End of an Era

The Kapitan Khlebnikov, a true hero-ship, a pioneer in sending regular people like you and us to the previously out-of-reach glories of the Arctic and Antarctic, is nearing retirement as an expedition vessel. The hearty Russian icebreaker has many admirers. One of them was the great Galen Rowell, who wrote in Poles Apart of the ship’s marvelous mixture of high adventure and high life: “As multi-course meals were served on white linen, house-sized blocks of ice split off the bow with the sound of thunder and the shaking of a 9.0 earthquake.”

When the Khlebnikov resumes its non-touristic duties as an escort for shipping in the Northeast Passage, many of its haunts will once again revert to lunar-like isolation; there will be no more big icebreakers available for the likes of us and you to explore the high latitudes. Luckily the ship will mark the end of an era with 13 specially designed Arctic and Antarctic voyages, all with expert lecturers, guests, and exploration celebrities; none with more than 112 passengers. We are at the ready with detailed itineraries for any of these wonderful voyages aboard this storied, stalwart ship.

(We should also firmly note that GeoEx’s polar sojourns will continue—it’s one of our favorite earthly places—aboard worthy ships like the Clipper Adventurer, the Ocean Nova, the Orlova, the Explorer, and the Akademik Ioffe. Our guy Urs Hofmann is standing by with details of the following Khlebnikov voyages and all our Antarctic and Arctic trips.)

Departures:

• Final departures aboard the Khlebnikov available July 2010 - January 2012

Trip Length: 14 - 66 Days

Activity Type: Cruising, Expeditionary Voyaging

Trip Price:From $13,990

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