CLASSIC ANTARCTICA
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CLASSIC ANTARCTICA
ITINERARY SUMMARY
| Day | Place | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Santiago | Spend the night in Santiago before your flight to Puerto Williams |
| Day 2 | Puerto Williams | Fly into Puerto Williams, set sail and meet the expedition team |
| Days 3 - 4 | Drake Passage | Cross this iconic stretch of water on the route to Antarctica |
| Day 5 | Antarctic Sound | Brown Bluff Adelie and Gentoo Penguins, Kelp Gulls, Cape Petrels, Snow Petrels and Skuas |
| Days 6 - 8 | Antarctic Peninsula | Iceberg sculptures, carving glaciers, marine mammals, penguins |
| Day 9 | South Shetland Islands | Chinstrap, Adelie, Gentoo and Macaroni Penguins, Leopard seals, Weddell seals, crabeater seals, Southern elephant seals and Antarctic fur seals |
| Days 10 - 11 | Drake Passage | Cross the Drake Passage bound for Puerto Williams |
| Day 12 | Puerto Williams | Farewell your expedition team and fellow travellers as you disembark in Puerto Williams |
SHIP OFFERING THIS ITINERARY
SILVER WIND
The Silver Wind is a is a modern and comfortable ship which has undergone refurbishments in December 2018 with a second planned for summer 2020 after her original build in 1995. Timelessly elegant and luxurious, the Silver Wind is enabled to comfortably carry 254 passengers across her 6 passenger decks. Her new and improved strengthened ice-class hull makes for adaptable sailing through the Polar Regions with ease for whatever the conditions may bring.
SILVER CLOUD
Spacious yet intimate, the yacht-like Silver Cloud carries 240 guests in incomparable comfort and style combining spacious ocean-view suites and private verandas with excellent dining and entertainment options. Silver Cloud epitomizes a vision of world-class cruise accommodations, cuisine, service and amenities.
The Silver Cloud is equipped with a fleet of zodiacs and expert guides to escort you on excursions from the ship.
SILVER ENDEAVOUR
The Silver Endeavour brings new meaning to luxury in the Antarctic. Featuring 100 breathtaking suites to accompany up to 200 guests, you may never want your time on board to end. The ships sleek design fits all the specifications of Polar Class 6 enabling the Silver Endeavour to reach the farthest corners of the Earth.
The features on board seem somewhat endless. There’s a two story glass-enclosed solarium for relaxing as you watch the beautiful scenery pass you by or get a treatment at the full-service spa. Choose to dine from one of the six Michelin-level restaurants on board or spend sea days in one of the many other on board lavish public places. The ship is set to have a whole fleet of expedition toys including a fleet of 18 zodiacs, a submersible and two helicopters ready to take you on an adventure.
Day 1 Santiago, Chile
Spend the night in Santiago before your flight to Puerto Williams the following day. Spend this day at your own leisure, exploring the city of Santiago or preparing for the adventure to come.
Day 2 Puerto Williams, Argentina
Fly from Santiago to Puerto Williams.
Puerto Williams is a Chilean city located on Navarino Island on the southern shores of the Beagle Channel. It claims to be the “southernmost city in the world”, however owing to its small size – 2500 residents approximately – the much larger Argentinean city of Ushuaia, which sits on the northern side of the same channel, also claims that title. The surrounding scenery is magnificent. The city itself has the dramatic backdrop called “Dientes de Navarino” (literally “teeth of Navarino”), which rival the famous Torres del Paine further to the north. The current city was established as a naval base in 1953 and honours the British-Chilean naval commander John Williams Wilson of the 16th century. Initially it served to protect territorial possessions and fishing rights of the area, as well as offering logistical support to Antarctic bases. More recently it has become a departure point for scientific and tourism trips to the Antarctic region. In contrast to the bustle and traffic of a very commercial Ushuaia, Puerto Williams offers a quieter, more relaxed experience. It charms the visitor with a small village feel, complete with rustic buildings and the homely smell of drifting wood smoke. A haven of peace at the end of the world.
In the afternoon, you will embark on your voyage to Antarctica. After a chance to explore and settle into your cabin, you will meet your fellow travellers.
Days 3 – 4 Drake Passage
The Drake Passage has a notorious reputation for its turbulent seas due to the westerly winds and the funneling effect of the passage. The Antarctic Convergence, a natural boundary where cold polar water flows northward and warmer equatorial water moves southward, is within the Drake Passage. When these two currents meet, nutrients are pushed to the surface, often attracting a multitude of seabirds and whales. Black-browed Albatross, Sooty Shearwaters and White-chinned Petrels glide in the air currents alongside and in the wake of the ship.
Day 5 Antarctic Sound
The Antarctic Sound is a stretch of water named after the first ship to have passed through this body of water from the Bransfield Strait to the Weddell Sea in 1902. The Antarctic eventually sank and crew and scientists had to spend quite some time in this area before they could be rescued. Sites that have to do with this story – like Hope Bay or Paulet Island – are sometimes visited if conditions allow. At Paulet, Hope Bay and Brown Bluff Adelie and Gentoo Penguins breed, as do Kelp Gulls and Cape Petrels, Snow Petrels and Skuas. The Sound’s main attractions are the spectacular tabular icebergs that come from the Larsen Ice Shelf further south.
Days 6 – 8 Antarctic Peninsula
Remote and otherworldly, Antarctica is irresistible for its spectacular iceberg sculptures and calving glaciers, and for the possibility of up-close encounters with marine mammals and the iconic penguins. The Antarctic Peninsula – the main peninsula closest to South America – has a human history of almost 200 years, with explorers, sealers, whalers, and scientists who have come to work, and eventually intrepid visitors coming to enjoy this pristine and remote wilderness. It is a region of protected bays, unscaled snow-capped mountains, vast glaciers and a few places where whalers or scientists have worked. Just as irresistible are the many Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguin colonies, the seals basking on ice floes, the whales and orcas.
Day 9 South Shetland Islands
Some 770 kilometers south of Cape Horn, the South Shetland Islands are usually the first land seen in Antarctica. Separated from the Antarctic Peninsula by the Bransfield Strait, nine major islands make up the group. The region was the first to be exploited by sealers in the early 19th century, and because of its proximity to South America, it still is the most visited by scientists and tourists. Chinstrap, Adelie, Gentoo and Macaroni Penguins all breed here. In addition, because it is the warmest part of the continent, large moss beds as well as orange, black, grey and green lichens grow –even hair grass and pearlwort manage to survive. Leopard seals, Weddell seals, crabeater seals, Southern elephant seals and Antarctic fur seals can be seen in the water and on the beaches.
Days 10 – 11 Drake Passage
As you sail back to South America, spend this time reflecting on the incredible adventure you have just been on. Chat with fellow travellers, edit photos, or spend time out on the observation deck looking for bird and marine life.
Day 12 Puerto Williams, Argentina
After breakfast, disembark the ship and transfer for your return flight to Santiago.
Expedition highlights and wildlife listed here are possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed. Your Expedition Leader and Captain will work together to ensure opportunities for adventure and exploration are the best possible, taking into account the prevailing weather, wildlife activity and ice conditions. Expedition Team members scheduled for this voyage are subject to change or cancellation.
A flexible itinerary allows us to take advantage of favourable sea and weather conditions. In the true spirit of expedition cruising, each day the Expedition Leader and Captain will determine our best course depending on weather, ice conditions and wildlife we may encounter.
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.
