November 4 - Port Elizabeth, South Africa A day of leisure to explore this busy harbor city before meeting fellow travelers at the Protea Hotel Marine, or similar hotel, in Port Elizabeth. November 5 - Port Elizabeth November 6-9 - Southern Ocean November 10 - Crozet Islands November 11-12 - At sea November 13-14 - Kerguelen Island
November 15 - Heard Island Huge numbers of Macaroni Penguins breed along the shores of this remote sanctuary, along with King Penguins and tens of thousands of Rockhopper and Gentoo Penguins. Black-browed and Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses nest on the slopes and southern elephant seals and fur seals haul out on the beaches. The island has been protected since 1987 and landings are not permitted. November 16 - Southern Ocean November 17-18 - In the ice November 19 - Zhongshan Base and Larsemann Hills There are several research stations located in the vicinity of the Larsemann Hills including Zhongshan, a Chinese station, which is situated on the ice-free coast in a region well-known for its wildlife. We plan to visit the base and explore the surrounding area. November 20 - Amanda Bay Emperor Penguin Rookery November 21 - Davis Station November 22-23 - Cruise West Ice Shelf November 24 - Solar Eclipse We are planning to observe this spectacular eclipse off the Queen Mary Coast, in the Davis Sea, west of the Shackleton Ice Shelf. The middle of totality here will be at 2240 UTC (November 23) but, depending on the actual ship's time for us, the eclipse will take place in the early morning hours of November 24. The most extraordinary twist to the occasion is that it will feel like an eclipse of the night-time sun (since the eclipse takes place near to the time of the southern summer solstice and we will be so far south, the sun remains above the horizon for most of the day and night). November 25-26 - Shackleton Ice Shelf and Casey Station Continuing along the Shackleton Ice Shelf, our naturalists will be on deck to help spot and identify seabirds and marine mammals that are indigenous to these waters. En route to the Australian Casey Base, we traverse the spectacular Petersen Bank, a region where large concentrations of tabular icebergs lay grounded on the shoals below. Adélie Penguins and South Polar Skuas nest on nearby islands. November 27 - Ice edge Today we have yet another experience of a lifetime. The Captain searches out a large ice floe and moors alongside for everyone to disembark. Our chefs then organise a memorable barbecue and farewell party on the ice. November 28-December 2 - Southern Ocean As we sail north, the lecture series continues and our staff organise a symposium to discuss the future of the great White Continent. Join our naturalists on deck or on the Bridge to watch the ever-present seabirds and to spot whales and dolphins on our way to Australia. December 3 - Hobart, Tasmania Arriving this morning in the historic port of Hobart, we say goodbye to the Kapitan Khlebnikov and continue home individually. *Airfare is not included in the program. Some group flights are available on request. Please note: Read this itinerary as a guide only; our exact route and program varies according to ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife we encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition |
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Standard twin cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.7 times the share price On the way down to Antarctica we include the rarely visited and wildlife subantarctic islands of the southern Indian Ocean - Crozet, Kerguelen and Heard. These islands offer great wildlife opportunities with Macaroni, Rockhopper, Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins as well as literally tens of thousands of nesting King Penguins along with southern elephant seals, Antarctic fur seals and vast numbers of gulls, shearwaters, albatrosses and terns. In addition we plan visits to an Emperor Penguin colony where almost 10,000 Emperors have been known to congregate in a fairy tale setting of granite islands, glaciers and icebergs as well as to remote research stations such as the Australian Casey Station. |
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