Current Photo Tours 2019/2020 Schedule

Our tour is now sold out

To request standby space please email james@tourcanvacations.com

Antarctica Photo Tour - "Antarctica, the southernmost continent & the South Pole"

Antartica Photo Tour - Lying around the South Pole, Antarctica the name that means opposite to the Arctic is the southernmost continent. Covering 14.2 million square kilometers and containing approximately 29 million cubic kilometers of ice. This represents about 90 percent of the world’s total. Average thickness is about 2.45 km (1.5 miles).

I would like to invite you to join us as we photograph and explore Antarctica onboard the MS Midnatsol. Our eleven day ten night cruise offers our photographers a great Antarctica experience. We have planned plenty of activities to make you experience Antarctica in the best way. This might mean that one day you will go onshore to see penguins and hear the crackling noise of glaciers, the next day, you get to feel the salt and wind as you cruise between the sea ice, looking for leopard seals taking a snooze on the ice.

During our journey we will also experience Buenos Aires and Ushuaia. Penguins, whales and endless formations of ice await. I look forward to sharing our Antarctica experience with you.

James Cowie

Antarctica Photo Tour Itinerary - February 20th to March 5th, 2020

Day One: Thursday February 20th, 2020: Afternoon departure offered from Staybridge Suites London to Toronto pick-ups available en route. Toronto and area guests will meet at Pearson International. We fly from Toronto to Buenos Aires via Air Canada. Our overnight flight will see us arriving the following morning,

Day Two: Friday February 21st, 2020: Arriving in Buenos Aires we clear customs, meet our local guide and transfer to our hotel. We will have time to relax, see a little if Buenos Aires and in the evening attend our group welcome dinner. Discover the 'Paris of South America'

Day Three: Saturday February 22nd, 2020: After breakfast, our Antarctic adventure begins. Check-out, and transfer to the airport for our morning flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, where our ship the MS Midnatsol awaits our arrival. Once on board, settle into our cabins, set sail, and then kick off our journey with a welcome-on-board dinner. (B)(D)

Day Four and Day Five: Sunday February 23rd & Monday February 24th, 2020: At sea. Prepare yourself for Antarctica as we cross the infamous Drake Passage, it will take your breath away! Take it all in on board MS Midnatsol with her two-story panorama lounge over the bow, wall-to-wall windows that provide extraordinary views. Sea birds in this region include the albatross and petrels as well as different species of whales. Icebergs and small islands will fade in the south as we sail towards Cape Horn and Port Williams.We will hold briefings and nature talks that pertain to our visit. (B)(L)(D)

Day Six: Tuesday February 25th, 2020: Breakfast, our cruise continues, You are now in one of the most remote areas on earth! There have been spectacular photo opportunities so far, but Antarctica itself is in a whole different category. Come ashore to explore the breath taking Antarctic scenery and to come close to penguins and seals. You will feel like a real explorer from the moment you set foot on the endless expanse of snow and ice. Prepare for an amazing experience and outstanding photo opportunities. (B) (L) (D)

Day Seven: Wednesday February 26th, 2020: Breakfast, from the deck there will be ample opportunities for whale sightings. Enjoy close encounters with wildlife and glaciers, old whaling stations and relics. Trust us when we say that every second of this journey has something new to offer. One of the highlights of the South Shetlands is Deception Island. When we sail into the natural harbour of this volcanic island, you will see an abandoned whaling station known as Hektor and a derelict British base. Another day of Antarctica photography. (B) (L) (D)

Day Eight: Thursday February 27th, 2020: Breakfast then a day of exploration. We are certain you will enjoy a visit to Half Moon Island. A staggeringly photogenic island blessed with some of the most beautiful Antarctic scenery imaginable. Yankee Harbour, with its large colony of Gentoo penguins, estimated to be 4,000 breeding pairs.(B) (L) (D)

Day Nine: Friday February 28th, 2020: Breakfast Cuverville Island is home to another of the largest known colonies of Gentoo penguins. Neko Harbour is beautifully located in the innermost part of Andvord Bay. Paradise Harbour got its descriptive name from the whalers during the last century. Wilhelmina Bay has stunning scenery and is often called “Whale-mina Bay”, because of the large number of humpback whales spotted here in December. (B)(L)(D)

Day Ten: Saturday February 29th, 2020: Breakfast the majesty of the Antarctic Peninsula’s mountains will enchant as you scramble up snowy pathways to vantage points offering you 360° views of your surroundings. One of these in particular, in Danco Island, affords us the opportunity to visit a penguin colony high up on a ridge. Here, you’ll have the choice between hiking to the island’s summit or spending time sitting quietly on a pebbled beach, enjoying and photographing the antics of curious penguins. (B)(L)(D)

