Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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•
F athom Expeditions,
416 M oore A ve., S te. 204, Toronto, O ntario M4G 1C9
(
&
800/621-0176
or 416/646-2688; www .fathomexpeditions.com). A Canadian
company that is r un b y former expedition leaders, F athom's trips tend to be a bit
longer, and a bit less hurried.
•
Lindblad Expeditions,
720 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10019 (
&
800/397-3348
or
212/765-7740; www.expeditions.com). This venerable Swedish-run company was the
first to bring tourists to Antar ctica. It offers 11- to 28-day tours, with tr ekking. In
2008, they launched the
National Geographic Explorer.
•
O ceanwide Expeditions,
Bellamypark 9, Vlissingen, Netherlands (
&
800/453-7245
or 31-118/410410; www.oceanwide-expeditions.com). This Dutch company operates
a variety of journeys aboard its own ship.
•
P eregrine A dventures,
258 Lonsdale S t., M elbourne, VIC 3000, A ustralia
(
&
1300/854444
in A ustralia, or 03/9662-2700 outside A ustralia; fax 03/9662-
2442; www .peregrine.net.au). This A ustralian company is the only operator that
doesn't charge solo travelers a single supplement.
•
Q uark Expeditions,
980 Post Rd., Darien, CT (
&
800/356-5699
or 203/656-0499;
www.quarkexpeditions.com). This highly esteemed company offers the industr
y's
most outrageous trips, including complete cir cumnavigations.
By Plane
Apart fr om wor king for a r esearch station, one of the fe w ways to get out and r eally
explore the Antarctic continent is b y plane. A handful of companies offer a small selec-
tion of astonishing, out-of-this-world journeys to the Antar ctic interior and beyond.
Flights to the Antarctic can be divided into two distinct categories: flights that access
man-made airstrips on cer tain islands close to the peninsula, and flights that penetrate
the frigid interior, relying on natural ice and sno w runways for landing areas. The logis-
tics involved in flying to the Antarctic are complicated, to say the least, and fuel becomes
an issue. M ake no mistake: Air trav el to the Antar ctic is a serious under taking. The
rewards, however, can be unforgettable.
From Punta Arenas, Chile, King George Island on the peninsula is the pr eferred des-
tination. The island houses a number of r esearch stations, some of which can be visited.
It boasts extraordinary wildlife and sightseeing oppor tunities. The average stay is 1 or 2
days, but weather delays can alter itineraries.
13
Tips
Last-Minute Reduced Fares to Antarctica
Some travel agencies in Ushuaia offer reduced fares for last-minute bookings, but
this is by no means guaranteed. Be prepared to hang around Ushuaia for up to 2
weeks without any certainty that you will score a berth. If you do, however, prices
can be 10% to 50% lower than the advertised rate. Two agencies to try are
All Patagonia,
Juana Fadul 60, Ushuaia, Argentina (
&
2901/433622;
fax
2901/430707; www.allpatagonia.com), and
Rumbo Sur,
Av. San Martín 350,
Ushuaia, Argentina (
&
2901/422441;
fax 2901/430699; www.rumbosur.com.ar).
Note that the best time to snag discounted rates is late November to early
December, before the onset of the high-travel season in southern Argentina.
