Intimate Falklands (Malvinas): Bespoke Expedition Welcome to the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), an archipelago teeming with wildlife and featuring beautiful scenery, white sand beaches and vast open spaces. As one of 12 passengers aboard the small exploration boat Hans Hansson, you ll visit places larger boats don t venture to, and explore the biodiversity of East and West Falkland from sea and land. Visit islands with no predatory species, where small bird populations thrive as a result. Take a hike and see elephant seals, southern sea lions, southern giant petrel, and gentoo and Magellanic penguins. Once back on board, recount your adventures, dine family style with the Captain and crew and savor the local knowledge they share, making your trip a once in a lifetime adventure! EXPEDITION IN BRIEF: Circumnavigate the islands with generous shore trips Enjoy stunning scenery and the biodiversity of archipelago wildlife Taste delicious locally-grown Falklands cuisine See four species of penguins along with whales, dolphins and a wide variety of birds DID YOU KNOW? There are 778 islands in the Falkland archipelago; the two main islands, East and West Falkland are divided by Falkland Sound. Both major islands have mountain ranges, with the highest peak Mt. Usborne (2,312 feet or 705 meters) located on East Falkland. INTIMATE FALKLANDS: BESPOKE EXPEDITION EXPEDITION DOSSIER 1
Itinerary Santiago Buenos Aires DAY 1 Santiago, Chile Fly The largest city and capital of Chile, Santiago was founded in 1541. If you choose to book extra time here, there is a lot you can do in this beautiful city, including a visit to exquisite Parque Metropolitano, one of the largest parks in the world, spanning four communities, or sample the local wine and cuisine; as a metropolitan center Santiago has enough of both to please any palate. You will be greeted on arrival and escorted to the airport hotel. Later this evening there will be a welcome briefing. ARGENTINA CHILE Carcass Island Cruise Start/End Atlantic Ocean Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Volunteer Point DAY 2 Fly to Stanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and Embark This is a travel day. As a group you ll check in for your flight to the Falklands, and travel via Punta Arenas, Chile, 1,864 miles (3,000 km) south of Santiago. Fly from here to Mount Pleasant Airport, Falkland Islands, and transfer to your hotel in Stanley. Punta Arenas Actual itinerary may vary based on weather conditions. Beaver Island Ushuaia Stanley Sea Lion Island Stanley is the capital city, main port and trading center of the Falklands. Located on East Falkland, it is sometimes referred to as Port Stanley. DAY 3 San Carlos and Goose Green Enjoy a full day exploration tour by land, including British and Argentine cemeteries, battlefields and memorials. See San Carlos, the site of the British Landing in 1982, and visit a small museum, which houses artifacts from the conflict and other items of historical importance. Goose Green was the site of the longest battle of the Falklands War, and the community hall where 114 islanders were held captive by Argentine forces is now home to the Goose Green Social Club. Return to Stanley to overnight. DAY 4 Volunteer Point Penguins abound on tours of Volunteer Point. Located a couple of hours from Stanley, you may be surprised by the white sand beaches and turquoise water, but you ll be amazed by the penguins! In addition to being home to the largest accessible king penguin colony on the island, Volunteer Point showcases gentoo and Magellanic EXTEND YOUR STAY Contact our Polar Travel Advisers via email, live chat or phone (1.888.892.0073) for seamless, worry-free booking of all trip extensions. INTIMATE FALKLANDS: BESPOKE EXPEDITION EXPEDITION DOSSIER 2
penguins, and a large variety of other wildlife. Bring your camera and capture once in a lifetime shots of these spectacular birds in their stunningly beautiful natural habitat. DAY 5 Board the Hans Hansson Embarkation day is the next exciting step in your adventure. Travel to East Jetty late in the afternoon and board the small exploration boat Hans Hansson. Once you ve settled into your cabin, it s time for safety briefings and your first intimate family style meal with the Captain and officers. Then it s time to depart for your circumnavigation of the Falkland Islands. DAYS 6-15 Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Exploring the rugged beauty of the archipelago during your 12-day circumnavigation, you will truly appreciate traveling in a small vessel. In addition to providing longer shore excursions, your adventure can be more readily tailored to meet your expectations, and to visit areas larger cruise ships can t access. Weather-permitting, one of the first landings will be on Sea Lion Island, the southernmost inhabited island of the archipelago, featuring abundant wildlife. An alternate landing site is Bleaker Island, internationally recognized as an important bird area. Some islands are free of introduced predators such as rats, and small bird populations thrive. Penguins share the islands with elephant seals, southern sea lions and the southern giant petrel. Westerly-facing sheer cliffs, sheltered coves and great hiking mark the Beaver Island group, which features the Patagonian fox and reindeer among its wildlife. Many of the islands are nature reserves, and home to more than 40 of the Falklands breeding bird species. On West Point, you can explore Devil s Nose and Mount Ararat, where you can spot black-browed albatross and rock hopper penguins. You may even see Commerson s dolphins (also known as skunk or panda dolphins) playing in the surf. DAY 16 Disembark Stanley and Fly to Santiago, Chile Arriving back in Stanley, you ll disembark the Hans Hansson with amazing stories and photographs of your adventure. More than that, having spent nearly two weeks in the Falklands, you will leave with a new group of friends, knowing you ve been on the adventure of a lifetime! As your flight to Santiago lifts into the sky, take one last look at Stanley, and the amazing Falkland Islands and remember: you have had an epic adventure most people only dream about. Enjoy a final night at the Santiago airport hotel. DAY 17 Depart Santiago After a good night s sleep and a delicious breakfast, it s time to say goodbye to your fellow travelers and head home. EXTEND YOUR STAY Contact our Polar Travel Advisers via email, live chat or phone (1.888.892.0073) for seamless, worry-free booking of all trip extensions. INTIMATE FALKLANDS: BESPOKE EXPEDITION EXPEDITION DOSSIER 3
