12 Days/11 Nights
From $8,150
Basecamp Plancius offers adventure seekers the opportunity to camp for two nights on the Antarctic Peninsula and to kayak, snowshoe, or mountain hike amidst the awe-inspiring glacial landscapes of the White Continent. Depending upon the weather, visits may include penguin and shag colonies, and a scientific research station to learn about what it is like to work on Antarctica. Further exploration by Zodiac provides the chance to encounter Humpback, Minke, and Fin whales.
Lodging and Meals: This tour includes accommodations for 11 nights (11 nights aboard the Plancius), and 32 meals (11 breakfasts, 10 lunches, and 11 dinners).
Best Time to Go: November-March.
Destinations: Argentina and Antarctica.
Interests: Adventure, Camping, Expedition Cruising, Hiking & Trekking, Photography, Sea Kayaking, Whale Watching, and Wildlife Viewing.
In the afternoon (4:00-5:00 PM), we embark in Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel, and sail through this scenic waterway for the rest of the evening. Overnight aboard the ship. (D)
Note: We advise all passengers to plan to arrive in Ushuaia one night before the cruise departure.
During these two days we sail across the Drake Passage. When we cross the Antarctic Convergence, we arrive in the circum-Antarctic up welling zone. In this area, we may see 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. Near the South Shetland Islands, we glimpse at the first icebergs. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)
We will sail directly to “High Antarctica”, passing the Melchior islands and the Schollaert Channel between Brabant and Anvers Island. We will sail to the Neumayer Channel, where we position our ship for the multi activity base camp. The protected waters around Wiencke Island will become our playground for all activities. In this alpine environment there are great opportunities to scout the region on foot, per zodiac and during kayak trips. Walkers will find opportunities to use snowshoes on hikes near the shore lines and the mountaineers will find their challenge by climbing hills and viewpoints further inland, i.e. Jabet Peak (540 m). All climbs and excursions can only be conducted in good weather conditions.
We plan to stay two overnights at anchor in order to implement two camp nights and two full activity days. We will visit the British research station and the post office Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. Close to Port Lockroy we may also offer a landing on Jougla Point with Gentoo Penguins and Imperial Shags. We look out for leopard seals, crabeater seals and whales.
In good conditions and time allowing, we sail through the spectacular Lemaire Channel to Booth Island, Pleneau and Petermann Island where we can find Adelie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags. In this area there are good chances to encounter Humpback Whales, Minke Whales and Fin Whales. We choose another camp site which is suitable and close to next day’s activity. At Neko Harbour we will have the opportunity to set foot on the Antarctic Continent in a magnificent landscape of a huge glacier and enjoy the landscape during zodiac cruises, hikes and kayak excursions. A small group of mountaineers may climb up on higher grounds of the glacier. We will spend the night at Neko or near Paradise Bay with a camp erected ashore. We will leave early morning after breaking our last camp. We sail via Melchior Islands towards the open sea of the Drake Passage. We have again a chance of seeing many seabirds. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)
On our way north, we are again followed by a great selection of seabirds while crossing the Drake Passage. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)
We arrive in the morning in Ushuaia and disembark (8:30-9:00 AM). You will be transferred to the airport in Ushuaia for your return flight to your final destination. (B)
| Category | Single | Double | Triple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quad Cabin | $8,150 | $8,150 | $8,150 |
| Triple Porthole | $9,150 | $9,150 | $9,150 |
| Twin Porthole | $16,745 | $9,850 | n/a |
| Twin Window | $17,850 | $10,500 | n/a |
| Twin Deluxe | $18,870 | $11,100 | n/a |
| Superior | $20,230 | $11,900 | $10,650 |
December 18 and 29, 2017.
We will be happy to quote the cost of airfare and travel insurance and to make these arrangements for you.
Group Private: All services included in this tour are operated on a group basis.
Elevations: N/a.
Passport/Visa: U.S., Australian, Canadian, and EU citizens require a valid passport (for the duration of your visit) and return ticket for stays of up to 90 days. Australian and Canadian citizens are required to pay a reciprocity fee of $100 and $75 respectively (subject to change without notice due to currency fluctuations or other reasons) online, and must show proof of payment prior to arrival. The reciprocity fee for U.S. citizens has been suspended until further notice. For citizens of Australia, this fee covers unlimited entries to Argentina for 10 years, while citizens of Canada are charged the fee every time they enter the country (or $150 for multiple visits within five years). The fee can be paid online at ProvinciaNet.com.ar. You will need to register in order to make the payment. Citizens of other countries are advised to contact the embassy of Argentina in their country before traveling.
Travel Insurance: In order to protect your travel investment from unforeseen circumstances that may arise before or during your trip, we strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. We offer Allianz Global Assistance’s Classic Comprehensive and other plans. The Benefits and Coverage Limits are summarized on our Travel Insurance page. Call your travel counselor if you have any questions or to purchase a plan. The operator of the ship requires that you purchase Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance (minimum recommended amount is $100,000).
To Book This Trip: Call or email us to confirm the availability of this ship for your desired dates of travel. For reservations made more than 90 days prior to departure, the required deposit is between $2,200 and $2,900 per person, and may be higher for single passengers. The balance is due 90 days prior to departure.
We had a wonderful vacation! Thanks for all your help. Jay’s favorite part was the Amazon, Megan’s favorite was Machu Picchu and my favorite was the Galapagos.
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