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Fur seal paradise in Antarctica

Puerto Williams to Puerto Williams - Door to Door

Example 15 Day Cruise aboard Silver Wind
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Spend 15 days exploring the icy wilderness of the world’s most remote continent. Cross the fabled Drake Passage and discover the natural wonders of the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. Spy seals, whales and a vast array of seabirds, and marvel at the dreamlike landscape of sculpted icebergs and calving glaciers. Join an team of passionate and expert professionals throughout this unforgettable adventure attempting to cross the Antarctic Circle. 
Hide and seek with a young sealNew friendships during Antarctic tourView the pristine beauty of AntarcticaWhale sighting in Polar waters!Zodiac excursion during an Antarctica nature tourFur seal paradise in Antarctica
Highlights
  • Cross the Antarctic Circle to get closer to the ice’s splendor
  • Follow in the footsteps of Antarctic explorers
  • Marvel at spectacular iceberg sculptures and calving glaciers
  • Set foot on the continent of Antarctica to meet Adelie and gentoo penguins
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrive in Santiago

Welcome to Santiago, the vibrant capital of Chile. Relax and spend the overnight here preparing for your adventure.

Day 2: Fly to Puerto Williams | Embark

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Dinner
Fly from Santiago to Puerto Williams and embark on Silver Wind for your Polar adventure.

Puerto Williams is a Chilean city located on Navarino Island on the southern shores of the Beagle Channel. It claims to be the “southernmost city in the world”, however owing to its small size – 2500 residents approximately – the much larger Argentinean city of Ushuaia, which sits on the northern side of the same channel, also claims that title. Puerto Williams offers a quieter, more relaxed experience. It charms the visitor with a small village feel, complete with rustic buildings and the homely smell of drifting wood smoke. A haven of peace at the end of the world.

Day 3-4: Drake Passage

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
The Drake Passage has a notorious reputation for its turbulent seas due to the Antarctic Convergence, a natural boundary where cold polar water flows northward and warmer equatorial water moves southward. When they meet, nutrients are pushed to the surface, often attracting a multitude of seabirds and whales. Spend some time on deck watching the horizon and the variety of seabirds that glide in the air currents of the ship’s wake such as the black-browed albatross, sooty shearwaters and White-chinned petrels. Have your camera ready to capture the magical color of late-night sunsets.

As you sail, familiarise yourself with the elegant Silver Explorer and the Expedition Team members. Attend wildlife, geography and history discussions hosted by expert naturalists and guest lecturers that prepare you for the exciting adventures that lie ahead. When available, visit the Bridge and meet our Captain and officers.

Day 5: Antarctic Sound

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Few voyages ignite the imagination like a journey down to one of the planet’s most remote, extreme and enchanting wilderness, Antarctica. An adventure in its purest form, only a handful of people will ever be lucky enough to experience the majestic beauty of these monochrome landscapes first-hand. The Antarctic Sound will be one of your first encounters of this whitewash kingdom, located at the northerly tip of the Antarctic Peninsula - which sprawls up like a tentacle towards Tierra del Fuego, South America’s most southerly point, otherwise known as the ‘End of the World’.

Day 6-10: Antarctic Peninsula

  • Ship
  • 5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners
While sailing to Antarctica, every turn can reveal a new and breath-taking adventure. As the pack ice becomes thicker, it’s apparent to everyone that you are moving closer into Antarctica’s vast white wilderness. The further south you go the more you can find ice. Remote and otherworldly as Antarctica is, the spectacular iceberg sculptures and calving glaciers are irresistible. The possibility of up-close encounters with marine mammals, watching seals sunbathing on slow-moving ice floes or humpback, Minke, and orca whales surfacing from below the frigid waters are truly unique.

Enjoy daily Zodiac departures, and, if conditions permit, cruise amidst colorful icebergs or step ashore to visit a variety of penguin rookeries and perhaps scientific research stations on complimentary excursions led by your team of natural history experts.

