EXPEDITION CRUISING 29 Straight Mile Romsey Hampshire ... cruises.pdf · of the Penguins” has generated a lot of interest in visiting this southern land mass and we still advise

EXPEDITION CRUISING29 Straight Mile Romsey Hampshire England SO51 9BB

Tel: 01794 523500 Fax: 01794 523544Email: [email protected]

www.expeditioncruising.co.uk

EXPEDITION CRUISINGCRUISES for NATURE

2007

2007Explorer

Black-browed Albatross

Welcome to our new 2007 colour brochure for Expedition Cruising andCruises for Nature. Once again we have plenty to offer those of you whoare attracted to cruising in order to visit exciting venues around the world.Our most popular destination is still Antarctica and we have a number ofships listed which visit this Great White Continent. The popular film “Marchof the Penguins” has generated a lot of interest in visiting this southern landmass and we still advise you to book early as many of the ships sell all theirberths a year in advance of the cruise dates!

Cruises for Nature is the trading name for our Escorted Cruise section,where we put a professional guide in charge of our group. As the nameimplies these cruises have been chosen for their appeal to the naturalistand are normally also excellent if you are a keen photographer.

In 2007 and early 2008 we have a great selection of cruises on offer.Whether you have always fancied a visit to the North Pole, to see thepenguins in Antarctica, to cruise around the British Isles or to see PolarBears in Spitsbergen, then we should have a cruise to suit you.

There are a large number of expedition ships to choose from but we haveselected just the cream of the crop to offer you. Each of these comes withour seal of approval and we are confident that you will enjoy the varieditineraries that they offer.

Under our banner of Cruises for Nature we offer a select number of escortedcruises that have been hand-picked to offer a superb wildlife experience forthe nature lover, bird watcher and photographer. These cruises include ourever-popular ones to Antarctica, as well as Kamchatka and the Ring of Fire,the Galapagos Islands, Baja and the Sea of Cortez, Spitsbergen, theSubantarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia, the Islands of Macaronesiaand the west coast of South America. For each of these cruises a professionalguide will be with you from when you leave the airport in London, to when youpick up the ship. They will then be there to help with identifying the wildlife,looking after you on the ship, and making sure that your holiday runs assmoothly as possible. Later, they escort you back on the return flight toLondon. We also provide species checklists for the cruises, and we can evenoffer you a selection of field guides to help your enjoyment of each holiday.

Why not give us a call and make sure that 2007 is a year that you travel withExpedition Cruising?

Nigel R JonesAugust 2006

EXPEDITION CRUISING

EXPEDITION CRUISING29 Straight Mile Romsey Hampshire England SO51 9BB

Tel: 01794 523500 Fax: 01794 523544

Email: [email protected]

www.expeditioncruising.co.uk

The air holidays in this brochure are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 6934.

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ContentsIntroduction to Expedition Cruising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Polar Cruising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Expedition Cruising• Antarctica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6• Arctic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10• Travelling North and South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Introduction to Cruises for Nature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Escorted Cruises• Galapagos & Ecuador . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17• The Sea of Cortez, Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20• Spitzbergen & the Svalbard Archipelago . . . . . . . . .22• Classic Antarctica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24• Antarctica, Falkland Islands & South Georgia 2008 . .26• Peru, Chile & Argentina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29• Macaronesia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32• Ring of Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34• Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand & Australia . .37

Deck Plans• Explorer & Andrea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40• Explorer II & Spirit of Enderby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41• Polar Star & Kapitan Khlebnikov . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

2 To make a booking please call Expedition Cruising on 01794 523500

What is an expedition ship?

Expedition ships are normally smaller than theaverage, taking perhaps 100 people in total. Theitineraries that they follow are often novel, orremote, or just plain exciting. On board there arelecturers who are there to impart knowledge onsubjects such as geology, birdwatching, historyand culture. These ships are normally “informal”,so no need to pack that dinner jacket or poshfrock. This leaves space for waterproofs andrubber boots which are probably going to beneeded for those “wet landings” and hikes onmuddy ground.

As many of the ships are normally compactsome the cabins are often on the small size.Most of them will have toilets and showers ensuite and there is space for a small desk and achair. The lower category cabins are normally onthe lower decks and are cheaper. On higherdecks the categories become more expensiveand the cabins a little larger. However, be awarethat the most stable part of a ship is in the middleand near the water line!

Most of the ships have dining rooms capable oftaking everybody at a single sitting. Even thoughyou may be in remote places the food is often

excellent and the wine lists on some ships areexceptional! Many of the ships have tea andcoffee available at all times.

The ships will normally have a fleet of inflatablezodiacs, which are used for making landings onbeaches, or else for taking you around icebergs,cliffs and small islands. The ships’ dailyitineraries are based around making landings,which may result in you finding yourself havingmeals early or late on occasions so that you canvisits particular areas.

The majority of the ships operate an open bridgepolicy to enable you to watch the captain or firstofficer plotting the ship’s course, or navigatingbetween icebergs. Wildlife watching is anessential part of many of these cruises and if alarge whale is spotted the ship may well divert forcloser views. The decks on the ships have manyareas where you can stand and just watch thescenery and wildlife pass by.

If you are expecting a band and dancing girlseach evening then these type of cruises are notwhat you are looking for!

What if I am a single traveller?

One of the worries regarding travelling on yourown is the additional cost of taking a single roomor cabin. If you want to share on these expeditionships then you will not be charged a singleroom/cabin supplement. The ships will endeavourto find someone to share with you and if they areunable to they will not charge any extra, this doesnot apply to the Explorer II. However, if you dorequire a twin room/cabin for sole use then youshould specify this at the time of booking and thesingle supplement will be charged.Adelie Penguins

Introduction to Expedition Cruising

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3To make a booking please call Expedition Cruising on 01794 523500

Why book with us?

Why should you book with Expedition Cruisingrather than directly with the ship or their cruisecompany? We have been dealing with expeditionships for over 15 years and we know thatproblems can occur with both the ships and thecompanies that own or lease them. During theselast 15 years a number of ships have had towithdraw from the market due to financingproblems. The beauty of dealing through a UKlicensed company such as Expedition Cruising isthat your money is safeguarded as we havefinancial bonding for all bookings. If a cruise iscancelled then we would refund your money. Ifyou deal with overseas companies normally yourmoney is not protected, nor governed by UK orEU laws.

What else can we offer?

We are happy to book any of the cruises on theships offered in this brochure but we can alsobook your flights, hotels and airport car parkingif you require them. We can also offer a range ofbooks that may be suitable for wildlifeidentification on the cruises. We also offer adviceon immunisation, visa requirements, currencyexchange and even weather and sea conditionsfor different times of the year. Above all we cannormally find the answer to most questions youhave, if not immediately, then within hours.

How do I make a booking?

Firstly, choose the cruise you want to take andthe category cabin you require. Then eithertelephone us or e-mail us with your request. Wecan then see which cabins are still available andlet you know. Once a cabin is confirmed we needyou to complete the booking form that is in theback of this brochure and let us have a 25%deposit to confirm your booking. Once we havereceived your completed form and deposit weshall send you a Confirmation Account detailingthe services you have booked as well as the finalbalance due and the payment date. Later, weshall send you joining instructions which includeadvice on clothing, visa application (ifnecessary), airport parking and hotels and otherpertinent information.

Zodiac cruising

Pack ice

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Polar Cruising

Possibly the two most exciting expedition cruises that anybody on earth can takeare to Antarctica and the High Arctic. One hundred years ago who would haverealised that these remote inhospitable areas would become two of the world’sgreat tourist attractions.

For the wildlife enthusiast and photographer Antarctica has no equal. Penguinsin their millions, blue icebergs, great whales, soaring albatrosses and amazingskies and scenery – they are all there.

The High Arctic has enormous Polar Bears, pack ice, long-tusked Walruses,calving glaciers and cliffs filled with noisy nesting seabirds. You can even takea nuclear powered icebreaker to the North Pole!

These journeys are expedition cruises at their best. Without a doubt we are inthe golden age of polar tourism – who knows what restrictions may be imposedon visits in the near future. Now is the time to travel… read on.

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Antarctica

Australia

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South America

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South Orkney Islands

South Georgia

PACIFIC OCEAN

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Ushuaia

South Pole

Asia

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ARCTIC OCEAN

Kamchatka

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PACIFICOCEAN

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North America

Hudson Bay

Baffin Island

Greenland

SvalbardLongyearbyen

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Scandinavia

Oslo

Iceland

British Isles

ATLANTIC OCEAN

North Pole


There are two main itineraries for cruises to Antarctica. A “Classic Antarctica” which explores the Antarctic Peninsula and may also visit the Weddell

Sea or Antarctic Circle, and a longer cruise which sails to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia as well as the Antarctic Peninsula. On all of the

ships we use there is a complement of lecturers who will discuss various topics while on board ship and who will also lead some of the landing parties

when you go ashore. We also offer some cruises with our own professional escort, who looks after you personally throughout the cruise and will fly

from London with our group. Our escorted short Classic Antarctic cruise is in November 2007 with Paul Rogers (see page 24) and the longer cruise

including the Falkland Islands and South Georgia is in January / February 2008 with Richard Coomber (see page 26). Both of these cruises are on

the Explorer. Please see below for the general itinerary and details of these expedition cruises.

The majority of our Antarctic cruises start in the Argentinean port of Ushuaia. This town is located amidst the beautiful scenery of Tierra del Fuego

and on the shores of the Beagle Channel. Ushuaia is small enough to be explored on foot and you can also take excursions into the stunning Tierra

del Fuego National Park. We can easily book flights for you from London to Buenos Aires and onto Ushuaia. Accommodation can be booked in both

places if required.

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Antarctic icescape

Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica

Day 1 Arrive UshuaiaYou embark the ship in the afternoon and set sail for the Falkland Islands.

Day 2 At SeaAs you make the passage east you have time to become acquainted withthe ship and common areas. During this time the lectures and informationsessions start and you have an opportunity to learn about the extraordinaryhuman and natural history of the Antarctic region.

Days 3-4 Falkland IslandsThe Falkland Islands provide a rare opportunity to witness the biologicaldiversity and extraordinary scenery of the southern islands. Penguins,Elephant Seals and Sea Lions are abundant. Port Stanley provides anopportunity to meet the hardy local inhabitants whose colourful housesprovide contrast to the long dark winters. Here we hope to catch our firstglimpses of penguins, including the Magellanic, Rockhopper, Macaroni,Gentoo and King. With a little luck we may also see the Elephant Seals, SeaLions, King Cormorants, Black-browed Albatross, skuas, Giant Petrels,Striated Caracaras and of course sheep.

Days 5-6 The Great Southern OceanYou now sail east to South Georgia. Your days at sea will be filled withlectures to prepare you for South Georgia and we will have plenty of timeon deck to identify the abundant sea birds of the south ocean.

Days 7-9 South GeorgiaSouth Georgia Island is home to many marvels including Shackleton’sGrave, several former whaling stations, incredible scenery and prolificwildlife. A huge colony of King Penguins is the highlight of this part of thejourney. Wildlife is abundant with large fur seal colonies, nestingalbatrosses, the South Georgia Pipit – the only songbird of the Antarcticregion, as well as huge Macaroni and King Penguin colonies.

Days 10-11 The Scotia SeaYou now cruise south-westerly towards the legendary Elephant Island in

the South Shetland Islands. The waters are rich with nutrients and thelong summer days provide the ingredient that is missing most of the year. The result is a complex food chain topped by several species of whales, seals, and sea birds. Some of the species found in the frigid southern waters include: the Humpback Whale which consumes over a ton of krill each day; Southern Right, Sperm, Antarctic Minke, Fin, Blue and Sei Whales and Orcas. Six species ofpenguins are possible including King, Adelie, Chinstrap, Macaroni andRockhopper.

Days 12-16 Antarctica & the South Shetland IslandsThis is what we’ve all been waiting for - a chance to step foot on the Great White Continent! There are enormous rookeries of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags, Kelp Gulls, CapePetrels, Snowy Sheathbills and Antarctic Terns are just some of the many birds found here in abundance. You are also likely to see Weddell,Crabeater and Leopard Seals, while Orca, Humpback and Antarctic Minke Whales are often encountered at close range. The Peninsula alsohas a remarkable history and, during the voyage, we will learn about some of the most important and dramatic expeditions to this remote corner of the world. Sailing around the northern tip of the AntarcticPeninsula we hope to navigate the Antarctic Sound, or ‘iceberg alley’ as it is often called, where huge tabular icebergs drift north from the Antarctic continent.

Days 17-18 At SeaToday you leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage. In between bird watching and whale watching and enjoying some finallectures by our expedition staff, this is a chance to relax and review theadventures of the past week before returning to Ushuaia.

Day 19 Depart UshuaiaYour cruise comes to a close as you disembark in Ushuaia.

Please note the shorter 16 ship night itineraries have either one or two dayson the Falkland Islands and either three or four days at South Georgia andthree days on the Antarctic Peninsula.


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Explorer Deck Plan page 40

Ushuaia / Ushuaia Cruise Ship nights Lower Triple Lower Forward Lower Double Main Forward Main Double Captains Double Superior Suite11-29 Nov 2007 Falkland Islands, 18 £4,240 £5,010 £5,285 £5,820 £6,015 £6,175 £6,730 £8,105

South Georgia &Antarctica

17 Dec 2007- Falkland Islands, 18 £4,455 £5,260 £5,550 £6,110 £6,320 £6,485 £7,065 £8,51004 Jan 2008 South Georgia &

Antarctica22 Jan-09 Feb 2008 Falkland Islands, 18 £4,455 £5,260 £5,550 £6,110 £6,320 £6,485 £7,065 £8,510

South Georgia & Antarctica

Single Supplement: calculated at 1.8. A port charge of $300 US Dollars is payable locally on arrival.Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions and full board. Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.

Andrea Deck Plan page 40

Ushuaia / Ushuaia Cruise Ship nights Outside Triple Inside Double Outside double King Double Single Superior Suite09-27 Jan 2008 Falkland Islands, South Georgia 18 £4,455 £5,550 £6,320 £6,485 £6,760 £7,065 £8,510

& Antarctica27 Jan-14 Feb 2008 Falkland Islands, South Georgia 18 £4,455 £5,550 £6,320 £6,485 £6,760 £7,065 £8,510

& AntarcticaSingle Supplement: calculated at 1.8. A port charge of $400 US Dollars is payable locally on arrival.Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions and full board. Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.

Polar Star Deck Plan page 42

Ushuaia/Ushuaia Cruise Ship nights K1-T K1-D K2-D K3-D K4-T K4-D K6-D K7-D26 Feb-16 Mar 2007 Antarctica, South Georgia & Falkland Islands 18 £4,280 £5,190 £5,980 £6,290 £5,500 £7,020 £7,630 £8,00021 Nov-09 Dec 2007 Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica 18 £5,220 £6,330 £7,300 £7,670 £6,700 £8,560 £9,300 £9,75026 Feb – 15 Mar 2008 Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica 18 £5,220 £6,330 £7,300 £7,670 £6,700 £8,560 £9,300 £9,750Single Supplement: calculated at 1.6. Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions, full board, tea, coffee and juice and port charges.Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.

Explorer II Deck Plan page 41

Ushuaia/Ushuaia Cruise Ship nights SA B A SP D S OS Port charges08-24 Nov 2007 Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica 16 £4,220 £4,480 £5,030 £5,790 £6,500 £7,480 £10,050 £19024 Nov-10 Dec 2007 Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica 16 £4,560 £5,060 £5,870 £6,940 £7,960 £8,960 £10,780 £19020 Dec 2007-05 Jan 2008 Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica 16 £5,820 £6,290 £7,250 £8,850 £10,570 £11,350 £14,420 £19005-21 Jan 2008 Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica 16 £6,100 £6,750 £7,850 £8,850 £10,640 £12,000 £15,390 £19025 Feb-12 Mar 2008 Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica 16 £5,540 £5,860 £6,560 £7,570 £8,510 £9,810 £13,180 £190Single Supplement: calculated at 1.15 times for Cat SA, B and A; 1.5 times for Cat SP and D; 2 times for Cat S and OS.Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions, parka, drinks (except Premium drinks), full board and gratuities.

Iceberg, Pleneau Island


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Antarctica Classic

Day 1 Arrive UshuaiaYou embark the ship in the afternoon and set sail for Antarctica.

Days 2-3 Drake PassageYour cruise begins with the 400-mile crossing of the Drake Passage, whichis an area that is prone to rough seas and high winds. During this time therewill be time to get acquainted with your ship and listen to lectures. Somealbatrosses and other seabirds may be spotted off the deck.

Days 4-7 Antarctic Peninsula & South Shetland IslandsAs the ship sails south you will encounter more and more ice floes andeventually you will see what you have been waiting for ,the AntarcticPeninsula, which is the most readily accessible part of the White Continentand has some of the best wildlife and scenery. There are enormousrookeries of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags,Kelp Gulls, Cape Petrels, Snowy Sheathbills and Antarctic Terns are justsome of the many birds found here in abundance. You are also likely to seeWeddell, Crabeater and Leopard Seals, while Orca, Humpback and

Antarctic Minke Whales are often encountered at close range.The Peninsula also has a remarkable history and, during the voyage, wewill learn about some of the most important and dramatic expeditions tothis remote corner of the world. Sailing around the northern tip of theAntarctic Peninsula we hope to navigate the Antarctic Sound, or ‘icebergalley’ as it is often called, where huge tabular icebergs drift north from theAntarctic continent.

Days 8-9 Drake PassageToday you leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage.In between bird watching and whale watching and enjoying some finallectures by our expedition staff, this is a chance to relax and review theadventures of the past week before returning to Ushuaia.

Day 10 Depart UshuaiaYour cruise comes to a close as you disembark in Ushuaia.

Please note that some of the voyages are one or two days longer and eitherhave an extra day at the Antarctic Peninsula or else visit the Weddell Sea orcross the Polar Circle at 660 30’S.

Snow Petrel

Andrea Deck Plan page 40

Ushuaia/Ushuaia Cruise Ship nights Outside Triple Inside Double Outside double King Double Single Superior Suite25 Nov-04 Dec 2007 Antarctica Classic 9 £1,885 £2,385 £2,745 £2,820 £2,950 £3,090 £3,76004-13 Dec 2007 Antarctica Classic 9 £2,320 £2,865 £3,250 £3,335 £3,470 £3,625 £4,350Single Supplement: calculated at 1.8. A port charge of $400 US Dollars is payable locally on arrival.Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions and full board. Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.


Ushuaia/Ushuaia Cruise Ship nights K1-T K1-D K2-D K3-D K4-T K4-D K6-D K7-D09-19 Dec 2007 Antarctica Classic 10 £2,920 £3,530 £4,070 £4,280 £3,740 £4,770 £5,180 £5,43019-30 Dec 2007 Antarctica Classic 11 £3,200 £3,880 £4,470 £4,700 £4,110 £5,240 £5,700 £5,97004-15 Feb 2008 Antarctica & Polar Circle 11 £3,360 £4,080 £4,700 £4,930 £4,320 £5,500 £5,980 £6,27015-26 Feb 2008 Antarctica & Weddell Sea 11 £3,360 £4,080 £4,700 £4,930 £4,320 £5,500 £5,980 £6,270Single Supplement: calculated at 1.6. Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions, full board, tea, coffee and juice and port charges. Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.

Explorer II Deck Plan page 41

Ushuaia / Ushuaia Cruise Ship nights SA B A SP D S OS Port charges10 – 20 Dec 2007 Antarctica Classic 10 £3,010 £3,330 £3,860 £4,570 £5,230 £5,900 £7,100 £17015 – 25 Feb 2008 Antarctica Classic 10 £3,820 £4,230 £4,900 £5,800 £6,650 £7,500 £9,620 £170Single Supplement: calculated at 1.15 times for Cat SA, B and A; 1.5 times for Cat SP and D; 2 times for Cat S and OS.Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions, parka, drinks (except Premium drinks), full board and gratuities.


Ushuaia/Ushuaia Cruise Ship nights Lower Triple Lower Forward Lower Double Main Forward Main Double Captains Double Superior Suite03-12 Feb 2007 Antarctica Classic 9 £2,250 £2,640 £2,780 £3,050 £3,150 £3,230 £3,515 £4,12512-21 Feb 2007 Antarctica Classic 9 £2,250 £2,640 £2,780 £3,050 £3,150 £3,230 £3,515 £4,12521 Feb-02 Mar 2007 Antarctica Classic 9 £2,250 £2,640 £2,780 £3,050 £3,150 £3,230 £3,515 £4,12502-11 Mar 2007 Antarctica Classic 9 £2,205 £2,580 £2,715 £2,980 £3.080 £3,155 £3,430 £4,11011-20 Mar 2007 Antarctica Classic 9 £1,920 £2,295 £2,430 £2,695 £2,795 £2,870 £3,145 £3,82529 Nov-08 Dec 2007 Antarctica Classic 9 £1,885 £2,255 £2,385 £2,650 £2,745 £2,820 £3,090 £3,76008-17 Dec 2007 Antarctica Classic 9 £2,320 £2,725 £2,865 £3,150 £3,250 £3,335 £3,625 £4,35004-13 Jan 2008 Antarctica Classic 9 £2,320 £2,725 £2,865 £3,150 £3,250 £3,335 £3,625 £4,35013-22 Jan 2008 Antarctica Classic 9 £2,320 £2,725 £2,865 £3,150 £3,250 £3,335 £3,625 £4,35009-18 Feb 2008 Antarctica Classic 9 £2,320 £2,725 £2,865 £3,150 £3,250 £3,335 £3,625 £4,35018-27 Feb 2008 Antarctica Classic 9 £2,320 £2,725 £2,865 £3,150 £3,250 £3,335 £3,625 £4,35027 Feb-07 Mar 2008 Antarctica Classic 9 £2,320 £2,725 £2,865 £3,150 £3,250 £3,335 £3,625 £4,35007-16 Mar 2008 Antarctica Classic 9 £1,885 £2,255 £2,385 £2,650 £2,745 £2,820 £3,090 £3,760Single Supplement: calculated at 1.8. A port charge of $300 US Dollars is payable locally on arrival.Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions and full board. Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.


