The Atlantic Odyssey offers a unique possibility to visit some of the most remote islands in the world. Besides the Antarctic Peninsula, the South Shetland Islands, South Georgia, and the South Orkney Islands, the Atlantic Odyssey visit Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena, and Ascension Island. Beautiful and often rare species live on these islands, many of them not found anywhere else in the world. Isolated local communities can also be visited on this unique Atlantic voyage aboard MV Janssonius.
Highlights
View four species of albatrosses in your sail across the Drake Passage
Enjoy alpine peaks and a myriad of icebergs during zodiac cruises
See humpback whales and minke whales, gentoo penguins, and blue-eyed shags
Meet some of the major king penguin rookeries in the world
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Your voyage begins where the world drops off: Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego – nicknamed “The End of the World” – and sail the scenic, mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the rest of the evening.
Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you catch a taste of life from the perspective of the polar explorers who first braved these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling waves, maybe even a fin whale blasting up a column of sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer subantarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone.
Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too: A variety of albatrosses and petrels show up, along with Cape pigeons and southern fulmars. Then, near the South Shetlands Islands, the first icebergs flash into sight.
Gray stone peaks sketched with snow, towers of broken blue-white ice, and dramatically different wildlife below and above. You first pass the snow-capped Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel, sailing between Brabant and Anvers Islands.
Possible sites you may visit include:
Wilhelmina Bay – A likely spot to see feeding humpback whales. If conditions allow, you may even embark on a Zodiac cruise to the ghostly wreck of the Guvernøren, a whaling vessel that caught fire here in 1915.
Cuverville Island – Stabbing up between Rongé Island and the Antarctic Peninsula, Cuverville houses a colony of several thousand gentoo penguins as well as pairs of breeding brown skuas.
Danco Island – Activities here may focus on the gentoo penguins nesting on the island, in addition to the Weddell and crabeater seals that may be found nearby.
Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and endless wind-carved snow, Neko Harbour offers opportunities for a Zodiac cruise and landing that afford the closest views of the surrounding alpine peaks.
Paradise Bay – You may be able to take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where you have a good chance of seeing humpback and minke whales. You have the chance to land on the Continent here too.
Booth, Pléneau & Petermann Islands – You may sail through the Lemaire Channel in search of Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags. There’s also a good chance you’ll encounter leopard seals as well as humpback, minke, and fin whales here. You may also visit Booth Island’s Port Charcot.
Melchior Islands – A beautiful landscape rich with icebergs. Leopard seals, crabeater seals, and whales are found here, and there are excellent opportunities for kayaking and diving.
You depart at noon, depending on conditions on the Drake Passage.
While crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.
The plan is to visit some of the world’s top king penguin rookeries. This time of year you have a good chance of seeing these animals nesting on eggs, their chicks close by. The rookeries are overflowing, with waddling rush-hour traffic to and from the beach.
Possible visits include:
Salisbury Plain, St. Andrews Bay, Gold Harbour – Here you see not only the massive king penguin colony, but also elephant seals and limitless fur seal pups playing in the surf.
Prion Island – This location is closed during the early part of the wandering albatross breeding season (November 20 – January 7). From January on, the breeding adults have found their partners and are sitting on eggs or nursing their chicks. Enjoy witnessing the gentle nature of these animals, which possess the largest wingspan of any birds in the world. Grytviken – You have the opportunity to check out this abandoned whaling station, where king penguins now walk the streets and elephant seals lie around like they own the place – because they just about do. You might also see the South Georgia Museum as well as Shackleton’s grave.
Cooper Bay – A great place for a Zodiac cruise, this bay also houses a rookery of macaroni penguins. King penguins, pintails, and giant petrels may also appear here.
A pleasant tailwind often accompanies the vessel through the westerlies, and on both sides of the Convergence fly vast numbers of Antarctic and Subantarctic seabirds.
You first approach Gough Island for a Zodiac cruise in Quest Bay, weather permitting. Northern rockhopper penguins and Subantarctic fur seals are often seen here. In previous years it has been possible for the vessel to circumnavigate all but four miles of the 33-mile circumference of the island, taking in the scenery and unrivalled abundance of wildlife.
These islands are famed for their bird population, which includes rockhopper penguins, several species of albatross, petrels, skuas, terns, and many others. Your aim is to visit the settlement on the west side of this archipelago’s main island but the planned four days here may also allow us to land in Seal Bay on the south side or possibly at Sandy Point on the east side of Tristan da Cunha.
Here we may encounter wildlife such as Yellow-nosed albatrosses and Sub-Antarctic fur seals and otherwise explore a very rarely visited spot. We aim to land at Nightingale and Inaccessible islands, with views of seabirds ranging from yellow-nosed albatrosses to brown noddies.
Two day is reserved in case of bad weather, but please remember that nature determines the itinerary here: Since beginning the Atlantic Odyssey cruise in 1998, adverse weather led to the cancellation of 35% of Tristan da Cunha landings. It is not impossible, but it is difficult.
After landing at Jamestown, you have many opportunities to enjoy the local culture, pleasant climate, and endemic birds of this remote island. One such activity is a visit to Longwood House, where Napoleon died in exile. You also have the chance to explore the island on your own – and snorkel the shallows, seeing multitudes of tropical and subtropical fish.
Disembarkation and a flight to Europe are possible from here.
In the evening, the vessel departs for Ascension Island and Praia, Cape Verde where you may also disembark.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
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Initial deposit is 20%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure by Bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
Kate was great to work with in the planning stage. She was prompt, helpful, and efficient. Our tour guide, Edwin, was knowledgeable and passionate. We were very happy to have traveled with Adventure Life, it made the trip easy and a true pleasure. We could concentrate on enjoying the experience rather than the details of travel.
Lisa Bridge
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7 hours ago
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3 days ago
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