Tour: A ONE DAY TRIP TO THE ANTARCTICA
Tour to Punta Arenas, the Antarctic Peninsula, the Isla Magdalena Island, the Bulnes Fort
To visit Antarctica is a dream for many. This tour allows those who do not count with much time to realise this dream, to get to know the untouched continent and its white landscapes, to approach the colonies of the local fauna and to visit some of the military and research bases that these indomitable lands hold.
The visit for a day by means of a flight from Punta Arenas, allows you, in addition, to fly over the Tierra del Fuego, the spectacular Darwin Mountain range with its enormous glaciers and mountains, which are all incredible sights that can be appreciated from the air.
| Duration |
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6 days / 5 nights |
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| Type / activities |
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Cultural, Historical, Nature, Fauna. |
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| Price from |
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US$ 3 721 |
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| Reservations |
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With 3 months of anticipation. |
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| Dates of Service |
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From November to March, according to the calendar of exits for flight to the Antarctic. |
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| Places Visited on the Tour |
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Punta Arenas, the Antarctic Peninsula, the Isla Magdalena Island, the Fuerte Bulnes Fort |
DAY 01: PUNTA ARENAS: Reception.
You will be received at the airport and transferred to your hotel. In the evening you will be given a specialised talk about the characteristics of the flight to Antarctica and of the indicated places that you will visit. In addition, you will be given recommendations that must be followed to assure that the trip is safe and also the rules necessary to protect the Antarctic ecosystem will be indicated for you to follow and to consider.
Lodging and overnight in Punta Arenas.
DAY 02: PUNTA ARENAS: FLIGHT TO THE KING GEORGE ISLAND IN THE ANTARCTIC
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This program is subject to weather conditions by reasons of security, reason why it is indicated in the conditions of the trip that this can be delayed during a term of up to 4 days, a time during which the passenger must remain in Punta Arenas.
The day selected with anticipation to board the aircraft, the pilot will very early in the morning verify the meteorological conditions and, if these so allow, we will set course due South in direction of our destination.
During the flight, we will cross the Straits of Magellan; we will fly over the Island of Tierra del Fuego, the Darwin Mountain range with its blizzards. Islands will be the only things that you will see of the landscape until we reach Cabo de Hornos or Cape Horn, which represents that last rocky outcrop of the American Continent. On the horizon, the Sea of Drake awaits us, the place where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans come together.
The first explorer who disembarked on Isla Rey Jorge King George Island in 1819 was the British sailor William Smith. Unlike Smith, Scott, Palmer, Shackelton and other expeditionaries all of whom had to face the fury of the Sea of Drake during many days, you will arrive at the airport of Base Frei on Isla Rey Jorge King George Island in Antarctica after a pleasant flight of 3 and a half hours. After the arrival, we will visit Villa Las Estrellas or Stars, as well as the reserves of Fauna, nearby glaciers and other attractions of the place.
After the arrival at Base Frei, we will get to know the facilities of Villa Las Estrellas or Stars that is the first enclave of civil population in the Zone. We will make a visit to the reservations of wild fauna, the glaciers and other attractions of the place. During the demurrage you are offered an open bar and a complete food service.
The Base Frei was established in 1980 under the name of Rodolfo Lieutenant Marsh and along with the Weather Station Presidente Frei inaugurated in 1969, it is one of the most important stations of Meteorology and Navigation in Antarctica.
 The rich waters of the Antarctic ocean feed the fauna of the continent, composed of marine species, among others, such as Blue Whales, Orcas, Sea Elephants, Weddell Seals, Sea Lions and Penguins, being the more known species those of the Adela Penguin, the Papua Penguin and the Antarctic Penguin. Of all these species, those that are more feasible to see in our visit are the different varieties of Penguins, the Weddell Seals and the Sea Elephants.
The landscape, its fauna and marine life, is a great attraction for Antarctic tourism, because this place is one of the few in the world that not yet has been touched by man, reason why it is constituted in the most important Natural Reserve of Mankind.
A lunch or a snack will be served according to the time of arrival. We will return to Punta Arenas in the evening. Overnight.