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Antarctic Petrels

Adventures by Icebreaker

Emperor Penguins SafariCarrying on a 15-year legacy of polar firsts, in 2004 Quark Expeditionsconfirmed the existence of 4,000 pairs of Emperor Penguins at a previouslyunknown site near Snow Hill Island - and they are still the only companyvisiting this remote rookery. This "safari" on the Kapitan Khlebnikov is anideal opportunity for photographers and nature lovers to observe Emperorsearly in the breeding season and to take the time you need to appreciatethese extraordinary creatures. Emperors are the largest of the penguinsand the only birds to breed on frozen sea. At this time of year, largenumbers of appealing grey chicks in different stages of development stillhuddle on the ice. Their hardworking parents trek miles over the ice tobring food to their fast-growing young. We sail past stunning tabularicebergs, en route to the fast ice, where the chicks await. As we approachthe Snow Hill Emperor Penguin colony, the Captain and Expedition Leaderrely on reconnaissance flights to assess the best possible approach. Unlikemany Antarctic expeditions, this one offers photographers and naturelovers extended time at the rookery. We plan to park the icebreaker in theice as close as possible to the colony. Should there be open water nearbythe elegant, curious Emperor Penguins may seek us out, before we seekthem. The final few miles will be covered by a helicopter shuttle operation.Our team takes painstaking care not to jeopardize the integrity of thecolony. They follow well-established guidelines for aircraft operations nearwildlife concentrations and you will be expected to walk the last mile or soto the rookery. This 14-day holiday includes a night at a hotel in Ushuaiabefore the cruise with a trip to Tierra del Fuego National Park before youboard the ship.

Semi-Circumnavigation of the Far Side of AntarcticaThis cruise on the Kapitan Khlebnikov starts in Stanley, Falkland Islands andtakes you half way round Antarctica to finish in Fremantle, Australiacrossing the International Date Line along the way. This amazing journeytakes you to rarely visited areas of Antarctica with impressive mountains,huge icebergs and regions of pack ice. You reach Antarctica via the SouthShetland Islands and then make your way through the Weddell Sea, with its enormous tabular icebergs, to the Norwegian sector of thecontinent. Here you may visit the Neumayer Station. Our clockwisemovement continues with visits to the Mawson Coast and the chance tosee Emperor Penguins.

King Penguin colony

Emperor Penguins

Kapitan Khlebnikov Deck Plan page 42

Cruise Ship Nights Triple Twin Twin -single Suite Corner Suite06-19 Nov 2007 Emperor Penguins Ushuaia / Ushuaia 12 £5,880 £8,590 £14,590 £10,350 £11,06018 Nov-01 Dec 2007 Emperor Penguins Ushuaia / Stanley, Falkland Islands 12 £5,880 £8,590 £14,590 £10,350 £11,06001-Dec 2007-07 Jan 2008 Semi-circumnavigation of Stanley, Falkland Islands / 36 tba tba tba tba tba

Far Side of Antarctica Fremantle, AustraliaPrices include shore excursions, parka, full board whilst on board ship, one night pre-expedition accommodation with breakfast, helicopter transfers and port charges. Please note drinks and gratuities are not included. Please ask for details for cruises from January to March 2008 which were not available at the time of going to press.


The Arctic Ocean is the centrepiece of the Circumpolar North. Lands bordering this region include those of Alaska, Canada, Greenland/Denmark,

Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The cruises we have chosen visit many of these fascinating countries and offer the chance to

glimpse areas of unspoilt wilderness and beauty. This is the land of the Polar Bear, Walrus and Narwhal and of ice sheets, icebergs and glaciers.

Without a doubt every one of these cruises will offer excitement and a chance to see some of the unique wildlife and scenery of this area. Please ask

us for more details and detailed itineraries. We can always arrange flights and accommodation to help you enjoy any of these cruises.

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Norwegian Fjords & Polar BearsThis cruise on the Explorer takes you on a journey along the coast of Norwaywhere we look at the seabird nesting grounds with the White-tailed SeaEagles flying around us. We will see dramatic fjords and mountain peaks andcan visit several villages and museums. We cruise past the most northernpoint of Europe and then cross the Arctic Sea, looking out for seabirds, toSvalbald which is home to Walruses, whales, seals and Polar Bears.

Realm of the Polar BearThe long days of the Arctic summer melt the winter collar of sea ice, the baysbegin to open up, the wildlife comes out, and the wild flowers and berriesbegin to flourish. Svalbard in July and August is literally an awakening as theflora and fauna take advantage of the short but extreme summer. Seals,foxes, Polar Bears, and a variety of seabirds are some of the wildlife we hopeto see. Svalbard is still an unusual destination for travellers and many of ourplanned locations are pristine and rarely visited. From close-up encounterswith huge icebergs and glaciers, to the variety of unique wildlife, this is avoyage of non-stop highlights. Roaming Polar Bears, lounging seals, long-tusked Walrus, grazing reindeer and colonies of birds all co-exist in thisharsh land we dare only to explore a couple of months a year. This cruiseon the Explorer starts and ends in Longyearbyen, Svalbard.

Circumnavigate NewfoundlandThis cruise on the Explorer starts and ends in St John’s, Newfoundland andvisits many interesting areas of Newfoundland on its circumnavigation,including the Viking encampment at L’Anse aux Meadows, which is aUNESCO World Heritage Site. One day is spent at Gros Morne NationalPark exploring the Tablelands, a 600-metre high plateau that forms one ofthe world's best examples of ancient rock exposed from the earth's interior.The spectacular landscape is home to Moose, Woodland Caribou andgiant Arctic Hare, as well as over 30 species of wild orchids. The GrandCodroy Valley Estuary is one of Newfoundland’s finest estuarine wetlandswith inter-tidal sandbars, mudflats and islands. We also visit the town of St Pierre located on the islands to the south of Burin Peninsula whichbelong to France, and the site of the Avalon Colony at Ferryland, which wasfounded by George Calvert in 1621.


Cruise Ship nights Lower Triple Lower Forward Lower Double Main Forward Main Double Captains Double Superior Suite08-22 Jun 2007 Norwegian Fjords 14 £1,625 £2,045 £2,310 £2,525 £2,695 £2,950 £3,125 £3,250

& Polar Bears22 Jun-01 Jul 2007 Realm of the 9 £1,480 £1,655 £1,765 £1,940 £2,050 £2,165 £2,395 £2,620

Polar Bear01-10 Jul 2007 Realm of the 9 £1,480 £1,655 £1,765 £1,940 £2,050 £2,165 £2,395 £2,620



Polar Bear21-30 Sep 2007 Circumnavigate 9 £1,300 £1,675 £1,905 £2,140 £2,465 £2,640 £2,875 £3,115

NewfoundlandSingle Supplement: calculated at 1.8. A port charge of $300 US Dollars is payable locally on arrival.Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions and full board. Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.

Svalbard

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The Magic of Islands & FjordsThis magical journey takes you on the Polar Star from the Scottish Isles tothe coast of Norway and Arctic Svalbard as spring reawakens thesenorthern regions. From ancient times to today, the area is rich in afascinating history and we will see ‘standing stones’, ‘brochs’ and more.Spring is also a magical time for bird watching as it is the nesting seasonand the cliffs are crowded. As we reach our northern destination it ispossible to see the ‘king of the north’ – the Polar Bear and perhaps Walrusand other northern species. Join us for this remarkable voyage as weexperience the Scottish Isles and Norway past and present and thebeautiful natural environment.

Remote Coast of East GreenlandThis cruise starts in Longyearbyen, where you embark the Polar Star. Feware privileged to reach the Polar Regions of this great planet. The Arcticregion of East Greenland is today a protected national park and is home toMusk Ox, Arctic Fox, Arctic Hare, Wolves, Caribou, Lemmings and muchmore. It is possible to see Polar Bear and perhaps even a rare sighting ofa Narwhal. We learn about the early explorers and visit the remains of theirsettlements and also visit an Inuit (Greenlandic) settlement of today. All ofthis is set in a dramatic landscape of fjords, calving icebergs and endlesstundra – a truly pristine environment. The cruise ends in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Fjords of East Greenland – From Steam to IceOn this holiday you embark the Polar Star in Reykjavik, Iceland and youcruise across the Arctic Circle to the east coast of Greenland. This is anarea of some of the most spectacular fjords with views of dramatic snowcapped mountains, glaciers and late summer icebergs. We spend our time

walking in the beautiful wilderness watching for wildlife and visit an Inuitcommunity to gain an insight into the challenges of life today in the remotenorth. Some of the wildlife that may be spotted includes Blue, Humpbackand Minke Whales, Orca, White-beaked Dolphin and the elusive Polar Bear.We will also look for many species of birds including fulmars, kittiwakes,gannets, guillemots, Razorbills, the shy Ivory Gull and geese. We finish thecruise in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Viking TrailThis cruise starts in Reykjavik, Iceland, where you embark the Polar Star.This voyage follows in the footsteps of the early explorers to visit thesouthern part of Greenland and learn about lives of the early explorers andthe Inuit of yesterday and today – from Nanortalik to Brattahlid, Hvalsey andQaqortoq. We then sail across ‘iceberg alley’ to Baffin Island of theCanadian Arctic and along the way keep a keen watch for seabirds, seals,whales and perhaps Polar Bears. We explore the coast of Frobisher Baybefore reaching Iqaluit, the capital of the newly created Nunavut territory ofCanada. From here we continue our exploration of Baffin and also AkpatokIsland. As we journey southbound, we explore the amazing coast of isolatedLabrador. We then come to the island province of Newfoundland with theirfishing ‘outport’ communities and rugged natural coastline. This journey isa fascinating tale of tenacious people in a challenging environment. Thisholiday ends in St John’s, the charming capital of Newfoundland and theoldest city in North America. In 2007 this cruise is run as a two-part voyageand you can participate in either one or both parts. The first part is fromReykjavik to Iqaluit called The Viking Trail to the Americas and the secondpart, In the Wake of Vikings, commences in Iqaluit and ends at St John’s.There is a discount for travelling on consecutive tours.

Ice cruising in Zodiac, Spitsbergen


Ushuaia/Ushuaia Cruise Ship nights K1-T K1-D K2-D K3-D K4-T K4-D K6-D K7-D25 May-05 Jun 2007 Magic of Islands & Fjords 14 £2,080 £2,530 £2,910 £3,060 £2,680 £3,410 £3,710 £3,88004-11 Sep 2007 Fjords of East Greenland 7 £1,100 £1,340 £1,540 £1,620 £1,410 £1,800 £1,960 £2,05011-20 Sep 2007 The Viking Trail to the Americas 9 £1,340 £1,630 £1,870 £1,970 £1,720 £2,200 £2,390 £2,50020-28 Sep 2007 In the Wake of Vikings 8 £1,190 £1,450 £1,670 £1,750 £1,530 £1,950 £2,120 £2,23023 May-06 Jun 2008 Magic of Islands & Fjords 14 £2,370 £2,870 £3,300 £3,470 £3,040 £3,870 £4,200 £4,40022 Aug-02 Sep 2008 Remote Coast of East Greenland 11 £2,050 £2,480 £2,860 £3,000 £2,630 £3,350 £3,630 £3,81002-11 Sep 2008 Fjords of East Greenland 9 £1,530 £1,860 £2,140 £2,240 £1,960 £2,500 £2,720 £2,84011-28 Sep 2008 Viking Trail 17 £2,870 £3,470 £4,000 £4,210 £3,680 £4,690 £5,100 £5,340Single Supplement: calculated at 1.6. Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions, full board, tea, coffee and juice and port charges.Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.


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Adventures by Icebreaker

Northwest PassageThe first night is spent in Anchorage before flying to Provideniya andtransferring to the Kapitan Khlebnikov, which sets sail in the evening. Thequest for a Northwest Passage that would connect the great Atlantic andPacific Oceans began in the 16th century. This remarkable voyage ofexploration will bring alive the endeavours of those who charted the Arctic:Sir John Franklin, Leopold McClinkock, Roald Amundsen and many morewho faced the challenging climate and ice pack on their quest of discovery.The Kapitan Khlebnikov navigates ice-choked channels, narrow straits andlittle-explored waterways on this exciting cruise of exploration. The cruiseends in Resolute where you disembark and fly to Ottawa for a final night ina hotel before travelling home independently.

Tanquary FjordThe first night is spent in Ottawa before flying to Resolute to join the KapitanKhlebnikov, which sails in the evening. This voyage ventures to 81º north,just a few hundred miles from the North Pole and takes you to the stunningglaciers and valleys of Tanquary Fjord, explore the coasts of EllesmereIsland and call on some of the most remote communities in the world.During the brief summer months, the vegetation here is transformed assaxifrage, Arctic Cotton and Arctic Willow flourish. We venture to withinsome 500 miles of the geographic North Pole and it will also offer thepossibility of first-hand sightings of Polar Bears, Musk Ox herds, ArcticHares, seals and the elusive Walrus that inhabit this icy paradise. The

cruise ends in Resolute where you disembark and fly to Ottawa for a finalnight in a hotel before travelling home independently.

The High Arctic – Canada & GreenlandThe holiday starts with a night in a hotel in Ottawa before flying to Resolute to embark the Kapitan Khlebnikov. The pristine east coast ofEllesmere Island is the highlight of this Arctic adventure. We visit areas that were virtually unexplored until recent changes in ice conditions finally made them accessible – and then only to icebreakers with the polar-class rating. Expect a one-of-a-kind journey with Quark Expeditions. Along the way, from remote seabird cliffs to Greenland’s western fjords, we can watch for whales, Walrus, Musk Ox and Polar Bears. This cruise endsin Sondre where you leave the ship and fly back to Ottawa for a final night.

North-eastern GreenlandThe first night is spent in Ottawa before flying to Sondre to join the KapitanKhlebnikov, which sails in the evening. This is a new cruise to journey toEarth’s northernmost point of land. The incredible beauty of PrinceChristian Sound is stunning with glistening snow-capped mountains andstill, blue-green fjords. Travelling further north up the Blosseville coast wecome to Greenland’s highest mountain, Gunnbjorn Fjeld at 3,500m. Finallywe reach the northernmost point of land, which you may set foot on if youchoose. We then journey back with lots to see on the way including gettingout on the deck at night for the most spectacular displays of the auroraborealis and visiting native archaeological sites. There is abundant wildlifeeverywhere. The program ends in Reykjavik when you disembark the ship.

Kapitan Khlebnikov Deck Plan page 42

Cruise Gateway Embark/Disembark Ship Nights Triple Twin Twin -single Suite Corner Suite16 Jul-03 Aug 2007 Northwest Passage Anchorage / Ottawa Provideniya / Resolute 16 £7,650 £10,000 £17,000 £11,770 £12,36001-16 Aug 2007 Tanquary Fjord Ottawa / Ottawa Resolute / Resolute 13 £7,360 £9,120 £15,500 £10,300 £11,48014-28 Aug 2007 The High Arctic Ottawa / Ottawa Resolute / Sondre 12 £6,770 £8,530 £14,500 £9,710 £10,89026 Aug-14 Sep 2007 North-eastern Greenland Ottawa Sondre / Reykjavik 19 £10,590 £12,360 £21,000 £13,530 £15,890Prices include shore excursions, full board whilst on board ship, hotel accommodation one night prior to embarkation and one night post embarkation with breakfast (exceptNorth-eastern Greenland where the program ends upon disembarkation in Reykjavik), helicopter transfers, round flights between gateway city and port of embarkation/disembarkation, transfers to ship, parka and port charges. Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.

Orca


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The North PoleThis cruise starts with a night in Helsinki before flying to Murmansk torendezvous with the Yamal. We sail across the Barents Sea and into themulti-year pack ice surging northward at speeds of up to 12 knots, inconditions that few vessels have the power to negotiate. You also have achance to take your own helicopter flight, enjoying incredible aerial viewsof the Yamal as it crashes its way toward the Pole, leaving massive blocksof ice in its wake. At one point we plan to stop, lower the gangway andinvite everyone down onto the ice for an invigorating walkabout. As usualwe will keep watch for a diverse array of Arctic wildlife. At last the dayarrives when we hope to reach our ultimate destination - the top of theworld. You have plenty of time to wander out onto the ice and survey theexpanse of white and blue stretching hundreds of kilometres in alldirections. As on all expeditions, we make time for a celebration on the ice– and even, for those who dare, a brief plunge into the Arctic Ocean! Fromhere the only way to go is south and our exact route will vary with local iceand weather conditions. Our chances of spotting Polar Bears in particularare excellent as we near Franz Josef Land. The most northerly point inRussia, this archipelago of 191 islands is a naturalist's paradise. PolarBears and Arctic Fox often come very close to our ship; seals are plentiful,and you can spot Beluga Whales and Narwhals offshore; and the high,rocky cliffs are home to huge colonies of seabirds. The final leg of ourjourney south is back across the Barents Sea, where there are seabirdsand whales to look out for, and then it is time to say farewell to the Yamaland its crew as you disembark in Murmansk and fly back to Helsinki for afinal night where the tour ends.

Yamal

Cruise Ship Nights Twin Twin -single Mini Suite Suite25 Jun-10 Jul 2007 North Pole Helsinki / Helsinki 15 £12,360 £21,000 £13,530 £15,89008-23 July 2007 North Pole Helsinki / Helsinki 15 £12,360 £21,000 £13,530 £15,89021 July-04 Aug 2007 North Pole Helsinki / Helsinki 14 £12,360 £21,000 £13,530 £15,890Prices include shore excursions, full board whilst on board ship, hotel accommodation one night prior to embarkation and one night post embarkation with breakfast,helicopter transfers, flights between Helsinki and Murmansk, transfers to ship, parka and port charges. Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.

Svalbard

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Fjords, Incas & Panama CanalThis cruise on the Explorer starts in Ushuaia, Argentina and takes you upthe west coasts of Chile, Peru and Ecuador, then through the Panama Canal to Colon where the cruise ends. As the Explorer set sail she first rounds Cape Horn before travelling though the crystal clearwaters of the Chilean Fjords where you can look out for whales anddolphins. Journeying further north we come to Cinco Hermanos and Chiloe Island before reaching Valparaiso with its Mediterranean climate. We will enjoy the weather on deck as we look for Risso’s Dolphins, fur seals and whales. Other stops are at Arica, Puerto San Juan and IslasBallestras. From here we travel further north to visit Lima and Trujillo before coming to the highlight of the Ecuadorian coastline, MachalillaNational Park where we can see pre-Inca archaeological sites and tropicalforest. We visit Islas De La Plata to see the famous Blue-footed Boobies,albatross and frigatebirds and then cruise through the mangrove forest and have the opportunity to view a typical Darien village. You can snorkelwith beautiful underwater fish on the island paradise of Islas Las Perlasbefore finally transiting through the Panama Canal to reach Colon on theCaribbean Sea.

Celtic AdventureThis cruise on the Explorer takes you from Glasgow round the north ofScotland to end near Edinburgh. Scotland’s western and northern isles offera rich supply of culture, heritage and natural history. In Medieval Times analready archaic society in the Hebrides evolved into the Lordship of the Isles,a sea-kingdom blending Gael and Viking under the powerful domination ofClan Donald. In the north, Orkney and Shetland were welded into a formidableScandinavian earldom. Both island groups preserve some of the oldestmonuments in Europe, dating back to the Stone Age, while both today exploitthe latest computer technologies to place them at the forefront of moderndevelopments. Kinship and community are two of the constants in this story;Gaelic-speaking clans retained their independence despite acknowledgingthe Lords of the Isles, while free Norse landholders battled the forces offeudalism in the Northern Isles. As the Explorer winds its way through thewestern isles and across the Pentland Firth to Orkney and Shetland, historywill illuminate the present while tradition will enhance our understanding of thepast. The abundant bird and mammal population of the area will be observed,studied and enjoyed. Island folk have always been extremely conscious of thenatural environment, as the riches thereof have sustained them.

These expedition voyages visit some fascinating island groups in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Each of the cruises will have

chances to see seabirds, cetaceans and many interesting ports, villages and towns. The itineraries shown here are a brief guide but if you are

interested we can send you additional information. We can always arrange flights and accommodation to help you enjoy any of these cruises.

Travelling North and South

Zodiac on the jungle river


Cruise Ship nights Lower Triple Lower Forward Lower Double Main Forward Main Double Captains Double Superior Suite20 Mar-18 Apr 2007 Fjords, Inca & 29 £3,680 £4,615 £5,300 £5,645 £5,815 £6,245 £6,415 £6,840

Panama canal06-17 May 2007 Celtic Adventure 11 £1,745 £2,090 £2,535 £2,875 £3,355 £3,490 £3,660 £3,83516 Mar-14 Apr 2008 Fjords, Inca & 29 £3,795 £4,760 £5,470 £5,825 £6,000 £6,440 £6,620 £7,060

Panama canalSingle Supplement: calculated at 1.8. A port charge of $300 US Dollars is payable locally on arrival.Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions and full board. Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.


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The Atlantic Islands of the EquatorThe Polar Star embarks on this magical Atlantic crossing to discover someof the most remote and untouched places on earth. The cruise starts inSalvador, Brazil and from there travels to the Canary Islands via Recife,Fernando de Noronha, St Peter and St Paul Rocks and the Cape VerdeIslands. There are few frontiers left but these equatorial nuggets are someof the most special. In addition to learning about the unique island life ofeach, this explorer’s program is also an excellent opportunity to watch fora wide variety of bird species and marine life.

