Product Description
Highlights
Flying from Punta Arenas to the South Shetland Islands is the fastest, most direct way of travelling to Antarctica, and the view over the Drake Passage is unforgettable. Witness penguins playing in their natural habitat at inland rookeries during daily Zodiac landings along the Antarctic Peninsula led by your expert polar team.. Enjoy a comprehensive series of onboard lectures presented by polar specialists in Antarctic history, geology and glaciology, provide great insight into landscapes.. Let the crew of well-seasoned Antarctic experts monitor weather, sea and ice conditions and modify your itinerary to ensure shore landings and Zodiac cruises are abundant in wildlife sightings.
Overview
Skip the Drake Passage and journey to the deep south of the globe. With included charter flights between Punta Arenas and King George Island, you’ll begin your polar expedition in no time. Be immediately dazzled by some of the world’s most unbelievable landscapes, including calving glaciers, penguin rookeries and floating icebergs dotting the deep blue of the Antarctic Ocean. Sailing aboard your well-appointed expedition vessel, participate in a series of onboard lectures and workshops presented by an expert team of scientists and researchers, further enhancing your polar knowledge. No day will be the same, and with a crew focused on maximising wildlife sighting and shore landing opportunities, you will witness these wilds in all their icy wonder.
Breakfast Included: 7 Lunches Included: 4 Dinner Included: 6
Punta Arenas
Welcome to Punta Arenas – the most populated city in Patagonia. If you are planning on arriving today, please ensure your flight arrives in the early afternoon to allow for check-in and a welcome meeting. If you do arrive early, there are many museums, restaurants and shops to keep you busy. In the early evening around 6 pm, your expedition leaders will meet you at the hotel, where you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner and be briefed about embarkation day.
Punta Arenas – King George Island – Embarkation Day
This morning, transfer to Punta Arenas Airport and take a charter flight to King George Island, crossing the mighty Drake Passage in a matter of hours. Your first glimpse of Antarctic landscapes will be from above, as the plane descends for landing on King George Island. On arrival, stretch your legs and spend a bit of time exploring the island before being transferred by Zodiac to your ship. Meet the rest of your shipmates and set sail for the Antarctic Peninsula.
South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
Begin your voyage around the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands, and with a flexible itinerary over the next few days, your expert captain and expedition team will plot a specific course to maximise wildlife sightings and shore landings. On multiple Zodiac cruises, you might walk along a beach teeming with thousands of penguins and seals or discover the rugged landscapes on hiking or snowshoeing opportunities. After your shore excursions, retire to your expedition vessel to socialise with fellow adventurers in the restaurant or lounging areas, relax into your comfortable stateroom or join with your specialist crew at a number of lectures, gaining in-depth knowledge of the geology, history and wildlife of the region. While nothing is set in stone, your polar team are dedicated to making this journey one of unforgettable beauty – spectacular sights at every turn.
King George Island – Disembarkation Day – Puntas Arenas
After your week of exploration, bid farewell to the expedition team and disembark at King George Island. From here, it’s a three-hour flight across the Drake Passage to Punta Arenas. After transferring from the airport to the hotel, you’re free to explore the town and perhaps enjoy dinner with some of your fellow polar adventurers.
Punta Arenas
After breakfast, you’re free to continue on your own travels or make your own way to Punta Arenas Airport for onward flight connections. There are no activities planned for the final day and you're able to depart the accommodation at any time.
