Antarctica
Overview
JOIN US FOR THIS EXCITING FLY-IN – FLY-OUT, SMALL-GROUP ANTARCTIC
PHOTO EXPEDITION ABOARD OUR PRIVATE SMALL SHIP, M/V HANS HANSSON
TRIP REPORT: Click here to read what two of our clients from Germany thought of our 2023 Antarctica Expedition aboard Hans Hansson.
Client Testimonial: We’re just back from Visionary Wild’s fly-in, fly-out photo expedition aboard the M/V Hans Hansson… Wow! The ultimate luxury – a very small group; a ship that can go anywhere; heaps of time, on landings and zodiac cruises, to immerse ourselves in the incredible Antarctic wilderness; and expert guidance from passionate photographers and environmentalists with deep knowledge of this special place. What more could you want? Except to be able to do it all over again… One day! – Catherine R., 2020 participant
We are excited to offer an extraordinary opportunity to visit Antarctica aboard the Hans Hansson, operated by long-time friends of ours who specialize in small-vessel Antarctic adventures. In an era when Antarctic expedition vessels are getting larger and larger, Hans Hansson offers a wonderful way to travel with a small-group expedition, on a comfortable and highly capable vessel that serves as an excellent platform for photography and can get into locations that bigger ships can’t reach.
Renowned landscape photographer Michael Frye and his partner Claudia Welsh (formerly V.P. at the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite) will join Visionary Wild founder Justin Black, who cherishes the opportunity to share the Antarctic experience with passionate photographers each year. Our creative focus on this trip will be evenly divided between the wildlife spectacle and sublime landscape. Our route will take us to colonies of Adélie, Chinstrap, and Gentoo penguins (plus the possibility of sighting the odd Emperor or Macaroni), and along the way we will encounter Leopard, Crab-Eater, and Weddell Seals, Orcas and Humpback Whales. and an array of Antarctic birdlife. The dramatic landscape of glacier-covered mountains and islands rises from the various sheltered channels, dotted with immense icebergs. The light at this time of year is perfect for photography. When the weather is clear, golden light endures around sunrise and sunset, and dusk and dawn colors merge into one over the few hours when the sun dips below the horizon. The diffuse light of overcast conditions, on the other hand, is great for wildlife photography, blue icebergs, and moody landscapes.
We will spend almost two weeks on location at Antarctica, flying across Drake Passage both ways (it’s about a two-hour flight) instead of wasting precious days “rockin’ and rollin'” in heavy seas on the infamous crossing from South America. As masters of the vessel, your leaders will work with the experienced captain – with whom we have established an excellent relationship over the course of prior voyages together – to choose the best itinerary and route to maximize the photographic opportunities along the way, responding to local conditions of weather and ice as necessary. Our capable expedition vessel will sleep ten guests (in addition to your leaders and the ship’s crew) in five cabins each with two bunks. Two Superior Cabins have en suite private bathrooms, and the other three Standard Cabins share two surprisingly spacious bathrooms with showers (with plenty of hot water), toilet, sink, mirror, and changing bench. Tasty meals are prepared family-style by the Hansson’s talented chef, who handles dietary restrictions beautifully.
More information about traveling to Antarctica on this expedition can be found in the Expectations session on this page.
Itinerary
January 1: ARRIVAL DAY
Arrive in Punta Arenas. You will be met at the airport and transferred to Hotel Almasur (meals not included).
Overnight at Hotel Almasur
January 2: PUNTA ARENAS
You are free to explore Punta Arenas or relax in the hotel during the day. The group will meet for an introduction and orientation session in the late afternoon, followed by a group dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.
Overnight at Hotel Almasur, Punta Arenas. (B,D)
January 3: FLY TO KING GEORGE ISLAND, EMBARK ON OUR ADVENTURE
Group transfer to the airport for our quick and comfortable jet flight over Cape Horn and across the Drake Passage to King George Island at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, where we board Hans Hansson and begin our adventure.
Overnight aboard M/V Hans Hansson (B,L,D)
January 4-15: ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
Aboard Hans Hansson, photographing the wildlife, ice, and mountainous landscapes of the Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent archipelagos, south to Lemaire Channel and Vernadsky Research Base, making the most of our vessel’s size and maneuverability to access compelling locations that larger ships can’t reach.