The Essence of the AzoresThis cruise on the Polar Star starts and finishes on Sao Miguel in theAzores. This mid-Atlantic archipelago of nine islands tells a fascinatingstory. Part of Portugal, these islands will truly take you back in time – to aslower pace and disarming simplicity, where farmers take their milk carts tothe fields. Their tenacious history is told in the views of windmills, cliffsidevineyards, boats and charming communities. Today the surroundingwaters are visited by whales and dolphins and migratory and indigenousbirds are to be found. A fascinating aspect of these islands is the volcanicformation and activity that has formed both the natural and human historythrough time. Join the Polar Star and discover the essence of island life inthe Azores.

Remote UKYou embark the Polar Star in southern England and travel to the east coastof Scotland via Ireland. This remarkable spring voyage takes us to areasthat are difficult or impossible to see other than by sea. We discover sitesfrom ancient times and historic monuments that reflect these great islands’past of pre-Christian times, Nordic and Celtic influences, feudal times andmore recent times. This trip includes a visit to the subtropical island ofTresco and the colourful Abbey Gardens, the south coast of Ireland, theAran Islands close to the Galway coast, the west coast of Ireland, theHebridean Islands, Fair Isle, the Shetlands Islands, the Orkney Islands andfinishes in Leith, the port of Edinburgh.

The Tropics of the AmericasThis cruise on the Polar Star commences in Belize City, Belize and takes youdown the west coast of South America to Callao, the city port of Lima, Peru.Imagine a journey through the tropics to witness engineering marvels suchas the Mayan ruins of Copan, the Panama Canal and the Moche Pyramidsof Peru. Along the way we visit amazing ecosystems of the westernCaribbean reefs, the mangrove creeks of Bastimentos National Park, thediverse Darien and the ‘mini Galapagos’ of Ilsa de la Plata. With lectures onboard, wildlife viewing, zodiac cruises, shore excursions and wonderfulsnorkelling, this is a trip to amaze with island reefs, unusual bird species,marine life, rainforests and other cultural and archaeological delights.


Ushuaia/Ushuaia Cruise Ship nights K1-T K1-D K2-D K3-D K4-T K4-D K6-D K7-D29 Mar – 15 Apr 2007 Atlantic Islands 17 £2,530 £3,070 £3,530 £3,710 £3,240 £4,150 £4,500 £4,72028 Apr – 05 May 2007 Essence of the Azores 7 £1,280 £1,550 £1,780 £1,870 £1,640 £2,090 £2,270 £2,38016 Oct – 02 Nov 2007 Tropics of the Americas 17 £2,530 £3,070 £3,530 £3,710 £3,250 £4,150 £4,500 £4,72019 – 26 Apr 2008 Essence of the Azores 7 £1,380 £1,660 £1,910 £2,010 £1,760 £2,240 £2,430 £2,54026 Apr – 03 May 2008 Essence of the Azores 7 £1,380 £1,660 £1,910 £2,010 £1,760 £2,240 £2,430 £2,54009 – 23 May 2008 Remote UK 14 £2,370 £2,870 £3,300 £3,470 £3,040 £3,870 £4,200 £4,400Single Supplement: calculated at 1.6Prices are for cruise only port to port and include shore excursions, full board, tea, coffee and juice and port charges. Please note drinks and gratuities are not included.

Chestnut-mandibled Toucan

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Introduction to Cruises for NatureOn the following pages you will find nine cruises where we have chosen itineraries of particularinterest to the birdwatcher, naturalist and photographer. On these cruises you will be escorted byone of our team of professional guides who will be with you for the complete holiday. In our smallgroup, you will have personal attention from our leader who will be there to help with identifyingthe wildlife, look after you on the ship and to make sure that your holiday runs as smoothly aspossible.

For each of these holidays the price includes the flights from London and some include extraexcursions and accommodation before and after the cruise. Once you have made the booking wewill provide you with comprehensive joining instructions, species lists and past tour reports.

Antarctica still proves to be the most popular of our escorted cruises but all of the others offertheir own unique and amazing experiences.

17To make a booking please call Cruises for Nature on 01794 523500

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CRUISE ON THE CACHALOTE

The Enchanted IslandsThe Galapagos Islands with Tandayapa, Ecuador

Escorted Wildlife & Photography Tour

Tuesday 11 September – Monday 24 September 2007Leader: Tony Pym

The Galapagos Islands are situated 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador and are the home of some of the world’s most confiding and photogenic

wildlife. Most of the islands of this archipelago were set aside in 1934, by the government of Ecuador, as a wildlife sanctuary. Uninhabited areas

were declared a national park in 1959. In 1964 the Charles Darwin Research Station, named after the naturalist who made the islands famous, began

its operation and in 1986 the government created the Galapagos Marine Resources Reserve. The national park now includes 97% of the island’s land

and 50,000 square kilometres of ocean.

The diverse wildlife of the islands does not fear people and is so abundant you have to watch where you tread to avoid disturbing a sleeping

Galapagos Sea Lion or Marine Iguana basking in the sun. Here you can swim with the Galapagos Sea Lions and Galapagos Penguins (the most

northerly penguin in the world), be entertained by the antics of courting Blue-footed Boobies and nesting Waved Albatrosses, or just observe the

fantastic birdlife which includes Swallow-tailed and Lava Gulls, Brown Noddies, Nazca Boobies, Greater and Magnificent Frigatebirds, Flightless

Cormorants and several species of Galapagos finches. Boobies and pelicans find food in the harbours, while shearwaters and storm petrels prefer

the open sea. Well-camouflaged Lava Herons and Wandering Tattlers perch on wave-splashed rocks. Whilst cruising we shall keep an eye out for

marine turtles, dolphins and some of the great whales. The opportunities for photography are excellent: indeed they are unique.

For this cruise we have chosen to charter the Cachalote – a first class 96 foot schooner refurbished in 2002. She has three wooden decks for relaxing

on and has a steel hull. She has sails but normally travels with these tied and uses her motor. In favourable winds and under the right conditions the

sails are sometimes used. There are eight double cabins, which can accommodate a maximum of 16 passengers. On our cruise we shall restrict the

party size to 11 clients plus Tony. Each cabin is air-conditioned, and has a sea-view and private facilities. Experienced naturalist guides and the crew

of five will introduce you to the spectacular flora and fauna of the islands. The Cachalote allows the visitor access to coves and inlets that are

inaccessible to larger ships, with flexibility of itinerary and ample opportunity for exploring the islands, or snorkelling with the confiding Galapagos

Sea Lions. For going ashore she is equipped with zodiacs.

At the end of our cruise we return to Quito and transfer to the delightful Tandayapa Bird Lodge set in subtropical forest. Here we can relax amidst the

splendour of lush vegetation and sit on the verandah watching, or photographing, a variety of colourful hummingbirds coming to the feeders. We have

plenty of time to explore the trails around the lodge finding many more bird species, as well as monkeys, butterflies, lizards, insects and plants. Later,

we explore the Upper Tandayapa Valley before returning to Quito.

Throughout the tour you will also have the expert services of Tony Pym, one of our professional guides, who has previous experience of both the

Galapagos Islands and Ecuador.

Cachalote

18 To make a booking please call Cruises for Nature on 01794 523500To make a booking please call Cruises for Nature on 01794 523500

ITINERARY

Day 1 We depart from London and fly to Quito wherewe arrive later the same day. We transfer to ourhotel, where we stay for one night.

Days 2 to 8 Next morning we catch the flight from Quito tothe Galapagos Islands and join our boat theCachalote. For the next seven nights we cruisearound the islands exploring them on foot andenjoying the unique wildlife they offer. Ourlifestyle during these days will be relaxed, andwe make visits to the islands during daylight andthen cruise to our next destination overnight.Each island is different in character and we findnew and different animals and plants as wecruise. Our itinerary is governed somewhat byweather conditions, but we plan to visit thefollowing islands:

SAN CRISTOBAL – This is the most easterly ofthe archipelago, formally called Chatham. It actsas our introduction and farewell to the islands, aswe use the island airport for our flights.

SANTA CRUZ – To the south of the island are theheadquarters of the Galapagos National Park andthe Charles Darwin Research Station, which wecan visit to see where endangered giant tortoisesand land iguanas are bred in captivity. We will alsoexplore the highlands, where there is normally thechance for a close encounter with giant tortoisesin the wild. A mix of forest and pasture, thehighlands offer a completely different habitat fromthe arid lowlands, with the opportunity of seeing awider selection of Darwin’s finches, and brilliantVermilion Flycatchers.

HOOD (ESPAÑOLA) – This is the only island inthe world where Waved Albatrosses nest and theendemic Hood Mockingbird can be found.Marine Iguanas bask on the rocks against a

background of incoming waves that spout 90feet into the air through a blowhole. ConfidingNazca and Blue-footed Boobies nest on or nextto the paths and we have to walk carefully roundthem. Galapagos Hawks and Yellow-crownedNight-Herons are often seen here too. Along thebeach at Gardner Bay we should see GalapagosDoves, Yellow Warblers, various species ofGalapagos finches and Galapagos Sea Lions.

FLOREANA – Here there is a large lagoon,where we can see feeding American Flamingos,and often a variety of migrant American waders.The endemic Large-billed Flycatcher is often

seen here. Snorkellers can view the colourful fishlife, perhaps with an escort of playful GalapagosSea Lions, which can also be seen lazing on thesands. There may also be an opportunity to postyour mail in the historic pirates’ barrel, which hasbeen the island’s post-box since the 1700’s.

ISABELA – This is the largest island, and withFernandina forms the seldom-visited westerngroup. At Urbina Bay and Punta Moreno, thedramatic landscapes of black lava and upliftedcoral make a superb contrast with azure seas.Here the marine iguanas are black, to match thelava. Elizabeth Bay has a system of mangroves

Bartolomé

Marine Iguanas

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and turtle lagoons, and views of the impressiveSierra Negra Volcano. A walk at Urbina Bay mayturn up land iguana or giant tortoise. Isabela wasone island visited by Charles Darwin in 1835: thevariety of finches he saw here inspired him todevelop his theory of evolution and naturalselection.

FERNANDINA – We visit Punta Espinosa toadmire the remarkable Flightless Cormorantcolony. These large cormorants nest and hangout their vestigial wings to dry on black lavaalong the coast. Galapagos Penguins can beseen here too. These western isles are likelyspots to find the rare and declining GalapagosPetrel, and perhaps a raft of Red-neckedPhalaropes on the sea.

JAMES (SANTIAGO) – The black lava shoreand shallow pools are dotted with brilliant redSally Lightfoot Crabs. Waves have cut deepgrottos into the lava bed and it is here thatGalapagos Sea Lions and fur seals swim in theclear turquoise waters. This is an excellent placefor snorkelling to sample the delights of themulti-coloured fish.

BARTOLOMÉ – This tiny island has a beauty allof its own and affords a summit view of spatterand eroded tuff cones, golden beaches, and amangrove swamp. Swimming and snorkelling isperfect off the beaches and there may be moreencounters with Galapagos Penguins.

Throughout the cruise we have the services of aGalapagos naturalist guide who is there to informus about the islands, their history and cultureand of course their wealth of unique life forms.We shall have time to relax during our cruise andwe shall endeavour to make time to enjoy someswimming experiences with the local wildlife. Theemphasis of the cruise will be to enjoy thesespectacles and to be able to experience closeencounters with a fascinating variety of uniquebirds, animals and plants. The photographicopportunities will be excellent.

Days 9 to 11 This morning we leave Galapagos and fly to Quitowhere we transfer to the superb Tandayapa Bird

Lodge, for a stay of three nights. Checking therivers for White-capped Dippers and TorrentDucks as we go, we arrive in good time at thelodge. We may be a little distracted by some ofthe hummingbirds on the feeders on arrival. Theintense activity here has to be seen to bebelieved as Booted Racket-tail, Buff-tailedCoronet, Violet-tailed Sylph, Brown Inca, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Western Emerald, Rufous-tailedand Speckled Hummingbirds and GreenVioletear compete for a place at the feeders. Withpatience some of the less frequent visitors suchas Empress Brilliant or Velvet-purple Coronetmay be observed here too. Using the TandayapaBird Lodge as our base we explore the west-slope subtropical forests over the next threedays. Two species we will be looking for inparticular are endemic to the Choco region ofColombia and Ecuador: Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan and Toucan Barbet. We explore theupper and lower sections of the TandayapaValley in search of Gorgeted Sunangel, Golden-winged Manakin, Pacific Tuftedcheek, PowerfulWoodpecker, Green-and-black Fruiteater,Pearled Treerunner and Grass-green andRufous-chested Tanagers. With luck we maylocate Tanager Finch, Scaled Fruiteater or White-faced Nunbird that the area is famed for. Thelower elevations of the Choco at Milpe and Mindowill also be explored from our Tandayapa base.Here we will have the opportunity to find Pale-mandibled Aracari, Club-winged Manakin, Moss-backed, Rufous-throated, Ochre-breasted andGlistening-green Tanagers, Yellow-collaredChlorophonia, Choco Warbler and Rufous-rumped Antwren.

Day 12 This morning we explore Yanacocha hoping tofind Golden-breasted and Sapphire-ventedPufflegs, Sword-billed Hummingbird, GreatSapphirewing, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Barred Fruiteater, Blue-capped Tanager and Superciliated Hemispingus.Later, we transfer to our hotel in Quito where wehave our final farewell dinner and stay overnight.

Days 13 & 14 We leave Quito in the morning catching our returnflight to London, where we arrive next morning.

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Details of The CachaloteBuilt: 2002Length: 96ftSpeed: 9 knotsMotor: Caterpillar diesel engine

Shipboard Facilities● Dining and lounge area● Bar● Desalinator● TV and DVD player● Two zodiacs● Three wooden decks● Fully air-conditioned

All cabins have:● Air conditioning● Private toilet● Hot/cold showers● Upper and lower bunks● Porthole views● Closets

ItineraryDay 1 Fly to QuitoDays 2-8 Cruise around the

Galapagos IslandsDays 9-11 TandayapaDay 12 QuitoDay 13 Depart QuitoDay 14 Arrive London

Tour PricesTotal cost for 14 days in 2007:Cost per person in a twin-bedded room . . . . . . . . . . .£ 3,699

Cost per person in a twin room for sole use . . . . . . . . . £ 4,399

Party SizeMaximum of 11 clients plus the leader.

CabinsAboard the accommodation is in eight twin-bedded cabins. Three cabins will be sold forsole use.

The Tour Price Does Not Include● Travel Insurance● Items of a personal nature● Laundry● Beverages ● Excess baggage charges● Any Visa fees● Gratuities● Hire of snorkelling equipment

Cachalote staff

Cachalote cabin

Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan

CRUISE ON THE DON JOSÉ

The Great WhalesThe Sea of Cortez, Mexico – Escorted Wildlife & Photography Tour

Saturday 10 March – Monday 19 March 2007Leader: Dylan Walker and Trevor Codlin

20 To make a booking please call Cruises for Nature on 01794 523500

Baja, a long desert peninsula of outstanding beauty, has to its east the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez and to its west the cool waters of the

Pacific Ocean. This area is the richest in the world for the numbers and diversity of whales and dolphins that can be found in the early months of

the year. The Sea of Cortez, which we visit on this tour, has long been a Mecca for migrating whales, as well as being a haven for Californian Sea

Lions, several species of dolphin and many species of seabird. With its specialised wildlife it has been referred to as the Mexican Galapagos and is

the place to spot the giant Blue Whale, the largest mammal on earth. Apart from Blue Whales, other cetaceans include Humpback, Fin, Sperm, Minke

and Bryde’s Whales. Bottle-nosed, Short-beaked and Long-beaked Common Dolphins as well as Orca are regularly seen. Magnificent Frigatebirds,

Brown Boobies, Red-billed Tropicbirds and Brown Pelicans and a host of gulls, terns, shearwaters, storm petrels and cormorants will delight the

birdwatcher. Photographers can take hundreds of pictures and swimmers can snorkel with Californian Sea Lions and brilliantly coloured fish. A

wonderful experience! There is something for everyone.

John Steinbeck details his journey to this area in his famous book, Log of the Sea of Cortez, and tells of the amazing wildlife he found. That was over

50 years ago. The wildlife is still there and just as amazing! On one of our recent tours we had over 25 sightings of Blue Whales, a flotilla of 22 Sperm

Whales as well as Fin, Bryde’s, and even the uncommon Dwarf Sperm Whale. Some of these magnificent animals were swimming right next to the

boat. A truly memorable experience! There was also the amazing sight of literally thousands of Common Dolphins surrounding the boat and stretching

as far as the eye could see.

We have chartered the 80-foot cruise vessel, the Don José, which was purpose-built for whale watching and has a crew of seven. She has seven main

berths, situated on an upper and lower deck. She normally takes a maximum of 16 people, but this is cramped so we have restricted the total number

to 10 clients plus Dylan and Trevor. We have decided to sell two of the cabins on the upper deck for single occupancy. None of the cabins have private

facilities but there are three toilets and showers. As well as our own tour leader, who will be with you throughout the tour, there also is the ship’s

naturalist to help you identify the wildlife, give slide shows and lectures, offer snorkelling tips and increase your understanding of this exciting area.

ITINERARY

Day 1 We take the scheduled flight from London to LosAngeles, California. We stay overnight in a hotelin Los Angeles.

Day 2 After breakfast we may have time to explore thelocal area and visit Venice Beach. Here thereshould be Willets and Marbled Godwits feeding

along the tideline and if we walk along the pierwe should find Western and Clark’s Grebes aswell as Surf Scoter, Forster’s Tern andHeermann’s and Ring-billed Gulls. Later, wetravel to the airport and catch the flight to Loreto,Mexico. On arrival we transfer to our hotel wherewe stay overnight.

Days 3 to 8 This morning we transfer to the Don José forthe next six nights. We shall set sail north-east

into the Sea of Cortez, or the Gulf of Californiaas it is otherwise known. Our main objective onthis cruise is to obtain good views of the “GreatWhales” that frequent this area at this time ofyear. The month of March should see peaknumbers of Blue Whales in these waters andwe can hope for numerous sightings of theseenormous animals. We may also be lucky andfind mothers with their young. In the past wehave also had wonderful views of Humpbacks,which are often playful with the boats, floating

Blue Whale tail fluke

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on their backs or waving their fins, or lookingout of the water to see what is happening. Thenof course there are the large numbers ofdolphins that feed in these waters, which oftenprovide an amazing sight as they movethrough the water en masse leaping anddiving. Other whales include Bryde’s, Sperm,Fin, Minke and Orcas. Much of the time will bespent on deck watching for these animals andwe have the services of an onboard naturalistwho can help answer the innumerablequestions on the life and biology of theselovely animals.

Seabirds will be numerous and we shall findHeermann’s, Laughing, California and Yellow-footed Gulls, Pomarine, Parasitic and Long-tailedJaegers (Skuas), Craveri’s Murrelet, Pink-footed,Sooty and Black-vented Shearwaters, Black andLeast Storm-petrels, Brown and Blue-footedBoobies, Neotropic and Brandt’s Cormorantsand Magnificent Frigatebirds. Of course there willbe many shorebirds to look at as well as birds ofprey.

We shall also take excursions on the numerousislands and beaches where we land. CanyonWren, Verdin, Phainopepla, Orange-crownedand Yellow Warblers, Northern Cardinal, Xantus’and Costa’s Hummingbirds, Black-throatedSparrow and California and Blue-greyGnatcatchers will soon become familiar birds ofthese small islands. The dry mesquite vegetationgrows with Cardons as well as Cholla, CreepingDevil and Organpipe Cacti. For those who wishthere will also be the chance to snorkel in someof the shallow bays to look at the abundant fishlife and soft corals. There will also be time forhiking and beachcombing and of course we willnot forget the importance of taking sundownersas the day draws to a close!

Days 9 & 10 We arrive into La Paz and then transfer to theairport for our return flight to Los Angeles.Hopefully, we shall have time to visit the famousLa Brea Tar Pits, before we connect with thescheduled flight to London, where we arrive thenext day.

Details of the Don JoséBuilt: 1979Length: 80ft

Shipboard Facilities● Dining Salon● Swimming platform● Sun lounge● Shaded seating area● Storage area for snorkelling gear

All rooms have:● Air Conditioning● Curtained changing area● Hanging lockers with drawers● Privacy curtains● Electricity supply 110V

ItineraryDay 1 Fly to Los AngelesDay 2 Fly to Loreto and overnightDays 3-8 Embark the Don José and

cruise in the Sea of CortezDay 9 Disembark the Don José at

La Paz and fly to LosAngeles. Depart Los Angeles

Day 10 Arrive London

Tour PricesTotal cost for 10 days in 2007:Cost per person in a twin/double-

bedded room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £ 2,899Cost per person in a twin room

for sole use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £ 3,699

Party SizeMaximum of 10 clients.

CabinsAboard the Don José the accommodation isin twin cabins and one double berth cabin.Only two twin cabins will be sold for sole use.All the cabins are compact with sharedfacilities. The accommodation is normallyallocated in the order of booking.

The Tour Price Does Not Include● Travel Insurance● Items of a personal nature● Laundry● Beverages ● Excess baggage charges● Any Visa fees● Gratuities● Hire of snorkelling equipment● Meals while not aboard the boat

The Don José

To make a booking please call Cruises for Nature on 01794 523500

Humpback Whale spy-hopping

CRUISE ON THE EXPLORER

Spitsbergen – the Svalbard ArchipelagoNorway – Escorted Wildlife & Photography Tour

Monday 09 July – Thursday 19 July 2007Leader: Paul Rogers


T his island of Spitsbergen, part of the Svalbard Archipelago, is a mere 600 miles from the North Pole and this cruise is a fabulous introduction to

Polar cruising. This is a land dominated by cold and darkness during the winter months, but for a period from May to August it is transformed into

a land of perpetual daylight. The tundra and hills come alive with flowers and the cliffs and bogs are home to nesting seabirds, ducks and waders.

