Out of Season Antarctica is out of this World

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Gap Adventures says travel in the outer seasons for some spectacular scenery and wildlife encounters

Gap Adventures says travel in the outer seasons for some spectacular scenery and wildlife encounters

January and February are the most popular months to travel to Antarctica, but The Great Adventure People advise travellers to think again and consider travelling earlier and later in the season if they are keen to save some pennies.

Travel to the Great White Continent at the beginning of the Austral summer in November and experience a pristine destination, untouched at the start of the season by fellow travellers. The extraordinarily beautiful pack ice is still intact, offering ideal platforms for resting wildlife and giant icebergs are still in their full glory.

The beginning of the season also offers the astonishing sights and sounds of penguins and seabirds courting as they perform spectacular courtship rituals.

Meanwhile at the tail end of the season, late February and March provide the best opportunities to catch a glimpse of magnificent Minke and Orca whales in Antarctica.

The receding pack ice allows ships to explore further south than earlier in the season and travellers witness the unforgettable sight of penguin chicks fledging and adults moulting.

“Travelling to Antarctica onboard the MS Expedition at any time during the season is a true adventure and an unforgettable voyage,” says Michael Edwards, Gap Adventures Director of Sales and Marketing for UK and Europe

“While mid-season is traditionally the most popular time to visit this area, the beginning and end of the season provides some unique scenery and wildlife viewing opportunities. We travel to Antarctica the full length of the season from November to March and each month brings new and exciting sights to our adventurers.”

Below is just one incredible itinerary that makes the most of the outer season conditions:

Antarctica Classic Package
Duration: 16 days*
Price: From £5049 per person for a category three twin cabin (compared to £5919 per person peak season)
Departure: 4 November 2010

*As a promotional bonus, there are 16 days (not the usual 14 days) for the 4-19 November 2010 departure. This gives you a chance for two extra days of shore landings in Antarctica

Highlights: Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, the South Shetland Islands, the Antarctic Peninsula, amazing wildlife, immense icebergs, penguin colonies, leopard seals and glaciers

Description: Explore the rugged, remote South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, home to some of the continent’s most dramatic landscapes and impressive wildlife. See huge penguin rookeries rubbing shoulders with seal colonies, while orcas and whales ply the waters offshore. This 14-day trip is identical to the Gap Adventures Antarctica Classic (XVCASX) expedition with the added inclusion of flights, transfers, tours and extra days in Buenos Aires.

Enjoy a 16-day trip from 4 - 19 November from £5049 per person. Price includes nine nights on board the M/S Expedition, four nights accommodation on land, all meals onboard the ship, 10 expedition staff and naturalists and all shore landings and Zodiac cruises in Antarctica.

For more information or to book please visit:
http://www.gapadventures.com/trips/antarctica-clas... or call or call 08444 10 10 90

About MS Expedition
The MS Expedition takes Gap Adventures travellers to destinations that have inspired bold explorers for centuries. It cruises the coastlines, islands and oceans of some of the most remote destinations on Earth and allows guests to visit secluded rookeries and hidden places that are only accessible by Zodiac landing craft. Accompanied by the Gap Adventures team of experts, travellers can get up close and personal with polar wildlife and cruise through colossal icebergs.

For more information please visit www.gapadventures.com or call 08444 10 10 30.

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About Gap Adventures

Gap Adventures (www.gapadventures.com) was established in 1990 by avid adventurer, Bruce Poon Tip. The Canadian entrepreneur is still at the helm of the company, which is now the world’s largest independently-owned adventure tour operator, offering more than 1,000 small group experiences, safaris and expeditions on all seven continents to more than 100,000 travellers a year.

The company’s worldwide adventures focus on wildlife encounters, active travel and cultural interaction, appealing to those who want to get off the beaten track and experience local culture. Its non-profit organisation, Planeterra (www.planeterra.org), was established in 2003 as a way for the company and its passengers to give back to the communities visited around the globe.

For further information

Rebecca Holloway / Jill Duffell / Laura Collins / Gemma Chapman
Rooster PR
Tel: 020 7953 7416 / 7419 / 7519 / 7460
Email: rebecca.holloway@rooster.co.uk
jill.duffell@rooster.co.uk
laura.collins@rooster.co.uk
gemma.chapman@rooster.co.uk