From the Steep Mountains and Valleys of the Chilean Fjords to Close Encounters with Antarctic Wildlife
Starting in Punta Arenas, this expedition will introduce you to the natural beauty of Patagonia before crossing Drake Passage to reach Antarctica and the mighty frozen desert of the south.
Endless White Landscapes, Teeming Wildlife, and Fascinating History
In Antarctica, we will land at historic sites such as ring- shaped Deception Island, a major harbor for whaling ships until 1905. Or Cuverville Island, home to one of the largest known colonies of chinstrap penguins, and the British station Port Lockroy from World War II, and Wilhelmina Bay, often called 'Whale-mina Bay', because of the large number of humpback whales spotted here. Brown Bluff is recognizable by the 2,460 foot high cliffs that dominate the landscape. Our landings offer you the opportunity to go hiking, kayak among the icebergs, cruise among whales breaching the surface, and meet the local penguins. As modern-day explorers, you will encounter an unspoiled wilderness in an environmentally friendly way as you sail aboard our state-of-the-art expedition vessel.
A World of Contrasts
Then we set course for the Falkland Islands. In this British territory, you will find a world of contrasts, from the red buses and English pubs of Stanley to vast open spaces, stunning white-sand beaches, and rich wildlife.
Back on board, you’ll have fun opportunities to learn and share discoveries with family and new friends in relaxed way. MS Roald Amundsen is a ship built and designed to meet the needs of modern explorers – both on board and ashore. Our Activity Center is suitable for all ages, and where you can meet fellow adventurers for scientific fun with our engaging expedition team. All scientific content is presented in a lively, fun, and easily understood manner. The media room on board shows the highlights of the day, and even if you haven’t joined an excursion or landing, you can see videos and photos, and share in the adventures here at the end of each day.
- Discover the glaciers, wilderness, and wildlife of the Chilean fjords
- Travel to the end of the world and experience the unique wildlife and scenery of Antarctica and the Falklands
- Learn and discover in the high-tech Activity Center, and attend lectures on popular topics on board
- Landings and excursions with the expedition team
- Hurtigruten expedition in the cabin grade of your choice on a full board basis
- One overnight hotel stay in Santiago de Chile before the cruise, including breakfast
- Transfer from the hotel to the airport in Santiago de Chile
- Coach-class flights between Santiago de Chile and Punta Arenas
- Transfers in Punta Arenas, including an orientation tour
- Wind- and water-resistant jacket
- Landings with small boats and activities on board and ashore
- Professional English speaking expedition team that gives lectures as well as accompanies landings and activities
- Complimentary tea and coffee
- Complimentary use of Muck Boot rubber boots
- International flights
- Travel protection plan
- Luggage handling
- Optional excursions and gratuities
Price includes:
- Hurtigruten expedition in the cabin grade of your choice on a full board basis
- One overnight hotel stay in Santiago de Chile before the cruise, including breakfast
- Transfer from the hotel to the airport in Santiago de Chile
- Coach-class flights between Santiago de Chile and Punta Arenas
- Transfers in Punta Arenas, including an orientation tour
- Wind- and water-resistant jacket
- Landings with small boats and activities on board and ashore
- Professional English speaking expedition team that gives lectures as well as accompanies landings and activities
- Complimentary tea and coffee
- Complimentary use of Muck Boot rubber boots
Not included:
- International flights
- Travel protection plan
- Luggage handling
- Optional excursions and gratuities
Itinerary
Exciting and Diverse - Santiago de Chile
The capital of Chile is exciting and diverse. There is a lot to discover here, from the Andean glaciers at the city borders to tall mountains, skyscrapers, quiet parks, Colonial architecture, bohemian neighborhoods, and the fast-flowing Mapacho River. Your adventure starts with an overnight hotel stay here.
Embarking the Expedition - Santiago de Chile/Punta Arenas
You fly to Punta Arenas where MS Roald Amundsen is ready for this expedition to Antarctica.
The Astounding Fjords of Chile - Chilean Fjords
Enjoy cruising through the Beagle Channel, with channels, fjords, and mountains plunging straight into the icy water. This wild and remote area seems almost undisturbed by humans. The ice has scoured its way between the mountains, leaving the isolated islands and hidden bays that create the unique fjord landscape of Chile.
