From Santiago to Santiago · South America & Antarctica · 14 nights
This little ship has an intimate style and personal service, and following a refurbishment in 2021 now offers both expedition and classic itineraries.
Silver Wind is a lovely size; with just 274 guests, she’s a
cruise ship in miniature, and an ice-strengthened hull allows her
to offer both expedition and classic voyages. You can expect all
the facilities and space of a larger ship, with the intimacy of a
small yacht. She’s comfortable in the middle of a great ocean, but
can also slip up rivers and into tiny harbours.
Fly overnight to Santiago de Chile where you will be met at the airport and tranaferred to your included hotel for a one-night stay. The following day, transfer to the airport for your Silversea charter flight to Puerto Williams where you will embark Silver Wind and begin your expedition.
Puerto Williams has the feel of a true frontier town, situated on windswept Navarino Island facing out across the Beagle Channel. The surrounding mountains offer a spectacular backdrop for hiking and kayaking, while to the south lies the infamous Drake Passage and, beyond that, the frozen continent of Antarctica.
The Antarctic Sound is a 37-mile channel that separates the Joinville Island group from the Antarctic Peninsula. Prepare to be amazed as you sail among vast icebergs that have broken free from the Larsen Ice Shelf, and look out for wildlife including Gentoo penguins and whales.
Antarctica is the world’s last great wilderness, an alien landscape of snow-covered mountains, jagged icebergs and extraordinary wildlife. December is the most popular month to visit, with temperatures at their warmest (by Antarctic standards), long hours of daylight (great for photographers), and wildlife active everywhere.
Icy and remote, the South Shetland Islands are situated about 100 miles north of the Antarctic peninsula. The archipelago is home to a scattering of research stations, along with thousands of penguins, seals and sea lions, and you can still see the remains of Ernest Shackleton’s ship the ‘Endurance’ on the south west shore of Elephant Island.
Puerto Williams has the feel of a true frontier town, situated on windswept Navarino Island facing out across the Beagle Channel. The surrounding mountains offer a spectacular backdrop for hiking and kayaking, while to the south lies the infamous Drake Passage and, beyond that, the frozen continent of Antarctica.
Disembark your voyage in Puerto Williams and transfer to the airport for your charter flight to Santiago. Here enjoy an overnight hotel stay before continuing your journey with a flight back to the UK the following day.
