HIGHLIGHTS
Departing from Punta
Arenas in Chile, we fly across the mighty Drake Passage and land at
King George Island. From here we embark our wonderful ship and navigate
around the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic peninsula.
Throughout the following days we will be making Zodiac landings at
penguin rookeries and fascinating lookouts. Continuing southward, deep
into the inlets of Antarctica, we pass the famous Gerlache Strait,
where 3000-ft ice cliffs rise straight out of the still water.
Experiencing so much of the remote continent in comfort, and in so few
days, is only possible in “Fly the Drake”.
Any voyage to Antarctica is an adventure, but this cruise offers a
unique experience for the few. Shore landings, excursions, lectures and
Zodiac safaris are easily accommodated to help you enjoy an unrivalled
expedition experience. Onboard our brand new strong, ice-classed
expedition vessel, Ocean Albatros, we are sure to get close to the
dramatic coastlines. Zodiac cruising and shore landings are an
important and considerable part of the planned itinerary, hopefully
enabling all expedition guests to set foot on the Antarctic continent,
as well as the many surrounding islands.
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
|
Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
Rates are listed per person
|
Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
ITINERARY
DAY 1 : ARRIVAL PUNTA ARENAS AND
GETTING READY FOR OUR EXPEDITION CRUISE
Arrive and check in at our hotel in Punta Arenas, Chile – the
capital of southern Patagonia. The historic city with rolling hills
surrounding it and the Strait of Magellan in front. Its past is rich in
exciting events, from being a penal colony to becoming a sheep and gold
rush colony with many European settlers. The present-day city remains
home to a major port; and with the Andes mountains and a multitude of
national parks close by, it’s a favored staging point for
many wonderful adventures. Even our own adventure is beginning!
Our 4-star hotel is centrally located, which allows you to make full
use of your time outside of the scheduled events.
If you plan to arrive early, you can even take your time to explore the
historical city.
Our “journey” begins at 15:00 with all the
necessary safety briefings, the latest weather forecasts and
embarkation information needed to enjoy our upcoming expedition cruise
and trans-Drake flight. All mandatory activities are held at the hotel
and you will receive information about all these as you arrive to the
hotel. We finish our daily schedule with a welcome dinner, where you
can enjoy a typical Chilean meal.
DAY 2 : FLYING THE DRAKE.
FLIGHT, KING GEORGE ISLAND, EMBARKATION AND POSSIBLE FIRST ZODIAC
LANDING
We are packed-up, excited and ready-to-go from the very early morning,
as we await information on the landing conditions on King George
Island. Normally the flights take off early, but we are ready to wait
in case the flights are postponed.
We keep ourselves close to the hotel and the Punta Arenas land team,
and drive to the airport as soon as our chartered airline gives us the
green light. The expectation of exploring the 7th Continent builds, as
we have donned our parkas, warm clothes and boots.
Once the fasten your seatbelts sign lights up, it’s time to
fly across the famed Drake Passage - a body of water that marks the
intersection of the cold Antarctic with the warmer Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans. We substitute 2 days of sailing with 2 hours of flying.
Our landing is smooth as the planes are built for these types of
landings and runways. Our luggage is transported to the ship and we
enjoy a 2 kilometer walk along the Chilean Eduardo Frei base and the
neighboring Bellingshausen Russian research station. King George Island
is the largest of the South Shetland Islands and home to no less than
10 research stations, 2 churches and of course the Antarctic
peninsula's only airstrip in use for commercially chartered flights.
The expedition team is awaiting us with Zodiacs on the Fildes Bay beach
and will ferry us to our ship.
Once onboard, the exciting Antarctic wildlife comes into view with our
first sight of seals, penguins and albatrosses. In other words,
it’s time to explore the Antarctic islands of the South
Shetland chain and be marveled by the captivating landscapes we will
encounter along the way.
DAYS 3-6 : EXPLORING THE
SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS AND THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
Over the next days, we will begin the exciting Antarctic experience our
ancestors only dreamed of. During these days we will explore the
Antarctic islands of the South Shetland chain and be marveled by the
captivating landscapes we will encounter along the way.
