Fly-Cruise Expeditions
These expeditions are a great option if you’re short on time or are hoping to avoid the Drake Passage crossings and get right to Antarctica.
You may opt to fly south and sail north on the ship, to sail south and fly north, or to fly both to and from Antarctica.
This will depend on the dates you wish to travel and the availability and schedule of the expediton company.
Typically, Fly-Cruise Expeditions fly from Punta Arenas, Chile and arrive to King George Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula.
The flight from Punta Arenas is just three hours long and upon arrival in Antarctica, you and your luggage will be transported from land to the ship in zodiacs.
Day 1 – Preparation, Punta Arenas, Chile
Day 2 –Fly South & Embarkation
Day 3-7 – Antarctic Peninsula
Day 8 – Fly North & Disembarkation
Day 1 - Day before Embarkation:Punta Arenas is situated in Chilean Patagonia and since the first Antarctic explorers, has served as a gateway to Antarctica. Today, a briefing by your expedition company will be held in Punta Arenas.
Here your expedition will be explained, expedition gear distributed and plans for tomorrow’s flight and embarkation will be outlined.
We also take time to perform Bio-Security procedures before reaching Antarctica.The Bio-Security procedures are performed by all expedition ships operating in Antarctic waters and planning to make landings on the Antarctic Peninsula and Continent.These procedures have been agreed to by companies who are a part of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (www.iaato.org ). The procedures are in place to ensure that we do not bring any seeds, spores or other pollutants or invasive species into the Antarctic environment. The procedures include vacuuming all outer-layer clothing, backpacks and camera bags and cleaning boots, hiking poles and tripods in an anti-bacterial wash.
The expedition team will help you through this process and in no time, all passengers will be bio-secure and ready to disembark!
During the sea days, you will also attend important presentations on how to conduct yourselves during landings and zodiac cruises in Antarctica. Everything from how to get into and out of a zodiac (inflatable boats we use for getting from the ship to land), distances we must keep from wildlife, how to dress while in zodiacs and on landings and lots more! Patient and experienced staff will be happy to answer your questions throughout this time so that you are well-prepared for your arrival to Antarctica!
Day 2 - Embarkation Day: In just three hours, your flight will have you crossing the legendary Drake Passage and landing in Antarctica!
You will be landing on King George Island, where a cluster of international research bases are located. You will have some time to stretch your legs and get orientated before boarding a zodiac and being transported to your floating home.
You are welcomed aboard our expedition vessel by a team of crew and expedition staff eager to share the journey-of-a-lifetime.
You are soon welcomed to come together to become orientated with the ship and its many areas for you to enjoy. Here you will meet the Expedition Leader and the expedition staff who will be guiding you throughout the journey. The crew and expedition staff next will guide us through an emergency lifeboat drill.
Our evening concludes with the Captain’s Welcome, where the captain of the vessel will welcome us onboard with a toast and dinner!
Day 3-7: The coming days will be filled with landings, zodiac cruises, presentations, briefings, adventure activities and workshops. You will have the opportunity to connect with the natural world in a way you never thought possible.
The beauty and vastness of Antarctica is truly impressive.
From penguin chicks, to close whale encounters, glistening icebergs, calving glaciers and incredible sunsets, you will be one of very few in the world who have experienced Antarctica and all is wonder.
Your expedition team has prepared for you an expedition that will be both an educational and entertaining experience! On the evening of each day, a detailed expedition itinerary will be posted for all passengers to view.
It is important to remember that this itinerary is subject to change at any moment due to both weather conditions and exciting opportunities to view wildlife that might arise during our journey.
Changes are always communicated to you efficiently, either through announcements or expedition briefings.
The daily program generally includes two or more landings and zodiac cruises, briefings, presentations, onboard activities and lots more!
Landings consist of our expedition team disembarking the ship and being transported to shore in zodiacs, driven by our expert and enthusiastic expedition team members.
Once at the shore, you will be helped out of the boats to finally step foot on land!
Landings can include visits to gentoo, Adelie and chinstrap penguin colonies, hikes to high lookout points, visits to historical sites and active research stations, and much more!
Throughout the landings you will have at least a few hours to explore the area. Expedition staff will always be nearby to answer questions about the site and to aid you if necessary.
During most landings, if conditions are appropriate, you will also have the opportunity to zodiac cruise.
Zodiac Cruises are an ideal way to experience Antarctica from a different perspective.
A zodiac is an inflatable, open boat made of tough layers of rubber and it is perfectly designed for travel in Antarctica.
Your boat will be driven by an experienced and certified member of the expedition staff member who also has a wealth of knowledge on Antarctica.
Generally, you will share the zodiac with about 10 other passengers, which leaves you lots of room to take photos!
Zodiacs allow us to maneuver quickly and easily through small pieces of ice, to explore coves and bays, to spot whales and seals or just to sit quietly listening to and watching calving glaciers and icebergs.
Adventure Activities: include activities such as kayaking, snowshoeing, skiing, mountaineering, scuba diving and camping.
These activities are interesting and exhilarating opportunities to get to know Antarctica on a different level.
If these activities are of interest to you, let us know so we can help you to find the correct one for you!
Certified guides specific to each discipline are there to teach and accompany you, however it is also important to confirm what level of proficiency you must have to participate.
Remember that just like zodiac landings and cruises, these activities depend greatly on weather conditions.
Briefings are used to inform you of what we plan to do, to recap the day’s events, to highlight interesting wildlife encounters, to communicate historical information about our current location and more! They are also yet another opportunity to ask questions of the many experts on board.
Presentations will continue to take place throughout our time in Antarctica. Similar to the presentations given during the sea days, these are aimed to orient you with the flora, fauna, geographical, and historical aspects of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Workshops and informal presentations will also be offered to smaller groups who are looking to immerse themselves in a specific discipline or to hone skills such as photography, bird identification and surveying, navigation, and a variety of other areas.
It sounds like there is a lot on the agenda, doesn’t it? You will also have plenty of time to enjoy the comforts of the ship and to find quiet moments to take in the natural beauty of your surroundings.
You may find that you are pinching yourself to be sure that it’s all real. It’s something that I still do even after several years of guiding in Antarctica!
Day 8 - Disembarkation Day: Unfortunately the day has come to disembark the ship and fly back to civilization.
Be sure to get out on deck early on this day to enjoy your remaining moments in Antarctica.
Today you will be transferred back to King George Island by zodiac, where your plane awaits you.
Before you know it, you will be landing in Punta Arenas and saying goodbye to your fellow expeditioners.
