CHILE CRUISES: ANTARCTIC DREAM EXPEDITION - SOUTHERN PATAGONIA

This expedition will take us through places of unique beauty, starting off from Punta Arenas and sailing through the Strait of Magellan, the channel and fjord zone, Ushuaia Port in Argentina, Puerto Williams on Navarino Island in Chile and the mythical Cape Horn.

Our navigation will take us through places of incomparable beauty, setting out from the port of Punta Arenas, where we will board our vessel. During our expedition, we will navigate the Straits of Magellan, the channels and fiords zone and then we will visit the Port of Ushuaia in Argentina; Puerto Williams, on Navarino Island, Chile; and the mythical Cape Horn. Below in our itinerary a description is given of the glaciers, and navigation areas which you will sail through

The "Antarctic Dream”, was built by Dutch shipyards for the Chilean Navy as an Antarctic passenger ship. It has been completely conditioned and remodeled in 2003 for elegant and comfortable exploration of the Southern Oceans in any weather conditions. There is a dining hall with a panoramic view, a dining recess, bar, lounge, library, cinema, sauna and gym service, and a tourist travel office. Uniquely among all the ships that take tours to the Antarctic, the “Antarctic Dream” carries a turbine helicopter on every expedition. The helicopter is used not only for safety but also to make special expeditions to see places inaccessible by other means. We also carry zodiacs (rubber boats) to explore the accessible shores. The ship is built and decorated along traditional lines to give you a sense of history combined with tremendous comfort.

Characteristics • Vessel Length: 83 mts. • Width: 11.9 mts. • Cruising Speed: 10 knots • Draft of ship: 4.60 mts. • Crew members: 40 persons. • Tng: 1.680 ton. • Passengers: 84 • Propulsion: Diesel-Electric • Register: Chile Class • Antarctic passenger ship • 4 Zodiacs, each one with capacity for 20 passengers •  Helicopter
Facilities • Lobby • Tourism Office • Main Dining Room (capacity for 100 passengers) • Bar • Library • Auditorium / Projection Lounge • Heliport • Mud Room • Gym / Sauna /Massage Room/ Whirlpools • Sick bay / First Aid (doctor on board) • Laundry • Boutique • Internet available at the library, Passenger’s Bridge and Tourism Office.
Antarctic Dream Cabins The “Antarctic Dream” is equipped with 42 double cabins with capacity for 84 passengers on 4 decks. All our cabins are fully equipped. All of them have a private bathroom, beautiful bronze port-holes or windows and lower twin or queen size beds. There are: 02 Suites Cape Horn deck - 02 Suites Piloto Pardo deck - 16 Superior cabins Shackleton deck - 19 Luxury cabins Amundsen deck - 03 Luxury inside Cabins Amundsen deck. All cabins feature: Private bathroom with shower or tub - Closed TV Circuit - (movies upon request) - Music Individual/central heater - Satellite and/or mobile telephone connection - Wardrobe - Safe deposit box

Crew & Lecturers:
Captain Peter Skog - Professional seaman sailing since 1963. Born in Finland, he is truly an international man, fluent English, Spanish, German and Swedish. Graduated from Nautical Academy in Malmo, Sweden. His first Antarctic experience dates back to 1974 when he sailed during the austral summer expeditions to the Antarctic Peninsula. To date, he has more than 100 Antarctic ice voyages to his credit and is widely recognized as one of the most skilful ice pilots in the business. Captain Skog has become a symbol of mankind’s compelling desire to know, feel and understand what lies beyond the next horizon. He exhibits an intellectual passion for expedition cruising that permits the human mind to go from Arctic to Antarctic waters and to all points between.

Captain Manuel Ovalle - Former Captain of the Chilean navy, graduated from the Chilean Naval Academy, has served in the Navy for the past 30 years. Has a number of sea voyages to his credit, which include the French Polynesia, the Pacific, the South and North Atlantic, and the Baltic. He possesses wide experience sailing the Chilean seas, particularly the Fjords and Cape Horn. The expertise gained aboard Chilean navy vessels, along with his assets as a navy SEAL, have made him quite an expert of the austral weather conditions and waters. This combined with his capability of recognizing extreme situations and prompt decision making will certainly be an element of confidence to his crew and passengers.

Roger Benedict, Geologist - He acquired his love of the outdoors from his father David, a legacy of their trips together skiing and hiking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. His work as a guide and naturalist is an extension of this early avocation. Roger began working in the expedition cruise industry in 2003, and has travelled to Alaska, New Zealand, Russia and the Aleutian Islands, and the Caribbean. Roger earned a degree in Geology from Humboldt State University in Arcata California.

John Arthur Harrison, Historian - Born in Liverpool, John is an award-winning travel writer and the author of more than six books, including Where the Earth Ends, A Journey Beyond Patagonia reflecting the extensively sailed experience in the Chilean Fjords, Falklands and southwards. A fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, he has worked for twenty years on environmental matters in local government. He continually lectures at national and international conferences. Zodiac driver.

