Antarctic Circle Expedition Micro Cruise by Air

Upon arriving at Weskar Lodge in Puerto Natales, Chile, complete the check-in process between 15:00 and 17:00. Once settled, attend the essential pre-Antarctic briefings conducted by the expert expedition team to prepare for the journey ahead. Following these informative sessions, head over to the Weskar Lodge clubhouse to savor a traditional Patagonian asado, a celebratory feast that officially marks the thrilling start of your expedition.

Starting on day two, remain prepared to depart as soon as safe conditions allow. The charter flight to King George Island takes roughly two and a half hours, with the Captain determining the exact departure time based on the best available weather window rather than a rigid schedule. If the flight window fails to open immediately, the adventure gracefully continues at Weskar Lodge. Instead of treating the wait as a mere holding pattern, embrace the lodge, Torres del Paine, and Puerto Natales as spectacular destinations in their own right. Ultimately, this extended itinerary is thoughtfully designed to ensure a wider, more flexible operational window for a safe and successful crossing.

Dramatic coastlines and penguin colonies
Seven full days on the Peninsula. Where you go is shaped by conditions and opportunity, not a fixed timetable.

The range covers the South Shetland Islands including Deception Island. The Gerlache Strait, Wilhelmina Bay, Lemaire Channel, Paradise Bay, and Cuverville Island: the core of the Peninsula's most extraordinary geography. When the ice opens south, you push toward the Antarctic Circle at 66°33'S.

Into Antarctica’s hidden places
South of the Circle, the landscape changes. Locked bergs in frozen channels. A silence with a different weight. In the right conditions, guests go ashore onto the sea ice itself, walking among icebergs that have not moved in weeks. This is where Ross Seals and Emperor Penguins live. Neither is guaranteed, and in fact very uncommon to encounter; however, both are possible here and almost nowhere else on this itinerary.

With only 36 guests, there are no crowds. Your expert guides respond to conditions as they develop whether that's extending a landing, spending longer at a remarkable wildlife encounter, or adapting the plan to make the most of every opportunity. On a Expedition Micro Cruise, this flexibility is the norm, not the exception.

Exploring Antarctica's raw and untouched beauty
You often sail into the heart of the Antarctic Peninsula through the scenic Gerlache Strait, flanked by jagged peaks. 

You aim to explore Antarctica’s wildest corners. Possible locations include: Cierva Cove, Trinity Island, Mikkelsen Harbor, Hydrurga Rocks, Hughes Bay, Wilhelmina Bay, Cuverville Island, Errera Channel, Neko Harbor, Paradise Bay, Almirante Brown Station, Dallman Bay, Melchior Islands, Neumayer Channel, Port Lockroy, Lemaire Channel, Port Charcot, Petermann Island, Argentina Islands (Wordie House), Crystal Sound, Detaille Island, Lallemand Fjord, The Gullet, Marguerite Bay, Half Moon Island, Yankee Harbor, Whalers Bay, Baily Head, Deception Island.

Aureum holds at Maxwell Bay until the return flight window opens. When it does, the crossing back takes 2.5 hours.

If the flight window shifts, the expedition continues. There is no shortage of Antarctica to explore. Every additional day on the Peninsula is unplanned time in one of the most extraordinary places on earth.

The final night is at Weskar Lodge: farewell dinner, the expedition settling.

After your expedition, take the opportunity to explore Puerto Natales, the gateway to Chilean Patagonia—a frontier town with genuine character, exceptional local seafood, an unhurried pace, and an atmosphere entirely its own.

From here, discover nearby Torres del Paine National Park, part of the UNESCO Torres del Paine Biosphere Reserve, renowned for its granite towers, glaciers, turquoise lakes and remarkable wildlife.

Want to stay a little longer? Every Antarctica By Air expedition includes Peace of Mind approach, with up to three additional nights in Puerto Natales at no extra accommodation cost.