The Polar Travel Company

An intimate 10-day fly-cruise to Antarctica to ring in the New Year. Experience the unique austral summer: newly hatched penguin chicks, massive icebergs, and whales in growing numbers.

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Duration: 10 days / 9 nights
Starts: Puerto Natales, Chile
Ends: Puerto Natales, Chile
Language: English speaking voyage

This is an exclusive fly-and-cruise expedition that skips the Drake Passage with round-trip flights from Puerto Natales. The trip is a "Micro Cruise" limited to 42 guests aboard the Polar Athena. The core experience is ringing in the New Year at the edge of the world. The itinerary is flexible and subject to ice and weather conditions.

Included

Celebrate the New Year in one of the most remote and untouched corners of the planet, where glaciers calve into silent fjords and life thrives under the soft glow of the austral summer. This 10-day expedition takes place during one of the most remarkable periods to explore the Antarctic Peninsula, as towering icebergs drift through sunlit seas and newly hatched penguin chicks waddle across the ice. You will witness colonies of Gentoo, Chinstrap, and Ad�lie penguins thriving in a flurry of activity, while humpback, minke, and orca whales arrive in ever-growing numbers.

The exclusive Fly-Cruise option allows you to fly round-trip over the Drake Passage from Puerto Natales, maximizing your time on the peninsula. Aboard the intimate Polar Athena, limited to just 42 guests, you'll venture where larger ships can't. The journey is thoughtfully tailored for explorers, offering opportunities to visit iconic locations like Deception Island and navigate the Gerlache Strait. You may even witness bubble-net feeding, a fascinating display by humpback whales, making this season feel like nature�s own dazzling spectacle.

Highlights:
Ring in the New Year at the edge of the world, surrounded by ice and wildlife.
Fly round-trip from Puerto Natales, Chile, skipping the Drake Passage.
Witness the hatching of Gentoo, Chinstrap, and Ad�lie penguin chicks and the bustle of the colonies.
See the arrival of humpbacks, minkes, orcas, and sei whales in growing numbers.
Explore iconic Antarctic locations such as Deception Island and the Lemaire Channel aboard an ice-strengthened ship.

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Day 1: Arrive in Puerto Natales, Chile
Patagonia's soul and hotel transfer
Begin your Antarctic journey in the remote Puerto Natales. Our team will meet you at the airport upon your arrival and transfer you to your hotel. You can experience Patagonia�s soul from the first moment.

Day 2: Fly from Puerto Natales to King George Island, Antarctica
Your gateway to Antarctica
After meeting our team in Puerto Natales, you�ll board a two-and-a-half-hour charter flight across the Drake Passage to King George Island. A Zodiac transfer will take you to your ship, Polar Athena, where your voyage into the white continent begins.

Days 3-8: Dramatic coastlines and penguin colonies
Exploring Antarctica's raw and untouched beauty
Spend six days exploring the raw and untouched beauty of Antarctica. We plan to visit remote and rugged islands along the peninsula, where you�ll see dramatic volcanic cliffs, glacier-sculpted shorelines, and encounter large colonies of Ad�lie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins. We will sail into the scenic Gerlache Strait and look for humpback whales and calving glaciers. Landings may include Point Wild on Elephant Island or exploring the remote Antarctic Sound.

Day 9: Fly back to Puerto Natales from King George Island, Antarctica
Disembarkation and flight back to Chile
On the final day, we hope to disembark at King George Island and take a charter flight back to Puerto Natales. There, you�ll stay at our very comfortable lodge, where you can relax and reflect on your extraordinary Antarctic experiences.

Day 10: Enjoy your last day in Puerto Natales, Chile
Conclusion of the voyage
Your voyage concludes in Puerto Natales. For those continuing their adventure, there is an opportunity to join our Torres del Paine extension package.