The flexible itinerary allows to opportunity to take advantage of favorable sea and weather conditions. In the true spirit of expedition cruising, each day the Expedition Leader and Captain determine your best course depending on weather, ice conditions and wildlife you may encounter. Here are some of the places you may visit:

Start your Antarctic experiences at the top of the Antarctic Peninsula, venturing into Antarctic Sound and its magnificent array of tabular icebergs, historical sites and Adelie and gentoo penguin rookeries. Depending on weather and ice conditions Silver Explorer might visit Brown Bluff, Hope Bay, and Paulet Island and cruise the Antarctic Sound.

Brown Bluff is an ice-capped, 745-metre-high, flat-topped mountain with a prominent cliff of reddish-brown volcanic rock. Adelie and gentoo penguins, kelp gulls, and Cape pigeon use this as a breeding area. Under good climatic conditions a walk onto a nearby glacier might be feasible.

Hope Bay has one of the largest Adelie penguin colonies in Antarctica and a Zodiac cruise past the Argentine Station “Esperanza” shows some of the penguins, Weddell seals and blue-eyed shags. 

Paulet Island
 is home to Adelie Penguins, kelp gulls and snowy sheathbill as well as a massive colony of blue-eyed shags. The crew of Otto Nordenskjold’s relief ship Antarctica had to over-winter on the island in 1903. Remnants of their hut still remain.

Cuverville Island's  large bare rock areas provide nesting sites for gentoo penguins. snow petrels and Cape petrels may also be seen whilst Wilson’s storm petrels nest in the higher scree of the island. Conditions permitting climb part of the hill for spectacular panoramic views. During Zodiac tours around the many icebergs, hauled-out Weddell seals may be seen. 

Paradise Bay is well named for its spectacular scenery of mountains, glaciers and icebergs. From the ship or Zodiac, observe Argentina’s “Base Brown”, one of many Antarctic research stations. View the wildlife from sea level while cruising by Zodiac. There’s a good chance you can come across a crabeater seal relaxing on an ice floe or locate minke whales in the bay.

Lemaire Channel is one of the most spectacular channels with steep snow-covered mountains on both sides and icebergs of different sizes at the southern end.

Petermann Island is named for German geographer August Petermann and was first discovered by a German expedition in 1873-74. Rock surfaces show glacial polish, some glacial grooving and nice samples of frost shattering. During your landing, be able to observe rookeries of Adelie penguins, gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags. 

Pleneau Island lies at the south end of the Lemaire Channel, and was first explored during Charcot’s 1903–05 French Antarctic Expedition. The island was named for the expedition’s photographer, Paul Pleneau. Amongst the common breeding birds are gentoo penguins, kelp gulls and south polar skuas. Southern elephant seals are often hauled-out in wallows. Enjoy spectacular glacial and ice scenery from the island during a Zodiac cruise in Pleneau Bay.

Attempting the Antarctic Circle crossing. On your way south pass Vernadsky, the former British Faraday Station, and see how far you can sail based on the ice conditions.

Day 11: South Shetland Islands

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
The South Shetland Islands run parallel to the Antarctic Peninsula and were the first part of Antarctica seen during the early 19th century, although claims exist that early European explorers might have been there some 200 years before. Here are some of the places you may visit:

Aitcho Islands -As you step off the Zodiac to explore the island be greeted by gentoo and chinstrap penguins. Other annual seabirds include the southern giant petrels. leopard seal are often seen prowling the shore for penguins.

Deception Island, Port Foster and Whalers Bay -Deception Island is an excellent example of a breached caldera flood by seawater. Plan to sail into Port Foster through a narrow entrance called Neptune’s Bellows. Your resident Geologist is on hand to explain the unique volcanic features of the area while your naturalists might introduce you to the whaling history of Deception Island. Still visible on the island are the boilers used to make whale oil in the early 1900s.

Day 12: Drake Passage

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Navigating your return through the Drake Passage, watch for seabirds and wildlife you may have missed on your initial crossing. There are opportunities to attend additional presentations offered by the Expedition Team lecturers and to edit the many photos taken as you travel toward Puerto Williams. During the last afternoon, your Photographer/Videographer shows the Voyage –DVD.

Day 13: Cruising Cape Horn

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Once an unavoidable physical gateway to adventure and commerce in the Pacific Ocean, Cape Horn nowadays has more of a spiritual attraction, drawing intrepid travelers to pay homage to the brave sailors who, by necessity, attempted to pass this wild and inhospitable headland.

