Antarctica All Around with Flight over the Drake Passage 15% Advantage

This nine day expedition combines a flight over the Drake Passage with a sea voyage through Antarctic waters and ends in Ushuaia. Starting by air allows you to step straight into the landscapes around King George Island before the ship pushes south into the Antarctic region. Landings and outings are scheduled flexibly and depend on weather, ice, and the expedition’s safety and environmental guidelines. The focus is on wildlife viewing, with good chances of seeing penguins, seals, whales, and seabirds, as well as experiencing icebergs, channels, and coastlines. An expedition team accompanies you with briefings and expert context.

Antarctica All Around, The Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Punta Arenas and Preparation
After arriving in Punta Arenas, the journey begins with lunch. Afterwards, you check into your hotel and meet the local team. In the afternoon, you get to know your fellow travelers and the expedition team, are fitted with boots and a parka, disinfect your equipment, and receive briefings on responsible behavior in Antarctica, on Zodiac landings, and on the schedule for the next day. Over a shared dinner, the day comes to a close in a quiet atmosphere.

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Day 2: Flight to King George Island and Embarkation
After breakfast you will travel to the airport in Punta Arenas and fly by charter aircraft across the Drake Passage. From the air, the first icebergs and the coast of King George Island come into view. After landing, the expedition team will assist you with the safe transfer on board the Ocean Nova. The mandatory safety briefing and drill follow, before the ship departs south towards Antarctica.

Days 3 to 5, Antarctic Channels and Flexible Expedition Days
In the coming days, the weather and ice conditions will determine which channels, bays and stretches of coastline are visited. Excursions and landings are planned that allow you to experience Antarctica from different perspectives, for example by Zodiac, kayak, with snowshoes, or on an overnight camp in a tent under the starry sky. Penguins, seals and whales are regularly spotted, sometimes along the rugged coastline, sometimes in open waters. Visits to penguin colonies and historic landing sites are also possible depending on conditions. Anyone taking part in the Citizen Science program helps document this sensitive habitat.

Day 6: South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands present geology shaped by volcanism, with striking mountains and glacier backdrops. On Zodiac cruises you explore this island world on the last Antarctica day of the trip. With good chances, chinstrap penguins and gentoo penguins can be observed, and southern elephant seals and fur seals are also commonly found along the shores. Offshore, whales are seen again and again, depending on visibility and weather.

Days 7 to 8, Drake Passage at Sea
During the crossing through the Drake Passage, a lecture programme by the polar experts accompanies you, providing context on the nature, history and special features of the region. Depending on conditions, you can continue to take part in the Citizen Science programme or use the days at sea to observe the passage attentively. When crossing the Antarctic Convergence towards the Atlantic, the temperature changes noticeably. Keep binoculars or your camera ready, as seabirds often follow the ship for long stretches, and in the open waters rarer species are occasionally sighted.

Day 9: Arrival in Ushuaia and Disembarkation
In the morning, the ship reaches Ushuaia beneath the mountains of Tierra del Fuego. After breakfast, you bid farewell to the expedition team, as well as the officers and crew, and disembark. After breakfast, the travel services end.

Accommodation:
In Punta Arenas you stay in a hotel. During the expedition you spend several nights on board an expedition ship, which serves as the base for landings, outings, and sea days. The accommodation supports the daily routine with briefings, safety drills, and the organization of excursions in the Antarctic region.

Special features:
The route is an expedition and is determined by weather, ice, and local conditions, the expedition team makes decisions as the situation requires. Before every landing, briefings and safety rules apply, and equipment items are cleaned and disinfected according to guidelines. Zodiac landings are part of the program and require you to follow instructions on board and ashore. Wildlife viewing depends on visibility, season, and animal behavior, approaches are made responsibly and within the applicable rules.
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