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Antarctica Basecamp | Plancius

13 Days
From AUD 13,785

STYLE: Small Ship Expedition Cruise

Trip Code: ACOWABT

DIFFICULTY RATING: 2 (light adventure)

Start: Ushuaia, Argentina

Finish: Ushuaia, Argentina

SHIP: Plancius

DestinationDestination

Antarctic Peninsula

DestinationDeparture Date

11/12/2023, 23/12/2023, 04/01/2024, 13/02/2024, 25/12/2024, 13/02/2025, 25/02/2025

MealsMeals

All Meals Onboard The Ship

TransportTransport

Group Transfers On Disembarkation To The Airport 

TransportAccommodation

Cabin on board ship



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Included SightseeingIncluded Sightseeing

Daily Antarctica Landings, Zodiac Cruising, Onboard Expert Lectures & Briefings by the Experienced Expedition Team. On 'Basecamp' departures all offered activities (including camping, kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, photo workshops) are free of charge

OVERVIEW

Experience an extended 13 day Antarctic Basecamp adventure. This voyage is perfect suited for adventurous clients, seeking a wide range of activities included in the price. Activities such as camping, snowshoeing, mountaineering, kayaking, and photo workshops are included for all guests on board this expedition.
Experience the serene and isolated landscapes of the frozen white continent as you zodiac into secluded shores, kayak on frozen crackling waters. Entering Antarctica is like no experience on Earth.

PLEAE NOTE: During our 'Basecamp' departures all offered activities (including camping, kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, photo workshops) are free of charge. 

ITINERARY

Embarkation in Ushuaia

Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.

Crossing the Drake Passage - Day 2 & 3

Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too. Wandering albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels are a few of the birds you might see.

Antarctica - Day 4 to 10

Gray stone peaks sketched with snow, towers of broken blue-white ice, and dramatically different wildlife below and above. You first pass the snow-capped Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel, sailing between Brabant and Anvers Islands.

Places you might visit includes:

Neumayer Channel – The vessel may position itself here, launching its multiple basecamp activities from the protected waters around Wiencke Island. You can enjoy the splendors of this alpine environment at sea with Zodiac and kayaking trips, or if you’re in the mood for a walk, there are possible snowshoe hikes and soft-climb mountaineering options farther inland. Naturally, favorable weather conditions determine the possible activities.

Port Lockroy – After sailing through the Neumayer Channel, you may get a chance to visit the former British research station – now a museum and post office – of Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. You may also be able to partake in activities around Jougla Point, meeting gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags. There are great opportunities also for kayaking and camping here, and when conditions are right, you can even snowshoe around the shore.

Pléneau & Petermann Islands – If the ice allows it, you can sail through the Lemaire Channel in search of Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags. There’s also a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales here, as well as leopard seals. Kayaking, glacier walks, and more ambitious mountaineering trips are the potential activities of this location.

Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and endless wind-carved snow, Neko Harbour offers opportunities for a Zodiac cruise and landing that afford the closest views of the surrounding alpine peaks.

Paradise Bay – You have the chance to make camp here like a true polar explorer (but with a better tent), enjoying a supreme overnight Antarctic adventure.

Errera Channel – Possible sites in this area include Danco Island and Cuverville Island, but also the lesser known (though equally picturesque) Orne Island and Georges Point on Rongé Island.

On your last day of near-shore activities, you pass the Melchior Islands toward the open sea. Keep a sharp lookout for humpback whales in Dallmann Bay. You might also shoot for Half Moon Island, in the South Shetlands, with further chances for activities.

Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.

Return along The Drake - Day 11 & 12

Your return voyage is far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.

Disembarkation in Ushuaia

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.

DOWNLOAD ITINERARY PDF
Plancius

Plancius

M/V Plancius started life as an oceanographic research vessel for the Royal Dutch Navy. After a change of owner, the ship underwent a complete refit and refurbishment to be converted into a comfortable ice-strengthened Antarctic vessel.

Accommodating up to 116 passengers, M/V Plancius has 53 cabins, all with private toilet and shower. The cabins range from quadruple, triple and twin porthole cabins to twin cabins with windows, twin deluxe cabins and twin superior cabins that are 21 square metres and feature a queen-size bed. Quadruple cabins include two bunk beds, triple cabins feature 1 bunk bed plus 1 single bed, whilst twin cabins are fitted with 2 single beds.