Overnights aboard M/V Hans Hansson (B,L,D)
January 16: RETURN TO PUNTA ARENAS
Disembark Hans Hansson for the flight back to Punta Arenas. Celebratory final group dinner at one of Punta Arena’s fine restaurants.
Overnight at Hotel Almasur (B,L,D)
January 17: DEPARTURE DAY
Transfer to Punta Arenas airport to catch your departing flight. (B)
Instructors
Michael Frye
- Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. His photographs and articles about art and technique of photography have appeared in publications around the world, including ...
Justin Black
- JUSTIN BLACK is a photographer, writer, editor, expedition leader, photo workshops instructor, a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Writers (ILCW), a former executive director of the International ...
Gallery
Pricing
Superior
Standard
All costs are per person.
Superior Cabin: Larger cabin on the upper deck with twin bunks, a private en suite bathroom, desk, wardrobe, and portholes with exterior views.
Standard Cabin: Standard size cabin on the lower deck with twin bunks, a wash basin, desk, storage space, and portholes with exterior views, sharing two spacious bathrooms with shower, sink, toilet, and changing bench, located on the corridor, very close to the cabins.
SINGLE OCCUPANCY
Due to our exclusive charter of the Hans Hansson and the fact that our group’s flight reservations have to be contracted for in advance by the ship’s operator based on the maximum possible number of guests (that is, on the flights we have to pay for two seats per ship’s cabin, regardless of whether the cabin is ultimately occupied by one or two guests), the rates for single-occupancy bookings have to be nearly double the rate for double-occupancy cabins.
INDIVIDUAL TRAVELERS BOOKING DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
Individuals traveling alone are welcome to book at the double occupancy rate and we will match you with a cabin mate on Hans Hansson. We will attempt to match cabin mates of the same sex, but due to the small group size this cannot be guaranteed. Hotel rooms in Punta Arenas will be single occupancy for individuals booking double occupancy. There is a $500 supplement for this registration option, which will be added to the final payment. If you have pre-arranged to share a room with another participant, you may book at the normal double occupancy rate.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
- 30% deposit is required upon registration
- 30% payment due by April 1, 2025
- 40% final payment due by September 1, 2025
Please note that due to the significant commitments involved in chartering the vessel and Drake Passage flights for this expedition, deposits and all payments are non-refundable. Travel cancellation insurance is strongly recommended (most insurers require purchase within 14 days of your initial deposit) to enable recovery of deposits in the event of a need to cancel participation for medical or personal reasons covered by the policy. Other terms and conditions apply.
INCLUDED
- Photographic instruction and guiding throughout by Michael Frye and Justin Black (both certified Antarctic guides)
- Private charter of M/V Hans Hansson and its two Zodiacs
- Services of ship’s crew, chef, and expedition staff
- Specially arranged round-trip flights on DAP Antarctic Airways, aboard four-engine BAE146 jet, from Punta Arenas, Chile, to King George Island
- Three hotel nights in Punta Arenas (Jan 1, 2 and 16, 2026)
- All meals and beverages (including wine, beer, cocktails with dinner) from dinner on January 2 to breakfast on January 17.
- All necessary group ground transfers in Punta Arenas
- Ground transfers at King George Island, airstrip – ship – airstrip
NOT INCLUDED
- R/T airfare to and from our starting and ending point in Punta Arenas, Chile
- Meals on January 1st (this is a logistically necessary arrival day, but our first group meeting is on January 2nd).
- Additional hotel nights, meals or other costs for arrivals prior to the start date or departures after the end date
- Cost of passports, any necessary entry visas or reciprocity fees, vaccinations, or other personal travel expenses
- Travel insurance, emergency medical insurance and evacuation insurance/ coverage from the Antarctic Peninsula. (REQUIRED)
- Alcoholic beverages other than those offered at dinner
- Telephone or internet charges
- Any private excursions, activities, or services not included in the itinerary
- Personal purchases, souvenirs, additional activities, and anything else not listed as included
- Gratuities for the ship’s crew and expedition staff, at your discretion
Highlights
- 13-night private charter of M/V Hans Hansson, one of very few capable charter vessels in Antarctic waters suitable for private small-group exploration. It’s very rare to have this much time in Antarctica.
- Small group size, limited to no more than 10 guests.
