Iceland Photo Tours is pleased to join forces with Aurora Expeditions and to invite you on board the Sylvia Earle. As the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and named by Time Magazine as its first Hero for the Planet in 1998 – this vessel pays tribute to Dr. Earle’s long-standing conservation efforts for marine protected areas and ocean wildlife. Dr. Sylvia Earle will be involved in the development of her namesake.
We drew on centuries of collective experience to map out the Sylvia Earle: purpose-built for expeditions to the most remote places on earth. Featuring the revolutionary Ulstein X-BOW®, this allows the ship to cross oceans more comfortably and efficiently, and with expansive observation decks to bring you closer to the environment, inviting communal areas and unsurpassed environmental credentials, the Sylvia Earle offers the perfect base camp for adventures at the outer limits of human exploration.
Together with Aurora Expeditions, we are offering a joint fly/sail photography expedition that will excite anyone looking for a truly mesmerising voyage of a lifetime.
This photography workshop to Antarctica is guided by 2 professional award-winning photographers, who will offer a scope of instruction, classes, critique sessions, workshops and in-field guidance to enable you to expand upon your photography portfolio. Throughout this expedition to Antarctica, your dedicated photography guides will ensure that you are immersed in a wealth of knowledge that you'll always remember.
This photography workshop to Antarctica features a one of a kind FLY/SAIL experience, which is designed to maximise your time photographing the wonderful surrounds of your destination. To reach Antarctica, you will board an aircraft from Punta Arenas to King George Island. You will sail through the tumultuous waters of the Drake section just once, to make the crossing from Antarctica to Ushuaia over the course of two days.
The Sylvia Earle guarantees a comfortable journey as you sail across the Antarctic seas. Our tour will have 18 spots reserved aboard the Sylvia Earle, held out of the total 132.
For the duration of our tour, there will be a mindblowing 15 zodiacs onboard for making shore landings, whereby you may explore Antarctica intimately by foot.
You will arrive in Ushuaia, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred to your group hotel. Upon arrival at your included hotel, kindly remind hotel check-in staff to provide you with Aurora Expeditions cabin tags. Please clearly label the tags with your name and ship cabin number
This morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Please take your cabin luggage down to hotel reception by 8.00 AM. Please be advised that this voyage includes a chartered flight at the end of the voyage from Antarctica to Punta Arenas. The permitted luggage allowance is 20 kilograms of check-in luggage plus one piece of carry-on luggage weighing no more than seven kilos. Your luggage will be collected from your hotel and transferred directly to port for clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of your arrival on board. Keep any valuables or personal items with you throughout the day. Once you have checked out of your hotel by 11.00 AM, you have free time before meeting back in the hotel lobby at 2.00 PM to commence a tour of Ushuaia. This morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Please take your cabin luggage down to hotel reception by 8.00 AM. Your luggage will be collected from your hotel and transferred directly to port for clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of your arrival on board. Keep any valuables or personal items with you throughout the day. Once you have checked out of your hotel by 11.00 AM, you have free time before meeting back in the hotel lobby at 2.00 PM to commence a tour of Ushuaia. Alternatively, enjoy time at leisure and make your own way to Prison Museum carpark by 3.45 pm to rejoin the group and transfer to the pier for embarkation.
Ushuaia, capital of Tierra del Fuego is located at the shores of the Beagle Channel and surrounded by the Martial Mountains giving you a unique landscape in Argentina, which is the combination of mountains, sea, glaciers and forests. On this introductory tour, you will visit “La Mision” neighbourhood, the old Government House, and the upper area of the city, which offers beautiful panoramic views of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel. During the excursion you will see the antique houses that belonged to the first families settled in Ushuaia. The excursion ends with a visit to the Old Prison Museum before transferring to the pier for embarkation at approximately 4.00 PM.
After embarkation, you’ll have time to settle into your cabin before our important mandatory briefings. As Sylvia Earle pulls away from port, we’ll gather on the deck to commence our adventure with spectacular views over Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego. This evening, get to know your fellow expeditioners and friendly expedition team and crew at a welcome dinner.
(Breakfast and dinner included. Lunch is at own expense)
As we commence the Drake Passage crossing, we make the most of our time getting comfortable with the motions of the sea. Our expedition team prepare you for our first landing with important wildlife guidelines and biosecurity procedures, and start our lecture program to help you learn more about Antarctica’s history, wildlife and environment.
