ANTARCTICA

Jo Meintjes has been sending people down South since 1987 when she first visited on the Explorer, the original ship which Lindblad used to pioneer visits for travellers in the mid-seventies.

The Antarctic Peninsula reached from South America often referred to as 'The Banana Belt'. Only a very few voyages cross the Antarctic Circle The Ross Ice Shelf reached from either New Zealand or Australia known as 'The Far Side'-you sail across the Antarctic circle and usually include visits to Scott and Shackleton's historic huts Other one-off voyages into the Weddell Sea - for that you need to be on an icebreaker generally in search of Emperor Penguins. These very popular voayages were frequently available but now the Kapitan Khlebnikov is retiring we will have to wait for another operator to fill this space. Semi Circumnavigation voyage which sails from Ushuaia, Argentina to South Island, New Zealand. This happens only once every three or four years. Ships occasionally sail direct from South Africa. The Ultimate Antarctica Expedition usually sails from Port Elizabeth with the chance to see Emperor Penguins on the Antarctic continent. There will also be landings, weather permitting, on Heard, Crozet and Kerguelen Islands. Patriot Hills to climb Mt. Vinson (the highest Antarctic mountain) or visit the Emperor Penguin colonies. Fly-in to King George Island from Punta Arenas, Chile to join a cruise ship for a week's cruising around the Antarctic Peninsula. This avoids the 48-hour notorious Drake Passage crossing.  The South Pole itself. These last two are fly-in itineraries from South America for only a few days but it is great to say you have camped on the Antarctic Continent - Please enquire for prices. A 12 hour fly-in from Melbourne costs from Aus $900 (centre seats) with no window seat. To have a window seat and (and only change to one away from a window at half-way) you need a Business Class deluxe seat costing Aus$3799, or treat yourself to First Class @ $4899. See Links for how to book. SUB ANTARCTIC ISLANDS   You are encouraged to visit South Georgia and The Falkland islands (Las Malvinas) while on a voyage to the Antarctic. Occasionally you can circumnavigate South Georgia on its own or even climb over the centre (if you have experience of climbing in snow). Indian Ocean sub Antarctic islands like Crozet, Kerguelen can be visited with the French supply ship. No ships as yet land on Marion or Prince Edward Islands. Occasional ships visit Bouvet (counts as visiting the Norwegian sector of Antarctica) and sometimes the Australian Heard Island. Atlantic Islands - ask for details if you want to include Tristan da Cunha (Jo's been there), Bouvet Island or St. Helena in your plans. Jo has recently returned from a successful voyage in St Helena. Read article on St Helena Australian and New Zealand sub Antarctic islands have endemic species of penguin and are uninhabited except for research stations: Macquarie, Campbell and Auckland to name a few. FOR THE VERY ADVENTUROUS - Antarctic, South Orkneys, South Georgia, South Sandwich, BOUVET ISLAND (2 DAYS) Cape Town – no cruises are planned at present. Seize the chance when next you see this advertised. South Georgia