Inclusions THIS EXPEDITION INCLUDES Shipboard accommodation All breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks on board, as well as during the stay in Stanley All shore landings per the daily program Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader All Zodiac transfers and cruising per the daily program Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team Photographic journal documenting the expedition Waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore landings An official Quark Expeditions parka to keep Coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock Comprehensive pre-departure materials, including a map and an informative Antarctic Reader All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program All luggage handling aboard ship Emergency evacuation insurance to a maximum benefit of US$100,000 per person Three nights pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Stanley with all meals Round-trip transfers between Mount Pleasant Airport and Stanley Two days of land-based excursions out of Stanley Round-trip hotel to ship transfer in Stanley Entry fees to Volunteer Point reserve All Falklands farm and homestead visit donations THIS EXPEDITION EXCLUDES Mandatory transfer package* International airfare Passport and visa expenses Government arrival and departure taxes not mentioned above Meals ashore unless otherwise specified Baggage, cancellation, interruption, and medical travel insurance Excess baggage charges Waterproof pants for Zodiac cruising, or any other gear not mentioned Laundry, bar, beverage and other personal charges unless specified Phone and internet charges Voluntary gratuity at the end of the voyage for shipboard staff and crew Additional overnight accommodation Escort from Santiago airport hotel to airport terminal on departure day *SANTIAGO TRANSFER PACKAGE INCLUDES: Arrival escort from airport terminal to airport hotel in Santiago One night pre-expedition airport hotel accommodation in Santiago, with breakfast Group escort from airport hotel to airport terminal in Santiago Group flight from Santiago to Stanley, and return Group transfer from Stanley airport to the ship, and return One night post-expedition airport hotel accommodation in Santiago, with breakfast Package cost: $1,995 USD Note: Baggage allowance on charter flight is 50 lbs (23 kg) checked and 17 lbs (8 kg) carry-on. INTIMATE FALKLANDS: BESPOKE EXPEDITION EXPEDITION DOSSIER 4
Dates & Rates INTIMATE FALKLANDS Bespoke Expedition Expedition Aboard the Adventure Ship HANS HANSSON Dates Days Start/End Lower Deck Twin Upper Deck Superior Feb 17 Mar 5, 17 17 Santiago $12,995 $14,995 Mandatory Transfer package available for $1,995 All rates per person in USD. HOW TO BOOK YOUR EXPEDITION & ADVENTURE OPTIONS To book your cabin or inquire about the availability of Adventure Options, contact a Polar Travel Adviser 1.888.892.0073 (+1.203.803.2666). 1.888.892.0073 INTIMATE FALKLANDS: BESPOKE EXPEDITION EXPEDITION DOSSIER 5
Falkland Islands (Malvinas) POSSIBLE LANDINGS AND WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS Please note that this list is a sampling of some of the possible sites visited during our expedition to the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). Your expedition may or may not include sites listed here. No expedition will include all the sites listed. BEAVER GROUP STANLEY West-facing sheer cliffs, eastern coasts with rocky shores, an occasional beach and protected cove mark the mountainous Beaver Group. Home to large numbers of smaller birds, this island group also features the second largest black-browed albatross colony in the world, and rockhopper, gentoo and Magellanic penguins. CARCASS ISLAND The 5-mile (8 km) island northwest of West Falkland is owned by Rob and Lorraine McGill. It is a picturesque island, where songbirds nest among the luxuriant growth that covers gently rolling landscape. The island is named for a Royal Navy ship, HMS Carcass, which arrived in 1766. NEW ISLAND The most southwesterly island in the archipelago is about 8 miles (13 km) long and half a mile (800 m) wide. The western side of the island is a cliff 183 m (600 feet) high, while the eastern side slopes to the sea. Ownership of the island is held by Tony Chater and Ian Strange. Both men have turned their portion of the island into nature reserves. SAUNDERS ISLAND In addition to black-browed albatross, and king, Magellanic and gentoo penguins, there s a good chance you ll spot Commerson s dolphins (also known as skunk or panda dolphins) playing in the surf off the stunning beaches. The deep-water harbor of Stanley was the economic mainstay of the community since the port s completion in 1845. Sailing ships damaged while rounding Cape Horn called in here for expensive repairs. Questionable vessels used to carry fortune seekers to the gold fields of California and Australia often called at Stanley as well. Stanley is as lively as it gets in the Falklands (Malvinas) and the future of the port may be brighter if hydrocarbon deposits off the coast prove to be abundant. VOLUNTEER POINT Volunteer Point has the largest king penguin colony in the Islands. White sands and turquoise waters provide a beautiful backdrop for viewing gentoo and Magellanic penguins as well. Alternate sites Berkeley Sound and Kidney Island both have rockhopper colonies. WEST POINT ISLAND The Napier family has owned the island since the 1860s. Black-browed albatrosses nest in colonies on cliffs along the water s edge on the western side of the island. Rockhopper penguins share these cliffs, while Commerson s dolphins are often seen in the water surrounding the island. IMPORTANT REMINDER Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy and excitement of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed. A measure of flexibility is something all of us must bring to a polar expedition. Last revised: September 21, 2015 INTIMATE FALKLANDS: BESPOKE EXPEDITION EXPEDITION DOSSIER 6