Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Compact Antarctica Polar Exploration & Chilean Stopovers
Chile – Santiago – Punta Arenas – Antarctica – Casablanca
Begin your adventure in Santiago, the capital of Chile. Here, you can delve into the local scene before heading south to Punta Arenas. This is where you’ll hop on a flight to bypass the choppy Drake Passage and soar straight over to King George Island.
From then on, it’ll be time to don your explorers’ hats and delve into the wilderness aboard a luxury expedition vessel. Skirt the shores of the South Shetland Islands and the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, keeping your eyes peeled for seabirds, penguins, seals and whales along the way.
After that, it’ll be time to return to Chile and head to the vineyard-strewn valley of Casablanca. Suitably swoon worthy, this is the perfect place to recharge and unwind off the back of your Antarctic adventure. Cue plenty of wine tastings, poolside R&R and mouth-watering Chilean cuisine – now that’s how you round out the trip of a lifetime.
Itinerary
100% customisable for you
Head to the airport, breeze through security and nip to the lounge for some complimentary nibbles before take-off. Your direct flight to Chile takes 14-and-a-half hours, so stock up on snacks and pack a juicy read.
You’ll arrive the following morning, ready to hop in a car for the private transfer to your centrally located hotel. Once you’ve settled in, step out to stretch your legs and soak in the hubbub of your surroundings. Or, if you’re still shaking off some jet lag, simply relax and enjoy the facilities at your hotel.
This evening, toast to the beginning of a bucket-list trip by reaching out to our trusty Concierge to nab you a table at one of the best restaurants in the city. Let the good times roll...
Fuel up on a hearty breakfast this morning to prepare for your day of discovery in the Chilean capital. Often overlooked as a mere stopover, Santiago is full of culture and intrigue, so today you’ll join forces with a local guide to hit the streets for a private tour of the city.
Start at the palatial (sorry) La Moneda Palace before heading to the Plaza de Armas, the main square and heart of the city. Then, visit the Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral and scale San Cristobal Hill for views over the city.
Curiosity satiated – for now – indulge in some good-old-fashioned retail therapy in the pedestrian shopping streets this afternoon. Then, when stomachs start to rumble, duck into an enticing eatery for dinner. If you haven’t already, order a bowl of charquican (Chilean vegetable and beef stew) tonight – you won’t regret it.
Wake up bright and early today for your private transfer to the airport and three-and-a-half-hour flight to Punta Arenas. Draw up a mental list of the animals you want to see on the so-called ‘White Continent’, because when you land, the wilds of Antarctica will be just one sleep away.
After grabbing your bags, hop in a private transfer to your next hotel in time to check in and head back out for your pre-adventure briefing. Here, you’ll be given important information about your air-cruise, along with essential guidelines for Antarctic visitors.
Loaded up on information, meet your fellow explorers to gather for a welcome dinner this evening. On the menu: a typical south Chilean meal – let’s tuck in.
Leap out of bed this morning because it’s time to set your sights on Antarctica. After breakfast, make your way to the special expedition plane for the two-hour flight to King George Island, in the South Shetland Islands.
When you step out onto the icy tundra, take a deep breath to let the first hit of Antarctic air fill your lungs. Then, hop in a car to be driven past (deep breath) Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva – Chile's largest Antarctic research station – and Russia’s Bellingshausen Station on your way to the shore. Here, you’ll board a Zodiac boat to reach your luxury expedition vessel.
Step aboard, head to your cabin and settle in. The rest of the afternoon is yours to scope out your suave new digs and adjust to life on the water. Tomorrow, a world of wonders awaits...
Over the next four days, your captain will expertly pilot the ship through ice-filled fjords, skirting the coastline of the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. Prepare to see some truly spectacular icebergs.
Each day, you’ll disembark with expert guides onto smaller Zodiac boats and (weather permitting) head to land. While no journey to Antarctica is the same, some of the likely showstoppers include enormous glaciers, dramatic ice shelves, penguin colonies, soaring seabirds and beaches covered with elephant seals. There’s also a chance you’ll see whales cruising through the ice-strewn water – keep those cameras to hand.
Then, each evening, sit down to lectures and educational presentations from the experts on board. Afterwards, you’ll have the chance to chat with fellow guests and take in the spectacular views from the lounge while nursing a well-earned drink.
Camera rolls full and bucket-list items ticked off, return to King George Island this morning. Here, you’ll board a return flight to Punta Arenas and meet your private driver for the transfer back to the hotel for another overnight stay.
After checking in and stretching out any post-journey stiffness, go for a walk to re-adjust to being back on dry land. Having worked up quite the appetite, return to your hotel this evening to tuck into a tasty dinner and hit the hay – there's one delightful leg of this adventure yet to come.
Swap Antarctic scenes for wine-soaked bliss this morning by loading up the car for your private transfer to the airport. Then, catch a three-and-a-half-hour flight to Santiago.
Bags collected, meet another private driver (lucky you) for the one-hour drive to your hotel in Casablanca. When you arrive, check in for a two-night stay and start dreaming up how to spend the next couple of days, which we’ve left blissfully free.
Nestled between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Casablanca is famed for its natural beauty and white wines (namely Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc). During the day, nip to the nearby vineyards and wineries on foot or by bike for some seriously necessary tastings.
For an adventure further afield, visit the UNESCO-listed city of Valparaiso, a 35-minute drive away. It boasts buckets of charm, colourful houses and plenty of photo-ops – if your camera roll has any room left...
Sadly, your time under the Chilean sun comes to an end today. Luxuriate in a slow start this morning before grabbing your bags and hopping in a private transfer to head to the airport in Santiago.
Your flight back to the UK takes another 14-and-a-half hours, so you won’t arrive home until the following day. In the meantime, there will be nothing left to do but sit back, slip on an eye mask and relax – bonus points if you dream up your next bucket list endeavour before touchdown.
Why visit Antarctica with Original Travel ?
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire nowA few of the benefits of travelling with us to Antarctica
- The Original Travel app
- 100% carbon absorption
