Journey to Antarctica from the other end of the world

Reach the most southerly position ever attained by ship

Journey to Antarctica from the other end of the world. Steppes Travel’s new icebreaker expeditions to Antarctica’s Ross Sea give a whole new meaning to the term ‘remote’. The ultimate Antarctic destination, the Ross Sea is not only remote but far from ordinary. Considerably larger than either the United States or Europe and twice the size of Australia, the Ross Sea region is a continent surrounded by a frozen ocean that varies in area from 2.4 million square kilometres in summer to 20 million in winter.

Travelling aboard a powerful, comfortable icebreaker with one of the highest possible international ice class ratings, on this Antarctic cruise you will be one of the few people to visit the spectacular edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. Steeped in the history of famous mariners, the journey, which takes place during the austral summer, will offer clients a chance to see Emperor Penguins tending their chicks, whales patrolling the ice edge, seals hauling out onto ice floes and beaches and numerous albatrosses and other wondrous seabirds.

You will cruise around brilliant blue and white tabular icebergs and glistening glaciers, visit modern scientific stations to meet polar researchers and enjoy the rich and varied wildlife in its natural habitat. Two onboard helicopters will fly you to otherwise inaccessible sites.

This is no ordinary Antarctic experience. Departing from Auckland, New Zealand and returning to Hobart, Australia, The Great Antarctic Explorers cruise, from 20 January to 14 February 2006, is priced from £11,195.00 per person in a twin cabin on a full board basis (excluding International flights). Other journey options and dates are also available.

Steppes Travel (or Steppes East as it was then) was founded in 1989 with the objective of creating a travel company where service and knowledge are of the highest priority. They aim to design itineraries which, while including the highlights of any country, additionally take travellers off the beaten track to see lesser known, but equally interesting places not frequented by large numbers of tourists.

Steppes Travel specialise in the creation of tailor made journeys to the more exotic areas of the world. They do not sell the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand or Japan, they do not ski and they do not cruise (except in the Galapagos and Antarctica).

For more information on this exciting new Antarctic cruise please contact Steppes Travel on 01285 885333 or visit their website http://www.steppestravel.co.uk/antarctica-page23.aspx .