HIGHLIGHTS
- See
and hear the busting activity of a penguin city
- Chance
to spot leopard seals on ice floes from our Zodiacs
- Zodiac-cruise
in search of feeding and breaching whales
- Skip
one or two legs of the Drake Passage to maximise your holiday time in
the white continent
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | Stateroom Triple | Stateroom Twin | Superior Stateroom Twin | Balcony Stateroom C | Balcony Stateroom B | Balcony Stateroom A | Superior Balcony Stateroom | Junior Suite | Captain's Suite |
|---|
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Stateroom Triple | (Mid-range)
Balcony Stateroom B | (High-end)
Captain's Suite |
|---|
ITINERARY
Day
1 Arrival airport transfer and overnight in Punta Arenas
Arrive
in Punta Arenas, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora
Expeditions and transferred to your downtown hotel (preferred flights
only). 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. Tonight, we
will gather to meet our fellow expeditioners and a briefing on the
first leg of our expedition – our flight to Antarctica!
Day
2 Fly Punta Arenas to King George Island. Embarkation
This
morning we will be transferred to Punta Arenas airport for our early
morning charter flight to King George Island, Antarctica (weather
permitting). The flight will take approximately one-and-a-half hours. 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. 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 half day 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 the ship 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 to celebrate the start of a thrilling
adventure to Antarctica.
(Breakfast
and dinner included. Lunch is at own expense)
Day
3-10 Antarctic Peninsula
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 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, and take a quiet moment to
experience the wonder of this incredible white continent.
Day
10 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 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.
Day
11 Punta Arenas
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.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Arrival
transfer from airport to hotel on Day 1
- Two
night’s hotel accommodation with breakfast in Punta Arenas
(Day 1 & 11)
- Transfer
from hotel to airport in Punta Arenas on Day 2
- Return
flight Punta Arenas to King George Island (Day 2 & 11)
- Transfer
to hotel in Punta Arenas on Day 11
- 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
- Captain’s
Welcome and Farewell reception including four-course dinner, house
cocktails, house beer and wine, non-alcoholic beverages
- All
shore excursions and Zodiac cruises
- Educational
lectures and guiding services from expedition team
- Free
access to our onboard doctor for consultations relating to
sea-sickness. A standard fee of US $60.00 (reclaimable through your
travel insurance provider) applies for medical consultations not
related to sea-sickness
- 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
ADVENTURE OPTIONS - Sea Kayaking: USD 1,260
- Snorkelling: USD 640
- Photography: Free
