South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula: Penguin Safari
South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula: Penguin Safari
South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula: Penguin Safari
16 Days Starting and ending in Ushuaia
Visiting: Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego National Park, ሀመር።, South Georgia Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctic Great Wall Station, Drake Passage
Tour operator:
Tour code:
PTF
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
2 - 189
Age range:
18-99
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
On this adventure, massive albatross and Pintado petrel swoop and soar around the ship, guiding us toward South Georgia. Beaches teeming with King penguins and Elephant seals greet us on this fabled island, where we’ll pay our respects to famed explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Antarctica awaits, with its geographic contradictions and overwhelming enormity. Relax on a Zodiac ride, hike glistening glaciers, share comical moments with inquisitive penguins, and witness the rugged peninsula. Antarctica will surprise and delight, and never disappoint.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Ushuaia, Argentina
Location: Ushuaia
Meals Included: No Meals
Begin your journey in Ushuaia, a small but bustling port town at the tip of
South America. This Argentine town is an ideal gateway for you to explore the
southern extent of Patagonia while preparing for your adventure ahead. Get
active in the mountains or enjoy handcrafted chocolate at a café in town.
Day 2 : Embarkation Day
Location: Tierra del Fuego National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Embarkation will occur in the late afternoon, after which your vessel will
sail down 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!
Day 3 - 6 : At Sea
Location: Tierra del Fuego National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
There are many activities to keep you engaged while at sea. Learn to identify
seabirds that glide alongside the ship, or attend dynamic presentations by
the Expedition Team. You will be prepped on safety procedures for Zodiac
cruises and shore landings.
Day 7 - 8 : South Georgia
Location: South Georgia Island
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The first indication that you are approaching South Georgia is the sight of
birds around a group of rocky spires called Shag Rocks. Have your binoculars
and cameras ready to photograph these rocks rising out of the icy ocean
waters. Shags and prions often rest here.
After enjoying South Georgia from a distance, we’ll head toward its
numerable beaches to find a protected bay for your first land excursion.
Landing sites on South Georgia are varied, largely determined by the weather
conditions of your voyage. Whichever sites we visit, they’ll provide you
with wildlife encounters unrivaled anywhere else on earth.
This is one of the most fertile breeding grounds in the world for
subantarctic wildlife, with beaches blanketed with penguins. It won’t take
you long to realize that South Georgia is a paradise for bird lovers, as
burrowing seabirds, albatross and petrels can be seen in abundance.
You’ll find that South Georgia, once a popular base for whalers and
sealers, is also scattered with abandoned relics and evidence of human
activity from centuries gone by. The Expedition Team will help bring those
days to life while you visit old whaling stations and enjoy presentations on
the South Georgia of then and now.
One of the most significant sites you will visit on the island is Grytviken.
This settlement is one of the first whaling stations established in
subantarctic waters. Many travellers find that this place has a special
appeal, as it is home to the remains of Sir Ernest Shackleton, one of the
most famous Antarctic explorers.
Day 9 - 10 : At Sea
Location: South Orkney Islands
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Say goodbye to the King penguins, as your next destination is Antarctica!
Days at sea are filled with presentations and lectures led by the Expedition
Team, who will prepare you for the wildlife that will greet you upon your
arrival. In between activities, spend time chatting with your shipmates over
a drink at the bar.
If conditions allow, we may attempt landfall on the South Orkney Islands, our
first official stop in Antarctica.
Day 11 - 13 : Antarctic Peninsula
Location: Antarctic Great Wall Station
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The most common reaction upon reaching the White Continent is a sense of
reverence and awe. The experience is hard to put into words, since few places
are as untouched, unique and enduring as Antarctica.
Discover that Antarctica is a land of extremes. At one moment you’ll be
overcome with a feeling of complete desolation and silence, and at the next
moment, you’ll be inspired by nature as a calving glacier crashes into
brilliant blue sea or a penguin waddles by to inspect your footwear.
The Expedition Team will take care of you at each landing, whether you are
Zodiac cruising, visiting a historical site or consorting with penguin
colonies. Chinstrap, Adélie and Gentoo penguins are found here, along with
Weddell, Fur, Crabeater and Leopard seals. Keep a lookout for curious whales,
such as minkes, while on a Zodiac cruise. Each day and each landing will
present a new collection of creatures to delight you and keep your camera
busy.
Day 14 - 15 : Crossing The Drake Passage
Location: Drake Passage
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After more than a dozen days of memorable wildlife encounters, your journey
home begins. Crossing the Drake is your unofficial rite of passage, to spend
time on the deck, watching for seabirds and scouting for whales, enjoy
presentations by the Expedition Team, or simply relax and reminisce about
your experiences.
Day 16 : Disembark In Ushuaia
Location: Ushuaia
Meals Included: Breakfast
You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning, which allows for you to continue
your adventure on land or catch your flights home.
What's Included
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Meals
7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners. -
We can include flights from the UK. Please contact us for a quote.
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Beer and wine during dinner
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All meals while on the ship
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All accommodation
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Tour leader throughout and qualified Expedition Staff
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All transport and listed activities
What's Not Included
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Visas or vaccinations
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Travel insurance
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Single accommodation (available on request)
Accommodation
The South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula: Penguin Safari is offered on the Ocean Explorer and the World Explorer which are Polar Adventure Ships. One night in a standard hotel in Ushuaia included. Full board accommodation on the ship, generally on a twin share basis in a variety of cabin types, all with en suite facilities. Please visit the Polar Fleet page for Ship Information and Deck Plans.
Polar Adventure Ships
These are small ice rated vessels well qualified for Polar waters. Intimate adventures are always more enjoyable with like-minded passengers and staff, so these voyages are for people who like flexible itineraries and plenty to keep them busy. Activities include frequent Zodiac excursions, trekking, kayaking and many hours on deck in areas that other ships only dream about accessing. Food and staff are excellent and every guest benefits from the technical advances of this superb fleet. Rest assured our Polar Adventure Ships enable any traveller to maximize their experience sensitively in the Poles.
Food
All meals while on the ship included.
*Typical Meals*
The ships galley offers good quality service and cuisine throughout, with
excellent chefs preparing international menus including vegetarian dishes,
accompanied by a wide variety of drinks from around the world on sale.
*Breakfast:* Buffet style – unlimited tea and coffee, a selection of fruit
juices, hot options including bacon and eggs or omelettes, a selection of
bread and toast and jam/honey/marmalade, fruit and cereal.
*Lunch: *Three course set meal or buffet, or the occasional BBQ.
*Dinner:* Three or four courses with a starter of soup and/or salad, a
choice of mains with at least one vegetarian option and a dessert, with tea
and coffee.
Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this holiday - please do
inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so that our local
team can be well prepared.
Check out our Q&As
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Are flights included in this tour?
We can include flights from the UK. Please contact us for a quote.
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
No
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
18+ age people can go on this tour.
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
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