Julio Preller, Expedition Leader - This Chilean and British leader began his career twenty five years ago. Due to his experience, he is skilled in challenging situations with limited resources in remote locations giving us a plus over security measures. Fluent in Spanish and English speaking. His first voyage to Antarctic was in 1980 and since then, He has travelled extensivily around the world, and has specialized himself in Polar areas.

René Preller, Naturalist and Zodiac Driver - Three years of residence in Falkland Island and twenty six years of experience doing trips and excursions in Antarctic and the Islands give René a position in the history of the area. He has completed 150 voyages to Antarctic what give him a vast acknowledge about flora, fauna and history of the total area including South Georgia Islands and Chilean Fjords.
Experience zodiac driver and staff coordinator.

Suggestions: We recommend you bring appropriate clothing for the region's temperatures. For disembarking, our staff will give passengers a special type of clothing to use (jackets and boots). Casual clothing is worn inside the ship. We suggest wearing thermal wear, not synthetic. Comfortable walking shoes.

Day x DayItinerary

Day 1     PUNTA ARENAS / MAGELLAN STRAITS / BOQUERÓN PASS
Reception at President Ibáñez Airport, or else transfer from your Punta Arenas hotel to the vessel. Reception aboard the "Antarctic Dream", check in, and cabin assignment. At 16:00 hours, the vessel will depart from Punta Arenas sailing through the Strait of Magellan, Boquerón Passage, and then reaching Almirantazgo Sound at dawn.

Day 2     MARINELLI GLACIER/ CORDILLERA DE DARWIN
You will enjoy your breakfast along with the beautiful scenery of Marinelli’s Glacier. On completion of necessary safety briefings with your leaders, you will board our versatile zodiacs and approach the glacier passing near snowdrifts to behold the full beauty and splendour of this place. This will provide a unique opportunity to enjoy our helicopter. Today, we will coordinate for you a flight over this spectacular glacier. Back on the vessel, you will enjoy the warm, informal atmosphere and service of our crew members. The vessel then will move on through the Gabriel, Cockburn, and O’Brien channels.

Day 3     CANAL O’BRIAN – YENDAGAIA
You will sail O’Brien’s Channel, carried away by the majesty of its glaciers in an area locally referred to as "Glacier Avenue". You will sail the Glacier Sound to reach the mythical Beagle Channel and sail on as far as Yendegaia Bay. We will disembark here to visit the first Chilean outpost on Tierra del Fuego Island. Here you will have some idea of the hard living conditions faced by its early settlers. The scenery is beyond description. If you wish to see the full beauty of these countless glaciers and Darwin’s Mountain Range you may over fly the place by helicopter.

Day 4     USHUAIA – PUERTO WILLIAMS
Today, our landing will be at the Ushuaia, the southernmost port in Argentina. If you wish, you may choose to go sightseeing and shopping so you can have some idea of its business and daily life. Today, also, those passengers who have chosen a 4-day expedition will leave us, and those who have taken the return voyage, at Ushuaia will board the vessel. As programmed, we will leave for Puerto Williams the capital of Navarino Island, the southernmost geographic point of the American continent on Chilean territory.

Day 5     PUERTO WILLIAMS – CABO DE HORNOS
Right from the vessel’s mooring place, you can see the snow-capped Peaks of Dientes de Navarino. Our leaders will take you to the most unbelievable places in this area. Or else, you may choose to visit the Martin Gusinde Museum or perhaps the Beavers Pond. The "Antarctic Dream" will set sail again and navigate through Murray Channel and Nassau Bay as far as the nearest point of Cape Horn, coming to anchor here at the end of the American continent. Pending weather conditions we will fly over the Cape to take a look at this headland where the Chilean flag flies.
Following this unique experience, we will set sail again for D’Agostini’s Glacier.

Day 6     GLACIAR D’AGOSTINI / CANAL MAGDALENA / ESTRECHO DE MAGALLANES
We will wake up at the admirable D’Agostini’s Fiord and approach the glacier aboard our zodiacs. Our explorers will take you to some nearby beach where you can land. From the zodiacs you behold the beauty and splendour of the place and the peaks that make up the Darwin’s Mountain Range. Next, we will set out and sail the Magdalena Channel passing by Dawson’s Island, Magdalena Sound, and the Strait of Magellan.

Day 7     ISLA CARLOS III / PASO INGLES
By dawn, we shall have landed at Ulloa’s Peninsula, on the Strait of Magellan, off Carlos III Island.
One more time, we will make use of our zodiacs to join our leaders and visit the island or any other adventures chosen by those more adventurous passengers who would like to over fly the area by helicopter. The island is noted for its fertile flora and local fauna. Weather permitting, we can enjoy beautiful scenery and possibly watch whales, penguins and other exciting creatures. We will sail back to Punta Arenas through the Strait of Magellan past the English Passage and San Isidro Lighthouse.

Day 8     PUNTA ARENAS
Early morning, we shall have docked at the Port of Punta Arenas. After breakfast, we will disembark from the "Antarctic Dream" .

Included:

Not Included:

PLEASE NOTE: All tours are usually presented as LAND ONLY (no airfare is included) and best airfare from your departing city will be included at time of departure. All tour programs are subject to your acceptance of our Terms and Conditions, which is understood when you progress into the reservation. Please review Terms & Conditions

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