The islands are dramatic, with high snow covered mountains, classic v-shaped fjords and indented shorelines, with rivers and stone beaches. The

chief prize of a cruise in June and July is to find the denizen of these northern lands, the magnificent Polar Bear. These animals are normally in pristine

condition, with glistening creamy white fur, and can be seen hunting the shorelines or swimming in the sea. There are also long-tusked Walruses,

cheeky Arctic Foxes as well as a supporting cast of whales, seals and reindeer. The bird list will not be enormous (about 30 species), but there will

be exciting birding, with some key northern species to be found. This is the land of the auk, and it is here that the Little Auk is found in vast numbers.

There will also be divers, geese, ducks, waders, skuas, gulls, terns and a lone passerine, Snow Bunting. Special mention must be made of three

species of birds, which can be found here: Ivory Gull, King Eider and Grey Phalarope. For the photographer there will be much to see and the light

at this time of year will be excellent, with almost constant daylight.

For this holiday we have chosen to use the Explorer – the “Little Red Ship”, for our cruise to Spitsbergen. We have journeyed with her on numerous

occasions to Antarctica and the Amazon, and we know you will be very happy aboard. The Explorer is an ideal vessel for travelling to the High Arctic,

as she is comfortable, safe and environmentally sensitive. She has an on-board re-cycling system that is backed by a philosophy of care that protects

the peoples and environments on her routes. A fleet of zodiacs makes it easy to explore the more inaccessible areas. She has a superb expedition

staff and a team of on-board lecturers who will impart their knowledge of the natural history and geographical features of the region.

Throughout the tour you will be accompanied by one of our leaders, Paul Rogers, to assist you and help with identifying the wildlife.

ITINERARY

Days 1 & 2 We leave London on a scheduled flight bound forOslo. In Oslo we connect with our onwardnorthern flight, which takes about three hoursbefore we land in Longyearbyen, the capital ofthe Svalbard group. We transfer to our hotel,where we stay overnight. The early risers will beable to walk from the hotel and enjoy the localwildlife. There will be Arctic Foxes sauntering,looking for their breakfast, as well as Ptarmigan,which are common locally. Later, we can explorethe town, before we transfer to the Explorer in thelate afternoon. We can settle in to our cabins and

explore the ship. We shall cast off and onceunderway watch Northern Fulmar, CommonEider, Red-throated Diver and Bearded Sealscould surface to peer at us inquisitively.

Day 3 Krossfjorden is surrounded by high peaks andhuge glaciers. Here we shall look for BarnacleGoose, Common Eider, Long-tailed Duck, GreatSkua, Glaucous Gull, Grey Phalarope, PurpleSandpiper and Snow Bunting. In the past thisarea used to have whaling stations that huntedthe great whales, such as Bowheads, only to turnto the smaller species as stocks diminished.Whales are still uncommon in these waters but

we may be lucky to spot a Minke or even aBeluga. We should start to see Ringed Sealsnow, as well as good numbers of auks. There willbe Little Auks, as well as Puffin and both Blackand Brünnich’s Guillemots.

Day 4 Today we shall make a landing at Fugelsangen.We can take the zodiacs to a stony beach andaccess the expanse of scree that is a nesting sitefor thousands of Little Auks. These small birds,the size of a starling, have a population on theseislands of around 15 million birds. We should beable to watch as they whirr on their stubby wings,arriving to feed incubating females or hungry

Seabird colony, Spitsbergen

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youngsters. The two attendant predators of theircolonies, the Arctic Fox and the Glaucous Gull,will also not be far away.

Day 5 Today we shall be cruising at sea, looking forwhales, seals, sea-ducks and auks. The scenerywill be magnificent with seabird thronged cliffs,ice walls, and calm blue water bays. This is theland of pack ice and seals. Walruses may behauled out on ice floes and on beaches showinglong ivory tusks, which contrast with their all-darkskin. They are often found laying near theirsmaller relatives the Bearded, Ringed and HarpSeals. The adult Bearded Seals are the colour ofRich Tea biscuits, and when their long whiskersare dry, they curl like a beard. The small RingedSeals have a pattern of dark, ring-like markingson their back. The male Harp Seals are verysmart with their black hoods and piebald bodies,while the females are more sombre in colour. Weshall pass more colonies of Little Auks and theair should be full of them as they pass in manythousands.

Day 6 We sail through the Hinlopen Strait with fjords toeach side. If conditions permit we visit Vibebuktanear the Austfonna Glacier (but please note theroute is weather dependant and if the pack ice isstill thick we may have to take a different route).Cliff nesting Kittiwakes are harassed by bothArctic and Great Skuas and we may be lucky tosee some of the delicate Long-tailed Skuas thatnest on Spitsbergen. The tundra will havenesting waders and there should be RuddyTurnstone and Purple Sandpipers sitting oncryptically coloured eggs, while Arctic Terns willscream overhead if we approach the colonies.Small pools hold nesting Grey Phalaropes andwe may be lucky to photograph them in theirbeautifully coloured brick-red summer plumage.Common Eiders will have their nests, lined with

copious down, amongst the heather andbilberry. The scenery will be marvellous as wecruise past snow-covered mountains, glaciers,ice-floes and flower-studded tundra.

Days 7 to 9 We are in the Svalbard Archipelago and this isthe land of the Polar Bear. We shall cruise intosmall bays, looking at ice-floes, for these giants.We may find a lone male, or perhaps a femalewith small cubs. These animals are alwaysexciting. They can be unpredictable in theirbehaviour, sometimes they are attracted to theship by the smell of cooking and at other timesthey will just walk away unconcerned. Some mayeven continue sleeping as the ship or a zodiacpasses by. We shall endeavour to get goodviews of these marine mammals as we cruiseamongst the numerous small islands and icefloes. There will also be gulls and terns here andwe can search again for the dove-like Ivory Gulland also the dark-hooded Sabine’s Gull. We cankeep a look out amongst the Red-throated Diversfor any Great Northern Divers that might be here.Another animal to look for will be the SvalbardReindeer, a small race with shorter legs thanthose of mainland Norway.

Day 10 As we cruise along the coastline we scan formore birds, bears, seals and whales. Geese willpresent on the cliffs and in the bays. Barnacleand Pink-footed are the most common but wemay also see Pale-bellied Brents. Tonight wehave our farewell dinner as we approachLongyearbyen.

Day 11 In the morning we say our goodbyes and departfrom the ship. We transfer to the airport andcatch the flight to Oslo, where we connect withour return flight to London, arriving in theevening.

Itinerary Day 1 Fly to LongyearbyenDay 2 Embark the Explorer at

LongyearbyenDay 3 Krossfjorden Day 4 FugelsangenDay 5 At seaDay 6 Hinlopen StraitDays 7-9 SvalbardDay 10 LongyearbyenDay 11 Disembark the Explorer at

Longyearbyen, fly to London

Tour PricesPlease see the cabin layout and check whichcategory cabin you require. (See page 40)

Total cost for 11 days in 2007:Lower Triple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£2,599Lower Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£2,899 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Single cabin £4,199Lower Double . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£3,099 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Single cabin £4,499Main Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£3,199 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Single cabin £4,899Main Double . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £3,399 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Single cabin £5,199Captain’s Double . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £3,599Superior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £3,799MP Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4,299

The Tour Price Does Not Include● Travel Insurance● Items of a personal nature● Laundry● Beverages ● Excess baggage charges● Any Visa fees ● Gratuities● Any meals while not aboard the ship

Grey Phalarope


Polar Bear and cubs

Walruses


Classic AntarcticaAntarctica and Argentina – Escorted Wildlife & Photography Tour

Tuesday 27 November – Sunday 09 December 2007Leader: Paul Rogers


This cruise offers the opportunity to visit Antarctica and some of mainland Argentina, as well as the delights of the famous Drake Passage. The

Antarctic is the last untouched wilderness on earth, with an ice-clad landmass of over 12 million square kilometres, which holds almost 90% of the

planet’s fresh water, locked as ice. You will cruise in luxury amidst ice floes, towering snow-capped mountains, and past deep-blue icebergs, formed

by water frozen perhaps a million years ago. Penguins, albatrosses, shearwaters, prions, skuas, petrels, whales, dolphins and seals will be constant

companions throughout the voyage and, for the photographer the endless procession of birds, scenery and sights is relentless.

For this cruise we have chosen to use the Explorer – the “Little Red Ship”. We have journeyed with her on numerous occasions to the White Continent

and we know you will be very happy with her. The Explorer is an ideal vessel for travelling to Antarctica, as she is comfortable, safe and environmentally

sensitive. She has an on-board re-cycling system that is backed by a philosophy of care that protects the peoples and environments on her routes. A

fleet of zodiacs makes it easy to explore the more inaccessible areas. She has a superb expeditionary staff and a team of on-board lecturers who will

impart their knowledge of the natural history and geographical features of the region.

While on the cruise, visits will be made to islands and the peninsula, using classic zodiac inflatables, navigated by skilled operators. There will also

be time for “ice cruising” when zodiacs are used to visit small inlets and inaccessible parts of many of the islands and promontories to look for whales,

seals, penguins and albatrosses.

Throughout the tour you will have the services of Paul Rogers, an experienced guide, who has travelled to these waters before. He is very keen on

Antarctic seabirds and has an all-round enthusiasm for all aspects of natural history.

Seabird colony, Spitsbergen

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ItineraryDay 1 Fly to Buenos AiresDay 2 Buenos AiresDay 3 Embark the Explorer at

UshuaiaDays 4-5 At seaDays 6-9 Antarctic Peninsula and

South Shetland IslandsDays 10-11 At seaDay 12 Disembark the Explorer at

Ushuaia, fly to Buenos AiresDay 13 Arrive London


Total cost for 13 days in 2007:Lower Triple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£3,699

Lower Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£3,899 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single cabin £5,699

Lower Double . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£4,099 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single cabin £5,999

Main Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£4,299 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single cabin £6,399

Main Double . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£4,499 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single cabin £6,499

Captain’s Double . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£4,699

Superior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£4,999

MP Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£5,599

The Tour Price Does Not Include● Travel Insurance● Items of a personal nature● Laundry● Beverages● Excess baggage charges● Any Visa fees● Gratuities

Gentoo Penguins


Antarctic scene

ITINERARY

Days 1 & 2We leave London in the morning on a scheduledflight bound for Buenos Aires, where we arrive inthe evening and stay for two nights. The nextmorning we visit the superb reserve of Costaneradel Sur. Here we should find Rosy-billed Pochard,Silver Teal, Red Shoveler, Spot-flanked Gallinuleand White-tufted Grebe. Large Crested Screamersare quite common here. Smaller birds shouldinclude Spectacled Tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird,Brown-and-yellow Marshbird and White-browedBlackbird. Black-necked and Coscoroba Swanswill be here too if the water level permits. It ispossible to see almost 100 species in a few hours.

Day 3We take the morning scheduled flight fromBuenos Aires to Ushuaia. Here we have sometime to explore the local area before we boardthe Explorer. We leave the port in the evening,bound for Antarctica.

Days 4 & 5We head south and cross the Drake Passage.We should see our first Black-browedAlbatrosses and perhaps one or two Royals, aswell as diving-petrels skimming the waves. Thewaters now become cooler as we cross theAntarctic Convergence, and the suite of seabirdsfollowing the wake of the ship should nowchange in its composition.

Days 6 to 9During this period we visit the AntarcticPeninsula. (The itinerary is dependent on iceconditions). As our expedition ship moves furthersouth, we encounter more ice floes. These floesmay be dotted with Crabeater and LeopardSeals and the horizon may reveal a Humpbackor Antarctic Minke Whale. We’ll spot hundreds ofAdelie Penguins and dramatic icescapes withglacier-lined shores coming into view as wecruise the stunning Lemaire Channel, alsoknown as Kodak Gap.

The Neumayer Channel provides furtheropportunities to photograph Gentoo Penguinsand Imperial Cormorants, surrounded bydramatic alpine peaks and ice-blue glaciers.Going ashore by zodiac we may find thebleached whalebones from another century.

Deception Island’s narrow entry, Neptune’sBellows, leads inside to the steep-walled,flooded crate of this active volcanic island. Astunning anchorage, Deception also has historicinterest – an abandoned whaling stationoperated from 1911-1931, where we may alsospot many Chinstrap Penguins. SouthernFulmars and Cape Petrels circle over the water,while a walk ashore at Telefon Bay brings us to amoonscape of lava, formed in the 1970 eruption.At Pendulum Cove, hot geothermal springsbubble up to form a bathing pool. An unusualexperience awaits the hardy – a hot pool soak inAntarctica!

The protected harbour of Paradise Bay, on thepeninsula, is backed by an ethereal landscape ofhanging ice cliffs. Conditions permitting, wemight land at an abandoned research station onthe Antarctic Continent, and hike with ourleaders and guides for a 360-degree view of thesurrounding mountains and glaciers. Zodiactours will offer ample opportunity for outstandingphotos of ice formations.

Days 10 & 11We head north again and cross the DrakePassage. We will encounter some good seabirdshere and must be on the look out forWhiteheaded Petrel, Grey-backed Storm-Petreland Common Diving-Petrel.

Days 12 & 13We arrive at Ushuaia and transfer from the ship.If time permits we may do some local birdwatching before catching our scheduled flightback to Buenos Aires, where we connect with our London flight arriving in London thenext morning.



The Great White ContinentAntarctica, South Georgia, The Falkland Islands & Argentina –


Friday 18 January – Sunday 10 February 2008Leader: Richard Coomber

T he confiding nature of the wildlife and the stunning scenery of Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands provide some of the best

photographic opportunities for the natural history photographer in the world. We visit in the austral summer when there is at least 18 hours of

daylight – a real bonus for taking those atmospheric pictures. On this cruise we visit both Antarctica and the Falkland Islands, with visits to the superb

penguin and albatross colonies of South Georgia. The sight of thousands of King Penguins on Salisbury Plain is a truly awesome experience and the

photographer can take literally hundreds of photos. We cruise in luxury amidst ice floes, towering snow-capped mountains, and past deep-blue

icebergs. Penguins, albatrosses, shearwaters, prions, skuas, petrels, seals, whales and dolphins will be constant companions throughout the voyage.

For the photographer the endless procession of birds, mammals, scenery and sights is relentless. Visits will be made to various islands and the

Antarctic Peninsula, using a fleet of zodiacs, navigated by skilled operators, which enable us to explore some of the more inaccessible areas.

For this cruise we have chosen to use the Explorer – the “Little Red Ship”, for our cruise to Antarctica. We have journeyed with her on numerous

occasions to the White Continent and we know you will be very happy with her. The Explorer is an ideal vessel for travelling to Antarctica, as she is

comfortable, safe and environmentally sensitive. She has an on-board re-cycling system that is backed by a philosophy of care that protects the

peoples and environments on her routes. A fleet of zodiacs makes it easy to explore the more inaccessible areas. She has a superb expeditionary

staff and a team of on-board lecturers who will impart their knowledge of the natural history and geographical features of the region.

We also have some time for birding in Argentina with the Costanera Sur, Ceibas and the Tierra del Fuego National Park being the main sites visited.

In our short time here we should see well over 150 species of bird, including Andean Condor and Magellanic Woodpecker.

Throughout the tour you will have the services of Richard Coomber to help you identify the wildlife and to take care of you. Richard is well known as

one of our most travelled leaders and a very proficient photographer – so he will be there for all your photographic questions, especially regarding

what exposure to use for bright snow, dark penguins and a blue sea.

ITINERARY

Days 1 to 3 We take an evening flight from London to BuenosAires (via Madrid), where we are met by our localguide and transfer to our hotel, where we stay fortwo nights, in time for lunch. Later, we visit thefamous Costanera Sur Reserve in the heart of thecity. It is possible to see almost 70 species here inan afternoon including Southern Screamer,Coscoroba Swan, Black-headed Duck,Plumbeous Rail and Many-coloured Rush-Tyrant.We have the whole of the next day to exploreareas north of Buenos Aires. The habitats herecomprise a mixture of thorny woodlands,marshes and grasslands where we may findGreater Rhea, Limpkin, Giant Wood-Rail, Curve-billed and Straight-billed Reedhaunters, FirewoodGatherer and many other species.

Day 4 After breakfast we depart for our flight toUshuaia. We transfer to our hotel and in theafternoon we visit the Martial Glacier and look forsome of the specialities of the area includingYellow-bridled Finch, Grey-flanked Cinclodesand Ochre-naped Ground-tyrant.

Day 5 After breakfast we visit the Tierra del FuegoNational Park. This beautiful reserve has anumber of interesting species, but the best mustbe the enormous Magellanic Woodpecker andbirding in the nothofagus forests is a greatexperience. We also have the chance to see themagnificent Andean Condor, Austral Pygmy Owl,Thorn-tailed Rayadito and many other species.In the late afternoon we board the Explorer, andleave the port in the evening, bound for theFalkland Islands.

Light-mantled Albatross

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Day 6 Our time will be spent at sea, watching films andlistening to the lecturers discussing the historyand wildlife of the Falkland Islands. We shouldsee our first Black-browed Albatross andperhaps one or two Royal Albatross.

Day 7 Today we arrive at the Falkland Islands and makeour first landfalls at West Point and CarcassIslands. Here we get a chance to stretch our legswith a walk across to the Black-browed Albatrossand Rockhopper Penguins. They both shouldhave young and the colony should be busy! Weshall also see our first Striated and SouthernCrested Caracaras. Magellanic Penguins will benesting amongst the tussac grass on the slopes.We move to Carcass Island where we walk alonglovely sandy beaches, past the endemic Cobb’sWren and flocks of Magellanic and BlackishOystercatchers, to the McGill’s homestead.Hopefully, we shall be in time for one of theirrenowned teas. Later, we transfer back to theship by zodiac.

Day 8 We move to Port Stanley where we should havetime to do some local exploration and shopping.We should see Upland and Kelp Geese in theharbour, as well as the endemic Falkland

Flightless Steamer-Ducks. It is interesting toobserve the bustle of this small town, as thestreets are often crammed with Land Rovers - thehighest per capita ownership of these vehiclesanywhere in the world!

Days 9 & 10 We leave the islands and head eastwards. Ourtime will be spent at sea, watching films andlistening to the lecturers discussing the history andwildlife of the South Georgia Islands. We willbecome acquainted with the identification featuresof Black-browed, Grey-headed, Royal andWandering Albatrosses. There will also be prions,storm-petrels, diving-petrels and shearwaters to watch.

Days 11 to 13 We arrive at South Georgia. This area ismountainous, ice-clad and isolated at the edge ofthe submarine Scotia Ridge, and possibly themost picturesque of all of the subantarctic islands.The silent rusting ruins of Grytviken’s whalingstation are out of bounds to visitors, but we shouldbe able to visit Shackleton’s grave, the little whitechurch and the fascinating museum. At the Bay ofIsles is the world-famous colony of 100,000 KingPenguins. We shall also watch Gentoo Penguinsand, if sea conditions allow, the colourfulMacaronis. We also have the unique opportunity of

seeing Wandering Albatrosses on their nests in thetussac grass. These marvellous birds, with awingspan of up to 11 feet, are a delight to watch asthey soar gracefully. We may also find nestingLight-mantled and Grey-headed Albatrosses.Hopefully, we shall have time to find the threeendemic species – South Georgia Shag, SouthGeorgia Pintail and South Georgia Pipit. Thescenery here is breathtaking and if we are lucky wewill make a special excursion to be on a beach towatch the sun rise and see it light up the vastglaciers that frequently calve icebergs into the sea.

Days 14 & 15 We take to the sea once more for sea watching,and lectures and films on Antarctica andElephant Island.

Day 16 Today it is Elephant Island and colonies ofChinstraps and Gentoos, with some Fur Seals forgood measure. Awesome glaciers, speckled withpink algae, create a dramatic landscape near toCape Lookout.

Days 17 to 20 During this period we visit the AntarcticPeninsula and South Shetland Islands. (Theitinerary is dependent on ice conditions). As ourexpedition ship moves further south, we

Pair of Wandering Albatross

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encounter more ice floes. These floes may bedotted with Crabeater and Leopard Seals andthe horizon may reveal a Humpback or MinkeWhale. We’ll spot hundreds of Adelie Penguinsand dramatic icescapes with glacier-lined shorescoming into view as we cruise the stunningLemaire Channel, also known as Kodak Gap.

The Neumayer Channel provides furtheropportunities to photograph Gentoo Penguinsand Antarctic Shag, surrounded by dramaticalpine peaks and ice-blue glaciers. Going ashoreby zodiac we may find the bleached whalebonesfrom another century.

Deception Island’s narrow entry, Neptune’sBellows, leads inside to the steep-walled,flooded crater of this active volcanic island. Astunning anchorage, Deception also has historicinterest – an abandoned whaling stationoperated from 1911 – 1931, where we may alsosee many Chinstrap Penguins. SouthernFulmars and Cape Petrels circle over the water,while a walk ashore at Telefon Bay brings us to amoonscape of lava, formed in the 1970 eruption.At Pendulum Cove, hot geothermal springs

bubble up to form a bathing pool. An unusualexperience awaits the hardy – a hot pool soak inAntarctica!

The protected harbour of Paradise Bay, on thepeninsula, is backed by an ethereal landscape ofhanging ice cliffs. Conditions permitting, wemight land at an abandoned research station onthe Antarctic Continent, and hike with ourleaders and guides for a 360-degree view of thesurrounding mountains and glaciers. Zodiactours will offer ample opportunity for outstandingphotos of ice formations.

