South Georgia & Antarctica: Through the Lens

Arrive in Punta Arenas, where you will be met by a representative  and transferred to our hotel. We ask that you arrive no later than 2:00pm on this day. In addition to ensuring your arrival in time for our important pre-flight briefings, if weather conditions deem it necessary, we may depart for King George Island on Day 1 as opposed to Day 2.

Visite el mostrador de recepción del vestíbulo entre las 14.00 y las 18.00 horas para recoger las etiquetas de su equipaje. Nuestro equipo le confirmará los detalles de su día de embarque, responderá a sus preguntas y le informará sobre dónde cenar o comprar artículos de última hora.

Overlooking the Straits of Magellan, the city sits astride one of the world’s most historic trade routes. Today, Punta Arenas reflects a great blend of cultural backgrounds, from English sheep ranchers to Portuguese sailors. It remains an utterly fascinating testament to Chile’s rich history. Modern day Punta Arenas is home to many popular restaurants, and bars, offering a mix of local and international fare (meals at your own expense today).

A las 19:00 horas de esta tarde, reúnase con sus compañeros de expedición en una reunión informativa sobre el viaje en la que reconfirmaremos sus horarios de traslado para mañana, explicaremos los procedimientos para su vuelo a la isla Rey Jorge e informaremos sobre importantes normas de la IAATO para los visitantes de la Antártida.

This morning, we will be transferred to Punta Arenas airport for our charter flight to King George Island, Antarctica (weather permitting). The flight will take approximately one hour and forty-five minutes. On arrival into King George Island our expedition team is on hand to greet you and to prepare you for your Zodiac transfer to the vessel. You will have time to settle into your cabin before our important safety briefings.

Nota: Luggage restrictions apply to our 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 we have chartered the plane, we have 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 will need to be placed under the seat in front of you or checked in. It is important to note that your checked luggage will be taken from the plane directly to the ship, and you will not have access to your checked luggage until it is brought to your cabin.

Nota: King George Island is located at the northern part of the Antarctic Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands and is one of the most remote places on Earth. A clear sky with perfect visibility is required for safe take-off and landing. A contingency plan will be applied to your itinerary should your flights not proceed today. Your safety is our utmost priority. We apologise in advance for any delays caused due to this unpredictable situation. Please refer to our terms and conditions for a more detailed explanation.

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 our 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 we arrive, the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are ours to explore, and we have a host of choices available to us. We generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day, and the timings of these will depend on what the day brings us. You will want to rug up before joining Zodiac cruises along spectacular ice cliffs or among grounded icebergs, keeping watch for whales, seals and porpoising penguins.  We have been known to have longer Zodiac excursions than originally planned… sometimes we are just presented with a special moment that cannot be missed. One can never know what wonders Mother Nature will serve up! And that is all part of the beauty and the fun of an expedition to the Antarctic. Keep an ear out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they carve their way from summit to sea. With the engine turned off, take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of this incredible white continent.

The Zodiac excursions are a major part of the expedition and on this voyage, we have reduced the passenger numbers on the voyage and in the Zodiacs. This will allow our photographers to manoeuvre around the Zodiacs to capture their subject matter with ease, as well as allow sufficient room for their gear. Zodiacs will also transport you from the ship to land, where you can visit penguin rookeries, discover historic huts and explore some of our favourite spots along the peninsula.

While ashore, our expeditioners will be given a choice of how they would like to explore that site. Quite often, one of the options will be to 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. We are travelling in the late summer, which is perfect for capturing the beauty of an Antarctic sunset. We plan to have some sunset excursions to take in the pastel-painted sky.

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, our team will be with you every step of the way.

Además de los cruceros en zodiac y las excursiones en tierra, podemos navegar por algunos de los estrechos que separan las islas de tierra firme, o detenernos en bahías panorámicas para observar ballenas viajando o alimentándose.

This is a great time to enjoy the library or the Observation Lounge, featuring huge windows and superb views. The bridge will be opened at the Captain’s discretion, which will give our photographers a different perspective of the running of an expedition through these waters. Of course, we will also offer the tradition of the polar plunge, where those who dare to will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters – conditions permitting!

When we aren’t exploring by foot or Zodiac, we encourage all expeditioners to join as many lectures and workshops as they can. We will offer a variety of photography-focused workshops, but also offer lectures from our expedition team of naturalists, historians, marine biologists, etc as well.

