Antarctic Express: Fly South, Sail North via Buenos Aires

Your journey begins in Punta Arenas, a port city at the southern tip of Chile, on the north bank of the Strait of Magellan. Once a Chilean penal colony, Punta Arenas has transformed into a vibrant city offering you plenty of attractions including historic sites and museums. Explore the city by day and join us for an evening dinner to meet your fellow Antarctic adventurers.

Today you board your chartered flight to Antarctica. The journey over the Drake Passage takes less than four hours, compared to two days by ship. Your first glimpse of Antarctica comes into view shortly before the aircraft descends towards King George Island, hope for clear skies so you can appreciate the vastness of this great continent! You have free time to photograph parts of the island and stretch your legs before joining the ship. Once aboard, enjoy your first trip in a Zodiac and begin your exploration of the Antarctic region.

You’ll get a sense that you’ve arrived on a new planet during the start of your Antarctic voyage, as the pristine nature and dramatic environments are like nothing else on Earth. From the vessel, you can watch whales swim and feed in nutrient-rich waters and spot penguins frolicking in the water and jumping aboard ice floes. Just as amazing as the wildlife are the towering snow-covered mountains and massive glaciers of the Peninsula, which will be your playground for the next few days. Every Zodiac excursion and landing presents new sights, sounds and smells. Some landings may be as relaxing as sitting on a beach, taking photographs of curious gentoo penguins. Other landings may provide exhilarating panoramic views of the Antarctic continent by hiking atop a hill. Perhaps you’ll catch a calving glacier crumbling into the sea at Petermann Island, or take a Zodiac cruise in search of fur and elephant seals around Pleneau Island. Even common travel experiences like mailing a postcard take on an extra level of excitement in Antarctica. While weather and sea conditions determine which landings we can make, your expedition team ensures each day of your Antarctic adventure leaves a lasting impression.

A rite of passage for any Antarctic adventurer, crossing the Drake signals the end of your journey. No matter the sea conditions, you benefit from having developed your sea legs over the course of the previous four days. While the journey home has begun, your wildlife spotting continues. Your expedition team will be on deck and on the ship’s bridge to help you spot the majestic wandering albatross and a number of whale species, such as minke and humpback. When you’re not looking at photos and reminiscing about the previous days, the expedition team concludes their series of engaging presentations on subjects such as marine biology, Polar history and glaciology.

After a final breakfast aboard the ship, say goodbye to your crew as we disembark in Ushuaia. We’ll transfer you to the hotel to check in and then you’ll have a chance to explore the town on your own to shop, sightsee and sample some Argentinian cuisine.

After breakfast, you are welcome to continue your own travels or make your way to the Ushuaia airport for your homeward flights.