DAY 03: PUNTA ARENAS: City tour in Punta Arenas and Fort Bulnes
Breakfast. Tour Fort Bulnes. Old experiences invite us to evoke the historic Fort Bulnes, located south of Punta Arenas (km marker 58) and an unforgettable landmark for those who inhabited this place. The fort appears bordering the legendary Strait of Magellan and then penetrating by Santa Ana Point. It is nowadays a reconstruction of that first Chilean military post in austral lands, inaugurated during the administration of President Manuel Bulnes by the expedition of the Ancud Schooner, on October the 30th of 1843, and abandoned in 1848 when the population moved up to the current location of the City of Punta Arenas, first Chilean enclave in the Austral Zone. On the way back, and in the vicinity of Fort Bulnes, are the ruins of the City of King Felipe II of Spain, founded by Sarmiento de Gamboa in 1584, where 300 personas perished of cold and hunger, being since known as Port of Hunger. Return to the City of Punta Arenas.
In the afternoon half day tour in the city. Punta Arenas was the first permanent civilized human settlement in the Austral Patagonia; history is revived at each of its street corners, remembering the adventures and experiences of its pioneers, those who brought it to life on December the 18th of 1848 as an incipient colony and in just a few years turned it into the most important cultural, industrial, commercial and livestock center in the zone.
The tour takes us through well designed avenues and plazas and some of the city’s 30 monuments, including a fascinating visit to the Salesian Museum Maggiorino Borgatello, where we can appreciate its magnificent collections of Magellanean flora and fauna specimens, and exclusive craftsmanship and folklore relics from the people who inhabited the zone, such as the Yagan, the Ona and Alacalufe. Panoramic views of the city and the Strait of Magellan appear as a backdrop, making of this tour one of the most thorough in the City of Punta Arenas.
DAY 04: PUNTA ARENAS: Reception. Navigation penguin nests Magdalena Island (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays)
Reception and transfer to your hotel.
15:00 Transfer from your hotel to the embarking peer. Navigation to Magdalena Island, nearby Marta Isle, its part of the Natural Monument of The Penguins, natural habitat for more than 120.000 Magellan penguins and one of the largest nesting areas for these birds in southern Chile, paradise for birdwatchers.
Arriving in the island is a spectacle. It is two-hour navigating across the Strait of Magellan, where it is possible to see spectacular panoramic views of Punta Arenas, the plains of Tierra del Fuego and the oilrigs of Cabo Negro or Laredo Bay. All this to arrive in this place, at 35 km from the City of Punta Arenas and immerse within the proper strait. Once there the landscape is even more beautiful, with penguins, cormorants and sea lions, among others, are the protagonists. For an hour we will be able to watch the thousands of penguins and nests on a walk through paths that run from the coast up to the island’s highest tip, where the lighthouse holding the Center of Environmental Interpretation, with the history of the strait and the local fauna, is located.
Transfer to your hotel.
DAY 05: PUNTA ARENAS: Free day for optional excursions.
DAY 06: PUNTA ARENAS: Transfer to the airport or bus station
At the opportune hour transfer to the airport or bus station to continue your trip.
End of our services
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Price per person in US dollars
Prices not valid for residents of Chile
DEPARTURE MINIMUM 8 PERSONS
Referential Prices 2008
SERVICES ON REGULAR BASIS
Spanish - English speaking guides |
| Hotels |
Single |
Double |
Triple |
| Finis Terrae 4* |
4 142 |
3 839 |
3 704 |
| Tierra del Fuego 4* |
4 043 |
3 754 |
3 623 |
| Isla Rey Jorge 4* |
3 932 |
3 721 |
3 617 |
| CALENDAR OF EXITS FOR ANTARCTIC TOUR |
| MONTHS |
DAYS |
| NOVEMBER 2008 |
Monday 10th – Friday 14th – Sunday 23rd |
| DECEMBER 2008 |
Tuesday 9th – Monday 22nd |
| JANUARY 2009 |
Friday 2nd – Tuesday 20th – Saturday 24th |
| FEBRUARY 2009 |
Sunday 8th – Tuesday 24th – Saturday 28 |
| MARCH 2009 |
Tuesday 10th – Thursday 19th – Tuesday 24th |
Referential Prices Only. May be modified without previous notice depending on US Dollar exchange rate with local currency.
