Antarctica: Through the Lens - Fly/Sail Expedition

Arrive in Punta Arenas, where an Aurora Expeditions representative will greet you and arrange your hotel transfer. Please arrive before 2:00 pm to ensure you attend essential pre-flight briefings. If weather conditions require, you may depart for King George Island on Day 1 instead of Day 2.

Between 2:00 and 6:00 pm, visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk in the lobby to collect your luggage cabin tags. The team will confirm embarkation details, answer questions, and provide recommendations for dining or last-minute purchases.

Overlooking the historic Straits of Magellan, Punta Arenas blends diverse cultural influences, from English sheep ranchers to Portuguese sailors. Today, this vibrant city offers a rich mix of history, restaurants, and bars serving local and international cuisine (meals at your own expense).

At 7:00 pm, meet fellow expeditioners for a voyage briefing covering transfer schedules, flight procedures to King George Island, and key IAATO regulations for visiting Antarctica.

This morning, transfer to Punta Arenas Airport for your charter flight to King George Island, Antarctica (weather permitting). The journey takes approximately one hour and 45 minutes. Upon arrival, the expedition team will welcome you and assist with your Zodiac transfer to the vessel. Once onboard, settle into your cabin before attending essential safety briefings.

Note: Luggage restrictions apply to your charter flight, 1 x checked piece (<20kg) + 1 x carry-on piece (<7kg). The overhead bins of a BAE146 are substantially smaller than those on a regular commercial flight. Dimensions are Height: 45 cm / Width: 40 cm / Depth: 20 cm 

If your camera gear combined with your usual luggage means you may go over these weight limits, please let your reservations consultant know. As the plane is chartered, there is some flexibility with the weight. If you would like to bring your camera gear on board with you, please take note of the overhead bin dimensions above, otherwise it needs to be placed under the seat in front of you or checked in. It is important to note that your checked luggage is taken from the plane directly to the ship, and you do not have access to your checked luggage until it is brought to your cabin.

Note: A clear sky with great visibility is required for safe take-off and landing at King George Island. Should the weather be uncooperative at this remote airstrip, flights can be moved earlier, or delayed later.  Historically, 85% of flights occur on the day they are scheduled.  But if this is not possible, the ship operator will follow their established contingency plan, which can be read here. 

It’s almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in Antarctica. Spotting your first iceberg and taking a deep breath of some of the most fresh, crisp air on earth is an experience that will stay with you forever.  

Your experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, in partnership with team of photography experts, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, getting you in the best position based on the prevailing weather, ice conditions and wildlife opportunities. Flexibility is key on an Antarctic expedition, especially a photography expedition. Rest assured that if a wildlife event presents itself, or the light hits a glacier just right, the team will do what they can allow you more time to capture it, provided it is possible and safe to do so, of course! 

Once you arrive, the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are yours to explore, offering a multitude of exciting choices. Expect to participate in shore landings or Zodiac excursions twice daily, with specific timings depending entirely on the conditions each day brings. The expedition team plans to schedule some landings at sunrise and sunset whenever possible. However, keeping in mind the 18 to 24 hours of daylight experienced this far south, joining these specific excursions is incredibly rewarding but quite challenging.

Rug up before joining Zodiac cruises along spectacular ice cliffs or among grounded icebergs, keeping watch for whales, seals and porpoising penguins. Zodiac excursions sometimes extend beyond the original schedule when special, unmissable wildlife encounters unfold. It is impossible to predict exactly what natural events might happen next, which simply adds to the inherent excitement of an Antarctic expedition. Listen closely for the creaking and deep rumbling of glaciers carving a path from the summit to the sea. When the boat engine cuts off, take a quiet moment to fully absorb the profound stillness of this remote white continent.

Zodiac excursions serve as a major part of your expedition, featuring deliberately reduced passenger numbers for the voyage and within the Zodiacs themselves. This spacious setup allows photographers to maneuver around the Zodiacs to capture subjects with ease, while providing sufficient room for essential gear. Furthermore, Zodiacs act as your direct transport from the ship to land, where you can visit penguin rookeries, discover historic huts, and explore remarkable spots along the peninsula.

While ashore, expect to be given a choice of how to explore that site. Quite often, one of the options involves a hike up to a vantage point with mountains towering overhead and ice-speckled oceans below. The light can vary dramatically, depending on the weather on the day, but the view from the ridgeline never disappoints. If your focus is on the wildlife, you may choose to wander along pebbly beaches where you are likely to find a variety of penguins (in this area, mainly gentoo), seals, and birds. Occasionally you may capture a leopard seal coming close to shore to find a snack. Whichever option you choose, the expedition team is there with you every step of the way.

In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, you may ship cruise some narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from the mainland or linger in scenic bays to watch whales traveling or feeding.

This is a great time for you to enjoy the Glass Atrium Lounge inside the bow or the Observation Lounge, featuring huge windows and superb views. The bridge opens at the Captain’s discretion, giving you and fellow photographers a different perspective on the daily running of an expedition through these waters. Of course, the tradition of the polar plunge remains an option, granting those who dare the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters—conditions permitting!

When you are not exploring by foot or Zodiac, make sure to join as many lectures and workshops as you can. Expect a variety of photography-focused workshops alongside fascinating presentations from an expedition team of naturalists, historians, and marine biologists.

Note: The scheduler, where Antarctic operators book dates and sites, opens closer to departure. Once these sites are secured, more information can be provided on the specific places likely to be visited on this voyage. Just keep in mind that this is an expedition, meaning there is always a necessary element of flexibility.

Enjoy a final morning landing in the South Shetland Islands before re-entering the Drake Passage for your return journey to South America. With any luck, be blessed with the ‘Drake Lake’! 

With lectures, recaps, and film presentations to complete your Antarctic experience, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean and the life that calls it home. There is time for reflection and discussion about what you have seen and experienced. Tell your family, friends, and colleagues about your journey to this magical place, advocating for its conservation and preservation so that they might one day visit the region to experience what you have been lucky to see and do here. The team hopes the images you captured during your adventure inspire, bring joy, and continue to remind you of a life-changing experience.

As you approach the tip of South America, your Captain may sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting.

During the early morning, you cruise up the Beagle Channel before quietly slipping into a dock in Ushuaia, where you can disembark around 8.00 am. Farewell to your expedition team and fellow passengers as you continue your onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature.   

Upon disembarkation, for those continuing their travels in the region, transportation to the hotel will be arranged exclusively for guests who have booked their accommodations through Aurora or for those staying in downtown areas near the port. Expeditioners departing on flights prior to 12:30 pm will be directly transferred to Ushuaia Airport, those with flights after 12:30 pm will have the opportunity to explore Ushuaia before an afternoon airport transfer, and the transfer procedures and details will be communicated onboard before disembarkation. 

Note: At the conclusion of the voyage, it is not recommended to book flights departing Ushuaia prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.