Early Bird Specials -
- Kids Save 50% Off
- Save Up to $2,900 pp for 2021/22 departures by 03/31/2022
- Exclusive Onboard Credit of 90 Euro per person from Polar Dream Travel
Please click "Prices and Departures" above for departure dates, cabin types and prices.
Day 1 Arrive in Santiago
Location : Santiago, Chile
Unescorted overnight in Santiago de Chile. There is a lot to discover in Chile’s capital, be it the Andean glaciers and mountains at the edges of the city or the colonial architecture and artistic neighborhoods that line the Mapacho River.
Temperature range Jan-Feb: 53 – 85°F
Included:
· One-night bed and breakfast at a centrally located three-star hotel
Day 2 Fly to Punta Arenas and embark the ship
Location : Santiago de Chile / Punta Arenas
Transfer from the hotel to the airport for a flight to Punta Arenas, where MS Roald Amundsen awaits. Once aboard the ship, guests join a mandatory safety drill before the Captain’s introduction and welcome dinner.
Temperature range in March: 41 – 54°F
Included transfers and flight:
· Transfer from hotel to Santiago airport
· Flight in coach class from Santiago to Punta Arenas
· Transfer from Punta Arenas airport to the ship
Day 3-4 Sail the Drake Passage to Antarctica
Location : At Sea
From Punta Arenas, the ship journeys south through the Magellan Strait and into the Beagle Channel before turning due south towards Antarctica. The Drake Passage connects the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans and is the shortest crossing to Antarctica. It is also nicknamed the ‘Drake Shake’ when the seas are stormy or the ‘Drake Lake’ when the waters are still.
While at sea, and provided conditions are calm, guests may be able to sight whales, dolphins, and sea birds such as albatrosses and petrels. Join lectures and watch films about Antarctica in the Science Center or spend time enjoying the ship’s infinity pool, hot tubs, gym, and Wellness Center.
Day 5-8 Explore Antarctica
Location : Antarctica
Each day, we venture to one of 22 possible sites to go cruising in small boats and to make landings where guests are able to observe penguin colonies, seals, whales, glaciers, and icebergs up close.
All aboard are invited to participate in lectures on glaciology, climate change, and marine biology. Guests can also engage in Citizen Science programs like photographing leopard seals and spotting whale tails that contribute directly to scientific research.
Temperature range in March: 21 – 34°F
Included:
· Daily landings with short hikes to scenic or wildlife spots
· Small boat cruises near the ship and landing site
· Lectures on a wide range of scientific topics
Additional optional activities may include:
· Kayaking near icebergs, and possibly seals and penguins
· Longer small boat cruises to explore hard-to-reach areas
· Guided longer hikes to scenic viewpoints
· Camping ashore possibly with penguins
· Snowshoeing through pristine snow fields
· In-depth photography lessons
Day 9-10 Sail the Drake Passage back and possible landing at Cape Horn
Location : At Sea
As we return to open water, guests will have time to learn more in the Science Center, attend lectures, enjoy the ship’s infinity pool, hot tubs, gym, and Wellness Center, or just relax while bird and whale watching out on deck.
After crossing back over the Drake Passage, we pass iconic Cape Horn, the southernmost point of South America. Before the Panama Canal, ships had to pass this infamous rocky island in order to cross between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Depending on sea and weather conditions, we will attempt to make a landing on Cape Horn, at the Captain’s discretion.
Day 11 Explore the Chilean Fjords
Location : Chilean Fjords
Guests will be able to admire the stunning scenery as we sail past a maze of islands, mountains, and fjords. They may also be able to spot colonies of Magellanic penguins on the beaches together with lounging elephant seals. In the water, migrating blue, grey, and humpback whales, orcas, and playful dolphins may also be seen.
Temperature range in March: 41 – 54°F
Day 12-13 Explore Puerto Natales
Location : Puerto Natales - Overnight Stay - 2 full days
Puerto Natales is situated at the picturesque opening of Última Esperanza Sound. A formerly modest fishing port, it has blossomed into an international city that acts as the gateway to the world-renowned Torres del Paine National Park. Guests can wander the boutique shops and corrugated-tin houses, sample some local Chilean cuisine, or join an optional excursion.
A UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Torres del Paine National Park features towering mountain peaks, azure lakes, emerald forests, roaring rivers, one big, radiant blue glacier, and the third largest ice field on the planet. Guests might see llamas, pumas, chilla foxes, and skunks in addition to more than a hundred species of birds such as the Andean condor and black-chested buzzard eagle.
Temperature range in March: 47 – 58°F
Included activity: Scenes of Puerto Natales (3 hrs) - Explore the small city of Puerto Natales and its scenic surroundings. Visit Plaza de Armas, a tree-lined square in the town centre, and then go to a large cave where the bones of a prehistoric ground sloth called a Milodón were found in 1896. The cave attracts many visitors and features a historical display of the tribes who inhabited the area as far back as 12,000 years ago.
Day 14 Explore Puerto Edén
Location : Puerto Edén - Half Day
The sleepy village of Puerto Edén sits at the end of a deep fjord surrounded by mountains in the Bernardo O’Higgins National Park. Its tiny population of 250 includes the 15 remaining members of the Kawéskar people, an indigenous Patagonian tribe. Guests can buy traditional Kawéskar crafts as souvenirs, such as wicker baskets and toy boats made from sea lion skins and tree bark. Birdwatchers should keep on the look-out for Magellan hummingbirds which are local to the area.
Temperature range in March: 45 – 57°F
Additional optional activities may include:
· Kayaking in small groups with a guide
· Longer small boat cruises to explore hard-to-reach areas
· Guided longer hikes to scenic viewpoints and wildlife habitats
Day 15 At Sea
Location : At Sea
While at sea, guests may be able to sight whales, dolphins, and sea birds such as albatrosses and petrels. Join lectures in the Science Center or spend time enjoying the ship’s infinity pool, hot tubs, gym, and Wellness Center.
Temperature range in October: 18 – 32°F
Included:
· Daily landings with short hikes to scenic or wildlife spots
· Small boat cruises near the ship and landing site
· Lectures on a wide range of scientific topics
Additional optional activities may include:
· Kayaking near icebergs, and possibly seals and penguins
· Longer small boat cruises to explore hard-to-reach areas
· Guided longer hikes to scenic viewpoints
· Camping ashore possibly with penguins
· Snowshoeing through pristine snow fields
· In-depth photography lessons
Day 16 Explore Castro
Location : Castro
Castro has colorful 'palafitos’ wooden houses mounted on stilts along the water's edge. Other highlights include Iglesia San Francisco, a UNESCO World Heritage church with wood interiors and stained-glass windows, and Feria Campesina Yumbel, a bustling food market. Most of the restaurants in Castro are concentrated along Calle Blanco, which is where guests can get a taste of curanto, a local meat, potato, and seafood stew.
Close to the town is Chiloé National Park and its wide beaches and rugged coastline are home to dozens of seabird species, penguins, and sea lions. The waters here are also visited by a number of whale species such as humpbacks, finbacks, seis, and the much rarer pygmy blue whales and southern right whales.
Temperature range in March: 48 – 64°F
Included activity: Castro Walking Tour (2 hrs) - Explore landmarks and cultural sights on a city walk through Castro, the capital of Chile’s Chiloé Island. Castro is famous for its ornate church, Iglesia de San Francisco, and the nearby districts of Rilán, Nercón and Chelín are known for their unique wooden churches, designated UNESCO World Heritage sites. Castro and Chiloé are also famous for palafitos, traditional wooden stilt houses.
Day 17-18 At Sea
Location : At Sea
As we make our way along the Pacific coast to Valparaíso, we will recap the highlights of the expedition cruise and scan for wildlife. Join lectures in the Science Center or spend time enjoying the ship’s infinity pool, hot tubs, gym, and Wellness Center.
Day 19 Arrive in Valparaíso and disembark the ship
Location : Valparaíso, Chile
The voyage comes to an end in the port city of Valparaíso. It is the third largest city in Chile with charming cobbled alleys, colorful buildings, regular festivals, and street artists and musicians.
Temperature range in March: 51 – 68°F
Add a post-voyage program to continue the adventure:
· 2-day Valparaíso and Santiago de Chile
· 5-day Easter Island
