Luxury travel company, Abercrombie & Kent announces a once-in-a-lifetime expedition cruise designed around the total solar eclipse on 4 December 2021 which will fleetingly plunge parts of the Southern Ocean into complete darkness. The path of the eclipse moves from east to west, and the best place to witness it will be the rarely-visited South Orkney Islands northeast of the Antarctic peninsula where A&K’s expedition team has selected the ideal location for its ship to be positioned to allow guests a viewing time of approximately one minute and 40 seconds.
Towering icebergs, massive glaciers and penguin colonies set the stage for this rare astronomical spectacle with experts joining A&K’s award-wining Expedition Team like leading astronomer Dr Massimo Terenghi, who has spent his career working with state-of-the-art telescopes in Chile’s Atacama Desert and will provide tips on photographing the eclipse. Former astronaut Kathy Sullivan, a crew member on three Space Shuttle missions and the first American woman to walk in Space, also joins the expedition and will share her extraordinary experiences in on board lectures and informal conversations while space scientist David J. Crain will draw from his work founding commercial space start-ups and observing past solar eclipses to give unique insight to A&K travellers.
Cruising at the peak of the austral summer, the 15-day voyage aboard the exclusively chartered luxurious mega-yacht Le Lyrial explores the Antarctic Peninsula and its rare yet abundant wildlife from humpback whales and orcas to colonies of penguins and seals. The accomplished Expedition Team comprising pioneering scientists and recipients of the prestigious Polar Medal, seasoned academics and photographers, historians and naturalists are on hand throughout the journey delivering fascinating lectures and sharing their remarkable experiences in the field. Dedicated photo coaches are also on hand conducting workshops on board to maximise photographic opportunities during the journey.
For even more astral adventure, A&K is offering a six-day pre-cruise extension to explore the Atacama Desert and the lunar landscapes of the Moon Valley. An exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to the Paranal Observatory is included – alongside its founder, Dr Tarenghi – with a unique look at the world’s most advanced optical instrument, the VLT, or Very Large Telescope. Extension prices on application.
A&K’s 15-day Antarctica & the Total Solar Eclipse Cruise sails 28 November – 12 December 2021 and is priced from $29,685 per person twin share (was $34,910), single supplement from $25,065.
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