Discovery of Antarctica, Chilean Fjords and Patagonia

The voyage starts in the port city of Valparaíso. It is the third-largest city in Chile with charming cobbled alleys, colorful buildings, regular festivals, and street artists and musicians.

Transfer from the hotel to the airport for a flight to Punta Arenas, where the ship awaits. Once aboard the ship, guests join a mandatory safety drill before the Captain’s introduction and welcome dinner.
 
Included transfers and flight:
 
·  Transfer from hotel to Santiago airport
·  Flight in coach class from Santiago to Punta Arenas
·  Transfer from Punta Arenas airport to the ship

MS Fram takes us safely across the famous Drake Passage. The voyage from the Antarctic Peninsula to the southern tip of Argentina is roughly 600 miles or 40 hours sailing time in good weather. During the voyage south, the expedition team will prepare you for your exploration through a series of informative lectures and demonstrations.

This pure wilderness is full of overwhelming impressions. The elements rule here, so your expedition team works with the conditions to select the  best possible landing sites to create unforgettable experiences on the South Shetlands and Antarctic Peninsula. Flexibility allows us to take advantage of the unexpected, and wildlife will be at the forefront of our plans.
At every opportunity, your expedition team will take you out for landings or ice cruising to get close and truly explore Antarctic beauty, while ensuring not to disturb the wildlife.
The optional activities offer you the chance to experience Antarctica with all your senses as you sail remote waters with icebergs floating by, hike up snowy pathways to spectacular views, and listen to the sounds of glaciers calving or penguins squabbling. Every day will be different, and each is carefully designed to create lasting memories.

Sailing northbound across the Drake Passage is the chance to re-cap all we have seen and heard in Antarctica. The expedition team will continue their lecture program to prepare you for the delights ahead. Enjoy priming your knowledge about the history and ecosystems of the area. Make sure to spend some time on deck to enjoy the fresh sea air and watch for wildlife.

The glacier-created Chilean fjords are a true highlight, with their deep channels, placid fjords and mountains plunging into icy waters. The snow-capped mountains and steep valleys make a striking contrast to an otherwise lush coastal plain that is rich in wildlife.

The impressive “Torres del Paine” (Towers of Paine) rock formation gives the park its name. The peaks, Torre Central, Sur and Norte, create spectacular vistas. Explore the nature sanctuary on our optional excursion.
Torres del Paine hosts stunning variety, from the vast open steppe to rugged mountain terrain. The park is home to a wide variety of fauna and flora - watch for llamas, pumas, and foxes, in addition to more than 100 species of birds like the Andean condor.

Included activity:
Scenes of Puerto Natales (3 hrs)
Explore the small city of Puerto Natales and its scenic surroundings. Visit Plaza de Armas, a tree-lined square in the town center, and then go to a large cave where the bones of a prehistoric ground sloth called a Milodón were found in 1896. The cave attracts many visitors and features a historical display of the tribes who inhabited the area as far back as 12,000 years ago.

The village of Puerto Edén in Bernardo O’Higgins National Park will enchant you. This deeply isolated community is situated at the end of a deep fjord and surrounded by mountains. Its population of 250 includes the 15 remaining members of the Kawéskar tribe.

Your expedition cruise continues south to one of the world’s most remote and beautiful places, the southern province of Ultima Esperanza, meaning Last Hope. This is an iconic Andean seascape of amazing beauty.

Castro is set among windswept hills and lush vegetation. The city is known for its colorful “palafitos,” wooden houses mounted on stilts along the water's edge. While here, visit the UNESCO World Heritage site, Iglesia de San Francisco.

Included activity:
Castro Walking Tour (2 hrs)
Explore landmarks and cultural sights on a city walk through Castro, the capital of Chile’s Chiloé Island. Castro is famous for its ornate church, Iglesia de San Francisco, and the nearby districts of Rilán, Nercón and Chelín are known for their unique wooden churches, designated UNESCO World Heritage sites. Castro and Chiloé are also famous for palafitos, traditional wooden stilt houses.

Heading towards Valparaíso, you have the chance to relax and enjoy the deep relaxation of a day at sea. The expedition team will entertain you with stories of the area, help you to plan your next exploration or show you an interesting creature or two under the microscope in our Science Center.

This remarkable expedition cruise ends in the colorful and poetic port of Valparaíso. One of the best ways to see this scenic city is to climb the hills aboard a funicular, which provides sweeping views.