Days 21 & 22 We head north again and cross the DrakePassage. We will encounter some good seabirdshere and must be on the look out for White-headed Petrel, Grey-backed Storm-Petrel andCommon Diving-Petrel.

Days 23 & 24 Later, we arrive at Ushuaia and disembark fromthe ship. We catch a flight back to Buenos Aires,and connect with our London flight, where wearrive next morning.

ItineraryDay 1 Depart LondonDays 2-3 Buenos AiresDay 4 UshuaiaDay 5 Embark the Explorer at

UshuaiaDay 6 At seaDays 7-8 Falkland IslandsDays 9-10 At seaDays 11-13 South GeorgiaDays 14-15 At seaDay 16 Elephant IslandDays 17-20 Antarctic Peninsula and

South Shetland IslandsDays 21-22 At seaDay 23 Disembark the Explorer at

Ushuaia, fly to Buenos AiresDay 24 Arrive London


Total cost for 24 days in 2008:Lower Triple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £6,199

Lower Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £6,9399 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Single cabin £11,299

Lower Double . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £7,299 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Single cabin £11,999

Main Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £7,799 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Single cabin £12,799

Main Double . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £7,999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Single cabin £13,199

Captain’s Double . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £8,299

Superior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £8,999

MP Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £10,199

The Tour Price Does Not Include● Travel Insurance● Items of a personal nature● Laundry● Beverages● Excess baggage charges● Any Visa fees ● Gratuities

King Penguin chick

Weddell Seal yawning

King Penguin colony


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CRUISE ON THE POLAR STAR

In the Wake of Darwin Peru, Chile & Argentina – Escorted Wildlife & Photography Tour

Thursday 01 November – Friday 23 November 2007Leader: Tony Pym

W e have chosen to join the Polar Star on a cruise that follows the passage of the great naturalists and explorers such as Darwin, Magellan and

Drake. We journey from northern Peru, down the west coast of South America to the fjords of southern Chile and then to the end of the earth,

Tierra del Fuego – the land of fires. This cruise will begin in the very rich cold Humboldt Current, where we can witness vast numbers of seabirds,

such as Guanay Cormorants, Peruvian Boobies and Inca Terns, as well as being able to search for interesting cetaceans. The scenery will be

spectacular, with the Andean chain visible as a backdrop, and then we cruise to the Chilean fjords where we pass glaciers and snow-capped peaks,

until we navigate Cape Horn and the Beagle Channel to finish in the Argentinean port of Ushuaia.

The Polar Star is the first icebreaker to be fully converted for expedition cruising. She was commissioned by the Swedish Maritime Administration and

built in Finland. She served as a working ice-breaker in the Baltic, before Karlsen Shipping, a Norwegian/Canadian company bought her and had her

converted, with a new superstructure and new engines. She has a maximum capacity of 105 and is the ideal size for expedition cruising. She has

spacious open deck areas, a large lounge with panoramic views, a library, a gymnasium, shop and bar. The captain and the officers are mostly

Norwegian and the cabin and service staff mainly Filipino. All in all she is a very comfortable little ship, with a very friendly atmosphere. We have been

very impressed with the feedback we have had from clients who have already travelled on her, and are proud to be able to offer this cruise, which

contains both amazing wildlife and scenery.

Throughout the tour you will have the services of Tony Pym to help you identify the wildlife and to take care of you. These will be our third cruise on

this itinerary with the Polar Star.

ITINERARY

Day 1 We catch an early morning flight from London toLima. We arrive in Lima in the evening, andtransfer to our hotel in time for dinner.

Day 2 After resting at our hotel we move to the coastand have lunch at a local seafood restaurant builton stilts. From here we can watch PeruvianBooby, Peruvian Pelican, Band-tailed Gull, SouthAmerican Tern and the beautiful Inca Tern. Later,we transfer to the dock and board the Polar Starto begin our cruise.

Day 3 Our main visit today will be to the famous seabirdcolonies of the Islas Ballestas. These are the“Guano Islands” that were once the source oftons of valuable nitrate-rich guano used in theproduction of fertilisers, and explosives. They arenow protected as a wildlife sanctuary, and weshould find thousands of birds, including IncaTerns and even Humboldt Penguins, all vying forspace amongst a multitude of boobies, pelicansand three different species of cormorants, whilstthe barking from South American Sea Lions willbe a constant background noise.

Day 4 Today we arrive at Puerto San Juan where weanchor in a bay surrounded by sandy hills. Wecan take a drive inland to the Nazca Plain, andthen on to the Nazca burial site where well-preserved mummified bodies are found, still intheir pit tombs. The highlight of our day here willbe boarding a light aircraft to overfly theremarkable Nazca Lines, which are over 30metres long and date back to about 100BC. Thisdesert region has Peruvian Thick-knees,Burrowing Owls and in the more lush regionsVermillion Flycatchers. Later, we rejoin the shipand sail south.

Day 5 Today is spent at sea as we move south. Therewill be a chance to listen to lectures or to be outon deck to watch for seabirds and cetaceans.Black-browed Albatross


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Maybe we shall sight our first albatross (sixspecies visit the Humboldt Current) and we maysee, at the opposite end of the size scale, thediminutive Peruvian Diving-Petrel. Seabirdsshould be in profusion – Sooty, Pink-footed andpossibly Buller’s Shearwaters and maybe threeor four species of storm-petrel includingWilson’s, White-vented, Markham’s and Ringed.The beautiful Swallow-tailed Gull, which breedsonly on the Galapagos Islands, could well beseen. This area is also a hotspot for dolphins anda number of species visit the area.

Day 6 We arrive at Arica today and should be greetedby beautiful Inca Terns and many PeruvianBoobies. We have a chance to explore theseaside town and to look at Eiffel’s famous ironchurch. We should also have a chance to see thepetroglyphs near to the Azapa valley. Thisirrigated valley is also home to OasisHummingbird and Peruvian Sheartail. Later, werejoin the ship and move south once again.

Days 7 & 8 We now have two full days at sea, to enjoy thewildlife and to relax and listen to lectures. Thesecold waters are rich in fish, birds and cetaceansand we could hope to find both Long-beaked andShort-beaked Common Dolphins, Dusky andRisso’s Dolphins, and possibly Southern RightWhale Dolphins that would have followed the coldwater current from the southern oceans. Amongstthe South American Fur Seals we may find the rareJuan Fernández Fur Seal. Birds should be plentiful– Peruvian Pelicans diving for fish, White-chinnedPetrels together with Pink-footed Shearwatersshearing the waves, and Grey Gulls maybe beingharassed by Chilean Skuas.

Day 9 As we sail towards Valparaiso albatrosses will beseen gliding close to the ship. Amongst thelarger, the Great Albatross species, Wanderersand Royal Albatrosses can be expected, andamongst the smaller species, the mollymawks,maybe Salvin’s, Grey-headed and Pacific(Buller’s) Albatrosses. Little-known enigmaticGadfly petrels may zoom by for this is homeground for Defilippe’s and Stejneger’s Petrelsand the large and dynamic Juan FernándezPetrel. Valparaiso is a city built at the very foot ofa tall range of hills. We can go ashore andexplore, and perhaps travel on the funicularrailway (now UNESCO listed) to the top of thesteep hills. From here there is a lovely view downover the narrow streets to the port where thePolar Star will be lying at anchor.

Day 10 Today we cruise at sea, listening to lectures fromthe resident staff or watching for seabirds andcetaceans. Later, we arrive at Isla Mocha innorthern Chile and have some time here forsightseeing. Common birds here include thelarge Chilean Pigeon and the petite Green-backed Firecrown.

Day 11 The ship will enter the Bahia Corral (Coral Bay)into which the river Valdivia flows. We have achance to see the town of Valdivia, which isabout 18km up river. The bird life here is quiteprolific and includes Great Grebe, Black-neckedSwans and Southern Lapwings.

Day 12 We visit Puerto Montt today and the “ChileanLake District” with a tour to the Parque Nacional

Vicente Perez Rosalez. The main focus will beLake Llanquihue, where we shall stand on thebridges that cross the cascades. Here we mayfind the Torrent Duck, a denizen of swift andturbulent waters. In the forested areas we shallsearch for Tufted Tit-tyrant, White-throatedTreerunner, Chucao Tapaculo, which is quitecommon if skulking, and Austral Blackbird.

Day 13 Today we visit Chiloë Island and the main town ofCastro. Here we visit the UNESCO listedcathedral and churches, as well as a colourfulmarket and some of the stilt-homes. Of courseChiloë Wigeon is always a possibility!

Days 14 to 18 We are now sailing amongst the Chilean Fjords.The scenery becomes exceptionally beautiful,with narrow channels, tree clad hillsides, distantsnow-capped peaks and calm waters. We passGolfo Corcovado, Morleda Canal, Golfo dePenas, Vancouver Island and Kirke Narrows.Landings ashore will be made at many sites andwe should witness the passage of numerousseabird species including Black-browedAlbatross, Sooty Shearwater, White-chinnedPetrel and perhaps the little known WestlandPetrel. Amongst the cetaceans, perhaps Peale’sand Chilean Dolphins will put in an appearance.There is even the chance of Marine Otters. Later,we arrive at Puerto Natales and have a chancefor a visit to the lovely Torres del Paine NationalPark. This park is famous for the dramatic cliffs“The Towers of Pain”, that dominate thelandscape. We can enter the park early in themorning and find Lesser Rheas, PatagonianSierra-finches, Rufous-tailed Plantcutters, Black-necked Swans, Crested Duck, Chiloë Wigeon,

Buller’s and Salvin’s Albatrosses

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ItineraryDay 1 Fly to LimaDay 2 Embark the Polar Star at LimaDay 3 Islas BallestasDay 4 Puerto San JuanDay 5 At seaDay 6 AricaDays 7-8 At seaDay 9 ValparaisoDay 10 Isla MochaDay 11 ValdiviaDay 12 Puerto MonttDay 13 Chiloë IslandDays 14-18 Chilean FjordsDays 19-20 Beagle and O’Brien ChannelsDay 21 Disembark the Polar Star at

Ushuaia. Fly to Buenos AiresDay 22 Depart Buenos AiresDay 23 Arrive London


Total cost for 23 days in 2007:Category K1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,199

Category K2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Single cabin £8,099

Category K3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £6,199 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Single cabin £8,399

Category K4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £6,599

Category K6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £6,999

Category K7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £7,499

The Tour Price Does Not Include● Travel Insurance● Items of a personal nature● Laundry● Beverages (see below)● Excess baggage charges● Any Visa fees

Tea, coffee, juice and water are alwaysavailable in the 5th deck ObservationLounge.

Peruvian Pelican


Torres del Paine National Park

perhaps Spectacled Duck and much morebesides. The massive Andean Condor iscommon here.

Days 19 & 20 These will be an exciting two days as we comearound the tip of South America. We shall passglaciers and fjords and sail through channelsthronged with seabirds We pass the famousGaribaldi Fjord and head for the BeagleChannel, which is itself a v-shaped fjord wheregiant petrels and albatrosses will follow in thewake of the Polar Star. The scenery will bedramatic with distant snow-capped peaks,tumbling waterfalls, and slopes covered withNothofagus forests (sub-Antarctic beech).Zodiac cruises ashore are planned wherebirds may include the sierra-finches andground-tyrants. Specialities include AustralParakeet, Austral Pygmy-Owl and the giantMagellanic Woodpecker amongst others. Wepass through the O’Brien Channel and we

head for Cape Horn, and hopefully will make alanding at Horn Island.

Day 21 We arrive at Ushuaia in the morning and say ourfinal goodbyes to the crew. We meet local guideswho take us on a tour of Tierra del FuegoNational Park, where we hope to find MagellanicWoodpecker, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, White-throated Treerunner and many more species.Later, we catch the flight back to Buenos Aires,and then transfer to a hotel for a farewell dinner.We stay in Buenos Aires overnight.

Days 22 & 23 After breakfast we have an excursion to theCostanera Sur Nature Reserve. We can hope tosee at least 50 species here this morning, includingSilver Teal, Lake Duck, Plumbeous Rail, WattledJacana, Picazuro Pigeon and Rufous Hornero.Later, we transfer to the airport and catch our flightto London where we arrive early next morning.


CRUISE ON THE POLAR STAR

The Islands of MacaronesiaCanaries, Salvagen, Desertas, Madeira and Azores –


Saturday 14 April – Saturday 28 April 2007Leader: Tony Pym

The North Atlantic holds many small island groups but this cruise visits three island clusters that are home to some fascinating landscapes, unique

animals and lovely buildings and scenery. The natural environments of some of the islands are a delight, with beautiful expanses of flowers, small

farm landscapes, rural settlements and an island wilderness encompassing both land and seascapes. Islands are a natural gathering place for bird

species and marine wildlife and these islands act as both a nesting area for many interesting bird species and a feeding area for many cetaceans.

We shall visit volcanic calderas, cascading waterfalls, old windmills and churches, desert landscapes, golden beaches, vineyards and laurel forests.

The Polar Star was the first icebreaker to be fully converted for expedition cruising. She was commissioned by the Swedish Maritime Administration

and built in Finland. She served as a working ice-breaker in the Baltic, before Karlsen Shipping, a Norwegian/Canadian company bought her and had

her converted, with a new superstructure and new engines. She has a maximum capacity of 105 and is the ideal size for expedition cruising. All the

cabins in our allocation have private facilities, and all have outside views. She has spacious open deck areas, a large lounge with panoramic views,

a library, a gymnasium, shop and bar. The captain and the officers are mostly Norwegian and the cabin and service staff mainly Filipino. All in all she

is a very comfortable little ship, with a very friendly atmosphere.

Throughout the tour you will have the services of Tony Pym to help you identify the wildlife and to take care of you. This will be our fourth cruise on

the Polar Star.

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ITINERARY

Day 1We fly from London to Las Palmas on Gran Canaria(Canary Islands) where we transfer to the port tomeet the Polar Star. Once settled in to our cabinswe begin our cruise around the island. Theseislands are home to some interesting seabirds andwe can begin to look for Madeiran Storm-Petrel,Bulwer’s Petrel, Cory’s and MacaronesianShearwaters as well as several species ofcetacean, including Short-finned Pilot Whale.

Day 2Today we shall make a visit to the island ofFuerteventura. This volcanically formed islandhas a desert-like landscape, with cacti andeuphorbias growing from the sandy soil. The wind-swept plains have many windmills and are home to some interesting birds. We would hope to find Trumpeter Finch, theendemic Canary Island Chat, Black-belliedSandgrouse, Cream-coloured Courser, EgyptianVulture and Houbara Bustard. We may also findthe Barbary Ground Squirrel.

Day 3UNESCO has classified our next landfall,Lanzarote, as a world Biosphere Reserve. Weshall visit the unique geological formation at LosJameos del Aqua, which was formed by the lavaflow from the eruption of the volcano, La Corona,which advanced while the surface solidified. Dueto the action of the gas trapped beneath thesurface, part of the surface collapsed. A smalllake formed which is home to the ‘jameito’, a tinyblind albino crab, which is unique to Lanzarote.

Day 4We make landfall this morning on La Palma andvisit the national park of Caldera de Taburiente.This is a large crater, which dominates thenorthern part of the island. The caldera is about10km across, and in places the walls tower2000m over the caldera floor. The highest point is the Roque de los Muchachos on thenorthern wall, at 2,423m. During the Spanishconquest of the Canary Islands, it was the site of the last stand of the indigenous people of the archipelago, the Guanches. It provedimpregnable to the invading Spaniards, and theyonly defeated the Guanches by luring theirleader out on the pretext of holding talks. Later,we go to the island of La Gomera, a cone shapedisland with one of the last remaining tracts oflaurel forest, home to two endemic pigeons,Bolle’s and Laurel, which we would hope to see.There are also Canary (the real ones!), SpanishSparrow, Berthelot’s Pipit and Plain Swift.

Day 5We cruise northwards towards the SalvagenIslands. Governed by the Portuguese, this smallremote grouping is a nature reserve and home toseveral species of petrel and shearwater as wellas 25,000 pairs of White-faced Storm-Petrel.Red-billed Tropicbird is possible in the watersaround these islands and, at this time of year, wemay also see some migrant seabirds passingthrough such as terns and skuas.

Day 6We visit next the Desertas Islands. On this three-Red-billed Tropicbird

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ItineraryDay 1 Fly to Gran Canaria,

Canary Islands. Embark thePolar Star

Day 2 Fuerteventura, CanaryIslands

Day 3 Lanzarote, Canary IslandsDay 4 La Palma and La Gomera,

Canary IslandsDay 5 Salvagen IslandsDay 6 Desertas IslandsDay 7 MadeiraDay 8 Porto Santo, MadeiraDay 9 At seaDay 10 Saõ Miguel, AzoresDay 11 Terceira, AzoresDay 12 Flores and Corvo, AzoresDay 13 Faial and Pico, AzoresDay 14 mbark the Polar Star. Depart

Ponta Delgada, Azores andarrive London


Total cost for 14 days in 2007:Category K1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£2,999

Category K2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£3,999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single cabin £5,899

Category K3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£4,199 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single cabin £6,299

Category K4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£4,599

Category K6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£4,999Category K7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£5,599

The Tour Price Does Not Include● Items of a personal nature● Travel Insurance● Laundry● Beverages (see below)● Excess baggage charges● Any Visa fees ● Any meals while not aboard the ship

Tea, coffee, juice and water are alwaysavailable in the 5th deck Observation Lounge.

Island view, Azores


island grouping, a gad-fly petrel, the Fea’s Petrelcan be seen during nesting season. Its closerelative, the critically endangered Zino’s Petrelfeeds in these waters also, but the current view isthis species is not separable at sea. TheDesertas group also supports a population of theendangered Monk Seal.

Day 7We reach the island of Madeira today, governedby the Portuguese. Again this is a hilly, volcanicisland and Madeira is actually the summit of amountain range rising four miles from theseabed. Its volcanic origin can be clearly seen inthe mountainous interior and lava streams, whichbreak up the line of cliffs on its coast. The capitalFunchal is a small romantic town withJacaranda-lined streets and a colourful market.It’s known for its wine, embroidery andwickerwork. We explore the island in search ofnatural volcanic swimming pools, cascadingwaterfalls, picturesque churches and traditionaltriangular thatched-roof houses. We may alsoencounter Plain Swift, the endemic TrocazPigeon and Madeira Firecrest as well as theendemic Wall Lizard.

Day 8Porto Santo is a smaller island in the Madeiragroup. This landscape is completely differentfrom Madeira with a flat coastline, magnificentgolden beaches and its mountains are only inthe northern interior.

Day 9The day is spent at sea and we can enjoy thevarious lectures given today and also watch formarine wildlife and seabirds. We may spotdolphins, whales or even turtles.

Day 10We reach the Azores Island group today andmake for Ponta Delgada on Saõ Miguel. Weexplore the area including a pottery factory, tea

plantation, steaming geysers, thermal springs,and the beautiful Terra Nostra Gardens with atherapeutic pool. At midday we enjoy atraditional volcanically cooked lunch (cozidosnas caldeiras). There may be a chance to try andsee the endemic Priolo, the Azores Bullfinch.

Day 11We visit the island of Terceira and walk the lovelytown of Angra do Heroismo steeped inMediterranean charm, visiting the MisericordaChurch, Convent do Saõ Francisco, publicgardens and museum. There will also be freetime to explore the town at leisure or walk to thenearby fortification, Monte Brasil. While cruisingbetween islands we may see some of the manyRoseate Terns, as two-thirds of the entireWestern Palearctic’s population breed on theAzores. The Azores is famous for many speciesof cetaceans - these include Sperm Whale andRisso’s, Striped, Spotted, Common and Bottle-nosed Dolphins.

Day 12In Flores we see the basalt cliffs of Rocha dosBordões and other natural features such ascascading waterfalls, caldeiras and fajãs. On thetiny island of Corvo we reach the rim of the 300mdeep volcano that erupted to form the originallandmass.

Day 13On Faial we visit Ponta dos Capelinhos, site of the 1957/58 volcanic eruption and theScrimshaw Museum, then sail to Pico where wevisit a UNESCO site, Lajido Acros, with itsvineyards, Pico Mountain (Portugal’s highestpeak) and the Whaling Museum of Lajes.

Day 14We reach the end of our cruise, disembark inPonta Delgada to begin our homeward journey.We catch the flight here and return to London,arriving in the late afternoon.

Bottle-nosed Dolphins

CRUISE ON THE SPIRIT OF ENDERBY

Russian Far East – The Ring of FireKamchatka, Commander & Kuril Islands –


Saturday 26 May – Saturday 09 June 2007Leader: Simon Boyes


Over the last 10 years we have taken a number of cruises to this part of the Bering Sea. This breathtaking expedition offers you the opportunity to

explore one of the most geologically active and biologically rich parts of the planet. The large number of live volcanoes on the Kamchatka

Peninsula and Kuril Islands has earned this region the reputation of the Pacific’s ‘Ring of Fire’. The Kamchatka Peninsula is a land of stunning bays

and snow-capped volcanoes whose alpine meadows and lowland forests support a great diversity of wildlife. The Kuril Island chain is made up of 32

islands that stretch between Russia and Japan across the Bering Sea. The Kurils are all formed by volcanoes that rise from the sea floor. The larger

of the Kuril Islands are inhabited, and most people make their living from the sea, as they have for generations. It will be fascinating to meet these

people and see their way of life.

The seas washing these isolated coasts are among the most productive in the world. The area teems with birds and marine mammals. Huge bird

colonies dot the cliffs and large seal rookeries are scattered along the coast. The trip also takes in the Commander Islands. These remote islands are

also rich in bird and sea mammal life and they are the final resting place of the famed Danish explorer Vitus Bering.