Note 1: These Prices subject to change without previous advice, as in the Case of Easter Week, May 1st, Christmas, New Years etc.
Note 2: Prices in Regular Tours based on a minimum of 2 persons, inclusive for the prices based on single supplements.
Note 3: Ask for special rates for groups from 4 persons up that travel together and for a single person travelling alone in a regular tour.
Domestic local flight are not included
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INCLUDED:
- Transfers airport/hotel/airport, private service.
- 5 nights of lodging in PUNTA ARENAS in the hotel selected with breakfast.
- Aerial Tour to Antarctica, excursions in Island Rey Jorge King George Island, lunch.
- Half day City Tour of Punta Arenas, entrance to museum.
- Half Day City Tour to Fuerte Bulnes Fort, entrance fees
- Navigation to Isla Magdalena Island, transfers to wharf.
NOT INCLUDED:
- Meals not mentioned in Programme.
- Clothes adapted for an Antarctica tour.
- Full Cover Insurance policy (OBLIGATORY TO HAVE INSURANCE POLICY)
- Optional Tours
- Others not mentioned in the itinerary.
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The Isla Rey Jorge King George Island is located in the North end of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is one of the most remote places on Earth and for that reason it is difficult to reach. Different problems can come up because modern development has not yet reached the continent. It is difficult to find the comforts of modern life and the weather conditions are unpredictable. In order to land in safely; a clear sky with perfect visibility is required and it is for that reason that on many occasions the flights must be postponed awaiting better weather conditions.
There are no comforts or emergency units on Isla Rey Jorge King George Island and for this reason, DAP Antarctica suggests you take out a complete insurance cover policy adapted to any eventuality including a medical evacuation.
As sometimes the weather conditions can make it impossible to fly, DAP has developed different programmes to offer you during an eventual delay. These programmes include visits to the National Park Las Torres del Paine, over flights to Cabo de Hornos or Cape Horn and others. For DAP security is the number one priority even with the risk of having to cancel a programme already in an advanced state of preparation. Our company will always have the last word in this aspect.
On board a DAP flight all must respect the authority of the captain and obey all his instructions. During the land tours the guides of the group are invested with the same authority.
Cancellation and Changes in the Itinerary
Each Antarctic Program requires work on the part of the personnel of DAP, everything must well be coordinated, numerous calls must be made, some permissions are required, besides other expenses involved in the planning of each trip to Isla Rey Jorge King George Island and it is for that reason that the DAP policies of refunds must be strictly respected. DAP knows how disappointing it can be for the travellers the eventuality in which they may be forced to cancel their trip. It is for that reason that we ask everyone that they carefully read these terms and conditions and that they acquire a cancellation and interruption of trip insurance policy as a protection against any situation that forces to cancel the trip or to leave it while it is in process. For reservations you must make a payment of 25% of the cost of the programme.
The programme is only confirmed when there is a minimum of 08 passengers in a King Air aircraft – and a minimum of 30 passengers in a BAE 146 aircraft.
Once the deposit is paid, if you wish to cancel the trip a non returnable fee equivalent to a 10% of the total value will be retained from the initial deposit mentioned in the preceding article.
DAP reserves the right to cancel a programme for whatever reason, including not enough participants or logistic problems caused by any circumstance outside the control of DAP that makes the trip impossible. In the case of a cancellation, DAP will give back all the money with the single exception of non returnable fee. This reimbursement will be limits of the responsibility of DAP that will not be responsible for subsequent damages. DAP will not be responsible for the expenses incurred by the client or his agent during the process of the aerial preparation of the trip including tickets, hotels, clothes, food, visas, passports or other related expenses.
