Spirit of Antarctica Explorer featuring the Chilean Fjords

Arrive in Punta Arenas, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred to our hotel. We ask that you arrive no later than 4.00 pm so that you may attend our important briefing this evening.  

Please visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk in the lobby between 10.00 am – 6.00 pm to collect your luggage cabin tags. Our team will confirm details regarding your embarkation day, answer any questions and provide you with information about where to dine or purchase last minute items.  

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). 

At 7.00 pm this evening, meet your fellow expeditioners at a voyage briefing where we will reconfirm your transfer times for tomorrow, explain the procedures for your flight to King George Island and outline important IAATO regulations for visitors to Antarctica. 

Accommodation: Hotel Cabo de Hornos (or similar) 

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.  

The township of Punta Arenas was founded in the 1500s and is the gateway to the Strait of Magellan. It was originally established as a prison colony and later the biggest commercial and supplying centre of all vessels travelling between the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. The town has since made a name for itself as the central base for exploring Patagonia and Antarctica. At first glance, Punta Arenas may not seem like much of a destination, but if you have time to walk around, you’ll discover many unique and interesting things to see in this southern town. One thing you may notice is the colonial-style architecture, including Palacio Sara Braun, built in the late 1800s. At the centre of Punta Arenas’ old town is Plaza Muñoz Gamero, the park-like square surrounded by tall trees and a lush vegetation. In the middle of the plaza is a statue dedicated to Ferdinand Magellan, discoverer of the Strait of Magellan and the first European to cross the Pacific Ocean. We recommend a walk along the waterfront promenade, from which you will see the island of Tierra del Fuego and the Strait of Magellan in the distance. You will also be able to see the Maritime Monument, representing the first settlers in the area, many shipwrecks abandoned from old trading days, and you may also be lucky enough to see the cormorants taking off over the sea.   

At approximately 4.00 pm, you will be transferred to the port for embarkation. 

Once aboard, 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 farewell Punta Arenas and commence our adventure to Antarctica.   

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. 

Sail along the legendary Beagle Channel and enjoy splendid scenery of fjords and channels flanked by majestic mountains. Keep watch for the many seabirds and marine wildlife including dolphins, sea lions and whales preparing to migrate to Antarctica to fatten up on plentiful krill. In the evening, we exit Nassau Bay, sail past Cape Horn and prepare to enter Drake Passage. 

Enjoy a final morning landing in the South Shetland Islands before we re-enter the Drake Passage for our return journey to South America. 

With lectures and film presentations to complete our Antarctic experience, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean and the life that calls it home. 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.  

As we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting. 

As we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting. Sail through fjords and channels flanked by majestic mountains discovered by European explorers over 500 years ago. Keep a look out for seabirds and marine wildlife including dolphins, sea lions, and whales preparing to mig

It is 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 participate in the activity whenever conditions allow, and of course keen polar plungers will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters – conditions permitting! The polar plunge can take place at any time during the voyage, so listen out for the announcement from the expedition team and get ready for the most exhilarating dip of your life!  

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 (open at the captain’s discretion) for uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its splendour. Listen out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they carve into sea. Take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of the pristine paradise of the splendid white continent. 

rate to Antarctica to fatten up on plentiful krill.  

Enjoy a final morning landing in the South Shetland Islands before we re-enter the Drake Passage for our return journey to South America. 

With lectures and film presentations to complete our Antarctic experience, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean and the life that calls it home. 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.  

As we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting. 

During the early morning, we are quietly slipping into dock in Punta Arenas, where we begin disembarking at around 8.00 am. Farewell your expedition team and fellow travellers as we all continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature. A transfer to your hotel in Punta Arenas or to the airport is included in the cost of the voyage.  

On disembarkation, passengers on flights departing prior to 2.00 pm will be transferred directly to Punta Arenas Airport, while those fortunate enough to be continuing their travels in this spectacular region of the world, will be transferred to their post-voyage Punta Arenas accommodation. Passengers flying after 2.00 pm will have time to explore Punta Arenas, prior to an afternoon airport transfer, the details of which will be provided onboard prior to disembarkation.