We shall be sailing on the Spirit of Enderby – she was refurbished in 2004 and is ideally suited to expedition cruising, taking just 48 passengers.

Travel with Simon and see why we think this cruise is so fantastic for both wildlife and scenery.

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ITINERARY

Days 1 & 2We leave London in the morning on a flightbound for Moscow. We then connect with ourflight to Petropavlovsk where we arrive next day.There may be time to explore the city andperhaps take an excursion to the Valley of theGeysers. In the late afternoon we board the Spiritof Enderby, while it is moored in one of theworld’s most beautiful natural harbours.

Day 3We are at sea as we cruise towards theCommander Islands. During the voyage we have a chance to attend lectures, enjoy watching seabirds from the bridge or relax inthe library.

Day 4The Commander Islands group is steeped inhistory and the only place where the extinctSteller’s Sea Cow was ever recorded. These

islands are named after legendary explorerCommander Vitus Bering, who first observedthat Asia and the Americas are separatecontinents. A simple tombstone marks his graveon Beringa Island. We will visit the small museumin the village of Nikolskoye, where we will beintroduced to the culture of the local people. TheCommander Islands are home to a huge numberof birds, including Horned and Tufted Puffins,Crested and Parakeet Auklets, Brünnich’sGuillemot, Red-legged Kittiwake and Red-faced

Kamchatka landscape


Cormorant. We may also spot Harbour Seal,Steller’s Sea Lion and Northern Fur Seal.

Day 5We spend the morning in the Zhuponavo Riverregion on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Wenegotiate this shallow meandering river with ourzodiacs. There are superb opportunities forbirding and nature walks. We are likely to spot upto 40 species of birds, including such specialSiberian species as White-billed Diver, Yellow-breasted Bunting, Greenshank, Far-EasternCurlew and Common Tern. In the mature birchforest along the river there is a good chance ofspotting a Steller’s Sea Eagle, hopefully the firstof many we will see on this expedition.

Day 6In the early morning we enter Russkaya Fjord, aspectacular feature within Avachinsky Bay. Fromthis fjord we should get great views of thevolcano, Mutnovskaya Sopka (2,322m). There isalso a superb chance to view wildlife. Wecontinue south along the Kamchatka Peninsulato Vestnik Bay and Utashud Island. The island issmall and steep but Tufted and Horned Puffins,Pigeon and Brünnich’s Guillemots nest there.

Day 7Depending on weather and sea conditions wewill either land on or cruise around AtlasovaIsland. At 2,339m, the Alaid Volcano on thisisland is the highest volcano in the Kuril chain. Iterupted as recently as 1971. Steller’s Sea Lionsare often seen along the western shoreline. Thisafternoon we plan an expedition landing inBukhta Krasheninnikova on Paramushir Island.This is large, mountainous volcanic island andfive of its 20 volcanoes are active. The island isknown to have a good population of Brown Bear.

Day 8After an early breakfast we land on the northernend of Onekotan Island, where we enjoy an easytwo-kilometre walk to Black Lake. This lake liesin the lee of Volcano Nemo. Beautiful wildflowerscarpet the meadows surrounding the lake.Among the birds here it is possible to see theRed-throated and Buff-bellied Pipits,Greenshank and Rough-legged Buzzard. Southof Onekotan is a cluster of four islands,Kharimkotan, Chirinkotan, Ekarma andShiashkotan. We will go ashore on some, or allof these, depending on weather and seaconditions. Good numbers of Tufted and HornedPuffins, Common, Pigeon and Brünnich’sGuillemots, Black-legged Kittiwake, Slaty-backed Gull, Crested Auklet, Red-facedCormorant and Northern Fulmar can be seen onand around these islands.

Day 9Raikoke Island has a reputation as one of the‘must sees’ of this trip. Unbelievable numbers ofNorthern Fulmar nest on Raikoke. It is not a largeisland (just 4.6sq km) and we will either view itfrom the Spirit of Enderby or land with thezodiacs if conditions are right. This island is alsoa breeding site for Steller’s Sea Lions. In theafternoon we visit Matua and nearby ToporkoviIsland. There are military remains on MatuaIsland dating from World War II when theJapanese occupied it. On shore SiberianRubythroat are common.

Other birds sighted here include NarcissusFlycatcher, Rough-legged Buzzard, andHarlequin Duck. Around the island is a great dealof seabird and marine mammal activity. TuftedPuffins are the most abundant along with the all-black Pigeon Guillemot. Other seabirds include

Common Guillemot, Crested and WhiskeredAuklets, Northern Fulmar and Black-leggedKittiwake. Steller’s Sea Lion and Harbour Sealcan also be seen here.

Further south are Yankicho and PiponkichaIslands, which are part of the Ushishir group.They are the submerged remains of a largevolcano, and they support birdlife that is nothingshort of spectacular. A visitor has said “Thesound is like a symphony, as if each birdcontributes a different note – fulmar, puffin,auklet and murre”. We land here and enjoy thisamazing island. There is a pleasant walk and hotpools to soak in when you have had enough ofthe wildlife.

Day 10Conditions permitting we will land at KetoyIsland, where there are Red-faced and PelagicCormorants, Slaty-backed Gull, Harlequin Duckand Black-backed Wagtail. On shore we canexpect among others Siberian Rubythroat,Eastern Crowned Warbler and EurasianNutcracker. Rough-legged Buzzard, White-tailedEagle and Peregrine Falcon can also be seen.At the northern end of Shimushir Island there is a huge caldera that gives easy access toslopes of Karlomyy Volcano. We hopeconditions permit so that we can get ashore and spend the afternoon amongst thisspectacular scenery.

Day 11We plan an early morning zodiac cruise aroundBroutona Island, a small island with anenormous colony of Northern Fulmars. It is likelywe will find the same or similar at nearby Chirpoyand Brat Chirpoyev. The afternoon is spent atNatalyia Bay on Urup Island; a great place to

Humpback Whale

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Spirit of Enderby

Siberian Rubythroat

Zodiacs cruising

Steller’s Sea-Eagle


enjoy some walks ashore. There is a greatdiversity of wildlife both onshore and offshore.Seabirds include Common and SpectacledGuillemots, Ancient and Long-billed Murrelets,Rhinoceros Auklet, Tufted Puffin, HarlequinDuck, Goosander, Pelagic and JapaneseCormorants, Slaty-backed Gull, Northern Fulmarand Steller’s Sea Eagle. Offshore we would beable to spot Dall’s Porpoise, Sea Otter andHarbour Seal, including the Kuril Islandsubspecies.

Day 12At Iturup Island we plan to anchor off Kurilisk,the main village on the island with a populationof about 10,000 people. Iturup Island, alongwith Kunashir, Shikotan and Haboniai Islands,has been administered by Russia since 1945 butJapan still claims them. We have an opportunityto meet with the local Russian folk and enjoytheir hospitality and the activities they haveorganized.

Day 13Today we visit Kunashir Island. Over one third ofthis island is protected as nature reserves. Thesouthern part of Kunashir has a particularly highbiodiversity. Many species of plants common onthe island are rare and endangered elsewhere.Rare birds here include Red-crowned Crane,Blakiston’s Fish Owl, two sea eagles andMountain Hawk-Eagle. We plan a full day here,with many options including nature walks, hotthermal pools and an opportunity to visit themain centre of Yuzhno-Kurilisk.

Day 14Today we have a full day at sea as we cross toSahkalin Island.

Day 15We berth at the Port of Korsakov and transfer toYuzhno-Sakhalinsk to connect with ourinternational flight to London (via Moscow),where we arrive later the same day.

ItineraryDay 1 Depart LondonDay 2 Arrive Petropavlovsk.

Embark the Spirit of EnderbyDay 3 At seaDay 4 Commander IslandsDay 5 Zhuponavo River,

Kamchatka PeninsulaDay 6 Russkaya FjordDay 7 Atlasova IslandDay 8 Onekotan IslandDay 9 Raikoke Island Day 10 Ketoy Island and Shimushir

IslandDay 11 Broutina IslandDay 12 Iturup Island Day 13 Kunashir IslandDay 14 Sahkalin IslandDay 15 Disembark the Spirit of

Enderby at Korsakov. DepartYuzhno-Sakhalinsk and fly toLondon


Total cost for 15 days in 2007:Main Deck Triple Cabin . . . . . . . . . . .£4,599

Main Deck Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£5,199 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single cabin £7,899

Superior Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£5,599 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single cabin £8,399

Superior Plus Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . . .£5,899

Mini Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£6,299

Heritage Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£6,699

The Tour Price Does Not Include● Travel Insurance● Items of a personal nature● Laundry● Beverages● Excess baggage charges● Any Visa fees● Gratuities● Meals while not on board ship


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CRUISE ON THE SPIRIT OF ENDERBY

The Subantarctic Islands Snares, Auckland, Macquarie, Campbell, Antipodes and Bounty Islands of

New Zealand & Australia – Escorted Wildlife & Photography Tour

Friday 02 November – Friday 23 November 2007Leader: Richard Coomber

The seldom visited, remote and unspoilt Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia are the jewels of the southern oceans. They include the

Snares Islands, the Auckland Islands, Macquarie, Campbell, the Antipodes and the Bounty Islands. These islands are numbered amongst the last

unspoilt environments on Earth. They are home to a rich diversity of seabirds, marine mammals and plants, many of which are found nowhere else in

the world. Seven species of great albatross come ashore to breed, as do many different species of petrels, prions and shearwaters. Eight species of

penguin, three of which are endemic, breed on these islands and the world's rarest sea lion makes its home in the Auckland and Campbell group. To

ensure the continued protection of these impressive wonderful islands visitor numbers are limited. Cruises for Nature are pleased to offer this new

cruise to these isolated refuges for millions of seabirds, rare mammals and the megaherbs (the oddly large plants brought back from the verge of

extinction only a few years ago). For seabird lovers this offers probably the finest pelagic anywhere in the world with outstanding birding to these

distant islands which are one of the world’s best-kept secrets. We shall be sailing on the Spirit of Enderby – she was refurbished in 2004 and is ideally

suited to expedition cruising, taking just 48 passengers. This will be our second cruise with her to these islands, after our very successful trip in 2005.

ITINERARY

Days 1 to 3We leave London in the afternoon on ascheduled flight to Christchurch. We arrive intoChristchurch on the morning of the third day andconnect with the domestic flight to Invercargill,New Zealand's southernmost city. It wasestablished by Scottish settlers and has a wealthof rich fertile land where sheep and diary farmspredominate. We transfer to our hotel where wehave time to relax, have dinner and stayovernight.

Day 4We take breakfast at leisure. Later, we visit theSouthland Museum to view the specialSubantarctic display, before being transferred bycoach to the Port of Bluff (27km to the south ofInvercargill) where we board the Spirit ofEnderby. We begin our great adventure anddepart for the Snares Islands.

Day 5The Snares is the first of the Subantarctic Islandson our cruise. It is an amazing place – more birdsnest here, on this small island, than there areseabirds around the entire British Isles! We arriveearly in the morning and as landings are notpermitted we shall take zodiac cruises along thesheltered eastern side. While cruising in theseprotected bays we should see the endemicSnares Penguins as well as Tomtit and Fernbird.Cape Petrels, White-fronted Terns and Red-billedGulls are around the coastline. An estimated sixmillion Sooty Shearwaters nest on the Snares,and Buller’s Albatross breed here from earlyJanuary onwards and we should see some asthey prospect the nesting areas.

Day 6Today we arrive off the Auckland Islands, one ofthe largest of the Subantarctic Islands, which hasa most colourful history of discovery andattempted settlement. We shall land at SandyBay on Enderby Island, a great island for itsnatural history. We see the main breedingground for the Hooker’s Sea Lion and some ofthe birds should include Southern Royal andLight-mantled Albatrosses, Northern Giant

Royal Penguin


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Petrel, Auckland Islands Shag, Auckland IslandsTeal, Double-banded Plover, Tomtit, NewZealand Bellbird, Red-crowned Parakeet and theendangered Yellow-eyed Penguin. We spendsome time searching for the very tameSubantarctic Snipe, which we have a very goodchance of seeing. Other more common speciesinclude Goldfinch, Song Thrush, Blackbird,European Starling and Redpoll, all introduced bysettlers in the past.

Day 7This morning we cruise to Carnley Harbour in thesouth of the main Auckland Islands. There will bean opportunity for those energetic participants toclimb to the Shy Albatross colony at SouthwestCape. Wandering Albatross nest above thecolony amongst tussock grass and we shouldget good views of these birds, as they will benesting at this time. There will be an optionalexploration of the coastal forest, with a chance tosee New Zealand Falcon and enjoy closeencounters with other woodland species. Wedepart the Auckland Islands in the mid-afternoonto head southwest towards Macquarie Island.

Day 8Whilst at sea there will be a series of lectures,supported by videos, on the biology and historyof the Subantarctic Islands and the southernocean. The Subantarctic Convergence istraditionally very close to the area we sailthrough, so we should expect the birdlife toreflect this as we get closer to Macquarie Island.We will be at sea all day which gives us anopportunity to study the acknowledged mastersof these latitudes, the albatrosses, includingWandering, Royal, Shy, Light-mantled, Grey-headed and Black-browed plus many variedpetrels such as White-chinned, Mottled, White-headed and Cape as well as Common Diving-

Petrel and Grey-backed and Black-bellied Storm-Petrels. This will be pelagic birding at its best!

Days 9 & 10We arrive at Macquarie Island, the only place tosee the Royal Penguin, and they are inabundance here. King Penguins will be seen,comically shuffling along the beaches, as theyare also here, in large numbers. Two furtherpenguin species breed on Macquarie Island, insmaller numbers, the Gentoo and theRockhopper. Along the coast we will see theMacquarie Shags. We plan landings at both theAnare base and at Sandy Bay where SouthernElephant Seals slumber and Subantarctic FurSeal pups inquisitively come bounding to greetus. We also take a zodiac cruise aroundLusitania Bay, where there is a huge KingPenguin colony, numbering a quarter of a millionindividuals. From Macquarie Island we lift anchorto sail to our next stop, Campbell Island.

Day 11We spend the day at sea travelling to CampbellIsland. This sea area regularly has patrollingpods of Orcas and the seabirds will include asimilar range as en-route to Macquarie Island.The albatrosses will be in large numbers and we should add the likes of Blue and Soft-plumaged Petrels.

Day 12Arriving early in the morning we spend the dayexploring the island by foot from PerseveranceHarbour. Campbell Island is a magnificent island.Rats have recently been successfully removedwith an encouraging increase in the number ofsmall birds being observed, most notably theAustralasian Pipit. There are some great birdingand photographic opportunities on this island. TheSouthern Royal Albatross colony is accessible and

the route passes many early flowering megaherbs;the regeneration of these plants since the removalof the sheep in the 1970's & 1980's is a spectacleto behold. During the day ashore we should seeLight-mantled Albatross, Northern Giant Petrel,Brown Skua, Red-billed Gull, the endemicCampbell Island Shag and even more familiar, thatcommon British bird, the Dunnock.

Day 13We spend the day at sea, en-route to theAntipodes. We can relax aboard the ship orcome onto the decks, for this is a day for pelagicbirding. Species commonly seen in this areainclude Wandering (of various forms, to test theidentification skills!), Southern Royal, Black-browed (and the distinct race, Campbell), Light-mantled, Shy (now also the form called Salvin’s)and Grey-headed Albatrosses, Northern andSouthern Giant Petrels and Sooty and LittleShearwaters. This region of the Southern Oceanis one of the few places where Fairy, Fulmar andAntarctic Prions occur together providing a goodopportunity for comparison and discussion.Other species to be looked for include Soft-plumaged, Mottled, White-headed, Great-wingedand White-chinned Petrels, Grey-backed,Wilson’s and Black-bellied Storm-Petrels andCommon Diving-Petrel.

Day 14Antipodes Island is one of the most isolated, leastknown and rugged of New Zealand’sSubantarctic Islands. Landings are not permitted;so we plan to zodiac cruise along the coastline,where we have a good chance of seeing bothAntipodes and Red-crowned Parakeets. Weshould enjoy good views of both Erect-crestedand Rockhopper Penguins, which breed alongthis coastline. There are usually also goodnumbers of both Antarctic Tern and Kelp Gull.

Chatham Albatross

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Megaherbs on Campbell Island

Day 15In the early morning we arrive at the BountyIslands, inhospitable granite knobs lashed by thesouthern ocean. Thousands of Salvin’sAlbatrosses will be wheeling above this breedingisland as we make our approach. We takezodiacs and look for Erect-crested Penguin,Fulmar Prions and yet another island endemic,Bounty Island Shag. Later, we depart for theChatham Islands.

Day 16We can relax and enjoy the cruise as we shouldarrive at the Chatham Archipelago during theafternoon. From the decks we shall try to spotthe Chatham Petrel and we will be keeping aclose watch for the very rare Magenta Petrel orTaiko. As we approach we may see Great-winged Petrels and Broad-billed Prions. We shallencircle the spectacular Pyramid Rock, the solebreeding place for the beautiful ChathamAlbatross, another stunning form; thousands willbe flying around the stack.

Day 17At South East Island (Rangatira), one of theworld’s greatest nature reserves, we take azodiac cruise (landings are not permitted) andshould obtain good views of ChathamOystercatcher and the very rare Shore Plover.We should also see the Pitt Island Shag, Tui,Tomtit, Red-crowned Parakeet and maybe LittlePenguin. This afternoon we cruise past Mangereand Little Mangere Islands, from where theendemic Black Robin was rescued in the 1970’swhen the total population was down to only sixbirds. We will relate the story of how the BlackRobin was saved from extinction. This eveningwe sail across Pitt Strait to the main ChathamIslands and pass the Tuku valley where theMagenta Petrel breeds.

Day 18This morning we land at Waitangi, the mainsettlement on the Chatham Islands. Near thelanding we should see the endemic ChathamIsland Shag. Local buses and Land Roverstransport us down the south coast to the TukuReserve. Here on private land, and guided by thelocal people, we enjoy a bush walk in the hopeof seeing the Chatham Gerygone and the hugeand impressive New Zealand Pigeon. Much ofthe main Chatham Islands have been developedfor farming and many introduced European birdscan be seen in this area. We return to the Spiritof Enderby in the early afternoon and depart forDunedin.

Days 19 & 20En route to Dunedin we cross what is known asthe Chatham Rise. It is a relatively shallow areaof water, compared to the rest of the surroundingocean, and is one of the best places for watchingbirds and cetaceans, due to an overlap of thesouthern and more temperate species. Some ofthe birds found here include Wandering, Royal,Black-browed and Shy Albatrosses, NorthernGiant, Cape, Westland Black, White-chinned,Great-winged and Cook’s Petrels, Flesh-footed,Buller’s, Sooty and Little Shearwaters, Fairy andBroad-billed Prions, Grey-backed and White-faced Storm-Petrels and Common Diving-Petrel.It will be a good time to be on the bridge. Wehave our farewell dinner this evening, as thecruise is now almost complete.

Days 21 & 22We arrive in Dunedin and after completingformalities we disembark. We should have sometime to explore a little of the city, before wetransfer to the airport to catch our afternoon flightto Christchurch. We then connect with ourevening flight to London, arriving next morning.

ItineraryDay 1 Depart LondonDay 2 In transitDay 3 Arrive Christchurch, fly to

InvercargillDay 4 Embark the Spirit of Enderby

at Port of Bluff Day 5 Snares IslandDays 6-7 Auckland IslandsDay 8 At seaDays 9-10 Macquarie IslandDay 11 At seaDay 12 Campbell IslandDay 13 At seaDay 14 Antipodes Island Day 15 Bounty IslandsDay 16 Pyramid RockDay 17 South East IslandsDay 18 Chatham IslandsDays 19-20 At seaDay 21 Disembark the Spirit of

Enderby at Dunedin, departChristchurch

Day 22 Arrive London


Total cost for 22 days in 2007:Main Deck Triple Cabin . . . . . . . . . . .£5,499Main Deck Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£5,999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single cabin £9,599

Superior Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£6,999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single cabin £10,999

Superior Plus Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . . .£7,399Mini Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£7,699Heritage Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£7,999

The Tour Price Does Not Include● Travel Insurance● Items of a personal nature● Laundry● Beverages● Excess baggage charges● Any Visa fees ● Gratuities ● Meals while not on board ship

Buller’s Albatross


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Deck Plan

Bridge Deck

Boat Deck

Baltic Deck

Mediterranean Deck

Caribbean Deck

Atlantic Deck

penguinlounge

sundeck

pool

wc wc

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library

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Salon Deck

Yacht Deck

Explorer Deck

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The Explorer was specifically designed for the rigours of expeditioncruising as well as the safety, comfort and convenience of her passengers.She was the first expedition ship ever constructed, not a convertedfreighter or research vessel. Her compact size, shallow draft and ice-strengthened double hull were specifically designed for challengingmarine environments and exploratory travel, while her cabins andcommon areas were conceived for passenger comfort and enjoyment.

The 107-passenger Andrea entered service in 2003 after an extensiverenovation in Sweden. She was formerly the Norwegian coastal vessel,Haral Jarl, which sailed around the fjords of Norway and was engineeredto be able to travel to remote ports that are inaccessible to larger vessels.As she is a traditional vessel, which has been converted to luxury cruisingeach cabin is unique but all have modern comforts. She has beentastefully decorated in 18th century Scandinavian Gustavian style and thedelightful Shearwater Restaurant features a single sitting for meals, whichgives her a special intimacy.Ship Specifications

Built/Refurbished: 1969/2004Type: Passenger Vessel,

108 Passengers maxRegistry: LiberiaCruising range: 8,000 nautical milesSpeed/Consumption: 10 knots

economic cruising/10 metrictonnes per 24 hrs

Tonnage: 2,398 grtLength: 75m

Amenities & Facilities● Comfortable lounge/bar● Cinema/lecture hall● Dining room● Library● Gift shop● Pool● Sun deck● Fitness centre and sauna● Overnight laundry service● Fully equipped medical office

Each cabin has: private bathroomwith shower, individual climatecontrol, wall mounted hair dryer,220-volt (AC current) electricaloutlets, 110-volt shaving socketsfor electric razors.