Since the operations of DAP depend to a great extent on the weather conditions, it is possible that changes of itineraries are generated for which DAP will not be responsible. DAP reserves the right to reorganize the itinerary without later responsibility on our part. This reorganization does not constitute a cancellation on the part of DAP.
The travellers are advised that they must consider a time space of 4 days of flexibility when planning their Antarctica visit to cover the case that there may be bad weather conditions and the trip must be postponed. If the client cannot or does not wish to wait those 4 days and must or wants to leave before this time limit, DAP will consider this to be a cancellation by the client, therefore the client will not be due a refund above 25%.
If a client cannot accept the changes to the itinerary and decides to cancel his trip, the following fines will be applied
- Cancellations 30 days before the exit (both days including): the complete initial deposit will be retained.
- Cancellation between 8 and 29 days before the exit (both days including): 50% of the total value will be retained
- Cancellation one week before the exit: 75% of the total value will be retained.
- When formulating the reservation 25% of the total cost of the programme must be deposited.
- The reservations will be confirmed once the initial deposit is done.
- A month before the exit, the programme must be completely paid.
- If the payments have not been received according to these conditions, DAP reserves the right to cancel and to suspend the return of payments unless a change of the calendar of payments has been agreed with DAP.
- If DAP cancels the programme for whatever reason, all the money will be given back excluding the non refundable fee.
- DAP will consider a flight cancelled by bad weather once 4 full days from the date of original itinerary have passed, in which case all the money received by DAP will be refunded except the non refundable part.
- Our company declares clearly that all the flights are developed under the norms and regulations of the Main Directorate of Civil Aeronautics of Chile that fulfils the standards of the FAA of the United States of America.
The Pilots and Guides of DAP will be the leaders in each program. Your signature implies the acceptance of the leader and his or her authority to make decisions that affect the group or individuals. The leader can require that an individual leaves the group if he or she considers that the health of this person is at risk, if an illegal act is being committed or if a class of behaviour arises that affects the security, the benefit or the good of the group. In the case of such a thing happening, this person does not qualify for a money refund of any type.
Please understand that there are well-known and unknown dangers in relation to the Antarctic trips and you must accept that risk. DAP will not be responsible for diseases, wounds, damages or deaths during the program. For that reason we suggested you review with your insurance agent to make sure that you are suitably covered for all eventualities including a medical evacuation.
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WEATHER
The capital of the Chilean Patagonia presents a climate proper of the cold steppe, similar to that of all the settlements in this region. Average temperature is of 10.6º C in summer and of 2.0º C in winter. Average annual precipitations are of 425 mm, being January the rainiest month.
WHAT TO PACK
It is recommended to carry waterproof pants and jackets, thermal t-shirts, windproof polar jacket, cap with ear coverers, thermal gloves and socks, short pants, sandals, shades with UV protection, sunscreen (factor 30 minimum) for face and lips, repellent, sun cap, waterproof hiking shoes (wear them before traveling if new), among other warming items of clothing.
WATER
There is fresh water in almost the entire territory, though it is advisable to drink bottled water in rural areas.
HEALTH
Punta Arenas has a varied range of hospitals and clinics, all very well equipped in case of any emergency.
CHILEAN GASTRONOMY
Chilean cuisine is very diverse. Among its typical dishes we have: Empanada de Pino (dough stuffed with onion, meat, raisins and olives), Pastel de Choclo (made mainly of corn with meat, eggs and olives), Porotos Granados (tender potatoes cooked with gourd and corn), Cazuela de Ave o Vacuno (clear soup of chicken or beef with boiled vegetables), besides those typical of each region.
Lastly, you can not fail to taste the exquisite Mote con Huesillos, a dessert elaborated from a boiled fruit and mote wheat.
Recommended Restaurants during your trip:
Restaurants in Punta Arenas
IMPORTANT: Enjoy Corporation retains the right to make changes in the order of the excursions or trips without previous notice due to weather conditions, level of the rivers, arriving and departing hours of planes or buses, or for any other relevant reason, which will ensure and guarantee a better outcome for your trip.
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CHILE TRAVEL, 
ANTARCTICA
UK - London: 44-203-393-8867
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