Our wildlife experiences begin as we enjoy watching and photographing the many seabirds, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels following in our wake. They rise and fall skilfully, using air currents created by the ship to gain momentum
Nearing the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula on day four, the excitement is palpable with everyone converging on one of the observation decks, watching for our first iceberg. The ocean takes on a whole new perspective once we are below the Antarctic Convergence and are surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures. The memory of your first big iceberg sighting is likely to remain with you for a lifetime. Weather permitting, we may attempt our first landing in Antarctica by late afternoon.
Our next 5 days of sailing will involve a variety of destinations on the west of the Antarctic Peninsula, weather and conditions permitting. There will be no fixed itinerary; rather, your very experienced expedition team and photography guides will work together to plan the voyage as you go, making the most of the opportunities that will be available at the time. They will ensure that you will be at the best place at the right time to capture the wildlife, spectacular icebergs and astonishing scenery.
It will be the summer season in Antarctica, so be prepared to experience near 20 hours of daylight within a 24 hour period. We will maximise our opportunities for shooting within that time frame, making two to three Zodiac excursions a day. There will also be an incredible chance for our group to camp ashore, experiencing what it must have been like for the first Antarctic explorers back in the day, though this part of the workshop is optional.
Our shooting locations will be both spectacular and diverse. Some of the spots that we may make excursions to include:
Paradise Harbour
Paradise Harbour is a secluded bay famous for its frozen landscapes. Surrounded by glaciated mountains and awe-inspiring ice cliffs, this beautiful stretch of water is perfect for Zodiac cruising and spotting seals as well as penguins. Those with a truly keen eye and shutter finger may even capture a humpback or minke whales, frolicking amongst the ice floes!
Hydrurga Rocks
These rocks make up a small island, which is home to a waddle of Chinstrap penguins. Several rookeries of penguins colonise the rocky outreaches of the Hydrurga Rocks, making for stunning wildlife photography opportunities. This part of the Gerlache Strait is also known for being a bird haven, including Kelp gulls and Skuas.
Half Moon Island
This extraordinary island is one of the largest in Antarctica and one of the most beautiful sights in the South Shetlands. You will be met by thousands of penguins on the shore, as well as many Antarctic fur seals. Here, the rugged landscape is dominated by rocky outcrops, speckled with lichen. The opportunities for wildlife and landscape photography abound.
Lemaire Channel
This strait near Antarctica is often blocked by colossal jigsaw-like icebergs, making it one of the most photogenic sites in Antarctica. Bordering the strait are cliffs that seem to rise straight out of the ocean, towering up to 700 metres on either side. Depending upon the conditions of the ice, we may be able to sail slowly through the channel, making for a truly enchanting photography experience. You’ll be close enough to the icebergs to even touch them!
Port Lockroy
This natural harbour on the northwest side of Antarctica is an old British base from the 1960s which is quite scenic in nature. You will have the opportunity to tour the local museum, to purchase souvenirs at the gift shop, as well as to mail postcards home from the most southerly post office!
Neko Harbour
Bordered by the breathtaking jagged faces of glaciers on one side, jutting straight out of the sea, this small bay makes for a truly magical Zodiac landing. The panoramic views to be found in this harbour are spectacular, featuring rocky beaches juxtaposed with the frosty shapes of icebergs and snow. Be prepared to mingle with even more penguins, waddling about on the pack ice.
Robert Point
This small peninsula in the South Shetland Islands is home to a number of elephant seals and penguins, which dominate the steep and rocky beach along this magnificent shoreline. Meanwhile, sea birds including giant petrels, kelp gulls and skuas circle overhead, hunting for penguin eggs. There will be endless opportunities to capture the wildlife within their native habitat.
Other highlights that we may visit on this tour include:
Pleneau Island
Vernadsky; a Ukrainian scientific base
Petermann Island
Penola Strait
Antarctic Sound
Cuverville Island
Danco Island
Enterprise Island
Melchior Islands
As we approach Frei Base on King George Island, it is time to farewell Antarctica and our amazing adventure before boarding our flight (approximately one-and-a half-hours) to Punta Arenas, Chile. On arrival at the Punta Arenas airport, you will be transferred to our group hotel.
NOTE: King George Island is located at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands and is one of the most remote place on Earth. A clear sky with perfect visibility is required in order to take off and land safely. We apologise in advance if you experience any delays.
After breakfast, bid a fond farewell to your fellow travellers as we all continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature (breakfast included).
NOTE: Please advise your Reservations Consultant or travel agent if you require an airport transfer, so it can be booked in advance. The departure airport transfer is not included in your voyage cost and will be at an additional charge.