Cape Horn and the Famed Drake Passage - Drake Passage
When ranking the most iconic places on Earth, Cape Horn is high on the list. At almost 56° South, it is the southernmost point of South America. Before the Panama Canal, seafarers had to pass this infamous rocky island in order to cross from one side of the Americas to the other. We will do our best to make a landing on Cape Horn – however, this is an area known for high seas and challenging conditions.
Then MS Roald Amundsen will take 1 ½ to 2 days to cross the Drake Passage, depending on the weather conditions. This enormous churn of water is funnelled by western wind drift from the Pacific through the Drake Passage and into the Scotia Sea to the east. The Drake Passage is part of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the most voluminous current in the world, and about 25 to 40 billion gallons of water per second are transported from west to east. As you cross the Drake, you sail over the mid-ocean West Scotia Ridge and over the nearly 20,000 foot deep South Shetland Trench. The weather can be terrible on the Drake, but it can also be placid. Usually, it’s somewhere in between.
Antarctica – Impossible to Describe - Antarctica
Antarctica is isolated from the rest of the world by ocean currents. 90% of the world's ice is here, 13,000 feet thick, covering the landmass. In winter Antarctica is further cut off by sea ice forming off the coast – virtually doubling the size of the continent. In summer, it is a breeding ground for millions of penguins, whales, and seals that, for the rest of the year, simply spend their time at sea. Most of the wildlife found here thrives on a cornerstone species: krill. The krill population in the Southern Ocean represents the largest biomass of a single species on Earth – including human beings!
As outlined in the Antarctic Treaty, this is a continent dedicated to peace, science, and tourism. No human activity is allowed to alter the perfect natural balance. We are visiting a place that has evolved through millennia without human interference. Therefore, we adhere to very strict environmental guidelines and rules: We want to leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures! Antarctica's location makes every cruise to the continent an expedition. Even the most sophisticated technology cannot override some of the climatic challenges that are a part of this environment. Weather, wind, and ice conditions have a great influence on our program and schedule. Therefore, we need to be pragmatic: we change landings, re-route, and shift plans as we go along. This also means that we will take advantage of the often ideal conditions – we might spend hours ashore hiking or on the water with kayaks, or simply cruising among huge pods of whales.
We will attempt to land several places, including Deception Island, Half Moon Island, Brown Bluff, Cuverville Island, and Neko Harbor. All of these places are serene and offer untouched nature, oportunities to observe penguin colonies, seals, glaciers, icebergs in every shape and colour, and old whaling stations. It's hard to sum up all the impressions you will gain. As a well-known quote from veteran Antarctic travellers puts it: “If you can describe Antarctica with words, you have probably never been there.”
Lectures and Wildlife-Watching from the Deck - At Sea
After exploring this superlative and unique continent, we set course to the Falkland Islands. The Falklands consist of two large islands and around 700 smaller ones. Captain John Strong of the HMS Welfare made the first recorded landing here in 1690. We will continue our lecture series, which focuses on the dramatic history and diverse wildlife of the islands as we keep a watch out for wandering albatross.
At the Edge of Antarctica - The Falkland Islands
Having just been in Antarctica, it might seem a bit surreal to arrive in a town that looks like a miniature England, with red phone boxes, red buses, and English pubs. Stanley is the capital of the Falkland Islands. Roam the city streets – the town is easy enough to discover in a day on foot – or join one of the excursions to explore the wilderness and wildlife in the surrounding areas. The Falklands are teeming with wonders of wildlife and nature. This is an unpolluted environment with fantastically clear blue skies, seamless horizons, vast open spaces, and stunning white-sand beaches. As we reach the westernmost-settled outposts in the Falklands you will see remote farms that have been family-owned for six or seven generations. The sheep graze alongside immense colonies of albatross and rockhopper penguins, while predatory striated caracaras patrol overhead and upland geese forage at the water’s edge. Bird lovers will rejoice if we are able to go ashore on Carcass Island. This is a bird paradise with several ducks, geese, penguins, albatrosses, caracaras, and wrens. It is also one of few islands down here with trees. We use our small boats to go ashore for exploring, hiking, and taking a closer look at all the birds.
The Magellan Strait - At Sea
As we complete the loop of the Magellan Strait, we will have a recap of everything we have experienced on this expedition. Make sure you spend some time on deck looking for wildlife.
The End of the Expedition - Punta Arenas/Santiago de Chile
We arrive back in Punta Arenas in the morning. After the flight back to Santiago de Chile, you can extend your vacation with a post-cruise extension (Land Adventure) to experience the impressive region.
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