HIGHLIGHTS
- A
toast at the Antarctic Circle, 66°34’ south (approx)
- Enjoy
a splendour of wildlife activity as birds, seals and whales race to
fatten up for winter
- Visit
fascinating historic sites
- Zodiac
cruises with the hope of spotting leopard and crabeater seals
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | Stateroom Triple | Stateroom Twin | Balcony Stateroom C | Balcony Stateroom B | Balcony Stateroom A | Balcony Suite | Junior Suite | Captains Suite |
|---|
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Stateroom Triple | (Mid-range)
Balcony Stateroom A | (High-end)
Captains Suite |
|---|
ITINERARY
Day
1 Arrive Punta Arenas
Arrive
in Punta Arenas, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora
Expeditions and transferred to your downtown 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.
Overlooking
the Straits of Magellan, the city sits astride one of the world's most
historic trade routes. Today, Punta Arenas reflects a great mix of
cultures, from English sheep ranchers to Portuguese sailors, and it
remains an utterly fascinating testament to Chile's rich history.
Enjoy
free time to explore Punta Arenas at your own pace and discover the
town’s excellent restaurants. Between 5.00-7.00 pm, meet your
fellow expeditioners at a Welcome Reception and Pre-Embarkation
Briefing, where you will receive a mandatory IAATO (International
Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) briefing and also learn about
the proposed flight times and logistics for tomorrow. Afterwards,
there’s free time to dine at your leisure. (Dinner not
included).
Accommodation: Hotel
Cabo de Hornos (or similar)
Day
2 Fly Punta Arenas to King George Island
This
morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags
clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. After breakfast, we
will conduct our final, mandatory pre-embarkation health screening and
COVID (rapid antigen) testing before commencing check-out procedures.
Afterwards,
you will be transferred to Punta Arenas airport for our charter flight
to King George Island, Antarctica (weather permitting). The flight will
take approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.
On
arrival into King George Island our expedition team is on hand to greet
you for your Zodiac transfer to board the vessel. You’ll have
time to settle into your cabin before our important briefings.
Note:
King George Island is located at the northern part of the Antarctic
Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands and is one of the most remote
places on Earth. A clear sky with perfect visibility is required in
order for the plane to take off and land safely. We apologise in
advance for any delays.
Days
3-11 Antarctic Peninsula & Antarctic Circle
It’s
almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in Antarctica.
Spotting your first iceberg and taking a deep breath of some of the
most fresh, crisp air on earth is an experience that will stay with you
forever.
Once
we arrive, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South
Shetland Islands are ours to explore, and we have a host of choices
available to us. Because we are so far south, we will experience
approximately 18-24 hours of daylight and the days can be as busy as
you wish.
Your
experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this
area, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day,
choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, ice
conditions and wildlife opportunities.
We
generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day.
You’ll want to rug up before joining Zodiac cruises along
spectacular ice cliffs or among grounded icebergs, keeping watch for
whales, seals and porpoising penguins. Zodiacs will also transport you
from the ship to land, where you can visit penguin rookeries, discover
historic huts and explore some of our favourite spots along the
peninsula.
While
ashore we aim to stretch our legs, wandering along pebbly beaches or
perhaps up snow-covered ridgelines to vantage points with mountains
towering overhead and ice-speckled oceans below. If you have chosen an
optional activity, you’ll have the option to do that whenever
conditions allow, and of course keen polar plungers will have the
chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters - conditions
permitting!
In
addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may ship cruise
some of the narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from
the mainland, or linger in scenic bays to watch whales travelling or
feeding. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or make
your way to the bridge (Captain's call) for uninterrupted views of
Antarctica in all its splendour. Keep an ear out for the creak and deep
rumble of glaciers as they carve their way from summit to sea. Take a
quiet moment to experience the wonder of this incredible white
continent.
On
this voyage, we plan to cross the Antarctic Circle, an imaginary line
located at the Antarctic Circle at latitude 66°33' South
(approximately). This is certainly a special highlight for everyone,
and the moment will be celebrated with a toast on the deck.
You’ve earned some boasting privileges, joining a small group
of lucky adventurers who’ve made it to this part of the
world. As we approach and cross the circle, you will notice subtle
changes in the landscape, icescape, and also in the distribution of
wildlife. The waters at this time of year are rich with krill and we
hope to see plenty of whales - particularly humpbacks and minkes, and
enjoy the spectacle of penguins feeding their ravenous chicks.
Day
12 Fly King George Island to Punta Arenas
As
we approach Frei Base on King George Island, it is time to farewell
Antarctica and our amazing adventure before boarding our flight
(approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes) to Punta Arenas, Chile. On
arrival at the Punta Arenas airport, you will be transferred to our
group hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel
Cabo de Hornos
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 places 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.
Day
13 Punta Arenas
After
breakfast, bid a fond farewell to your fellow passengers as we all
continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the
immense power of nature. A transfer to the airport is included in your
voyage fare. (Breakfast included).
Note: It is your
responsibility to check if your government requires you to have a COVID
test prior to boarding an international flight to return to your
country of residence. If this applies to you, then you may be required
to book additional nights after the voyage. Please speak with your
travel agent or with an Aurora Expeditions consultant at least four weeks prior to
departure if you need assistance booking additional
post-voyage arrangements.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Arrival
transfer from airport to hotel in Punta Arenas on day 1
- Two
night’s hotel accommodation with breakfast in Punta Arenas
(days 1 & 12)
- Mandatory
pre-embarkation health screening and COVID test on day 2
- Transfer
from hotel to airport in Punta Arenas on day 2
- Return
charter flight Punta Arenas to King George Island (days 2 & 12)
- Transfer
to hotel in Punta Arenas on day 12
- Transfer
from hotel to airport on day 13
- On-board
accommodation during voyage including daily cabin service
- All
meals, snacks, tea and coffee during voyage
- Beer,
house wine and soft drinks with dinner
- All
shore excursions and Zodiac cruises
- Educational
lectures and guiding services from expedition team
- Complimentary
access to our onboard expedition doctor and medical clinic (initial
consult)
- A
3-in-1 waterproof polar expedition jacket
- Complimentary
use of muck boots during the voyage
- Comprehensive
pre-departure information
- Port
surcharges, permits and landing fees
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’.
Exclusions
- International
or domestic flights to or within South America, unless specified
- Transfers
not mentioned in the itinerary
- Airport
arrival or departure taxes
- Passport,
visa, reciprocity and vaccination charges
- Travel
insurance or emergency evacuation charges
- Hotels
and meals not included in itinerary
- Optional
excursions not included in the itinerary
- Optional
activity surcharges
- All
items of a personal nature including but not limited to: alcoholic
beverages and soft drinks (outside of dinner service), laundry
services, personal clothing, medical expenses, Wi-Fi, email or phone
charges.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
- Bird
watching
- Lectures
on wildlife, our environment, history and destinations
- Photography
- Polar
plunge
- Trips
ashore
- Walking
- Whale
and mammal spotting
- Zodiac
cruises
Add-on Activities
- Sea
Kayaking - USD 1,260
- Scuba
Diving - USD 1,260
- Snorkelling
- USD 640