Captain’s Double

Two lower berths.Cabins 100-109

Amundsen Suite

One double berth.

MP Suite

One double berth.

Superior

Two lower berths except for onecabin which has one upper andone lower berth.Cabins 142,144,146,148

Main Double

Two lower berths.Cabins 204-223

Main Forward

One upper and one lower berth.Cabins 202-203

Lower Triple

One upper and two lower berths.Cabins 312-315

Lower Double

Located on Explorer Deck with twolower berths.Cabins 304-311

Lower Forward

One upper and one lower berth.Cabins 302-303

Ship SpecificationsRefurbished: 2003Type: Passenger Vessel,

107 Passengers maxRegistry: LiberiaSpeed: 14 knots Tonnage: 2,632 grtLength: 286 ftBeam: 43.6 ft

Amenities & Facilities● Comfortable Lounges & Bar● Restaurant & Cafe● Library● Gift Shop● Fitness Centre ● Elevator● Laundry service● Fully equipped medical office

Each cabin has: Private bathroomwith shower, lower beds, individualclimate control, hair dryer, 220-volt(AC current) electrical outlets,110-volt shaving sockets for electricrazors, TV with satellite accessand safe.

Suite

King bed.

Superior

Two lower berths.

King Double

Two lower berths.

Outside Double

Two lower berths.

Inside Double

Two lower berths.

Outside Triple

Two lower and one upper berth.

Outside Single

One lower berth.

AndreaExplorer

Explorer II

Deck Plan

Upper Deck Middle Deck Lower Deck

Promenade

Deck

Bridge

Deck

A Deck B Deck

Spirit of Enderby

Deck Plan

Ship SpecificationsBuilt/Refurbished: 1984/

New Zealand 2004Type: Passenger Vessel,

48 Passengers maxPropulsion: Two, 1,156

horsepower, diesel enginesSpeed: 12 knotsLength: 72mBeam: 12.8mIce strengthened hull

Amenities & Facilities● Bar● Dining hall ● Lounge● Library● Zodiacs● Medical centre● Open bridge policy● Laundry● Lecture theatre

Heritage Suite

Large lounge area, a separatesmall bedroom with double bed, asingle bed in the main room whichhas large forward and side facingwindows and a private bathroomwith shower, toilet and washbasin.Cabin 513

Mini Suite

Separate small bedroom withthree quarter bed, a couch bed inthe main room, windows, a desk

and a private bathroom with ashower, toilet and washbasin.Cabin 517

Superior Plus

Twin-bedded cabins with twolower berths, private bathroomwith shower, toilet and washbasinand outside windowCabins 411, 421, 425, 426, 505,509, 518, 521

Superior

Twin-bedded cabins with onelower and one upper berth, privatebathroom with shower, toilet andwashbasin and outside windowCabins 413, 415, 418, 420

Main Deck

Twin-bedded cabins with twolower berths, washbasin andportholes. The nearby showersand toilets are shared with othermain deck cabins.Cabins 309, 312, 313, 322, 326,327, 331, 332, 337

Main Deck Triple

Triple-bedded cabins with two lowerberth sand one upper berth,washbasin and portholes. Thenearby showers and toilets areshared with other main deck cabins.Cabin 321


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SP6

SP8

SP10SP12SP14SP16SP18SP20

SP1

SP3

SP5

SP7

SP9

SP11SP13SP15SP17

OS2S2S4S6S8S10

OS1S1S3S5S7S9

A2A6A10A14A18A22A26A30A32A34A36A40A44A46A48A50A54A58

A1A5A9A13A17A21A25A29A31A33A35A39A43A45A47A49A53A57

A62A64A68A72A74A76A80A84A88

A61A63A67A71A73A75A79A83A87

SA10SA14SA18SA22SA24B26B28B30B32B34B36B38B40

SA9SA13SA17SA21B23B25B27B29B31B33B35B37B39

The Spirit of Enderby is the complete expedition vessel, built in 1984 forpolar and oceanographic research; she is fully ice-strengthened and hasstabilisers for comfortable travel. She was refurbished in 2004 to providecomfortable accommodation for just 48 passengers. This class of vesselis world renown for polar cruising because of its strength, manoeuvrabilityand small passenger numbers.

Explorer II looks and feels like a country house hotel, but there’s strongsteel (including an ice-strengthened hull) behind the graceful exterior. Bowand stern thrusters make her extraordinarily manoeuvrable, and stabilizersminimise the effects of wind and water to help keep passengerscomfortable in remote seas. Zodiac auxiliary craft – safe, stable, motorizedrubber rafts – are the workhorses of any well-planned Antarctic expedition,and Explorer II carries a fleet of twelve. Explorer II boasts uncommonlyelegant guest quarters, among the most spacious and comfortableavailable on any Antarctic cruise.

Ship SpecificationsCountry of Registry: BahamasType: Passenger Vessel, 198

Passengers max for AntarcticaHull: Ice strengthenedEngines: 2 x Wartsila/PielstickGross Tonnage: 12,500 Speed: 16 knotsLength: 436 feetBeam: 66 feetDraft: 19 feetElectricity: 220 volts

Amenities & Facilities● Lounges● South Cape bar● Dining room● Sun deck● Lecture hall● Cinema● Cafe● Card room● Gym● Spa & sauna● Hair salon & boutique● Open bridge policy● Gift Shop● Laundry● Medical centre● Zodiacs

All cabins are on the outside andhave a sitting area, a privatebathroom, TV/DVD player, radio,hairdryer and direct dial satellitephone system

Category OS Owners Suite

Outside double cabin – separatesitting area and private balcony.

Category S Suite

Outside double cabin – separatesitting area and private balcony.

Category D Deluxe

Double cabin – window andseparate sitting area.

Category SP Superior

Double cabin – window.

Category A-Deck Standard

Double cabin – window or porthole.

Category B-Deck Standard


Category SA Standard



Deck Plan

Deck Plan

PO

LA

R S

TA

R &

KA

PIT

AN

KH

LE

BN

IKO

VD

EC

K P

LA

N

The Polar Star was built in Finland and served in the Swedish MaritimeAdministration’s fleet of icebreakers. In 2000 she was purchased by Polar StarExpeditions and underwent complete retrofit and upgrades. The Polar Star isone of the most safe and comfortable ice class vessels with safety standardsexceeding requirements for several years to come. The ship is certified forworldwide international voyages, complying with the latest SOLAS and IMFregulations for safety and the environment. She can take up to 105passengers on expedition cruises that by definition are to remote destinations.For shore excursions, she is equipped with ten 16-man zodiacs. The PolarStar is large enough to voyage to remote areas in comfort and small enoughto enter out of the way destinations that other vessels can only sail by.

The Kapitan Khlebnikov was built in Finland in 1981 and is one of threevessels of this class. Not simply an ice-reinforced ship, the KapitanKhlebnikov is a powerful polar class icebreaker, which has sailed toextremely remote corners of the globe with adventurous travellers since1992. No other expedition vessel has navigated more polar waters. It wasthe first ship ever to circumnavigate Antarctica with passengers in 1996-97. The ship's interior provides the passenger facilities necessary forexcellent comfort, with accommodation in 54 first class outside cabins andsuites. The vessel carries a maximum of 112 passengers. The atmosphereon board is relaxed and informal.

Ship SpecificationsBuilt/Converted: Finland 1969/

Canada 2001Type: Passenger Vessel,

105 Passengers maxPropulsion: Diesel Electric/12,000

BHp / 4 Propellers (2 each end)Owners: Karlsen Shipping

Norway ASFlag/Homeport: Barbados/

BridgetownCall Sign: 8PPKOfficial/Imo No: 725482/6905745Class: Dnv +1a1 Ice 1a*Speed/Consumption: 10 knots

economic cruising/10 metrictonnes per 24 hrs

Gross/Net Tonnage: 4998/1500Length: 80mBreadth: 21mDepth Moulded: 9.5mDraft (Summer): 6.8m

Amenities & Facilities● Panoramic lounge● Dining hall ● Polar Bar and lounge● Library● Zodiacs● Exercise Facilities● Laundry● Medical centre● Open bridge policy● Shop

Category C7

Suites, two room suites withdouble bed, shower & toiletCabins 401, 501

Category C6

Junior suites, with double bed,shower & toiletCabins 331-2, 409-10, 418, 507-8

Category C4

Superior double-bedded cabinswith shower, toilet & two windowsCabins 343-4, 433-4

Category C3

Twin-bedded cabins with twolower berths, shower, toilet &large windowCabins 333-334, 339-342, 423-432

Category C2

Twin-bedded cabins with twolower berths, shower, toilet & largewindowCabins 335-338, 411-417, 419-422

Category C1

Triple-bedded cabins with twolower and one upper berth &shared facilitiesCabins 324, 326, 328, 330

Ship SpecificationsBuilt: Finland 1981Type: Passenger Vessel,

112 Passengers maxPropulsion: Six Wartsila Diesel-

electric 24,000 total hpRegistry: RussianClass: KM*LL3 A2 IcebreakerGRT: 12,288 tonsCruising speed (open water):

15 knotsLength: 131mBreadth: 26.5mDraft: 8.5m

Amenities & Facilities● Lounge and bar● Two dining rooms ● Well-equipped auditorium● Library● Zodiacs● Gymnasium and sauna● Indoor swimming pool● Laundry● Medical centre● Passenger elevator● Shop

Corner Suite

Private facilities, two lower berths,a desk and large closetCabins 61, 66, 71, 72

Suite

Private facilities, two lower berths,a desk and large closetCabins 62, 65, 76

Twin Cabin

Private facilities, two lower berths,a desk and large closetCabins 519-523, 69, 610-624, 79,710-722, 724

Triple Cabin

Private facilities, three berths,a desk and closetCabins 59, 512, 514, 819, 823, 825

Kapitan KhlebnikovPolar Star50

850

7

501

434

432

430

428

426

424

431

429

427

425

423 42

141

942

242

0

417

415

418

416

413 411

414 412

409

410

401

341

339

337

335

333

331

342

340

338

336

334

33234

4

343

330

328

326

324

Deck 5

Deck 4

Deck 3

825

823

821

819

817

815

813

811

724

722

720

718

716

714

712

710

721

719

717

715

713

711

79

77

72

71

76

624

622

620

618

616

614

612

610

623

621

619

617

615

613

611

69

66

6265

61

522

520

518

516

514

512

510

523

521

519

517

515

513

511

59

Deck 8 Deck 7

Deck 6 Deck 5

Deck 4


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Conditions of BookingWhen you book a holiday with EXPEDITION CRUISES and CRUISES FORNATURE you will be looked after by one of the most experienced UK travelorganisations, which operates in this field. Our staff try to provide you with ahappy and memorable holiday and care about keeping it trouble-free. Givenbelow are details concerning various aspects of your holiday, explaining thecommitments you make to us and our obligations to you.

The conditions below form the contract between you, the customer andourselves, Expedition Cruising Limited. The contract is deemed to have beenmade at our registered offices in Chichester and is governed by English law. Weboth agree that any dispute, claim or other matter which arises out of or inconnection with this contract or your holiday will be dealt by the English Courtsonly. No variations to these conditions are permitted unless they have beenacknowledged by the company in writing.

Your Commitments to Expedition Cruising Limited

1. BOOKING PROCEDURE

To book a cruise please phone EXPEDITION CRUISES and CRUISES FORNATURE to determine the availability in the category you require and once acabin is confirmed please complete the booking form, which can be found at theback of this brochure, in block capitals and return it to our office together withthe payments referred to in clause 2 below. The Booking Form must be signedby the first named person on the booking (“the party leader”). The party leadermust be at least 18 and must be authorised to make the booking on the basisof these Booking Conditions by all persons named on the booking. By sendingthe Booking Form, the party leader confirms that he/she is so authorised andthat all party members agree to be bound by these booking conditions. Theparty leader is responsible for making all payments due to us.

On receipt of your Booking Form and all appropriate payments, we will, subjectto availability, confirm your holiday by issuing our confirmation invoice. At thispoint a binding contract comes into existence between us. This invoice will besent to the party leader. Please check this invoice carefully as soon as youreceive it. Contact us immediately if any information, which appears on theconfirmation invoice or any other document appears to be incorrect orincomplete as it may not be possible to make changes later. We regret wecannot accept any liability if we are not notified of any inaccuracies in anydocument within 10 days of our sending it out; 5 days for tickets.

2. PAYMENT

In order to confirm your chosen holiday, a deposit of 25% of the total cost of theholiday (or full payment if booking within 14 weeks of departure) must be paidat the time of booking. If you purchase the insurance policy we offer, allapplicable premiums must also be paid at the time of booking (you must beinsured – see clause 20).

The balance of the holiday cost is due 14 weeks before departure. (On rareoccasions the balance may be required earlier than this).

The balance due date will be shown on the confirmation invoice. Reminders arenot sent. If, for any reason, we do not receive all payments due (including anysurcharge where applicable) in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat yourbooking as cancelled by you. In this case the cancellation charges set out inclause 3 below will be payable.

If you fail to arrive at the time and place scheduled for departure, then (unlessyour booking has been validly cancelled by us under this clause or by you underclause 3 below) any unpaid balance of the total price including any adjustmentsunder clause 9 will be payable in full.

We have facilities for accepting payment by Visa or MasterCard, but there is a2.0% handling charge to cover the card company’s charges, if you wish to payby this method.

3. IF YOU CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY

A cancellation can only be accepted in WRITING from the party leader. Suchcancellations are not effective until received at this office. In the event of acancellation by any or all persons named on the Booking Form we will levy thecancellation charges set out below. These charges are based on the estimatedexpenses and losses suffered by us as a result of your cancellation. The scaleis as follows:

Period before departure Cancellation Charge as a % within which WRITTEN of the totalprice* for thecancellation is received: person(s) cancelling

Up to 98 days before departure Deposit only97 days - 1 day before departure 100%Departure day or after 100%

Please note that if the reason for the cancellation falls within the terms of yourholiday insurance policy, any such cancellation charges will normally berefunded to you by the insurance company, less any excess.

*Total Price excludes any insurance premiums, which are non-refundable in theevent of your cancellation.

Where you or any member of your party is prevented from travelling (e.g. as aresult of personal illness or injury, the serious illness or injury of a close familyrelative, jury service or unavoidable work commitments) that person maytransfer their place on the booking to someone else subject to the followingconditions. We must be notified of the need to transfer for the above reason notless than 28 days before departure. Transfer will not be possible where there isa waiting list of other clients who wish to go on the holiday in question.Documentary proof of the reason for the transfer must be produced with therequest (e.g. a letter from a doctor). All costs incurred or imposed by ourselvesor our suppliers in making the transfer must be met in full before the transfer canbe effected. For flight inclusive bookings, you must pay the charges levied bythe airline concerned. As most airlines do not permit name changes after ticketshave been issued for any reason, these charges are likely to be the full cost ofthe flight.

4. OTHER CONDITIONS

Except as is otherwise provided in these conditions, your booking is subjectto the conditions of the airlines, hotels, coach operators and other sub-contractors involved in providing your holiday, some of which may limit orexclude their liability to you usually in accordance with applicable InternationalConventions (see clause 11(4) below). These conditions can be viewed at ouroffices on request.

5. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

Below are listed the advised health precautions to take for each destinationwe travel to. Also, the visa requirements for British Citizens. Information on healthis contained in the Department of Health leaflet (Health Advice for Travellers)available from your local Department of Health Office and most post offices. A copywill be included in your joining instructions. For European holidays you shouldobtain an EHIC card prior to departure. Advice should always be sought from yourown GP and/or Health Centre. The websites at www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk andwww.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAdviceForTravellers also provide healthadvice for travellers.

British citizens require a full ten year British passport (expiring not less than sixmonths after the end of the holiday). Non-British citizens and British citizensholding non-British passports should obtain the necessary passport and visarequirements from the Embassy or Consulate of the country or countries to bevisited or travelled through in good time before departure. A ten year Britishpassport usually takes one month to obtain.

Health and Visa Checklist

This alphabetical list shows for each country:

r = Immunisation or tablets recommended for protection against disease, butnote that for Yellow Fever, pregnant women and infants under ninemonths should not normally be vaccinated and therefore should avoidbeing exposed to infection.

E = Immunisation is an essential requirement for entry to the countryconcerned and you will require a certificate.

E1 = Immunisation essential except for infants under one year (but note theadvice above).

E2 = Immunisation essential (except for infants under one year) unless arrivingfrom non-infected areas and staying for less than two weeks. The UK is anon-infected area, but if travelling via equatorial Africa or South America,seek medical advice.

E3 = Immunisation essential if the traveller arrives from an infected country orarea (this will not apply if your journey is direct from the UK). The lowerage limit varies.

E4 = Immunisation essential if the traveller arriving within 6 days of visiting aninfected country. This will not apply if your journey is direct from the UK.

E5 = Immunisation essential for entry to the country from endemic areas,travelling to Easter Island

D = Check immunised against diphtheria.

M = Meningitis, depending on area visited and time of year.

a) = Depends on area visited.

b) = Recommended for all travellers going to Chiapas, Darién and San Blas.

d) = Applies only to travellers to the Azores and Madeira.

VISA REQUIREMENT – applicable to British Citizens holding British Passports

COUNTRY HEP. APOLIO YELLOW VISA

TYPHOID MALARIA FEVER OTHER REQS

ARGENTINA r r a)

AZORES r E3

CHILE r E5

ECUADOR r r a) E3 r a)

FALKLAND ISLANDS

NORWAY

MEXICO

NEW ZEALAND

PERU r r a) E3 r a)

RUSSIA r a) YES

USA YES

Visa Waver Scheme see below

A Visa Waver Scheme exists for the United States of America but there are manyexceptions. It is the client’s responsibility to ensure they comply with the USA’sentry requirements. If your flight touches down in the USA you are not allowedto remain in transit and visa requirements will apply.

Full details of how to obtain visas will be sent out with the Party Instructions aftera booking has been made. It is the client’s responsibility to make sure that theyhave the necessary visa for their holidays.

6. COMPLAINTS

In the unlikely event that you have any reason to complain or experience anyproblems with your holiday whilst away, you must immediately inform arepresentative and the supplier of the service(s) in question. Any verbal notificationmust be put in writing and given to our representative and the supplier as soon aspossible. Until we know about a problem or complaint, we cannot begin to resolveit. If your problem is not resolved to your satisfaction on the spot, you must writeto us as soon as possible, preferably within 28 days of the date of your scheduledreturn from holiday. In any event, we cannot accept liability for any claims, whichare not notified to ourselves within 3 months of your return to the UK.

Our Commitment to You

7. YOUR RESERVATION

On receipt of your signed Booking Form and deposit we shall reserve yourholiday. Your booking is taken to be confirmed and accepted in respect of allpersons travelling when we despatch our confirmation/account to the party leader.

The holiday costs include travel, accommodation and services as detailed. Theinclusive terms do include Airport Taxes (for flights included in the itinerary) andduties. Not included in our inclusive terms are insurance premiums, visa fees,vaccination charges, excess baggage charges, telephone calls, laundry services,additional snacks, drinks and anything else of a purely personal nature.Occasionally gratuities are included but normally they are an additional cost.

8. PRICE FLUCTUATIONS

The prices in this Programme are calculated as at 17 July 2006, using thefollowing exchange rates (as quoted in the Financial Times Guide to WorldCurrencies on that date):

Euro ............................1.45 US Dollar ....................1.81

The price of your holiday is subject to surcharges on the following items: dues,taxes or fees chargeable for services such as landing taxes or embarkation ordisembarkation fees at ports and airports, currency fluctuations, transportationcosts, e.g. fuel, scheduled air fares and any other airline surcharges which are partof the contract between airline (and their agents) and the tour operator/organiser,and increases in transfer and other transport costs at the holiday destination.

We reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices.We will do so as soon as we become aware of the error. Please note, changesand errors occasionally occur. You must check the price of your chosen holidayat the time of booking.

9. IF WE CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR BOOKING

The Company reserves the right to make changes to and correct errors inbrochure and other details both before and after bookings have been confirmedand cancel confirmed bookings, subject to the following limitations

a) In the rare event of overbooking by a hotel of which we are not aware beforeyour departure, you will on arrival be offered alternative accommodation.Reasonable compensation for the disturbance will be offered if the locationand/or facilities of the alternative accommodation can reasonably beregarded as inferior to that originally booked. We will take all reasonablesteps to ensure that holidays are not cancelled or altered as a result ofoverbooking of hotels/lodges/tented camps.

b) i) We will not cancel your holiday 6 weeks or less before departure unlesswe are forced to do so as a result of circumstances amounting to "forcemajeure" as defined in paragraph e) below or where you have failed to

comply with any requirement of these booking conditions entitling us tocancel (such as paying on time).

ii) We will not make significant changes to your holiday arrangements 6weeks or less before departure without paying you compensation as setout in this paragraph, subject to the exceptions mentioned below.

iii) We will not make any significant changes to your holiday arrangementsunless we are able to notify you not later than 14 days before the holidayis due to commence (providing you have given us a telephone number bywhich you can be contacted during and out of working hours) unless weare forced to do so as a result of circumstances amounting to “forcemajeure” as defined in paragraph e) below or where the balance has notbeen paid on time in whole or part.

c) If we are compelled to cancel or make a significant change to your holidayarrangements, we will inform you without delay. We will then give you thechoice of either accepting the altered travel arrangements (in case of asignificant change) or purchasing an alternative holiday of comparablestandard if available (with you paying or receiving a refund in respect of anyprice difference) or receiving a prompt and full refund of all monies paid to us.The choice will be left open to you for seven days and, if you have not madeyour choice by the end of that time, we may assume you have chosen a refund.Any refund will then be despatched to you within 10 days of our notifying youof the alteration or cancellation. In addition, if we cancel or make a significantchange to your holiday 6 weeks or less before departure, we will pay youcompensation in accordance with the following scale except where thecancellation or significant change is made as a result of unusual andunforeseeable circumstances beyond our control (such as those mentioned ine) “force majeure” below, the consequences of which we could not haveavoided even with all due care or because you have failed to make payment infull by the due date or in the case of cancellation only, because where aninsufficient number of people have booked your chosen holiday - in this caseyou will be notified not less than eight weeks before your scheduled departuredate.