Nota: The scheduler, where Antarctic operators book their dates and sites, opens closer to departure. Once our sites are booked, we will be able to provide more information on places we are likely to visit on this voyage. Keeping in mind that this is an expedition and there is always an element of flexibility.

Remota e inaccesible, la entrada en el Mar de Weddell es muy apreciada entre los aventureros polares. Su travesía comienza en el extremo más septentrional de la Península Antártica, en el hermoso y árido Estrecho Antártico. En esta parte poco visitada de la Península, los picos volcánicos se elevan sobre las colonias de pingüinos y los icebergs esculpidos por las olas desfilan por los profundos canales que conducen al Mar de Weddell.

Continuing further east, embrace the expedition spirit as you forge your way as far as possible into the Weddell Sea. The Weddell Sea is renowned for its breathtaking tabular icebergs and expansive sea ice, which attracts an abundance of wildlife, including crabeater seals, Weddell seals and an array of seabirds. Take some time out on deck to observe the flight of storm petrels, prions and Antarctic cormorants drawn here by the rich blooms of Antarctic krill that flourish in the shelter of this ice-covered sea.

As you travel, take a moment to reflect on the truly historic seas you’re sailing. It wasn’t so far from here that the wreck of Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance was discovered, mostly intact, on March 5, 2022. Researchers aboard the polar research vessel S.A. Agulhas II were astonished to find the well-preserved vessel only 6.4km (4 miles) south of the position calculated by Captain Worsley in 1915, when he last laid eyes on his ship.

Today we set a course for Elephant Island, the lonely outpost where 22 of Shackleton’s men survived several winter months under the shelter of two upturned boats. Perhaps there will be a presentation today on the awe-inspiring story of Shackleton and his men, who spent 9 months stuck in Weddell Sea pack ice and 6 months camping on drifting sea ice before making a desperate escape from the sea ice in three open boats. They spent almost a week battling the wind, currents, swell and treacherous ice to finally make landfall on Elephant Island, a striking, ice-covered extremity of the South Shetland Islands, after 497 days at sea.

Today we set a course for Elephant Island, the lonely outpost where 22 of Shackleton’s men survived several winter months under the shelter of two upturned boats. Perhaps there will be a presentation today on the awe-inspiring story of Shackleton and his men, who spent 9 months stuck in Weddell Sea pack ice and 6 months camping on drifting sea ice before making a desperate escape from the sea ice in three open boats. They spent almost a week battling the wind, currents, swell and treacherous ice to finally make landfall on Elephant Island, a striking, ice-covered extremity of the South Shetland Islands, after 497 days at sea.

Tras un emocionante programa de excursiones y actividades en la Antártida, relájese y disfrute del ritmo más pausado de los días de mar mientras navega hacia Georgia del Sur.

As you make your way across the Scotia Sea you’re following the route taken by Shackleton and five of his men when they sailed from Elephant Island in search of rescue. In their open wooden boat, the James Caird, they spent 17 days sailing into the unknown across this perilous patch of ocean. This boat journey, which concluded with their safe arrival in King Haakon Bay on the west coast of South Georgia, remains one of the greatest stories of maritime navigation and survival in polar history.

Mientras navega, el programa de conferencias a bordo continúa, con una serie de entretenidas presentaciones sobre la fauna, la geología y la historia de Georgia del Sur en la sala de conferencias. O tal vez prefiera simplemente relajarse: tomar un largo almuerzo, ponerse al día con las sesiones de gimnasia o acurrucarse con un libro de nuestra biblioteca polar.

El mar de Scotia es conocido por su abundante fauna, que incluye rorcuales comunes, jorobados y azules. Esté atento a estos gentiles gigantes y a las esquivas orcas, que patrullan estas aguas. Aventúrese a salir a cubierta con su cámara para capturar petreles del cabo y priones revoloteando, y albatros planeando graciosamente entre el oleaje.

Al acercarse a la escarpada isla de Georgia del Sur, piense en el capitán James Cook, que llegó aquí en 1775 y creyó que era el extremo norte de un gran continente austral. En realidad, es una pequeña isla de sólo 176 km de largo, pero con una cordillera nevada de 3.000 m, algunas de las mayores congregaciones de fauna salvaje del mundo y una historia humana realmente fascinante, Georgia del Sur es una isla de increíbles riquezas.