- Includes round-trip flights across the Drake Passage aboard a BAE 146 Jet. Flight duration is about two hours, which compared to crossing the Drake by ship gives us an extra four days in Antarctica, vastly reduces the potential for seasickness, and increases general safety.
- Frequent landings at penguin colonies and our favorite locations to make the most of photographic opportunities along the coast and on the islands.
- Excursions by Zodiac among the icebergs get us close to seals, whales, and scores of penguins “porpoising” through the water.
- Generous and personalized photographic instruction throughout by Michael Frye and Justin Black
- Highly experienced, gracious, and accommodating professional captain and crew, with whom we have developed an excellent working relationship.
- Family-style meals prepared fresh throughout the day by the Hansson’s chef, accommodating a variety of dietary restrictions.
Accommodations
- Three nights (Jan 1, 2, and 16) at Hotel Almasur in central Punta Arenas
- Thirteen nights, (Jan 3 – 15) on our private charter vessel, M/V Hans Hansson
Travel
Expectations
TRAVELING TO ANTARCTICA
The photographic opportunities and the experience of exploring the Antarctic in a small vessel are unparalleled, but it is important to be aware of the conditions of this expedition and ensure that it is suitable for you. We will be traveling to remote destinations far from medical facilities, and there will be little to no communications with family, friends, and the outside world while on board Hans Hansson. Although participating in this expedition does not require a particularly high level of physical fitness, you should be able to:
- Be without medical assistance for up to 30 days
- Swim or float on your back
- Get in and out of a Zodiac boat on a beach with a little wave action
- Walk a mile on uneven and slightly hilly terrain at a steady pace without getting exhausted
- Climb a 6 ft (2m) step ladder
You will be required to submit a medical history form to the vessel’s operator, Quixote Expeditions, as well as a confirmation from your physician that you are fit enough to participate in this expedition. If you have any questions or concerns about the nature of this expedition or any health or fitness concerns that may present a challenge to participating on it, please contact us.
INSURANCE
It is important to be aware that weather conditions – most commonly poor visibility due to fog – do from time to time delay the Antarctica Airways flights between Punta Arenas and King George Island and back. The goal of the airline is to identify the best weather window each day, and operate all the day’s flights during that period, so it is best to think of our flight as being scheduled for a particular day rather than a particular time. So long as we fly on the scheduled days, we consider that a success. Delays are usually brief (minutes, a few hours, or perhaps one day), and sometimes the flight schedule is moved up a day earlier to get ahead of incoming bad weather, which is one of the reasons that we spend two nights rather than just one night in Punta Arenas at the start of the trip. That said, a few years ago a large group operated by another company aboard a cruise ship was delayed in Punta Arenas for several days due to uncommonly bad weather, resulting in outright cancellation of the trip. It is also possible that the flight will be delayed returning to Punta Arenas, which may necessitate additional hotel nights and rebooking flights. Therefore, we strongly recommend obtaining travel insurance that provides full coverage for the cost of your trip in the event of trip cancellation, as well as travel interruption or delays that may impact your arrival or departure from this expedition. Visionary Wild is not responsible for additional costs incurred due to weather or travel delays.
Emergency medical treatment and evacuation coverage (minimum US$300,000) are required for this expedition.
BOOKING TRAVEL
All guests should plan to arrive in Punta Arenas on January 1st. This will also allow some additional time in case of flight or baggage delays. The flight is scheduled for January 3rd, but as mentioned above the timing is weather dependent and is not decided until the day of travel. It is even possible that the group may need to fly to King George Island on the evening of January 2nd if there is incoming bad weather forecast for January 3rd. Once our flight departs Punta Arenas for King George Island, it will not be possible for anyone arriving late to catch up with and join the group.
We recommend that you use a travel agent to book your flights to Punta Arenas, Chile, as it would be possible to email your travel agent from the ship, who would then be able to work on rebooking your international flights on your behalf in the event of a delay of the return flight from King George Island to Punta Arenas.
Outcomes
Trip Report
Read what two of our clients from Germany thought of our 2023 Antarctica Expedition aboard Hans Hansson:
A dream journey is behind us… The photographic travel company Visionary Wild from the USA under the direction of Lena and Justin Black had offered the trip for ambitious and enthusiastic photographers… Antarctica is not a classic tourist resort. It requires high demands of the organization of the trip and preparation of travelers, and this was done perfectly by Visionary Wild. –Dr. Diether Schenkel and Agnes Schenkel