Scale for Compensation

Period before scheduled departure date within which a significant change orcancellation is notified to you

Compensation per person

More than 8 weeks nilWithin 8 weeks £10Within 2 weeks £25

No compensation is payable for minor changes and save for the compensationpayments set out above, we will be under no further liability to you.

d) A significant change to your holiday arrangements is one which is made beforedeparture involving a significant change of places of visit or stay, a reduction inthe category of accommodation provided for the whole, or an extended periodof the holiday, a change in departure time or length of holiday by more than 12hours, a change of UK departure airport (except between Heathrow, Gatwickand Stansted) to one which is significantly less convenient for you or asignificant change of itinerary. A change of leader is not a significant change.

e) Force majeure means any event which either we or the supplier of theservice(s) in question could not have foreseen or avoided, even with all duecare such as, by way of example, war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, terroristactivity, nuclear disaster, natural disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions,industrial disputes which unavoidably prevent a carrier, hotelier or othersupplier from performing their contract and all similar events outside ourcontrol. In these booking conditions except where otherwise expresslystated, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay you any compensationwhere the performance or prompt performance of our contractual obligationis prevented or affected by or you otherwise suffer any damage or loss (asmore fully described in clause 11(a) below) as a result of “force majeure”.

f) Very rarely, we may be forced to curtail your holiday after the date of departurewhere circumstances amounting to force majeure, as defined above, occur. Inthis very unusual situation, we regret we cannot make any refunds, exceptwhere these are obtained from any supplier, or be responsible for the paymentof any compensation or other costs of expenses incurred by you as a result.

10. FLIGHT DELAYS

We will not, except to the extent that we are obliged to do so by Condition 9instead of a change in flight timing of which we learn before you are due todepart, accept responsibility for delays in flight departure (whether or not theyexceed the period for which cover is provided by your insurance, and whetheror not you decide to abandon your holiday as a result). In the case of extendeddelays on the outward or return journey, it is the responsibility of the airline toprovide refreshments and accommodation.

11. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

(1) We promise to make sure that all parts of the holiday we have agreed toarrange as part of our contract are provided to a reasonable standard and inaccordance with that contract. We also accept responsibility for what ouremployees, agents and suppliers do or do not do. We will not, however, beresponsible for any injury, illness, death, loss (for example, loss ofenjoyment), damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any descriptionwhatsoever which results from any of the following:


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(a) the fault of the person(s) affected or any member(s) of their party or

(b) the fault of a third party not connected with the provision of your holidaywhich we could not have predicted or avoided or

(c) an event or circumstances which we or the supplier of the service(s) inquestion could not have predicted or avoided even after taking allreasonable care (see clause 9).

(d) the fault of anyone who was not carrying out work for us (generally or inparticular) at the time.

In addition, we will not be responsible where you do not enjoy your holiday orsuffer any problems because of a reason you did not tell us about when youbooked your holiday or where any problems you suffer did not result from anybreach of our contract or other fault of ourselves or, where we were responsiblefor them, our suppliers or agents or where any losses, expenses, costs or othersum you have suffered relate to any business.

Please note, we cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not formpart of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services orfacilities which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you wherethe services or facilities are not advertised in our brochure and we have notagreed to arrange them.

(2) The promises we make to you about the services we have agreed to provideor arrange as part of our contract - and the laws and regulations of thecountry in which your claim or complaint occurred - will be used as the basisfor deciding whether the services in question had been properly provided. Ifthe particular services which gave rise to the claim or complaint compliedwith local laws and regulations applicable to those services at the time, theservices will be treated as having been properly provided. This will be thecase even if the services did not comply with the laws and regulations of theUK which would have applied had those services been provided in the UK.

(3) We limit the maximum amount we may have to pay you for any and all claimsor parts of claims which do not involve personal injury, illness or death. Exceptwhere loss of and/or damage to luggage or personal possessions isconcerned or a lower limitation of liability applies to your claim, the maximumamount we will have to pay you for such non personal injury claims if we arefound liable to you on any basis is twice the price (excluding insurancepremiums and amendment charges) paid by or on behalf of the person(s)affected in total. This maximum amount will only be payable where everythinghas gone wrong and you have not received any benefit at all from your holiday.

Where we are found liable for loss of and/or damage to any luggage orpersonal possessions (including money), the maximum amount we will have topay you is £35.00 per person affected as you are assumed to have taken outadequate insurance at the time of booking. Please also see clause 11(4) below.

(4) Where any claim or part of a claim concerns or is based on any travelarrangements (including the process of getting on and off the transportconcerned) provided by any air, sea, rail or road carrier or any stay in a hotel,the maximum amount of compensation we will have to pay you will be limited.The most we will have to pay you for that claim or that part of a claim if we arefound liable to you on any basis is the most the carrier or hotel keeperconcerned would have to pay under the international convention which appliesto the travel arrangements or hotel stay in question (for example, the WarsawConvention as amended for international travel by air and/or for airlines with anoperating licence granted by an EU country, the EU Regulation on Air CarrierLiability for national and international travel by air, the Athens convention forinternational travel by sea). When making any payment, we are entitled todeduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from thetransport provider or hotelier for the complaint or claim in question.

(5) You must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we mayreasonably require. You must also tell us and the supplier concerned aboutyour claim or complaint as set out in clause 12 below. If asked to do so, youmust transfer to us or our insurers any rights you have against the supplieror whoever else is responsible for your claim or complaint (if the personconcerned is under 18, their parent or guardian must do so). You must alsoagree to cooperate fully with us and our insurers if we or our insurers wantto enforce any rights which are transferred.

If you or any member of your party suffers illness, injury or death, throughmisadventure, as a result of an activity which does not form part of yourcontracted holiday arrangements, we will provide you with all reasonableassistance. This assistance may include our making a contribution towards yourinitial legal costs in taking action against the person(s) responsible providingyou request this within 90 days of the incident in question. All assistance(financial or otherwise) is subject to our reasonable discretion and a maximumtotal cost to ourselves of £5,000 per booking form. If you are entitled to have anycosts and expenses arising from such an incident met by or from any insurancepolicy or if you obtain a costs order against anyone in relation to the incident,you must repay to us the costs and expenses we spend in assisting you.

12. LIABILITIES

Where we have complied with our responsibilities as set out in Condition 11,we will accept no liability in respect of:

a) death or physical injury or illness save as provided for in Condition 11(b);

b) loss or damage to goods;

c) loss, damage, or delay or misdirection of your luggage or effects.

We strongly recommend that you check that the cover for personal baggageunder our Travel Master insurance is adequate, in particular if cameras, jewelleryor other valuable items are to be carried.

All clients are expected to behave with all due consideration for their fellowtravellers and accompanying leaders/guides as well as local people. We reservethe right to terminate the holiday arrangements of any person who, in ouropinion, or in the opinion of any accommodation owner or manager, airline pilotor other person in authority, is or is likely to cause danger, disruption orannoyance to any of our clients, personnel or any third party or to causedamage to property. In these circumstances, our responsibilities for yourholiday, including any return journey, will immediately cease and fullcancellation charges will apply. Further, we will not be responsible for meetingany costs or expenses you may incur as a result or for making any refunds orpaying compensation.

When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or losscaused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damageor loss must be paid direct at the time to the accommodation owner or manageror other supplier. If you fail to do so, you will be responsible for meeting anyclaims subsequently made against us (together with our own and the otherparty’s full legal costs) as a result of your actions.

13. LICENCE

Bookings are accepted subject, where applicable, to the grant of licences by theCivil Aviation Authority and ratification by the Department of Trade and Industry.

14. AIR TRAVEL

a) The air holidays featured in this brochure are based on scheduled andchartered services of IATA airlines. The conditions of carriage of any airline orother transport operator used will apply, some of which may limit or excludetheir liability to you, often in accordance with international conventions. Theresponsibility of IATA airlines in connection with the tours in this brochure islimited to the carriage of passengers and their luggage in accordance withthe Conditions of Carriage of the participating airlines. In other respects thisbrochure is issued on the sole responsibility of the Tour Operator and not onbehalf of, and it does not commit, the airline(s) mentioned therein or anyairline whose services are used in the course of the tours.

b) Flights are scheduled to be operated by the airlines as detailed in theappropriate tour details where you will find also the airports of destination.We reserve the right to substitute alternative airlines, aircraft and airports ofdestination, subject to Condition 9, which changes will not be significantones entitling you to cancel without penalty.

15. DISABILITIES AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Please note that our holidays and tours may not be suitable for people withcertain disabilities or medical conditions. Should any member of your partysuffer from any disability or medical condition which may affect their holiday, youmust provide full details on your booking form including any specificrequirements that person has. The booking form must additionally beaccompanied by written confirmation that all assistance that the personconcerned requires will be provided by other party members as outsideassistance may often not be available. We regret that we must reserve the rightto decline any booking whenever we feel unable to accommodate the needs ofany particular client. We further reserve the right to cancel any holiday andimpose cancellation charges if we are not fully advised of any relevant disabilityor medical condition at the time the booking is made.

16. SPECIAL REQUESTS

Any special request you have (e.g. diet) must be clearly noted on the booking format the time of booking. Whilst we will endeavour to arrange for any reasonablerequest to be met if possible, we regret we cannot guarantee that we will be ableto do so. Failure to meet any particular request will not be a breach of contract.

17. FINANCIAL SECURITY

We hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence issued by the Civil Aviation Authority(ATOL number 6934). This means the air holidays in this brochure are ATOLProtected. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that youare not left stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paidto us for an advance booking. For further information, visit the ATOL website atwww.atol.org.uk.

18. PRICES AND BROCHURE ACCURACY

Please note, the information and prices shown in this brochure may havechanged by the time you come to book your holiday. Whilst every effort is madeto ensure the accuracy of the brochure and prices at the time of printing,regrettably errors do occasionally occur. You must therefore ensure you check alldetails of your chosen holiday (including the price) with us at the time of booking.

19. SCHEDULED AIRLINE FAILURE

If you have booked your own flights we cannot be responsible for scheduledairline failure.

20. TRAVEL INSURANCE

It is essential that you have adequate travel insurance for your holiday. Detailsof the insurance policy we have arranged can be obtained from the ExpeditionCruises / Cruises for Nature office. This policy can only be used by clientsresident in the United Kingdom. It is a condition of our accepting your bookingthat you take either our own insurance or one offering at least comparable cover.

To make a booking please call Expedition Cruising on 01794 523500

Our Leaders

If you do not wish to take out our insurance, you must provide details of youralternative policy where indicated on the booking form.

21. DATA PROTECTION

In order to process your booking and to ensure that you travel arrangements runsmoothly and meet your requirements we need to use the information youprovide (such as name, address, any special needs/dietary requirements etc.).We take full responsibility that proper security measures are in place to protectyour information. We must pass the information on to the relevant suppliers ofyour travel arrangements such as airlines, transport companies etc. Theinformation may also be provided to public authorities such ascustoms/immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Additionally,where your holiday is outside the European Economic Area, controls on dataprotection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. We

will not however, pass any information onto any person not responsible for partof your travel arrangements. This applies to sensitive information that you giveus such as details of any disabilities, or dietary /religious requirements. (If wecannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers we cannot provide yourbooking. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passedon to the relevant persons.)

We will hold your information, where collected by us, and may use it to informyou of offers in the future or to send you brochure and newsletters. If you do notwish to receive such approaches in the future, please notify and we will takesteps to stop using your information in this way. We will not pass your details tothird parties for similar purposes.

22. TRAVEL ADVICE

Travel advice is available from the Foreign Office at www.fco.gov.uk/travel.

SIMON BOYES was brought up and learnt his birds in the Cotswolds. Hegraduated in Classics (helpful for scientific names) from Oxford University in1974, and took his Master's Degree in Environmental Conservation inEdinburgh. Before leaving college he had already travelled round Kenyan andTanzanian game parks, overland to India and round Scandinavia. In 1976 heworked for the RSPB as a summer warden on Fetlar and at Minsmere. In 1977Ornitholidays invited him to co-lead a tour to the Seychelles, which turned outto be the first of many international tours. Since then he has become one of ourprincipal leaders and has now led over 260 tours to all seven continents. Therecan be few tour leaders in the world that rival Simon’s knowledge of world birds.He has cruised extensively and has been visiting Antarctica since 1991. He hastaken numerous other cruises to the Amazon, the Galapagos Islands, Baja andthe Sea of Cortez and the “Ring of Fire”.

TREVOR CODLIN is an ecological consultant and a very keen seabird andcetacean enthusiast. He has been leading groups across the Bay of Biscay forthe last few years, as well as tour leading in Europe. He is an accomplishedphotographer and quite an expert on cameras and optical equipment - havingbeen a manger at London Camera Exchange for many years.

RICHARD COOMBER lives in Hampshire and is one of Cruises for Nature’sprincipal leaders. Before making the move south, he ran a guest house andwildlife safari business on the Isle of Mull. Richard has now led over 170 toursfor Ornitholidays and has great knowledge of Southern Africa in particular; aswell as North and South America and Europe. He is the author of the PictorialEncyclopaedia of Birds of the World and the Living World of the Birds of Canada.His other skills extend to photography and computing. He is a past winner of the"Dusk to Dawn" section of the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Yearcompetition, with a picture taken on one of our Botswana tours. His otherinterests include cetaceans, plants, butterflies and moths. Richard has madenumerous visits to Antarctica, Baja and the Sea of Cortez, the Amazon, the “Ringof Fire” and the Galapagos Islands.

NIGEL JONES is the Managing Director of Expedition Cruising Limited. Hisinterest in natural history and birds led to a degree in Biological Sciences at theUniversity of East Anglia, then to employment as Assistant Warden on Fair Isle

in the Shetlands and as an ornithologist working in the Camargue, France.Subsequent posts in teaching and research have finally culminated in hisposition running Ornitholidays and Expedition Cruising since 1990. He hastravelled extensively to all seven continents in search of wildlife and his favouriteholiday has to be Antarctica.

TONY PYM is a naturalist, whose recent diverse assignments have includedresearch on marine turtles in the tropics, filming Polar Bears in the high Arctic,working with cetaceans in the world’s oceans and managing a whale-watchingoperation in the United States. He has combined these with wildlife tour leading,to now some 55 countries. Birds though are his primary interest, seabirds inparticular (he has seen more than 90% of the world’s species), closely followedby cetaceans. He has had papers published worldwide and his most recentsubmission was on the identification and field characteristics of Shepherd’sBeaked Whale – he was only the second person to have seen this species alive(he pointed them out to some lucky Cruises for Nature clients at the time!). Tonyis one of the world’s experts on seabirds and runs a website, ‘Seabirds andCetaceans’. He has made many visits to the oceans of the world having cruisedextensively through the Atlantic and the Pacific, made numerous voyages intoboth Arctic and Antarctic waters and has sailed many times in the Sea of Cortezand also around the Galapagos Islands. Tony, an experienced naturalist withinfectious enthusiasm, is a principal leader for Cruises for Nature

PAUL ROGERS has had a life-long interest in natural history, which isunderlined by his qualifications in Ecology and Animal Behaviour gained atLondon University. He is a principal leader for Cruises for Nature and has ledover 200 tours. He now has the privilege of living at Shorelands on Anglesey, theformer home of wildlife artist Charles Tunnicliffe. He is widely travelled in Europe,North America and Africa and lectures on ornithology, ecology and all aspectsof natural history.

DYLAN WALKER has an all-consuming passion for whales and dolphins and isauthor of the recent Wildguides book on cetaceans of the Pacific. He has beenleading whale watching parties in the Bay of Biscay for many years. He is alsoco-founder of Organisation Cetacea, a forum for raising awareness for the futureof all whales and dolphins.

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Photo CreditsMany thanks are due to the people who provided photographs for this brochure. They are all by courtesy of Richard Coomber with the exception of the following:

Page Photograph PhotographerInside front cover Explorer N Jones

Black-browes Albatross N McCall1 Icescape N McCall2 Spitsbergen scenery N McCall2 Adelie Penguins N McCall3 Pack ice N McCall3 Zodiac cruising N McCall4/5 Orcas N McCall6 Antarctic icescape N McCall7 Iceberg, Pleneau Island N McCall9 Emperor Penguins A Pym9 Antarctic Petrels N McCall10 Polar Bear A Pym10 Svalbard N McCall11 Ice cruising in Zodiac, Spitsbergen S Boyes13 Svalbard N McCall13 Walrus S Boyes15 Chestnut-mandibled Toucan C Bushell17 Cachalote Cachalote19 Cachalote Cachalote19 Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan Tropical Birding19 Cachalote Cachalote22 Seabird colony, Spitsbergen N McCall23 Polar Bear and cubs A Pym

Page Photograph Photographer23 Grey Phalarope A Pym23 Walruses S Boyes24 Adelie Penguins on ice flow N McCall28 King Penguin colony A Pym30 Buller’s & Salvin’s Albatrosses N Jones31 Torres del Paine C Vidal31 Peruvian Pelican N Jones33 Island view, Azores A Jones34 Kamchatka landscape N McCall36 Spirit of Enderby Heritage Expeditions36 Siberian Rubythroat N McCall36 Zodiac cruising N McCall36 Steller’s Sea Eagle R Griffiths37 Royal Penguin A Pym38 Chatham Albatross Heritage Expeditions39 Megaherbs on Campbell Island Heritage Expeditions39 Buller’s Albatross Heritage Expeditions40 Explorer N Jones40 Andrea GAP Expeditions41 Spirit of Enderby Heritage Expeditions41 Explorer II A & K Shipping42 Kapitan Khlebnikov Quark42 Polar Star Polar StarInside back cover Coastal landscape N McCall

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EXPEDITION CRUISING

CRUISES FOR NATURE

Booking Form

Title First Name Surname Nationality Date of Birth Passport No. Place of Issue Date of Issue(as on Passport) (as on passport)

First name or names by which you would like to be known on the cruise:

Cruise Destination Ship Departure Date Cabin TypeSingle/Twin/Double/Sharing Twin

All correspondence, tickets, etc. will be sent to the first named above at:

Telephone No: home

Telephone No: office

Email address:

Postal Code:

I enclose a cheque made payable to Expedition Cruising for £ being the deposit / full amount.A 25% deposit is required for all cruises.

On behalf of the person(s) included on this form I agree to accept, in full, the booking conditions as set out in the Expedition Cruising and Cruises forNature brochure/website.

Signature: Date:

InsuranceIt is a condition of joining one of our cruises that you must be fully insured against medical and personal accident risks. Please send us the name andcontact number of your insurer, your policy number, expiry date and details of the medical and repatriation cover.

Please state here any special food requirements: Please state here any disabilities or medical conditions, whichmay affect your participation in a holiday. Please also ensureyou have read section 15 of our Conditions of Booking.

Please return this form to:EXPEDITION CRUISING LIMITED29 Straight Mile, RomseyHampshire, SO51 9BB, UKTel: 01794 523500 Fax: 01794 523544

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To make a booking please call Expedition Cruising on 01794 523500

Brochure Entries & Booking Policy

Brochure entries:We make every effort to ensure our brochure entries are asaccurate as possible. However, it needs to be pointed out thatsome of the arrangements for our tours are made at least 18months prior to departure. Inevitably there are occasions whenchanging circumstances require us to alter published itinerariesand hotel bookings. Normally we are able to advise clients of suchchanges before departure. Similarly, weather patterns in manyparts of the world are not wholly predictable and it is virtuallyimpossible to accurately predict the temperatures you willencounter while on tour. Thus it is necessary for there to be adegree of flexibility in our programmes that allows some freedomto do what is best in the particular circumstances. The chances ofseeing certain species may also be affected by the vagaries of theweather. It is unlikely that a group will see all the speciesmentioned in the brochure text. We accept bookings on theunderstanding that these points are fully understood.

Sharing places and single rooms:If you book a sharing room on any of these cruises, you will notever be asked to pay any additional single room supplement. We,or the cruise company, take the booking on the understanding

that someone will be found to share with you. If we cannot findsomeone we will not charge you any extra. Please note this doesnot apply to the Explorer II. If you wish to book a cabin for singleuse, please note that these cabins are sometimes limited in theirnumber by the ship’s owners, so early booking is essential.

Insurance:It is a prerequisite of joining any tour that you have sufficientinsurance cover in case of illness or repatriation. We are happy toquote you a price for your travel insurance depending on your ageand the cost and duration of the cruise.

Smoking:Please note that many of the ships operate a non-smoking policywithin cabins and eating areas. Sometimes the only place wheresmoking is allowed is on deck. Also please note that smoking inpublic places and hotel rooms is now forbidden in some of thecountries we visit.

Booking Conditions:Please note our booking conditions on pages 43 to 46 of thisbrochure.

Coastal landscape

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Amazonian Indiansselling fruit

Documents

EXPEDITION CRUISING 29 Straight Mile Romsey Hampshire ... cruises.pdf · of the Penguins” has generated a lot of interest in visiting this southern land mass and we still advise