HIGHLIGHTS
- Visit
King George Island which is the largest of the South Shetland Islands.
It is one of the islands closest to South America and only some 120
kilometers from the Antarctic Peninsula. Adelie, Chinstrap and Gentoo
Penguins, Weddell and leopard seals can be seen in the water or on the
shore, and seabirds like the Giant Petrel are never far off.
- Be
one of the handful of people that will ever be lucky enough to
experience the majestic beauty of these monochrome landscapes
first-hand. The Antarctic Sound will be one of your first encounters of
this whitewash kingdom, located at the northerly tip of the Antarctic
Peninsula - which sprawls up like a tentacle towards Tierra del Fuego,
South America’s most southerly point, otherwise known as the
‘End of the World’.
- Enjoy
the ice-coated Antarctic Peninsula which forms perhaps the most
accessible region of mainland Antarctica, lying a mere 480-miles away
from South America, across the fabled waters of Drakes Passage.
- Hike
the luna landscapes within, and even dip into the improbably warm,
geothermally-heated waters of Pendulum Cove.
- Visit
Elephant Island, which is the site where Ernest Shackleton and the
stricken crew of the Endurance miraculously survived a harsh Antarctic
winter, in 1916.
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
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| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
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Rates are listed per person
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| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
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ITINERARY
DAY
1: King George Island, Antarctica
Departure
6:00 PM
With
its 1,150 Sq Km, King George Island is the largest of the
South Shetland Islands. One of the islands closest to South America and
only some 120 kilometers from the Antarctic Peninsula, King George
Island was first seen by William Smith in 1819 and was named after
George III, King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and
King of Hanover. Despite the fact that almost 90 percent of the
island’s surface is covered by ice and glaciers, 10 different
nations have permanent bases or stations set up on Fildes Peninsula,
along the shores of Maxwell Bay and at Admiralty Bay. Base Eduardo Frei
Montalva (named after Chile’s president when the
meteorological station was opened in 1969) is Chile’s most
important in Antarctica as it has an airstrip used for flights from and
to Punta Arenas and the civilian settlement Villa Las Estrellas. Even
though the island boasts so many stations and base personnel, the
island still has other summer inhabitants one regularly connects with
Antarctica: Adelie, Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins. Weddell and leopard
seals can be seen in the water or on the shore, and seabirds like the
Giant Petrel are never far off.
DAY
2: Antarctic Sound, Antarctica
Few voyages
ignite the imagination like a journey down to one of the
planet’s most remote, extreme and enchanting wilderness,
Antarctica. An adventure in its purest form, only a handful of people
will ever be lucky enough to experience the majestic beauty of these
monochrome landscapes first-hand. The Antarctic Sound will be one of
your first encounters of this whitewash kingdom, located at the
northerly tip of the Antarctic Peninsula - which sprawls up like a
tentacle towards Tierra del Fuego, South America’s most
southerly point, otherwise known as the ‘End of the
World’. Taking its name from the first ship to brave the
passageway between the peninsular and the Joinville Island groups back
in 1902, the Sound is a raw, sensory assault of imposing iceberg slabs,
broken away from the disintegrating Larsen Ice Shelf. Come face-to-face
with stadium-sized islands of ice and meet the extraordinary birdlife
that call this whitewash kingdom home. Watch on, as colonies of Gentoo
penguins hop around, and cape petrels sweep overhead, as the
continent’s unique wildlife thrives around you. If
you’re planning your first venture into Antarctica,
you’ll want to brush up on your photography skills in
advance, to capture this unforgiving continent in all of its
unrestrained glory.
DAYS
3-5: Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica
The
Antarctic Peninsula unravels upwards towards South America, reaching
out a beckoning finger to the adventurous, who dare to explore this
untamed realm. Stretching up from the heart of the world’s
southernmost continent, the Antarctic Peninsula lies a mere 620 mile
from Tierra del Fuego and, for many, offers a spectacular first taste
of the snow-blanketed landscapes and colossal ice sculptures, which
make up Earth’s least-explored continent. Unseen by humans
until 1820 - a blink of an eye ago in relative terms - this is an
adventure sure to make your hairs stand on end, as you experience the
thrill of the truly unknown and extraordinary. The vast peninsula is
sprinkled with research bases, which are at the frontline of human
scientific endeavour, pushing to study and understand this unique
landscape, its exceptional wildlife, and the impact that humans are
having on this pristine continent. Witness cathedral-sized icebergs up
close, and blue-hued glaciers, slowly slipping from imposing locations
like Hope Bay. Blanched mountain peaks cover the peninsula, and
you’ll find thousands of adorable Adelie penguin pairs
thriving undisturbed in this peninsula’s unique setting.
DAY
6: South Shetland Islands, Antarctica
The
ice-coated Antarctic Peninsula forms perhaps the most accessible region
of mainland Antarctica, lying a mere 480-miles away from South America,
across the fabled waters of Drakes Passage. Lying close to the
northwestern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, separated by the
Bransfield Strait, the South Shetland Islands fall under the
jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty, suspending claims on their
sovereignty. Several countries maintain research bases here, and with
plump elephant seals, and crowds of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie
Penguins also calling the islands home, it can even feel a little
crowded at times. King George Island is the largest and most hospitable
island, hosting the majority of the research stations - some of which
are populated all-year-round by tiny, hardy crews. Don’t be
fooled though, these islands offer extraordinary adventure in one of
the most remote locations on earth. The triple peaks of Mount Foster
tower above the archipelago, and you’ll feel your heart
pumping a little quicker, as you sail into the core of Deception
Island’s magnificent collapsed volcano caldera. Hike the luna
landscapes within, and even dip into the improbably warm,
geothermally-heated waters of Pendulum Cove. Elephant Island,
meanwhile, is written deep into the annals of Antarctic expedition
legend, as the site where Ernest Shackleton and the stricken crew of
the Endurance miraculously survived a harsh Antarctic winter, in 1916.
DAY
7: King George Island, Antarctica
Arrive
5:30 AM
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Welcome
Reception And Bon Voyage Dinner In Punta Arenas
- Transfers
Between Airport And Hotel And Ship
- 1
Night Pre-Cruise Hotel In Punta Arenas - Hotel Cabo De Hornos
- 1
Night Post-Cruise Hotel In Punta Arenas - Hotel Cabo De Hornos
- Private
Flight In Business Class - Roundtrip Punta Arenas/King George Island
- Shore
Excursions - Guided Zodiacs + Expedition Gear
- Guided
Zodiac, Land And Sea Tours, And Shoreside Activities Led By The
Expeditions Team
- Parka
- Enrichment
Lectures By A Highly Qualified Expeditions Team
- Spacious
Suites
- Butler
Service In Every Suite
- Unlimited
Free Wifi
- Personalised
Service – Nearly One Crew Member For Every Guest
- Choice
Of Restaurants, Diverse Cuisine, Open-Seating Dining
- Beverages
In-Suite And Throughout The Ship, Including Champagne, Select Wines And
Spirits
- In-Suite
Dining And Room Service
- Onboard
Entertainment
- Onboard
Gratuities