The ship has a large restaurant/lecture room and a spacious observation lounge with bar and huge panoramic windows. There are large open deck spaces, including full walk-around possibilities on one deck, providing excellent opportunities for wildlife spotting and to feast on the spectacular scenery.

The 10 Zodiacs and 2 gangways ensure a swift Zodiac operation, so no time is wasted getting you ashore to explore the stunning beauty and amazing wildlife of the Antarctic.

Ice Class: Length: 89 m / 293 feet
Breadth: 14.5 m / 47 feetMax
Draft: Cruising
Speed: 12 knots
Electricity: 240 volts Passenger
Capacity:
116

View Ship Details

Accommodation

We believe that appropriate accommodation should add to the authentic travel experience, as well as providing utmost enjoyment. For that reason our accommodation is scrutinised by our staff on the ground frequently, ensuring the properties adhere to our high standards. This key will help you understand the levels of accommodation available on this tour.

Standard

Comfortable properties with dependable facilities and service.

Superior

Comfortable properties with dependable facilities and service.

Deluxe

Luxurious properties with impeccable facilities and service.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

Optional Activities vary for each itinerary. Limited spaces available. Contact your Destination Specialist for pricing & availability.

Kayaking

Experience the unforgettable thrill and serenity of kayaking in Antarctica as part of a small, expertly guided paddling group.

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Camping

Fall asleep amid the snow-capped mountains as you watch the colours of the Antarctic twilight bounce off the ocean and surrounding glaciers.

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Mountaineering

One step beyond cross-country skiing, in terms of challenge and adventure, mountaineering excursions in Antarctica are the stuff of legends. Push yourself just a little bit further and you can bag an exciting climb to the peak of an Antarctic mountain. Available on selected voyages only and requiring a somewhat decent level of fitness (given the snowy terrain, need for snowshoeing dexterity and uphill walking) mountaineering trips set themselves apart from general snowshoeing excursions, as they cross glaciated areas which require a certain level of care and experience. Groups are usually kept quite small for safety (up to 12 guests), with everyone tied together across the hairiest crevasse crossings. Whilst not an Antarctic activity that’s suitable for everyone, mountaineering is an absolute dream-come-true for the right adventure-seeker.

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Photography

For photography enthusiasts of any skill level. You will receive expert advice on taking and producing amazing photos of Antarctica.

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Snowshoeing

Go even deeper into Antarctica’s interior and reach less visited places where many other visitors simply don’t go! 

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Hiking

Hiking excursions are among the most popular options in Antarctica as many itineraries are short and suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. Guided hikes lead you to amazing vantage points and allow even closer interaction with local wildlife, so don’t forget to pack your camera!

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Pricing per person & date

Antarctica Basecamp | Plancius from AUD 13,785
Departing Ending Duration
11 Dec 2023 23 Dec 2023 13
23 Dec 2023 04 Jan 2024 13
04 Jan 2024 16 Jan 2024 13
13 Feb 2024 25 Feb 2024 13
25 Dec 2024 06 Jan 2025 13
13 Feb 2025 25 Feb 2025 13
25 Feb 2025 09 Mar 2025 13

Important Information

  • Inclusions 

    All on-board accommodation 
    All meals throughout voyage 
    All shore excursions and activities by Zodiac
    Program of lectures by experienced guides and naturalists
    Complimentary use of rubber boots during voyage
    Luggage transfer from pick-up point to vessel on embarkation in Ushuaia
    Pre-scheduled group transfer from vessel to airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation) 
    All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme
    Comprehensive pre-departure material 
    During our 'Basecamp' departures all offered activities (including camping, kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, photo workshops) are free of charge

    Exclusions

    Any airfare, whether scheduled or charter flights
    Pre and post land arrangements 
    Passport and visa expenses
    Government arrival and departure taxes
    Meals whilst ashore
    Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance
    Excess baggage charges
    All items of a personal nature (such as laundry and telecommunication charges)
    Gratuities for crew

  • 2 (light adventure)
  • Available upon request. Please contact us for more details. No single supplement will apply if willing to share in selected cabins. 

  • Prices are correct at time of publishing but are subject to change at any time. Price is based on Quad Share. 

    Itinerary is subject to change depending on weather and ice conditions. 

    During our 'Basecamp' departures all offered activities (including camping, kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, photo workshops) are free of charge

  • Departure Date, Fuel Surcharges, Cabin Category, Currency Fluctuations, Seasonality & Availability.

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