During clear weather, when the island is free from the frequent icy squalls that batter its shores, a 7-meter (23 feet) high steel monument can be seen standing about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) away from the true cape, near the Chilean navy station. It depicts the silhouette of an albatross, a bird that is said to carry the souls of those sailors who perished “rounding the Horn”. With that in mind, consider yourself lucky to confront the Horn on a luxury Expedition cruise ship rather than from the wave-washed and perilous deck of a windjammer.

Day 14: Puerto Williams | Disembark | Fly to Santiago

  • 1 Breakfast
After breakfast, disembark Silver Wind and board a charter flight back to Santiago. Transfer to the hotel for a post-cruise overnight stay.

Day 15: Return Home

  • 1 Breakfast
After Breakfast, bid farewell to hotel staff and catch your flight way back home.

Ship/Hotel

Silver Wind

Santiago - Hotels

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
Rates are dynamic and fluctuate based on capacity. Contact us for a specific quote.
Silver Wind
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Vista Suite
Twin beds or queen-sized bed. Large picture window providing panoramic ocean views and comfortable sitting area. One bedroom: 240 sq ft / (22 sq m) One bedroom: Suite 738: 325 sq ft / (30 sq m).
Silver Wind
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Classic Veranda Suite
Twin beds or queen-sized bed. Teak veranda with patio furniture and floor-to-ceiling glass doors and comfortable sitting area. One bedroom: 295 sq ft / (27 sq m) including veranda.
Silver Wind
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Deluxe Verdana Suite
Twin beds or queen-sized bed. Teak veranda with patio furniture and floor-to-ceiling glass doors and comfortable sitting area. One bedroom: 295 sq ft / (27 sq m) including veranda.
Silver Wind
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Medallion Suite
Twin beds or queen-sized bed. Teak veranda with patio furniture and floor-to-ceiling glass doors and a comfortable sitting area. One-bedroom Suite 741 has a single bedroom and measures 667 sq ft / 62 (sq m.) Two-bedroom Suites 801–804: 441 sq ft / 41 (sq m) including veranda.
Silver Wind
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Silver Suite
Twin beds or queen-sized bed. Teak veranda with patio furniture and floor-to-ceiling glass doors and a comfortable sitting area. One bedroom: 517 sq ft / (54 sq m) including veranda.
Silver Wind
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Royal Suite
Twin beds or queen-sized bed; Two-bedroom has additional twin beds or queen-sized bed. Large teak veranda and a separate dining area and bar. Royal Suite - 736 sq ft / (69 sq m) including veranda. Two-bedroom - 1,031 sq ft / (96 square meters) including veranda.
Silver Wind
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Grand Suite
Twin beds or queen-sized bed; Two-bedroom has additional twin beds or queen-sized bed. Large teak veranda and a separate dining area and bar. One bedroom: 1,019 sq ft / (95 sq m) including veranda. Two-bedroom - 1,314 sq ft / (122 sq m) plus veranda.
Silver Wind
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Owner's Suite
Twin beds or queen-sized bed; Two-bedroom has additional twin beds or queen-sized bed. Large teak veranda and a separate dining area and bar. One-bedroom: 587 sq ft / (55 sq m) including veranda. Two-bedroom - 827 sq ft / (77 sq m) plus veranda.
Included
  • 14 Breakfasts, 11 Lunches, 12 Dinners
  • 14 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Personalized Service with a Butler for all Suites
  • One hour free WIFI per day for all guests. Unlimited free WIFI for guests sailing on select suite categories.
  • In-suite dining and room service
  • Guided Zodiac, land and sea tours, and shoreside activities led by the Expeditions Team
  • Onboard gratuities
  • Beverages in-suite and throughout the ship, including champagne, select wines and spirits
  • Complimentary transportation into town in most ports
Excluded
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Some champagne, premium wine and spirit selections, caviar, cigarettes and cigars are not included in your fare.
  • Meals ashore
  • Laundry or Valet services
  • Casino gaming

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Beyond expectations! Then again we weren't sure what to expect. Lovely stay at the lodge, met other like-minded travelers (many had their trips planned by Adventure Life) and the owner was a gracious hostess. It felt like you were one happy family, visiting with a favorite aunt.
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