All items of a personal nature including but not limited to: alcoholic beverages and soft drinks (outside of dinner service), laundry services, personal clothing, additional medical expenses such as medication, gratuities, Wi-Fi, email or phone charges
Note: A $15 USD per person per day gratuity for the crew is automatically added to your onboard account. It is at your discretion if you would like to remove the tip (or increase/decrease the amount) when you settle your bill. It is not necessary to tip the expedition team members. This gratuity amount is included for suites as part of their ‘Suite Benefits’.
A deposit of $5000 USD is due upon registration and will secure your spot on this photography expedition. Second payment of $5000 USD is due by April 1, 2021. Final balance will be due by August 16, 2021.
We strongly recommend you to get Trip Cancellation & Travel Insurance after booking your trip. If you cancel and your place is otherwise filled, we will refund you the full amount you have paid towards the tuition, minus a $500 service charge. If you cancel and your place on the Workshop does not fill, then you will be refunded according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the Workshop: Greater than 180 days from the start date of the Expedition: Full refund minus $2500. 120 days or more: 50% refund Less than 120 days: no refund Refunds will be paid by the same method that the original payment was made.
We highly recommend that you get a travel and medical insurance. Your own domestic medical insurance and private health scheme will not cover you whilst you are overseas. The tour will always dependent on weather, as the weather can be highly unpredictable. Likewise, sightings of wildlife will be dependent on the movements of the animals themselves and cannot be guaranteed.
This expedition is designed to maximise your time in Antarctica and South Georgia, utilising a fly and sail experience between Punta Arenas and King George Island that results in less travel overall during the round-trip to and from our destination. During this expedition, the Sylvia Earle will be your home away from home. As such, it has been designed to meet your every need during your adventure to Antarctica! At Iceland Photo Tours, we have an open bridge policy, meaning that you can come up to the bridge at any time to see what the captain and officers of the ship are up to. You’ll be able to have a first-hand glimpse at the inner workings of the Sylvia Earle, from navigational practices to observing mapping techniques. The opportunities aboard this ship are endless! In the event of an incident or accident, a trained medical team will be on-hand throughout your journey aboard the Sylvia Earle, providing all necessary treatment from the ship’s fully-equipped medical centre, allowing you to concentrate on your adventure without worrying about your wellbeing. Every participant will receive an expedition jacket from our partners, Aurora Expeditions, upon boarding the ship. This custom-designed 2-in-1 jacket offers sophisticated styling with a warm interior and is perfect for wearing over base layers during your Zodiac excursions. As part of this workshop, you will receive a complimentary photo book from our partners, Aurora Expeditions. This very special keepsake will be a lasting reminder of your adventure, featuring your sailing coordinates, photographs during your voyage, as well as the daily programs that you participate in. On the last day aboard the Sylvia Earle, there will be a special farewell four-course dinner and cocktails – a delightful way for you to reflect upon your time exploring the Antarctic wilderness and to consolidate friendships with your fellow travellers and the rest of your expedition team. SHIP AND CABIN INFORMATION The Sylvia Earle is specially designed to offer you an incredibly relaxing experience after a long day of exploring the Antarctic. Each stateroom includes a private bathroom, personal storage, twin and double-bed configuration options, international power outlets, daily cabin service, as well as all of the basic amenities that you will expect to need onboard. If you’re part of a family or a group, then you’ll love the interconnecting staterooms aboard the Sylvia Earle, which offer more privacy for those who still want to be close.
The streamlined Ulstein X-BOW® cuts through the swell so you feel fewer vibrations and disturbances*, and makes quicker transits through waves. It also helps reduce our fuel consumption by up to 60%^. Experience the Glass Atrium Lounge inside the bow, featuring huge windows and superb views to the front of the ship.
In between landings, enjoy our heated saltwater open air swimming pool or our jacuzzis on board the Sylvia Earle and watch the world go by, and experience our gym, sauna or enjoy a massage (additional cost) in the Wellness Centre
Our ships carry many Zodiacs, which you can board via four dedicated, sea-level launching platforms. These docks make boarding the Zodiacs as quick, efficient and safe as possible, minimising wait times and getting you closer to the action for longer. Whether you’re Zodiac cruising through awe-inspiring fjords in search of wildlife or making a quick transit from ship to a shore landing site, these sturdy crafts will play an integral role in your expedition experience.