Weather permitting, our projected landfalls could include: Deception
Island, an extinct volcano with waters warm enough for a polar swim.
Half Moon Island with nesting Wilson's storm petrels and chinstrap
penguins. But there are many other fascinating landing options.
As the white shimmer of Antarctica looms on our horizon, the presence
of wildlife multiples with many species of lively penguins, inquisitive
seals, nesting birds and the spray of marine mammals. Wildlife abounds
along our planned route along the Antarctic Peninsula: leopard, fur and
Weddell seals of Cuverville Island; humpback whales of Gerlache Strait
and Paradise Bay; the dramatic Lemaire Channel's orcas and much more.
The itinerary and activities over the next few days depend on weather
and ice conditions. The route and shore landings will be determined by
the captain and expedition leader and communicated to guests through
regularly scheduled briefings.
Please note that all the outings and landings rely on weather, sea and
ice conditions being favorable both for the ship to access the areas,
as for the Zodiacs and kayaks to maneuver under adequate conditions,
ensuring the safety of all our guests and staff.
For this reason, during moments of harsh weather and throughout the
entire trip, our ships offer excellent public areas such as
wellness/sauna, restaurant, bar and a library for our guests to spend
their spare time. Our ships are staffed by experts in the field who
will also share great lectures along the way, ranging from exploration
history to biology, geology, ice and wildlife.
DAY 7 : DEPART ANTARCTICA
– BACK TO PUNTA ARENAS
Today it’s time to disembark and revisit King George Island.
We follow the same procedures as when we were doing the reverse route.
Having walked to the airport, we calmly await the sight of airplanes
landing on the legendary airstrip.
We depart from Antarctica and spend the 2-hour flight time realizing
what a truly spectacular adventure we have just completed.
Once we land in Chile, we are transferred to our hotel and enjoy an
overnight stay.
DAY 8 : PUNTA ARENAS
This morning concludes our fly-cruise expedition, and you can continue
your adventures or begin your return home.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Return flight to King George Island from Punta Arenas, in
standard seats
- 6-day cruise with accommodation in a shared outside double
stateroom with private facilities
- 2 overnights in centrally located hotel in Punta Arenas in
a shared double room (pre and post cruise)
- All Zodiac landings and excursions as per itinerary
- Transfers to/from Punta Arenas airport in connection with
the King George Island flights
- Expedition parka
- Rubber boots on a loan basis
- Guiding, briefing and lectures by our expedition leader and
team
- Special photo workshop
- English-speaking expedition team
- Visual Journal link after voyage including voyage log,
gallery, maps, species list and more!
- Welcome dinner at hotel (day 1)
- Full board on the ship - breakfast, lunch, dinner and
afternoon tea
- Breakfast at the hotel (during our stay in Punta Arenas day
2 and day 8)
- Free tea and coffee 24 hours a day (during the cruise)
- Welcome and farewell cocktails on board
- Taxes
EXCLUSIONS
- Extra excursions and activities not mentioned in the
itinerary
- Single room supplement and stateroom upgrades
- Comfort seat upgrade on the flight (see prices separately)
- Meals not on board the ship
- Meals on day 7 (after returning to Punta Arenas)
- Beverages (other than coffee and tea)
- Tips for the crew (we recommend USD 14 per person per day)
- Personal expenses
- Transfer to/from the airport in relation to international
flights
- Anything not mentioned under
’Inclusions’
LECTURES
Our primary focus is knowledge, and we apply this to every aspect of a
journey. From the staff that forms our expedition team, to the routes
our ship follows, and of course, the program onboard.
This allows us to provide comprehensive voyages, for our guests to not
only enjoy breathtaking landscapes and amazing wildlife, but to also
get a better understanding of each location and everything they see;
From the flora and fauna they come upon during each landing, to the
culture and history of each place being visited. This adds to the
overall experience, and becomes a memory our guests will cherish back
home.
ZODIAC
Essential for expedition cruises, Zodiacs are robust boats that can go
up on a beach, a rocky outcrop, a river bank or even an ice floe push
through bergy bits of ice floating in the water. This is definitely one
on the assets that distinguishes this way of exploring from more
conventional cruises.