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Sail / Fly

Across the Antarctic Circle: Sail-Fly

A rare sail-fly expedition crossing the Antarctic Circle and exploring the western Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.

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Length

13 Days

Embark

Ushuaia

Disembark

Punta Arenas

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Highlights

Celebrate the crossing of the Antarctic Circle at latitude 66°33' South (approximately).
Zodiac cruise in secluded bays and quiet coves filled with brash ice and photograph enormous glaciers and spectacularly shaped icebergs in various shades of blue.
Keep a close watch for the tail fluke of whales as they take a deep dive, see porpoising penguins ice seals such as Weddell and crabeater seals hauled out on ice floes.

Embark on a remarkable 13-day sail-fly expedition from Ushuaia and experience the wonder of the incredible White Continent, earning your place among the privileged adventurers who have ventured below the Antarctic Circle before returning via charter plane from King George Island to Punta Arenas. Crossing the Circle is about more than just earning bragging rights — it’s the chance to enter a different world more rarely seen, more isolated and colder than further north, with great swathes of pack-ice and dreamlike icebergs. Thread through pack ice and narrow channels where scenes of ice-clad mountains, feeding whales, and lively penguin colonies become lasting memories.

Explore the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands, with endless possibilities tailored by the experienced on board expedition team. Enjoy extended daylight hours, allowing for busy days filled with incredible encounters. Make landings or Zodiac excursions along ice cliffs and amidst icebergs as you keep watch for whales, seals, and playful penguins, and marvel at the glistening glacial treasures of Antarctica. In true expedition style, this itinerary is only a guide and subject to change due to ice and weather conditions, offering flexibility in challenging environments in a way that puts you among the action to see and do as much as possible. What is for certain is that exploration and adventure await you at every turn.

Ships

Standard Activities

Lectures

Bird Watching

Whale Watching

Penguin Watching

Photography Workshops

Polar Plunge

Itinerary Day to Day

Day 1

Arrive Ushuaia

Arrive in Ushuaia, where you will be met by a cruise representative and transferred with your fellow expeditioners to your assigned pre-voyage hotel. If you are already in Ushuaia, we ask you to make your way to your hotel.

Check-in is from 3.00 pm. This afternoon, visit the cruise operator’s hospitality desk in the lobby at Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort, Luis Fernando Martial 1650, between 8.00 am and 12.00 pm, or 3.00 pm and 7.00 pm, to collect your luggage tags, and confirm if you wish to join our Beagle Channel and Isla de Los Lobos Cruise (sea lion island) tomorrow. Our team will confirm details regarding your embarkation day, answer any questions and provide you with information on where to dine or purchase last minute items.

Expeditioners arriving after 7.00 pm will find a welcome pack waiting for them at check-in. We ask you to visit our hospitality desk tomorrow between 8.00 am – 10.00 am.

The remainder of your time is at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense.

Assigned accommodation: Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort or Los Acebos Ushuaia Hotel

Ushuaia

Embarkation Point

Day 2

Embarkation

This morning, enjoy breakfast and check-out. Please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Take your cabin luggage to hotel reception, prior to, or at check-out. Your luggage will be stored and transferred directly to the port for clearance, to be placed in your cabin ahead of your arrival on board. Please keep any valuables or personal items with you throughout the day.

Your morning is at leisure to explore Ushuaia.

Those wishing to join our afternoon catamaran cruise, meet back at the hotel lobby at 12.45 pm ready to transfer to the port at 1.00 pm. Here we board our catamaran and sail the Beagle Channel, towards the city’s iconic Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse. Crossing the Bridges Archipelago we’ll slow down to watch colonies of sea lions and imperial cormorants sun themselves on the rocky outcrops, while gulls, rock cormorants, skuas, petrels, albatrosses and cauquenes are often sighted. Our cruise offers panoramic views of the city and the surrounding mountain range, in addition to hearing tales of the people and communities of the region.

Alternatively, enjoy your day at leisure and meet at your hotel lobby at 3.45 pm to be transferred to the pier for embarkation.

Once onboard, you’ll have time to settle into your cabin before our important mandatory briefings. As the ship pulls away from port, we’ll gather on the deck to commence our adventure with spectacular views over Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego.

This evening get to know your fellow expeditioners and friendly expedition team and crew at a welcome dinner to celebrate the start of a thrilling adventure to Antarctica.

Ushuaia

Beagle Channel

Days 3-4

Drake Passage Crossing

Days 5-11

Antarctic Peninsula & Antarctic Circle

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.

Once we arrive, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are ours to explore, and we have a host of choices available to us. Because we are so far south, we will experience approximately 18-24 hours of daylight and the days can be as busy as you wish.

Your experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, ice conditions and wildlife opportunities.

We generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. 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. 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 we aim to stretch our legs, wandering along pebbly beaches or perhaps up snow-covered ridgelines to vantage points with mountains towering overhead and ice-speckled oceans below. If you have chosen an optional activity, you will have the option to do that whenever conditions allow, and of course keen polar plungers will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters – conditions permitting!

In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may ship cruise some of the narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from the mainland, or linger in scenic bays to watch whales travelling or feeding. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or make your way to the bridge for uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its splendour. Keep an ear out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they carve their way from summit to sea. Take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of this incredible white continent.

On this voyage, conditions permitting, we plan to cross the Antarctic Circle, an imaginary line located at the Antarctic Circle at latitude 66°33′ South (approximately). Crossing below The Circle is certainly a special highlight for many people, and the moment will be celebrated with a toast out on the deck (weather permitting). You have earned some boasting privileges, joining a small group of lucky adventurers who have ventured to this part of the world. As we approach and cross the Antarctic Circle, you will notice subtle changes in the landscape, and also in the distribution of wildlife. The waters at this time of year are rich with krill and we hope to see plenty of whales – particularly humpbacks and minkes and enjoy the spectacle of penguins feeding their ravenous chicks.

Antarctic Peninsula

South Shetland Islands

Antarctic Circle

Day 12

Fly King George Island to Punta Arenas

As we approach Frei Base on King George Island, it is time to farewell Antarctica and our amazing adventure before boarding our flight (approximately one hour and forty-five minutes) to Punta Arenas, Chile. There is time for reflection and discussion about what we have seen and experienced. We hope you become ambassadors for Antarctica telling 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.

In Punta Arenas airport, you will be transferred to our group hotel for an overnight stay.

Note: King George Island is located at the northern tip 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. We apologise in advance for any possible delays.

Accommodation: Hotel Cabo de Hornos or Hotel Dreams

King George Island

Punta Arenas

Day 13

Depart Punta Arenas

Route Map

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Across the Antarctic Circle: Sail-Fly

Highlights

Ships

Standard Activities

About the Across the Antarctic Circle: Sail-Fly

Itinerary Day to Day

Arrive Ushuaia

Embarkation

Drake Passage Crossing

Antarctic Peninsula & Antarctic Circle

Fly King George Island to Punta Arenas

Depart Punta Arenas

Route Map

Departure Dates