Private Charter Flight
Take a private charter flight from Chile, arriving in Antarctica in less then three hours.
Travel to the Antarctic Peninsula, cutting out the conventional two-day ship sailing across the unpredictable waters of the Drake Passage, opting instead for a two-hour flight from Chilean Patagonia.
On arrival in the South Shetland Islands, board a small ice-strengthened expedition vessel for an in-depth exploration of the Antarctic Peninsula. Although we would generally recommend the slower travel option, approaching the great white continent by sea, this itinerary works well for those who are short on time or anxious about four days of sailing crossing the Drake Passage.
Cruise onboard the Magellan Explorer, developed by international polar expedition experts. Alternative dates are available onboard the Ocean Nova.
Take a private charter flight from Chile, arriving in Antarctica in less then three hours.
View varied and plentiful wildlife up close; from penguins to seals and whales.
Avoid two days of sailing across the unpredictable Drake Passage.
Magellan Explorer was designed with experience, safety and sustainability in mind.
Day 1
Punta Arenas
Day 2
Punta Arenas - King George Island
Days 3 - 6
Sailing the Antarctic Peninsula
Day 7
King George Island - Punta Arenas
Day 8
Punta Arenas
Day 1
Punta Arenas
Arrive in Punta Arenas in time for the evening pre flight briefing at 1400. Dine with other guests for a welcome dinner before overnighting in Punta Arenas.
Day 2
Punta Arenas - King George Island
Board a privately chartered plane in Chilean Patagonia for a scenic two and a half-hour flight over the infamous Drake Passage, spotting cruising vessels beneath you as you go. Upon landing at the Chilean air base at Frei on King George Island in the south Shetland Islands, board a zodiac to transfer to your small expeditionary vessel.
Days 3 - 6
Sailing the Antarctic Peninsula
Spend the next four days exploring the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Cruise the South Shetland Islands before crossing the Bransfield Straight – sail along ice-filled fjords passing towering icebergs and spotting the huge variety of wildlife. Daily zodiac excursions with expert guides will be planned around the weather and wildlife – visit penguin colonies, explore research stations and maybe post a letter from Port Lockroy. Whilst onboard enjoy expert presentations and the ever changing views.
Day 7
King George Island - Punta Arenas
Return to King George Island for your flight back to Punta Arenas.
Day 8
Punta Arenas
Depart Punta Arenas or maybe extend your stay in Patagonia.
Depending on the specific departure, you might find yourself taking a dip in the hot geothermal springs of Pendulum Cove, walking inside the ruins of a Norwegian Whaling Station or bimbling amongst chinstrap penguins on Half Moon Island. With each day comes another unique disembarkation, from zodiac safaris to wildlife hikes, ensuring snow-covered boots and hefty appetites at days’ end. We can also arrange small group sea kayaking for those who might like to try and spot a breaching whale up close.
Thriving in this enchanting territory that contains more than 90% of the planet’s land ice, the wildlife in Antarctica is abundant and diverse. From gentoos to macaroni penguins, crabeater seals and humpbacks to king cormorants and minke whales. On-board expert polar guides are always on hand to identify species, and engaging on-board lectures are designed to impart their knowledge of the creatures of Antarctica.
Cruise the Antarctic Peninsula in an exclusive group of no more than 73 people. Restrictions on the number of passengers allowed at any one site mean that those travelling on larger ships may have long waits before excursions. In choosing this smaller ship option, bypass taking turns to disembark in favour of spending valuable time exploring the epic proportions and abundant wildlife of the peninsula.
In shaving a total of four whole days off of your journey time to and from Antarctica, more days are freed to explore the south of Chile! We recommend a journey to Patagonia, particularly Torres del Paine National Park, to experience this iconic landscape and perhaps hike to the base of its three granite towers. For a wildlife-centric trip, consider joining a puma-tracking adventure.
Travel is a great educator. Get hands on with the Citizen Science Program supporting research facilities and providing invaluable data to the scientific community. This could be anything from counting penguins and taking ocean samples to cloud mapping or taking photo identification images for the whale data bank. An enriching experience offering a new perspective to your travels.
The Magellan Explorer complies with the most stringent tier III emission standards – it is equipped with an energy-recovery system that recycles the heat produced by the engines which in turn warms the ship and its water supply.
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