We offer a range of add-on adventure activities from kayaking and diving to climbing and ski touring, and the Greg Mortimer is designed to support these activities, making the transition from ship to sea or shore as smooth as possible. We built the spacious activity preparation areas and loading platforms in consultation with our expert activity guides. You will also have access to lockers and rapid drying areas for dry suits and wet suits, to give your gear the best chance to dry between excursions.
We believe that preserving and protecting the environment is of the utmost importance and this is reflected in several features of the Sylvia Earle. The Sylvia Earle will boast one of the lowest polluting marine engines in the world due to low energy consumption, high fuel-efficiency and a streamlined design to deliver an 80% reduction in emissions.* The ship can also utilise virtual anchoring to hold its position using a combination of GPS, steering technology, propellers and thrusters. This protects the sea floor and minimises the damage caused by conventional anchors. *Compared to Tier 1 engines..
The Sylvia Earle will feature industry-leading safety technology that exceeds the requirements for a ship of this size with a world class return-to-port equipment, which duplicates the propulsion system, enabling the ship to maintain operating systems and comfort in the event of engine failure. The ship will also feature a fully-stocked medical clinic designed for use in remote areas.
There are several dedicated observation points aboard the Sylvia Earle, which are perfect for spotting birds, watching wildlife and taking in the scenery as it floats past.
Depending on the weather conditions and itinerary, it will be possible to make two or three landings on a daily basis. During these landings, we will explore the landscape to our heart’s content, photographing rock formations, historic huts and colonies of penguins. Our adventures will be made possible by using some of the Sylvia Earle´s Zodiacs, allowing you to maximise your time on shore. The launching platforms at sea level make each transfer easier, faster and safer, enabling you to make the most of your shooting time.
19 - 29 Jan 2022: Guided by Daniel Kordan and Iurie Belegurschi
Daniel was born in the Moscow area, Russia.
After graduating from art school he studied at Moscow’s institute of Physics and Technology, which pointed him toward a career as an optics physicist. During his studies he developed expertise not only in physics, but in mountain climbing and hiking.
He regularly led tourist groups during the holidays through the Russian mountains. Right after graduation he became a guide of photo workshops and chief editor of Continent Expedition magazine, a publication about travel and adventures all over the world.
Daniel has received several awards in photography: Golden Turtle’ 13 Nature nomination winner, National Geographic Russia contest 2013 and 2014 finalist, Best of Russia ’13 and ’14 winner, Best Photographer ’13 finalist, among others. He currently spends most of his time in Norway, scouring the Lofoten islands and in Tuscany, guiding groups of keen photographers.
Daniel was born in the Moscow area, Russia.
After graduating from art school he studied at Moscow’s institute of Physics and Technology, which pointed him toward a career as an optics physicist. During his studies he developed expertise not only in physics, but in mountain climbing and hiking.
He regularly led tourist groups during the holidays through the Russian mountains. Right after graduation he became a guide of photo workshops and chief editor of Continent Expedition magazine, a publication about travel and adventures all over the world.
Daniel has received several awards in photography: Golden Turtle’ 13 Nature nomination winner, National Geographic Russia contest 2013 and 2014 finalist, Best of Russia ’13 and ’14 winner, Best Photographer ’13 finalist, among others. He currently spends most of his time in Norway, scouring the Lofoten islands and in Tuscany, guiding groups of keen photographers.
Iurie Belegurschi is an award-winning fine art nature and landscape photographer, as well as the founder of Iceland Photo Tours.
Born in Moldova, Iurie developed an interest in photography from an early age after his uncle converted the family bathroom into a darkroom.
Iurie moved to Iceland in 2006. Drawn in by the incredible light and landscapes, he began traveling the country, with the camera in hand, in search of inspiration and honing his skills. Continually winning awards in international photography competitions, his images have been published and put on display in a number of leading publications and exhibitions.
In 2012 Iurie founded Iceland Photo Tours, with the ambition of sharing the many wonders Iceland has to offer with passionate photographers from around the world.
Iurie Belegurschi is an award-winning fine art nature and landscape photographer, as well as the founder of Iceland Photo Tours.
Born in Moldova, Iurie developed an interest in photography from an early age after his uncle converted the family bathroom into a darkroom.
Iurie moved to Iceland in 2006. Drawn in by the incredible light and landscapes, he began traveling the country, with the camera in hand, in search of inspiration and honing his skills. Continually winning awards in international photography competitions, his images have been published and put on display in a number of leading publications and exhibitions.
In 2012 Iurie founded Iceland Photo Tours, with the ambition of sharing the many wonders Iceland has to offer with passionate photographers from around the world.
Travel the world to capture the most incredible landscapes
