Hanseatic Inspiration, INT Kingdom of the Penguins ex Ushuaia Return – 05 Dec 2021

16 Night cruise sailing from Ushuaia roundtrip aboard Hanseatic Inspiration.

The HANSEATIC inspiration forges its way through the icy world of the sixth continent in the spirit of those daring pioneers that have gone before it. Majestic icebergs, whales, elephant seals and huge penguin colonies as well as thrilling Zodiac rides will bring unique moments.

Highlights of this cruise:

Ushuaia
Situated on the Beagle Strait, Ushuaia is the largest city in Argentine Tierra del Fuego, and arguably the southernmost city in the world. In the past, the town has been a missionary base, penal colony and naval base for the Argentine navy. Ushuaia is now a major tourist town, complete with casinos and nice restaurants, and commonly used as a base for hiking, winter sports and cruises to Antarctica

Founded just over one hundred years ago, this rustic town is situated amidst incredible snowcapped mountains, dramatic waterfalls, massive glaciers, and a forest known for its red foliage. Tierra del Fuego, the “Land of Fire,” twelve miles to the west of Ushuaia, is known for its glacial landscape and its national park, which is a bird-watcher’s paradise.

South Georgia
South Georgia is a British overseas territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands, the South Sandwich Islands. Grytviken is the principal settlement on South Georgia.

South Georgia is one of the most visited locations in Antarctica. It is stunningly picturesque and is frequently described as being “The Alps in the mid-ocean”. Over half the island is permanently glaciated, wildlife is plentiful, approaches by sea usually straightforward and it is steeped in the history of Antarctic exploration and of Antarctic whalers and sealers.

At Grytviken visitors can see an abandoned whaling station, the restored Norwegian church, the cemetery and the grave of the famous explorer Ernest Shackleton.

South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands are a string of islands located 960 k m south of Tierra del Fuego at the tip of Sth America. They are currently covered by the Antarctic Treaty where all territorial claims are suspended. The islands are largely ice covered and there are eight permanently manned research bases run by various countries. Tourist cruise ships frequently visit the islands.

The South Shetland Islands consist of eleven major islands and several minor ones. Between 80 and 90 percent of the land area is permanently glaciated. The highest point on the island chain is Mount Irving on Clarence Island at 2,300 metres (7,546 ft) above sea level.

King George Island is the largest of the group and the least isolated. There are twelve bases established here. Other major islands include Elephant and Clarence Islands; Nelson Islands; Robert, Greenwich, Livingston, Snow, and Deception Islands; Smith and Low Islands.

Antarctic Peninsula
The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost part of the mainland of Antarctica, and almost the only part of that continent that extends outside the Antarctic Circle. It lies in the Western Hemisphere, facing South America. The peninsula is highly mountainous, its highest peaks rising to approximately 2,800 metres (9,186 feet).

The Antarctic Peninsula is regarded by many visitors as being one of the most beautiful places on earth. Jagged mountain peaks clad in glaciers flowing sometimes down to the sea and sometimes spilling into mid air from an altitude of hundreds of feet or more.

Attractions include giant icebergs, penguins, seals, whales, pack ice, sea birds and more.