*** Affordable Antarctica ***

Come Explore Antarctica with The Planetary Society, AAAS & ACS!
ANTARCTICA
November 26 - December 9, 2008
With 2-for-1 air special + tax for the first 40 bookings by April 30, 2008

Our Antarctica Expeditions since 1994 have been a great success, both in the response from travelers and in the fascinating experiences in Antarctica. We hope you will join us for our Antarctica adventure in 2008 and share the discovery of this magnificent continent and what it means for science and the exploration of extreme environments.

Considered by scientists and travelers as one of the last pristine regions and one of the Earth’s most inhospitable habitats, Antarctica offers the world’s most magnificent wilderness with abundant concentrations of wildlife, icebergs sculpted by the sea, and breathtaking scenery.

The southern ocean surrounding Antarctica offers a profusion of wildlife that thrives on the nutrient-rich waters. Here we will find blue, humpback, minke, southern right, and sei whales, along with several species of true and fur seals and tens of thousands of penguins of four species. Seabirds are in abundance, from albatross to shearwaters, petrels, skuas, and gulls, as they follow the ship and fill the sky.

Antarctica holds many answers to the world’s past climate in the thousands of years of data in the polar cap ice cores. It has been bombarded by meteorites, and some have come from the Moon and even Mars. Inside one of the Martian meteorites, scientists have discovered evidence suggesting that life may once have fluorished on Mars. We will explore this controversy during our voyage.

Days will be filled with expedition landings in Zodiacs, cruising amid ice floes and icebergs, quietly watching the antics of the penguins and whales, or bird-watching from the shore, in Zodiacs or from the ship. Some days will offer shortwalks that give the unique feelingof discovery of the “White Continent.”

There will be an extensive program of lectures and briefings on the geology and history of Antarctic exploration, marine mammals, ornithology, and other topics. Joining us will be scientists and naturalists from around the world. These educators have vast experience in the polar regions and will introduce many aspects of science during lectures, field outings, and informal discussions.

We will be traveling aboard the 84-passenger M/V Ushuaia. The accommodations are comfortable outside cabins. The atmosphere on board is informal, with meals prepared by a European chef and served at one seating.

We invite you to bring your spirit of adventure and join us on this voyage of a lifetime to the Earth’s last and most magnificent frontier!

From $5,625 pp + air

Brochure (Requires an Adobe pdf reader to view)