UNKNOWN ANTARCTICA
A cultural tour

During this exploration voyage we will offer landing sites that have never been offered before and in some occasions (probably) by none of the Antarctic ship operators. Flexibility is the key-word during this thrilling expedition. As information about most of the landing sites is limited or “unknown”, the target itinerary can only mention the scheduled landing sites and some general – but very basic - information. But this can’t be a surprise, as said, this is “unknown” Antarctica. Join us for an exciting exploration voyage aboard Professor Molchanov.

Day 1
In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through this scenic waterway for the rest of the evening.

Days 2 & 3
During these two days we will 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 meet 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.

Day 4
We intend to explore Low Island, an island 9 miles long and 5 miles wide, situated ca. 14 miles south east of Smith Island, in the South Shetland Islands. As the name already suspects, the island has a low elevation and is inconspicuous. The island was known to sealers as early as the beginning of the 19th century.

Day 5
We will sail along the Wright Ice Piedmont at the Antarctic Continent at Graham Land, mapped in the fifties of the last century based on photographs taken between 1955-57. The piedmont was named after the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright who made the first flight with an aero plane in December 1903.
Exploration of Roe Island, an island lying in the entrance of the Curtiss Bay, just about 2 miles west of Graham Land (Antarctic continent), named after the British pioneer aircraft designer Alliott Verdon-Roe, who made aircrafts since 1908. Seaplane Point is situated a few miles of Roe Island at the Antarctic Continent. It was named in association with Curtiss Bay, after Glenn Curtiss, an American engineer who pioneered sea-planes from 1911.

Day 6
We stay on the west coast of Graham Land and reach Valdivia Point, named after the German ship “Valdivia”, by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition of Nordenskjöld. Further west we will call Challenger Island and Bluff Island.

Day 7
We reach the western side of Brabant Island and will explore Avicenna Bay, Buls Bay and Freud Passage.

Day 8
At the north east cost of Anvers Island we will visit Fournier Bay, probably first sighted by a German expedition under the command of Dallmann in 1873-74, chartered by the French Antarctic expedition under Charcot (1903-05) and named after the French navy admiral Ernest Fournier.
In Inverleith harbour (also on the north east coast of Anvers), we will make a landing and can spot an Antarctic Tern colony and may observe Weddell Seals.

Day 9
We will explore the Flandres Bay along the west coast of Graham Land (Antarctic Continent), explored by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition in 1898 under Gerlache.
The Lemaire Channel is not “unknown”, but we will sail through this channel in a different way; with zodiacs ahead of the mother vessel. We will also make a landing on Deloncle Bay in the Lemaire Channel.

Day 10
We make a final landing at the continent at Waddington Bay, offering a beautiful scenery and we may observe Crabeater Seals and Weddell Seals on the ice-floes and possibilities to spot Minke Whales and we sail through the French Passage, heading for Ushuaia, Argentina.

Days 11 & 12
Two full days in the Drake Passage, where we have again a chance of seeing many seabirds and to take advantage of the knowledge of our lecture team.

Day 13
We arrive in the morning in Ushuaia and disembark the vessel.

Departure Dates
2009 English Speaking Departures Dec 03
Inclusions
Tour Price Includes Tour Price Does Not Include Voyage aboard the Prof. Molchanov. All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee & tea. All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac. Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program. Comprehensive pre-departure material. Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights. Pre and post land arrangements in Ushuaia. Transfers to and from the vessel. Passport and visa expenses. Local government arrival and departure taxes. Meals ashore. Any insurance. Any excess baggage charges. All items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges. Customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).
Tour Price
We accept payment in US $ (US Dollars), CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent EURO (for clients outside North America). Bestway Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received, and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please download Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf Note: to read this file you must have Adobe Acrobat.
Departure Double Occupancy Single Room Supplement Triple share (non private) US $ 5,695 n/a Twin share (non private) US $ 6,795 n/a Twin share (private) US $ 7,895 n/a Superior US $ 8,995 (in twin) n/a Suite US $ 9,695 (in twin) n/a Please note: It is also agreed that if world fuel prices will reach or exceed USD 80.00 per Barrel Brent 90 days prior to departure, we reserve the right to levy a fuel surcharge of USD 25.00 per passenger / per night.
Estimated International Airfare - International airfare is NOT included in this tour
Canada - West Coast N/A USA - West Coast US $ 1400 Canada - East Coast N/A USA - East Coast US $ 1200
Participants
This tour operates on a minimum of 30 participants.
Notes
Customised Itinerary If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you. Foreign Language Departures Please contact us for information on French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking departures. You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844.