Extended Antarctic Explorer with Helicopters

Your itinerary begins in unforgettable Buenos Aires, where after having arrived independently, you will transfer to the hotel for your overnight stay. We recommend taking some time to soak up the sights, sounds and delicacies of this splendid city.

Please note, a mandatory transfer package including charter flights and 1 night’s hotel accommodation in Buenos Aires is required for this trip and costs £850.

After a good night’s rest and breakfast in the hotel, you will join your transfer to the airport for your private charter flight to Ushuaia, where upon arrival you will have some time to explore around the world’s southernmost city before making your way to the port where your polar expedition ship awaits you. Embarkation will begin in the late afternoon and after meeting your expedition team and settling into your comfortable cabin, you can spend some time exploring your new surroundings and watching from deck as we sail through the scenic and historic Beagle Channel, leaving civilisation far behind as we start our enthralling journey.

As we make our way towards Antarctica, we take time out for an interesting day of exploration around some of South America’s most southernly points. Weather dependent, we will hope to make land at historic Cape Horn at the southernmost point of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, where we will try to go ashore for a walk to the Horn’s famous albatross-shaped monument, lighthouse and tiny Stella Maris (“Star of the Sea”) Chapel. The panoramic views and remote solitude here will not be forgotten in a hurry!

We then plan to make our way to the most southern point of South America, the rarely-visited and especially remote Diego Ramírez Islands, to enjoy our first Zodiac cruises through the archipelago to discover its abundant birdlife. Part of the recently-designated Diego Ramirez Islands and Drake Passage Marine Park, this designated Important Bird Area is home to millions of breeding seabirds, including multiple species of albatross, as well as other wildlife such as various penguin species, dolphins and South American fur seals.

If weather conditions don’t fall in our favour today, we will attempt this portion of the itinerary on our way back from Antarctica instead.

We will now spend 2 days at sea sailing through the famously unpredictable Drake Passage. Over the course of these 2 days there may potentially be some rough waters, but your polar expedition ship has been designed to navigate these waters with ease. We hope for a smooth sailing that will allow us to spend some time on deck enjoying searching for the abundant seabirds that are likely to be following the ship. Your expedition team will begin their exciting programme of informative lectures and presentations covering everything from the wildlife and geology of Antarctica to historic polar exploration. There will also be safety and bio-environmental briefings to prepare you for your time in Antarctica.

After having traversed the Antarctic Convergence your adventure now begins in earnest as you reach the spectacle of the white continent and begin your exploration of Antarctica. After all of the anticipation during your Drake Passage crossing your first sight of land in Antarctica will not disappoint, and 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 5 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 you will explore 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. One of our favourite places for spotting penguins includes Danco Island where we can enjoy a short hike to visit a large penguin colony which resides high up on a ridge that affords spectacular views of the surrounding pristine landscape.

During your time in Antarctica you will be invited to enjoy your included unforgettable helicopter flightseeing experience which will take you high above the Peninsula for simply breath-taking views of the icescapes below. Further helicopter experiences, including helicopter landings for mountainous hikes and treks may also be available for an additional cost.

There will ample opportunities for enjoyable hikes and walks throughout our time in Antarctica, even without the helicpters, 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. There are exciting kayaking, paddling, Camping on Ice and stand-up paddleboarding options available too (additional cost).

After your thrilling exploration of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands it’s time to head back towards South America as we sail back across the Drake Passage. These 2 days offer us some further opportunities for attending the informative lectures and talks presented by your team of Antarctica experts and we recommend spending some time on deck looking for your final seabird and whale sightings. This is also a great chance to spend some time collating all of the many pictures you will have taken and sharing tales of your adventures with your fellow passengers.

After having sailed through the Beagle Channel overnight you will arrive back into the port of Ushuaia in the early morning, where you will disembark for a tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park (included in mandatory transfer package). After your Taste of Patagonia experience you will then transfer to the airport for your flight back to Buenos Aires (included in mandatory transfer package).