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
|
Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
Rates are listed per person
|
Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
ITINERARY
Note:
The Mar 06, 2022 voyage is a
return trip in the opposite direction
Day
1 Arrival airport transfer and overnight in Ushuaia
Arrive
in Ushuaia, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora
Expeditions and transferred to your group 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.
Day
2 Embarkation Day
This
morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags
clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Please take your
cabin luggage down to hotel reception by 8.00 AM. Your luggage will be
collected from your hotel and transferred directly to port for
clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of your arrival on board.
Keep any valuables or personal items with you throughout the day. Once
you have checked out of your hotel by 11.00 AM, you have free time
before meeting back in the hotel lobby at 2.00 PM to commence a tour of
Ushuaia. 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 Drake Passage Crossing
As
we commence the Drake Passage crossing, we make the most of our time
getting comfortable with the motions of the sea. Our expedition team
prepare you for our first landing with important wildlife guidelines
and biosecurity procedures, and start our lecture program to help you
learn more about Antarctica's history, wildlife and environment.
Our
wildlife experiences begin as we enjoy watching and photographing the
many seabirds, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels
following in our wake. They rise and fall skilfully, using air currents
created by the ship to gain momentum.
Day
4 Drake Passage & South Shetland Islands
Nearing
the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula on
day four, the excitement is palpable with everyone converging on one of
the observation decks, watching for our first iceberg. The ocean takes
on a whole new perspective once we are below the Antarctic Convergence
and are surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures.
The memory of your first big iceberg sighting is likely to remain with
you for a lifetime. Weather permitting, we may attempt our first
landing in Antarctica by late afternoon.
Day
5-9 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
- One
night’s hotel accommodation with breakfast in Ushuaia on Day 1
- City
tour in Ushuaia on Day 2 (lunch not included)
- Luggage
transfer from your hotel in Ushuaia to ship on Day 2
- Flight
from King George Island to Punta Arenas on Day 10
- Transfer
to hotel in Punta Arenas on Day 10
- One
night’s hotel accommodation with breakfast in Punta Arenas on
Day 10
- 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
- Scuba
Diving: USD 1,260
(Available only on the Mar 3, 2023 voyage)