Antarctica by Private Expedition Ship

Fly to Puerto Natales, Chile today and meet your Expedition Leader on arrival. Join your fellow explorers this evening at a welcome dinner in town. Puerto Natales enjoys a scenic location on Ultimate Esperanza Sound and is the gateway to southernmost Chilean Patagonia.

Join our Expedition Leader for a hike up Cerro Benítez in Cueva del Milodon, one of the most important nature reserves in Chile. The view from the summit over Eberhard Fjord and the Señoret Channel is outstanding. We'll also have excellent chances to see Andean condors, famed for their 10-foot wingspans. Riding thermal currents above us, they soar dramatically overhead, sometimes stopping to perch on the steep cliff walls where they roost.

This afternoon, take a guided town tour to discover more of Puerto Natales. This region of mountains, fjords and islands was originally inhabited by the Kawesqar and Aoniken peoples. The first Europeans to visit the area were an expeditionary team led by Juan Ladriellero, a Spanish explorer looking for the western passage of the Strait of Magellan in 1557, an elusive goal among the maze of channels and islands that separates the mainland from the Pacific Ocean. Three centuries passed before further European forays, with a diverse influx of European immigrants arriving in the late 19th century, including Germans, British, Croats, Greeks, Italians and Spaniards, and an emerging Chilean cultural identity was evolving by the time Puerto Natales was founded in 1911 as a port town for transporting wool. The main industry through much of the 20th century was raising sheep, and the traditional gaucho culture persists today, although tourism has taken a more prominent role in recent decades.

The only airstrip on the Antarctic Peninsula archipelago that can reliably be served by the South American continent on a regular basis is located on King George Island in the South Shetland archipelago. We plan to fly here today to meet our intrepid polar expedition vessel, the SOLA. Ashore, we have our first encounter with penguins and other wildlife of this southern polar wonderland. Our real adventure begins when we board our ice-strengthened ship, designed and outfitted to navigate the polar waters of the Southern Ocean. After introductions and a safety orientation, we set sail into the Antarctic waters surrounding the South Shetland Islands, headed south to the Antarctic Peninsula with an eminent polar mariner and seasoned crew.

Please note: It is our intention to fly to King George Island today, but occasionally weather conditions may delay us. If that is the case, we will spend today exploring more of the region around Puerto Natales and attempt to fly tomorrow. Other times, the flight schedule might be pushed up and some activities missed so we can fly during a clear weather window.

For the next six days we follow the best weather and safest water as we cruise the bays and fjords of the Antarctic Peninsula. Our small vessel gives us a distinct advantage for exploring. Able to navigate narrow fjords and coves inaccessible to larger vessels, or to easily change course in response to the presence of whales or other marine life—or giving us the option to simply stop and observe—our intimate ship delivers the utmost freedom. Unconstrained by a fixed itinerary and led by an expert team with unsurpassed navigation skills on sea or land, we discover this utterly wild realm away from crowds, where the loudest sounds come from nature.

Kayaks on board allow us to observe wildlife at eye-level, and where landings permit, we step ashore to hike. Some walks are gentle, while others take us through deep snow to geographic high points. Our highly attuned Expedition Leader ensures that activities are appropriate for the group, and participation on excursions is always optional. For the most daring, plunging in the frigid polar sea may be an option. And, with our special permits, we have the option to camp ashore, too, weather and local conditions permitting. On these on pristine polar beaches, we share often solitude with legions of penguins or other seabirds.

Though our environs are austere, these waters are a haven for a remarkable array of wildlife, including vast penguin rookeries and beaches ruled by Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals. Taking advantage of the perpetual light, we spend long days cruising among the icebergs, watching for whales and seals. Sometimes, we get so close we can hear a whale blow, and we may even feel the spray from its spout. Birdlife is extraordinary, with huge populations of albatross, petrel, skua, gull, tern and cormorant. There are few places on the planet where the natural world feels more intact and grandiose, while we have never felt smaller.

The SOLA returns to King George Island in the South Shetland group today, lying off the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. After nearly a week of extraordinary adventure, it is time to say farewell to our hardy vessel, captain and valiant crew. Weather permitting, we board our airplane for the flight back to Puerto Natales in Chilean Patagonia, where we check into our hotel on arrival. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner in town, regaling one another with stories and indelible memories of this truly singular adventure.

Fly homeward today from Puerto Natales, with a cache of memories to last a lifetime and then some!