Day Eleven: Sunday March 1st, 2020: Breakfast Then we begin our exploration of the Seventh Continent. Amid the serene silence of Antarctica, noisy interludes become indelible memories, such as penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, or the boom and crack of a calving glacier in Neko Harbour. Our fifth day in Antartica continues. Back on board we also have activities that will satisfy a whole range of interests in the Explorer room. (B)(L)(D)

Day Twelve and Day Thirteen: Monday March 2nd, 2020 and Tuesday March 3rd, 2020: Heading Back to Civilization. After exploring this exhilarating continent, we set course back to civilization. Spend the day at sea recapping your experiences with fellow explorers, or just relaxing on deck. (B)(L)(D)

Day Fourteen: Wednesday March 4th, 2020: Breakfast Ushuaia/Buenos Aires - The End of our Adventure. Sadly, every adventure must come to an end. It is time to say goodbye to the crew and all your new friends when we reach Ushuaia. We transfer you to the airport for your flight back to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival we will meet our local guide and transfer to our hotel. (B)

Day Fifteen: Thursday March 5th, 2020: Breakfast, check-out and transfer to the airport for Air Canada flight back to Canada arriving at 5:25 p.m. After cleaning customs, we will say good-bye to our connecting and GTA guests and board our motor coach for our drive back to London, with any drop offs en route arriving at approximating 8:00 p.m. (B)

Antarctic Peninsula in February has an annual temperature range of -5.3C to 13.6 we will also experience 24 hours of sunlight this time of year. Therefore packing winter gear like you would wear in Canada will work fine for your Antarctic expedition. You will also need to pack a pair of splash pants to wear over your clothing.

Pre-tour Information Night: As with all our photo tours, we will hold a photo information night approximately a few weeks prior to departure. We will present the final itinerary, travel suggestions, what gear to pack, and hand out all related travel documents. The pre-tour presentation is designed to give our photographers all the information needed for our trek. This also allows a chance for you to meet your fellow travellers, and host. The tentative date for the information night is Tuesday February 4th, 2020.

The cost of our Antarctica Photo Tour is $9,950.00 CAD based on double occupancy Inside Cabin, including air, plus air tax 727.03 and 17.19 HST, single supplement available for $3,200 CAD Inside Cabin.

Cabin upgrades available:

Polar Outside Cabin “N” or “O” - add $ 620 CAD Single add $933 CAD

Arctic Superior Cabin P: - add $1,105 CAD Single add $1,656 CAD

Expedition Suite Q - add $3,041 CAD Single add $9,328 CAD

A non-refundable deposit of $1,800 CAD is due at the time of deposit based on $9,950.00 cabin price, deposit will be adjust for upgrades. Final payment is due 180 days prior to departure. Cancelations 50% refund between 180 and 90 day before departure, 25% refund between 89 and 61 days prior to departure, less than 60 days 100% non refundable.

Includes:

Round trip coach for departures from London to Pearson Airport
Other pick-up locations available upon request along the 401 corridor
Round Trip Airfare via Air Canada to Buenos Aries
Round Trip Airfare from Buenos Aries to Ushuaia
11 days 10 nights onboard MS Midnatsol
2 nights pre and post Antarctic cruise accommodations according to itinerary
All airport and hotel transfers
Breakfast included each day
Welcome dinner and all meals onboard the ship
English speaking expedition guides
Photo Workshops
Tour hosted and escorted by photographer James Cowie

Excludes:

Items of a personal nature, laundry, phone calls, etc.
Local guide tips and gratuities
Current Port Taxes and Visas for Argentina
Alcoholic beverages purchased on land or at the ships bar
Personal Travel and Medical Insurance

** Schedule may vary according to weather

Tourcan Vacations recommends the purchase of travel and health insurance as our tour takes us out of the country. Health insurance is highly recommended. Please note your passport expiry date must be valid for 6 months past our return date of March 05, 2020.

Please click on link below to be linked to our secured tour registration.

Click here to Register for our Antarctica Photo Tour

Click here to Download our Antarctica Tour Brochure

If you have any other questions or require booking assistance please contact:

James Cowie at Photo Tour Trekkers / Tourcan Vacations

1-800-263-2995 ext 2688 or 416-391-0334 ext 2688

or by email james@tourcanvacations.com

Ofelia Cruz at Photo Tour Trekkers / Tourcan Vacations

Inside Sales Specialist

1-800-263-2995 ext 2672 or 416-391-0334 ext 2672

or by email ofelia@tourcanvacations.com

Tourcan Vacations

245 Fairview Mall Drive, Suite 203

Toronto, Ont. M2J 4T1

www.Tourcanvacations.com

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