A medida que nos acercamos, los picos escarpados de las montañas se elevan abruptamente, mientras que las aves marinas se ven a menudo planeando alrededor del barco. Navegará a lo largo de la costa, contemplando el espectacular paisaje glaciar y disfrutando de un poco de abrigo de los vientos predominantes del oeste. Esta encantadora costa está a su disposición.

Navegue en zodiac por escarpadas calas y a lo largo de la costa rocosa en busca de pingüinos, refugios de focas y acantilados de aves. No olvide estar atento a los bosques de algas de Georgia del Sur: estos extraordinarios ecosistemas submarinos resultan fascinantes cuando sus frondas se balancean sobre la superficie del agua.

Las zodiacs también le llevarán del barco a la costa, donde podrá visitar algunas de las mayores colonias de pingüinos rey de la Tierra, dar un paseo guiado entre osos marinos y elefantes marinos (¡asegurándose de escuchar a sus guías y mantener las distancias!) y pasear por arroyos de guijarros y llanuras glaciares cubiertas de hierba. También esperamos visitar los vestigios de las prósperas estaciones balleneras de Georgia del Sur y visitar el lugar de descanso final de Sir Ernest Shackleton, cuyo increíble viaje de supervivencia es sinónimo de esta isla.

Además de los cruceros en zodiac y las excursiones en tierra, podemos navegar a través de fiordos con imponentes acantilados de piedra milenaria, o adentrarnos en bahías con profundas hendiduras hacia espectaculares frentes glaciares. Este es un buen momento para encontrar un lugar cómodo en la sala de observación y disfrutar de vistas ininterrumpidas de la majestuosa costa de Georgia del Sur.

Para algunos intrépidos fans de Shackleton, la caminata opcional de Fortuna Bay a Stromness será un punto culminante. Esta ruta sigue la última etapa de la improbable travesía de Shackleton, Worsely y Crean por Georgia del Sur, desde su lugar de desembarco en la bahía del Rey Haakon, en la costa oriental, hasta Stromness, en la occidental, donde finalmente se pusieron a salvo tras 24 angustiosos meses en el mar.

Desde la bahía de Fortuna, el sendero asciende hasta una espectacular meseta alpina, antes de descender en picado hacia la estación ballenera abandonada de Stromness. Si las condiciones lo permiten, nos proponemos repetir este tramo final de su travesía.

“Bright moonlight showed us that the interior was tremendously broken,” Shackleton wrote. “High peaks, impassable cliffs, steep snow- slopes, and sharply descending glaciers could be seen in all directions.”

Mientras navegamos desde Georgia del Sur, quedará cautivado por el incesante vuelo de las numerosas aves marinas que siguen al buque, utilizando hábilmente las corrientes de aire creadas por el barco para tomar impulso.

Si el tiempo y las condiciones meteorológicas lo permiten, podríamos pasar cerca de Shag Rocks, un fascinante grupo de islotes rocosos dentados que sobresalen del mar, en las proximidades de Georgia del Sur.

Mientras navegamos hacia Ushuaia, puede elegir pasar sus preciosos últimos momentos en el mar disfrutando de las vistas en cubierta, disfrutando de las instalaciones de a bordo o asistiendo a las conferencias finales. Hay tiempo de sobra para disfrutar de la magia del Océano Antártico, tomar una copa con los nuevos amigos y reflexionar sobre el viaje que han compartido.

La última noche, celebre su inolvidable viaje con sus nuevos amigos en una cena especial de despedida del capitán.

Esperamos que se conviertan en embajadores de la región antártica, que cuenten a sus familiares, amigos y colegas su viaje a este lugar mágico y que aboguen por su conservación para que algún día puedan visitar la región y experimentar lo que ustedes han tenido la suerte de ver y hacer aquí.

Por la mañana temprano, navegaremos por el Canal de Beagle antes de atracar en Ushuaia, donde podremos desembarcar alrededor de las 8.00 am. Despediremos al equipo de expedición y a los demás pasajeros mientras continuamos nuestro viaje, esperemos que con una nueva sensación del inmenso poder de la naturaleza.

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.   

Nota: Al finalizar el viaje, no recomendamos reservar vuelos con salida de Ushuaia antes de las 12.00 horas del día de desembarque por si hubiera retrasos.