Antarctic Express - Fly the Drake

Your adventure begins in Punta Arenas, Chile, where after having arrived independently you can join a group transfer from the airport to your hotel for an included overnight stay. Punta Arenas is the most populated city in southern Patagonia and we recommend arriving early to allow you some time to discover some of the city’s many museums, restaurants and shops. In the afternoon you will meet your fellow passengers and tour representatives for a briefing on the adventures that lie ahead, before enjoying an included welcome dinner and a good night’s rest in preparation for embarkation day.

Today your adventure begins in earnest as you join your transfer to the airport for your 3 hour flight to Antarctica! A buzz of excitement will be in the air as you board your plane ready to fly across the legendary Drake Passage. Within just a few hours you will catch your first glimpse of the dramatic Antarctica landscapes below as your plane prepares to land in the South Shetland Islands. Flying into Antarctica is a unique and exciting experience and upon landing the excitement continues as we leave the plane and step foot on the white continent, one of the most remote and spectacular places on earth. We can stretch our legs and take a walk around the island before boarding our Zodiac boats to transfer to our Polar expedition ship to begin our sail to the Antarctic Peninsula.

You are likely to feel a sense of euphoria as we reach the peninsula and Antarctica’s spectacular beauty really comes to light. There are few places in the world that could match Antarctica’s dramatic pristine landscapes and today you get to be one of a small group of people who have been able to witness this outstanding area up close. Soon you will begin to appreciate exactly why these remarkable lands have long captivated the attentions of explorers and intrepid adventurers.

As with all Antarctica expeditions our exact itinerary over the course of the next 4 days will be flexible and dependent upon weather and ice conditions, with your captain and experienced crew deciding each day on the best course for unrivalled wildlife, scenery and adventure experiences. Each expedition to Antarctica is different and you can be guaranteed of multiple unique, once in a lifetime moments that you will live long in the memory.

Exploring each day by Zodiac boat alongside your experienced expedition crew you will discover multiple bays, channels and landing sites on a constant lookout for wildlife sightings including humpback and minke whales, various southern seal species and, of course, bustling penguin rookeries. You are likely to see at least 3 different penguin species on your trip and one of our favourite places for spotting penguins is Danco Island where we can enjoy a short hike to visit a large colony which resides high up on a ridge that affords spectacular views of the surrounding pristine landscape.

There will ample opportunities for enjoyable hikes and walks throughout our time in Antarctica and the majesty of the Antarctic Peninsula’s mountains will enchant as you scramble up snowy pathways to vantage points offering you 360° views of your surroundings.

Throughout your time here you can enjoy walks along the beaches alongside the penguins, thrilling Zodiac cruises through the crackling sea ice, navigating through mazes of towering icebergs of all shapes and sizes, experience the awesome sights and sounds of calving glaciers including those in Neko Harbour, and fully immerse yourself in all that this wonderful continent has to offer. For the more adventurous we highly recommend a Polar Plunge in the frigid Antarctic waters, and there will be exciting kayaking and paddling options available too.

After your thrilling exploration of the Antarctic Peninsula we will arrive back at King George Island to disembark the ship and bid a fond farewell to our expedition team before boarding our flight back to Punta Arenas. The flight back across the Drake Passage takes approximately 3 hours and upon arrival back in Punta Arenas you can join your group transfer to your hotel for an included overnight stay. This evening is yours to do with what you please. Spend some time collating all of the many photos you will have taken on your adventure, enjoy dinner in a local restaurant, or reminisce with your new found friends about all that you have experienced together over the last week.

After breakfast at the hotel it will be time to check out and bid goodbye to your fellow passengers as your thrilling Antarctica adventure comes to an end.