ANTARCTIC PENINSULA – FLY THE DRAKE
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ANTARCTIC PENINSULA – FLY THE DRAKE
ITINERARY SUMMARY
| Day | Place | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Punta Arenas | Day at leisure |
| Day 2 | King George Island | Fly into King George Island, embarkation |
| Days 3 - 8 | Antarctic Peninsula | Icebergs, glaciers, seals, blue-eyed shags, Adelie and gentoo penguins |
| Day 9 | King George Island | Disembark, flight back to Puntas Arenas |
| Day 10 | Punta Arenas | After breakfast, bid a fond farewell to your fellow travellers, transfer to the airport to continue your onward journey |
SHIPS OFFERING THIS ITINERARY
Douglas Mawson
Setting sail in 2025, the Douglas Mawson is a new state-of-the-art ship and the last in a line of purpose-built vessels that have redefined small ship expedition cruising. Named after the legendary Australian geologist and explorer, this new small ship embodies Mawson’s pioneering spirit and is designed for global discovery. The Douglas Mawson features a host of amenities to help you connect with like-minded travellers and elevate your time onboard your floating base camp for adventure. After a long day of exploring, head to the back deck to swim in the heated outdoor swimming pool, find a sun bed to read on, or soak in one of two Jacuzzis. Work up a sweat in the gym before unwinding in the sauna, resolve to learn something new in the Citizen Science Centre, then enjoy a delicious meal with new and old friends in one of two restaurants. Or, with multiple observation areas throughout the ship, simply relax in comfort while you keep watch for wildlife or incredible landscapes that unfold before you.
Day 1 Punta Arenas
Arrive in Punta Arenas, overlooking the Straits of Magellan, the city sits astride one of the world’s most historic trade routes. Today, Punta Arenas reflects a great blend of cultural backgrounds, from English sheep ranchers to Portuguese sailors. It remains an utterly fascinating testament to Chile’s rich history. Modern day Punta Arenas is home to many popular restaurants, and bars, offering a mix of local and international fare (meals at your own expense today).
Day 2 Fly to King George Island – Embarkation
Transfer to Punta Arenas airport for your charter flight to King George Island, Antarctica (weather permitting). The flight is approximately one hour and forty-five minutes. On arrival into King George Island our expedition team is on hand to greet you, preparing for your Zodiac transfer to the vessel. You will have time to settle into your cabin before our important safety 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 for safe take-off and landing. A contingency plan will be applied to your itinerary should your flights not proceed today.
Days 3 – 8 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.
Your experienced expedition team, having made countless journeys to this area using their expertise designing 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. Zodiac cruising 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 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 will 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!
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.
Day 9 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 hour and forty-five minutes) to Punta Arenas, Chile. There is time for reflection and discussion about what we have seen and experienced. We hope you become ambassadors for Antarctica telling your family, friends and colleagues about your journey to this magical place, advocating for its conservation and preservation so that they might one day visit the region to experience what you have been lucky to see and do here.
Day 10 Punta Arenas
After breakfast, bid a fond farewell to your fellow travellers as we continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature (breakfast included). A transfer to the airport is included in the voyage fare.
We will tailor the perfect holiday to suit your needs.
Extend your trip to Patagonia
To make the most of your time in South America we can tailor a holiday to Patagonia to suit your voyage dates. If you have a bit more time we can create a tailor-made itinerary to some of the highlights of South America. Take a look at the Patagonia sample itineraries below and contact us to begin creating your perfect holiday.
