Antarctica is the fifth largest continent and 99% is covered with perpetual ice. It is one of the most remote and inaccessible areas in the world. The schedule is flexible in order to take advantage of the unexpected. During the cruise, included wet landings will take place with sturdy inflatable zodiacs, accompanied by naturalist guides to give you a richer experience of the treasures of the Antarctic Peninsula. Certain zodiac excursions will not allow for landings. Landings will depend on meteorological conditions, the position of the ice and winds, and the state of the sea. During the visit to this remote area the itinerary includes opportunities to navigate some of the most beautiful waterways: the Gerlache Strait, and the Lemaire Channel, one of the top destinations in Antarctica; steep cliffs hem in the iceberg filled passage, which is 11kms long and just 1,600 meters wide at its narrowest point. Visit Pleneau Island and Port Lockroy, a natural harbour on the Antarctic Peninsula of the British Antarctic Territory. Half the island is open to tourists, while the other half is reserved for penguins. The South Shetland Islands are a haven for wildlife. Vast penguin rookeries, beaches ruled by Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals make every day spent in this amazing island group unforgettable. Sail through a narrow passage into the flooded caldera of Deception island. This was a favourite refuge area from the storms and icebergs of Antarctica and is famous for its several colonies of chinstrap penguins. During your passage through the islands you are likely to see weddell, crab eater and leopard seals as well as minke, killer (orca) and humpback whales up close. Sail the Weddell Sea, contained within two overlapping claims of Argentine Antarctica and British Antarctic Territory. Much of the southern part of the sea is permanent ice and you will see icebergs as you sail through. See Brown Bluff, an extinct volcano located in the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.
