120AntarcticaDrake PassageTo some it's something to beendured, to others it's the startof the incredible adventure, theDrake Passage is a rite ofpassage for Antarctic explorers.Lemaire ChannelOne of the most picturesqueparts of the Antarctic Peninsula,a narrow channel betweentowering mountains and glaciers.South GeorgiaHome to hundreds of thousandsof king penguins and a lot ofhistorical human endeavour.321PenguinsComical on land, graceful in thewater, hugely sociable - hourscan be spent with the penguins.Species include Adélie, gentoo,king and chinstrap.Whales and dolphinsMinke, fin, blue, humpback andorca are some of the speciesyou might encounter duringyour cruise.Camping and kayakingWrap up warm and imagine you are an intrepid explorer.123Antarctica, owned by no one and visited by few, is theworld's coldest, windiest and wildest continent. It is an area ofawe-inspiring desolation, yetcaptivating beauty, where you can see creaking blue glaciers, dazzlingwhite snow, the most radiantsunshine and the harshest of skies, all in one day. Icebergs drift slowly by as whales flip their tails aboveglassy seas, seals bask on icy shelvesand penguins chatter raucously invast rookeries. Man's presence is seenonly rarely: the abandoned shelters ofpolar explorers and whaling stationsrusting in the sun. Visiting what ispossibly the world's ultimate travelfrontier, the 'White Continent', willbe a truly unforgettable experience.Minke whale, AntarcticaAdelie penguins, Antarctica

Audley in AntarcticaA visit to Antarctica is an astonishing trip of a lifetime, these expedition cruises areeducational, challenging and like no other,and a journey of this magnitude needs to beperfectly planned. We recommend a smallselection of expedition vessels, all of whichour Polar specialists have travelled on orinspected, giving them unrivalled knowledgeand enabling them to offer first-hand adviceon which vessel best suits you. We onlywork with companies in Antarctica who arecommitted to ensuring that any impact onthe environment is minimised.PracticalitiesThe expedition cruises mentioned oppositedepart from Ushuaia at the far tip ofArgentina for the journey over the DrakePassage to Antarctica. There are also some'fly-cruise' options for those who wouldrather fly over the Drake Passage, you willthen board your cruise boat on King GeorgeIsland. The cruise companies operate aselection of trips ranging from 10 daysaround the Antarctic Peninsula, to voyages of up to 20 days which take in the AntarcticPeninsula, South Georgia and the FalklandIslands. Cruises to Antarctica operate duringthe Austral summer, early November to lateMarch. There is no 'best' time to go withinthis period, although the different months do have unique characteristics in terms of the wildlife.Antarctica brochureWe have a brochure dedicated to Antarctica.Please call our specialists on 01993 838 615for your copy.Find out more For suggested itineraries and practicalinformation about travel in Antarctica, please see our website.www.audleytravel.comInteractive maps and features, further suggested itineraries,accommodation, climate informationand articles written by our specialists.Discuss your plans with our Polarspecialists 01993 838 615?Other interesting places visited on cruises includethe British Antarctic Survey base at Port Lockroyon the Antarctic Peninsula, the photogenicLemaire Channel and the Falkland Islands (see pages 116 to 119).WildlifeThe abundant wildlife of the Antarctic really doeshave the place all to itself and the only fear theyhave are of those above them in the food chain.Penguins are the main attraction with theircomical walks and sociable ways. Species you maysee include Adélie, gentoo, chinstrap, macaroniand rockhopper. King penguins have colonies onthe Falkland Islands and South Georgia (emperorsare not seen unless on a trip to Snow Hill or on a land-based trip). Seals of different varieties areabundant, including elephant seals, crabeaters andthe magnificent and reptilian leopard seal. Whales,including minke, humpback, southern right andmaybe even blue, glide around the icy waters, asdo pods of orca: meaning time spent on the deckof your boat as you sail around is almost alwaysrewarding. In the air a huge variety of sea birdscan be observed, including many species ofalbatross and petrels.Expedition cruisingThe simplest and most cost-effective way toexperience Antarctica is on board an expeditioncruise ship departing from the southern tip ofSouth America. These trips head to the AntarcticPeninsula, the finger of land that beckons upwardsfrom this vast white continent towards itsneighbour, and also to the islands in the SouthAtlantic Ocean. Your days will pass in a whirl ofopen-mouthed amazement at the sights, soundsand experiences - disembarking to observepenguin colonies and to visit historical settlementsof explorers and whalers, watching out for whales,plus ideally hours and hours spent standing ondeck, simply marvelling at the glaciers, ice andmountains. Plus of course eating, drinking, andmeeting like-minded travellers. Your home for the duration will be one of our carefully selectedexpedition cruise vessels which, whilst not theheight of luxury, offer comfortableaccommodation but more importantlyexperienced, enthusiastic and knowledgeableexpedition leaders.PlacesThe places you will visit are names associatedwith Antarctic history and legend. The DrakePassage, scourge of mariners for hundreds ofyears, and now scourge of the travellers whohave to brave it to reach the calm waters of theAntarctic Peninsula. South Georgia, inexorablylinked to Ernest Shackleton and the SouthernOcean whaling industry, a beautiful place teemingwith wildlife including hundreds of thousands ofking penguins. Deception Island, an active volcano blown out into a perfect horseshoeshaped harbour, and where ongoing geothermalactivity lets you take a warm bath in the sea.Antarctica121Lemaire Channel, AntarcticaCrabeater seal, Antarctica