Antarctica Cruise from Chile

Get to know Chile’s lively capital city

Day 1–3 in Santiago

Surrounded by hills, energetic Santiago is the beating heart of Chile and home to 40% of its people. The best way to explore Santiago is simply by strolling around its unique neighbourhoods, starting with the museum, malls and architecture of the Centro.

Head to Punta Arenas, the gateway to Antarctica

Day 4 in Punta Arenas

Sitting alongside the Strait of Magellan, this sprawling city provides a base for those wanting to explore the wilderness of Chile’s southernmost Patagonia and is a popular starting point for many Antarctic cruises. Most visitors will fly into the city’s airport before connecting to Torres del Paine, Tierra del Fuego or neighbouring Argentina.

Cross the formidable Drake Passage

Day 5 in Drake Passage

Considered by many polar travellers to be the gateway to Antarctica, the Drake Passage is a common feature for cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula. Straddled between Chile’s Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica, this infamous waterway is named after the 16th-century English explorer Sir Francis Drake.

Explore the Antarctic Peninsula

Day 6–12 in Antarctic Peninsula

You don't take a holiday to Antarctica ‒ you make a trip of a lifetime.

This colossal frozen netherworld is bigger than the USA. The sun doesn’t rise for six months of the year and it's constant daylight the rest. It's the most untouched, alien place on our planet ‒ but the rewards are exceptional. Antarctica’s landscapes are surreal: utterly immense rolling icefields, icebergs the size of stadiums, glassy seas deeper than a skyscraper.

Its wildlife is abundant and utterly unperturbed by people. Armies of penguins waddle across the ice, train-sized humpback whales and orcas breach from the inky depths, seals flounder on the snowfields. On a calm day, when the sunlight bounces off every surface, the silence is all-encompassing. It's like nowhere else on earth.

Sail past Cape Horn

Day 13–14 in Cape Horn

The rocky headland of Hornos Island, where the wild oceans of the Pacific and Atlantic meet, lies the fabled Cape Horn. A popular sight for Antarctic tour ships, the discovery of Cape Horn in the 1600’s was of huge significance for trade, though it is still recognised as one of the most hazardous sailing routes In the world.

Hike “the W” in Torres del Paine

Day 15–19 in Torres del Paine National Park

Tucked away in the southernmost corner of Chilean Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of place.

The national park merits its reputation as a world-renowned hiking destination. It brims with classic routes with postcard vistas and lesser-known trails for solitude seekers. The hiking here ranges from easy to challenging, from short day hikes to long circuits of up to ten days.

There are many ways to experience Torres del Paine. Shoestring-budget backpackers rough it at campsites or in simple dorm-style refugios, packing in all their own food and gear. Mid-range travellers seek the convenience of a guided and fully supported adventure, as well as the company of a small group. Luxury travellers indulge in upscale resorts that offer private, tailored excursions into nature. There’s really something for everyone in the park.