, skuas, and albatross. There is also an abundance of marine mammals in this region of Antarctica, including most of the world's great whale species and many kinds of seals.

Aboard a small, maneuverable expedition ship and in the company of a team of expert naturalist guides, you'll journey south to the "last continent" for an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience that may change your life forever.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

  • A once-in-a-lifetime experience to the "last continent," the most remote destination on earth
  • See spectacular wonderland of mountains, glaciers, and icebergs in a pristine environment
  • Interactive Antarctica on an expedition-style ship—not from the deck of a huge cruise ship!

Our voyage aboard the Akademik Ioffe features a small fleet of kayaks for paddling options (weather and ice conditions permitting). Most departures feature an optional night of camping on land (weather permitting). There is no extra cost for camping and the gear is provided.

Check out a complete deckplan of the Akademik Ioffe (PDF file) and photographs taken of ship's interior.

And please visit our Antarctica Feature to see a slideshow of photographs and stories from past our trips in Antarctica, interesting facts about the continent, and more.

Note - This trip is not an exclusive Mountain Travel Sobek departure, and is operated by The Adventure Fleet/Quark Expeditions, the most experienced company specializing in polar expedition cruising for over 15 years.



Map of the route we follow on our Antarctic Adventure cruise. Antarctic Adventure: Antarctic Peninsula Cruise Expedition

Day 1 - Meet in Ushuaia, Argentina, and board the expedition vessel, the Akademik Ioffe. Begin the journey to Antarctica with a scenic sail through the Beagle Channel, then enter the waters of the Drake Passage.

Day 2 - Continue to motor across the 620 miles of the Drake Passage, passing over the Antarctic Convergence, where nutrient-rich waters attract many species of seabirds and whales.

Days 3-8 - Explore the islands, bays, and channels of the Antarctic Peninsula, with plenty of time for shore walks through penguin colonies and "ice cruises" by Zodiac for close-up inspection of towering bergs and creaking glaciers. Our itinerary focuses on scenic areas with large concentrations of wildlife, including Paulet and Cuverville Islands, the flooded caldera of Deception Island, Paradise Bay, and the Lemaire Channel, hemmed in by mountain walls rising thousands of feet straight out of the water (it's nicknamed "Kodak Alley"). We also usually visit one or more research stations.

Days 9-10 At sea, crossing the Drake Passage and rounding Cape Horn en route to Ushuaia.

Day 11 - Arrive in Ushuaia in the early morning and depart.



Detailed Itinerary - ANTARCTICA: Antarctic Adventure

1. Download detailed itinerary in a PDF format
2007-2008 Detailed Itinerary (11 days)
Special Departure, December 2007 (12 days) - Detailed Itinerary
Antarctic Adventure - Winter 2008/2009
(PDF files require that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. This program can be downloaded for free from the Adobe Website.)

2. Or email us your itinerary request at sales@mtsobek.com

3. Or call us at 1-888-831-7526 (USA and Canada) or (510) 594-6000

We’ll email you a copy (Word or Acrobat document), fax, or mail you the itinerary as you prefer.
For more information and reservations, please contact:

Mountain Travel Sobek
1266 66th Street, Suite 4
Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
Toll Free (USA and Canada): 1-888-831-7526
Phone: +1-510-594-6000
Fax: + 1-510-594-6001
Email: info@mtsobek.com




Photo Credits
©C. S. Bettencourt (MTS staff)