INCA Announces 17-day Antarctic Expedition Luxury Adventure

The trip includes 15 nights aboard the luxury polar expedition ship Le Lyrial, an exclusive program led by veteran guide Richard Polatty, a special focus on photography, and a night in Buenos Aires. The expedition starts at $21,295 per person, double occupancy, if booked before May 31 representing a $3,000 per person savings. During INCA's expedition, guests will gain a deeper understanding of the region with enriching lectures by award-winning experts including leading scientists, authors, historians and professional photographers.

Guests who book the INCA program on board Le Lyrial will have exclusive access to Richard Polatty who has led INCA’s expeditions to the Antarctic for more than 18 years. In 1990, he guided the expedition on the maiden voyage of Polar Circle. Richard is a research associate for the Oceanites Foundation and a researcher for the Antarctic Site Inventory funded by the US National Science Foundation. He has studied penguins and collected penguin eggs (under permit with the British Antarctic Survey) for various institutions.

One of the many thrills on INCA's expedition is the opportunity to observe millions of penguins and seals that have no fear of humans. The White Continent impresses with the sheer grandeur of its dramatic scenery. Antarctica has 90 percent of all the ice on the planet, and guests can walk on monumental glaciers and watch towering icebergs float by.

Stopping in the Falkland Islands, animal lovers can visit a Gentoo Penguin colony, while history buffs can tour Falkland battlefields from 1982. Disembarking from a zodiac at Gold Harbour on South Georgia Island, guests will be surrounded by seals and tens of thousands of King Penguins. On the glacial expanse of Salisbury Plain, INCA passengers can stroll among more than 250,000 King Penguins. Or they can opt to retrace part of the route taken by Ernest Shackleton during his historic 1916 crossing of South Georgia.

On the Antarctic Peninsula and around the South Shetland Islands, INCA's guests will encounter orcas, whales, albatrosses, giant petrel, penguins and seals. Deception Island is home to the world's largest colony of Chinstrap Penguins (more than 50,000 couples) and a live volcano. The vessel is also scheduled to sail through Paradise Bay and the Lemaire Channel, which is known as "Kodak Alley" for its breathtaking beauty.

"What surprises our guests most is the beauty of Antarctica. Every hue of blue you can imagine is contained in the ice. The icebergs seem to glow with an extraordinary light," Richard Polatty explained. "And then there is the sheer number of penguins, fur seals and sea birds including several species of albatross, petrel and skua. Entering Antarctic waters, whales abound with the possibility of sighting Southern Right, Minke, Humpback, and if we are lucky, Blue and Sperm whales," Richard said.

A state-of-the-art luxury vessel, Le Lyrial entered service in 2015. Operated by Ponant, it was designed specifically for polar cruising and can enter areas larger ships cannot explore. For its Antarctic expeditions, capacity is limited to only 199 guests, 20 of which are part of the exclusive INCA program. With a crew-to-passenger ratio of 1:14 and the team of expert guides, INCA's guests are assured personalized service.

INCA's Across the Southern Ocean starts at $21,295 per person, double occupancy if booked before May 31, 2017. After May 31, the price will be $24,295 per person, double occupancy. The fare includes pre-cruise hotel in Buenos Aires, accommodations aboard Le Lyrial with all meals, most beverages, 24-hour room service, complimentary stocked mini-bar, all onboard gratuities, shore excursions, lectures and onboard entertainment. Guests will also receive complimentary expedition parkas and backpacks, as well as a post-cruise logbook. Not included: airfares, airport taxes and fees; excess baggage charges, or other items of a personal nature.

For further information, visit https://www.inca1.com/ or call 1-510-420-1550.