 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Roll-over me! | ||||
Take a relaxed sail through the Southern Ocean from the tussock covered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) to the Antarctic Peninsula via the wildlife paradise of South Georgia. Landings and Zodiac cruising enable close encounters with penguins, whales and seals when conditions permit. Experience the Antarctic in comfort aboard the Clipper Adventurer ship and benefit from an expert team of guides, historians and guest lecturers. ...
Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world and the capital of the Argentinian province of Tierra del Fuego. Given its proximity to the south pole Ushuaia has an incredible 18 hours of sunlight in the summer months (December to March). This beautiful city lies on the shores of the Beagle Channel and is the gateway for many Antarctic and Southern Ocean expeditions. Surrounded by sea, mountains and forests, Ushuaia is incredibly scenic and fantastic for hiking, mountain biking, horse riding and sport fishing. The city is also a tax free zone so ideal for a spot of shopping! From Ushuaia you can travel to the breathtaking Tierra Del Fuego National Park, with its towering mountain peaks, dense forests, sweeping valleys and glacial originated lakes.
Captain Cook made the first landing on South Georgia in 1775, when he claimed it as UK territory and named it after King George III. At approximately 160 km by 32 km the island is beautifully rugged, with snow covered peaks, emerald green bays and an abundance of wildlife. South Georgia is largely uninhabited, with only a handful of people living (temporarily) on the island, including the two curators of the South Georgia Museum which provides a fascinating insight into the island and its history. In the past South Georgia was used for whaling and the old deserted Whaling Station was fully operational when Ernest Shackleton and his colleagues came across it after a 36 hour trek across the island. St Andrews Bay is home to the largest rookery on the island with over 75,000 breeding pairs of King Penguins. Another large rookery can be found at Salisbury Plain which is flanked by glaciers. Other wildlife on and around the island includes elephant and fur seals which are known to frequent the Bertrab Glacier, Reindeer which were introduced for their meat by the Whalers and Wandering Albatross and Petrels which nest on the Bay of Isles.
The Shetland Islands are a 540km chain of Antarctic islands which lie approximately 120 kms north of the Antarctic Peninsular. Some of the major islands in the chain include Neptune, Livingston, King George and Nelson islands, Elephants and Clarence islands. Amongst the South Shetland group is the horseshoe shaped Deception Island, which has one of the world's safest natural harbours, making it a popular landing spot on Antarctic expeditions. The island is an active volcano, with a huge flooded caldera which opens into the sea at Neptunes Bellows. Its incredible landscape comprises of ash layered glaciers, barren volcanic slopes and steaming beaches.
The Falkland Islands are a group of over 740 islands situated 643km south east of South America. The Falklands are a nature lovers paradise with beautiful white sand beaches, jagged cliffs and spectacular wildlife. Here you can witness colonies of black browed Albatross, fur seals, sea lions and large elephant seals who often clash on the beaches. Not to mention the inquisitive penguins who often approach people on the beaches and the whales and dolphins swimming close to the shores. The Falklands capital is Stanley. This picturesque and colourful seaside town has several signs of its English heritage, with red phone boxes and English pubs. In the town there are military monuments, a fascinating museum and many retail outlets and restaurants.
