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Icebergs at sunset

Classic Antarctica Air Cruise

Example 8 Day Cruise aboard Magellan Explorer
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Fly round-trip from Punta Arenas Chile over Cape Horn and the mythical waters of the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula. You are invited on this 8-day adventure to one of the coldest, highest, windiest, driest, and most inhospitable places - Antarctica. In a little over three hours of flying from Punta Arenas to King George Island, find yourself at the gates of the white continent. From here, navigate for six days and five nights along the Peninsula. This is sure to be the trip of a lifetime.
Ready to take off!A mother penguin comforts her chicksEmbark on a zodiac adventureAntarctica is filled with exotic wildlife-including playful seals!Icebergs at sunset
Highlights
  • Cruise between the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
  • View Antarctic wildlife such as seabirds, penguins, seals, and whales
  • Attend lectures and presentations from your onboard guides
  • Explore the Antarctic landscape with daily zodiac trips ashore
Activity Level: Relaxed
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile

Arrive in Punta Arenas and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, attend a briefing that provides important information about your voyage and reviews the essential guidelines for Antarctic visitors. Later, gather for a welcome dinner and meet your fellow adventurers while enjoying a typical regional menu.

Please note: Passengers must be at their hotel in Punta Arenas no later than 2 PM.  Pick-up at the Punta Arenas airport and transfer to the hotel cannot be guaranteed for travelers arriving later than 2 PM.  Weather at King George Island will drive the overall schedule of this trip, so there's a slight chance you might fly to Antarctica this evening!  

Day 2: Fly to King George Island | Embark

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Your Antarctic adventure begins with a two-hour flight from Punta Arenas to King George Island, in the South Shetland Islands. As you exit the airplane, the clear Antarctic air fills your lungs for the first time. You then walk 2-km (1.25-mi), passing Chile’s Frei Station and Russia’s Bellingshausen Station, to reach the shore and board a Zodiac that will take you to your boutique expedition vessel.

Please note:  Flexibility is key to any successful Antarctic adventure, particularly a fly cruise.  If the weather at King George Island does not allow for flights this morning, the ship operator will follow their well-established contingency plan, which can be read here.  On average, about 85% of flights occur on this day, as scheduled.  But travelers should be aware of the contingencies that Antarctica21 has developed over its two decades of providing fly cruises.
 

Day 3-6: Explore Antarctica

  • Ship
  • 4 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 4 Dinners
Cruise between the South Shetland Islands and the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, sailing along ice-filled fjords and among spectacular icebergs, enjoying the company of seabirds, penguins, seals, and whales. Each day, disembark by Zodiac and explore the landscape with expert polar guides. On board, attend an engaging program of lectures and presentations, and enjoy spectacular vistas from the glass-enclosed lounge while sharing your daily adventures with fellow guests.

No journey is the same, as flexibility is the key to success in Antarctica. The Expedition Team sets the voyage route to take advantage of the ever-changing opportunities provided by Nature, crafting a unique and extraordinary experience each time. While the exact itinerary changes with each expedition, you are sure to explore several locations which offer the best possible overview of the varied Antarctic environment. Your voyage may include visits to sites such as Paulet Island, Hope Bay, Port Lockroy, Petermann Island, Paradise Bay, Deception Island, the Lemaire Channel, or many other magnificent places.

Day 7: Disembark at King George Island | Fly to Punta Arenas, Chile

  • Hotel
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch
Return to King George Island and bid farewell to Antarctica before boarding your flight back to Punta Arenas. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel for the night. This evening's meals are at your leisure and not included in the program.

Please note:  If the weather at King George Island does not allow for flights this morning, the ship operator will follow its well-established contingency plan, again. 

Day 8: Return Home

  • 1 Breakfast
After breakfast, transfer to the Punta Arenas airport for your onward flight.

Please note:  Flights arranged for later in the day provide more buffer against any of those potential flight delays out of King George Island.

Ship/Hotel

Magellan Explorer

Cabo de Hornos Hotel

Cabo de Hornos Hotel
The reception desk at the Cabo de Hornos Hotel
The bar area at the Cabo de Hornos Hotel

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$13,995
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Triple Suite
480 ft2 – 44 m2 -Suite with two bedrooms, balcony, and sitting area
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Porthole Cabin
Porthole Cabins 200 ft2 – 18 m² -Cabin with sitting area and porthole
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Veranda Cabin
210 ft2 – 19 m2 -Cabin with sitting area and balcony
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Deluxe Veranda Cabin
240 ft2 – 22 m2 -Cabin with sitting area and balcony
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Penthouse Suite
360 ft2 – 33 m2 -Suite with sitting room, balcony, and bedroom area
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Grand Suite
480 ft2 – 44 m2 -Two-room suite with sitting room, balcony, and bedroom
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Single Veranda Cabin
210 ft2 – 19 m2 - Cabin with sitting area and balcony
Included
  • 7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 6 Dinners
  • 7 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Wine, beer, juice, and soft drinks served with lunch and dinner on board ship
  • Coffee, tea, chocolate, cappuccino, water and snacks on board ship throughout the expedition
  • IAATO passenger fee 
  • Loan of Waterproof Boots for Landings
  • Comprehensive Pre- and Post-voyage Information Materials
     
  • Lectures and entertainment onboard.
     
  • Flight(s) from Punta Arenas to Frei Station on King George Island and/or v.v. as indicated in the program 
  • Transfers Airport/Hotel on the Day of the Scheduled Return Flight from Antarctica, and Transfers Hotel/Airport on Last Day of the Air-Cruise Program
  • Group Transfers from Airport to Hotel on Day 1
  • One Overnight with Breakfast in Punta Arenas at the Cabo de Hornos Hotel or Similar & Welcome Dinner Including Drinks on Day 1
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Passport and Applicable Visa Expenses
  • Beverages purchased at the bar 
  • Parkas are not provided on your cruise. Please bring your own windproof, waterproof, insulated parka with you. You will want to make sure it is roomy enough to fit warm layers underneath. Click here for information about parka rental.
  • Kayaking $995 per person (only 10 spots available, should be booked upon reservation)
  • Hiking and Snowshoeing: $85 per person, per excursion (Booked and paid aboard ship)
  • Preferred Seating on the Antarctic Flight: Click this link for details. 

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Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen

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