Unfortunately, I’ve not managed to travel to Antarctica, yet. During my four months in South America, the closest I got to the Southern continent was visiting Uruguay and Argentina, and even then I didn’t get to make it all the way down to the otherworldly region of Patagonia. So I was super intrigued to hear about a new specially curated travel experience that follows in the footsteps of lauded explorer Ernest Shackleton and his tour of Antarctica.
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| Antarctican landscape |
To celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s life, the new itinerary has been thought up and will be led by luxury tour operator The Ultimate Travel Company. It also coincides with the discovery of Shackleton’s ship Endurance which was miraculously found earlier this year on March 9, 2022, at the bottom of the Weddell Sea.
The 22-day Antarctica trip is one of three specially curated journeys that aim to provide travellers with one-of-a-kind experiences and while personally I’m not a fan of group tours and always prefer to travel solo, if I were to ever head to Antarctica I would without a doubt join a group due to the remoteness of the place and expertise needed. Whether I could afford to join The Ultimate Travel Company’s tour is another matter though, as the trip comes in just under a wild $28k (£26k) - not your average vacation, that’s for sure!
The trip will take place this December (2022) with Alexandra Shackleton, granddaughter of Sir Ernest Shackleton joining for part of the trip alongside renowned Shackleton historians and biographical writers, and the Chairman of the James Caird Society. The exploration will aim to celebrate the life, legacy, and unparalleled polar experience of Antarctica’s greatest explorer, taking travellers far into the Antarctic water.
Highlights of the trip will include a visit to Point Wild on Elephant Island, where the crew of Endurance miraculously survived four and a half months, a journey to the rarely seen King Haaken Bay, where Shackleton and James Caird finally reached land after their death-defying open water journey in search of rescue, and a celebratory gathering in the South Georgian town of Grytviken, followed by a walk to Shackleton’s gravestone, where a whiskey toast will honour the legendary explorer.
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| Shackleton's ship, Endurance |
Visits to other rare spots, including McCarthy Island, Lambert Island, and Peggotty Bluff will also be included. The trip mostly takes place on a ship named Island Sky—a super luxury vessel that includes three decks of suites with glass sliding doors—perfect for admiring the enchanting ice walls of the region. The remaining nights will be spent at a luxury hotel in Ushuaia called Arakur.
Alongside this epic-sounding adventure, The Ultimate Travel Company have also announced two other newly launched excursions. The second is a 16-day Eastern Cuba experience which invites travellers to experience the cultural delights of the less explored eastern side of this island, while the third takes place in Botswana for the ultimate wildlife and adventure experience—the first cycling safari of its kind in the region. Guests will cycle along ancient elephant paths that have shaped the Botswana landscape for centuries, taking in acacia woodlands, meandering rivers, forests and beautiful savannah grasslands. For more information on any of the new itineraries, head to theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk
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