CHEESEMANS’ ECOLOGY SAFARIS 555 North Santa Cruz Avenue Los Gatos, CA 95030-4336 USA (800) 527-5330 (408) 741-5330 [email protected] cheesemans.com

Antarctic Peninsula: Deep South with extension to the Falkland Islands February and March 2018 Travel Information Updated May 2017*

With our expedition less than a year away, it’s time to start making travel plans. We encourage you to book your flights soon, especially if you wish to use award mileage.

We strongly recommend and request that you book your flights through the excellent travel agent we’ve worked with for many years, Ana Craven, who knows our trip logistics and the airlines in Chile and Argentina very well, plus she will send us your flight information and update us with any changes.

If you book any of your flights independently, please forward the email confirmation from your airline or agent (forwarding this email avoids typos or missing information). We need all of your flight information to arrange transfers, check connections, and assist you if you have any problems en route; please include the record locator/confirmation code associated with the booking. Thank you!

Contents Page CONTACT DETAILS FOR OUR RECOMMENDED TRAVEL AGENT, ANA CRAVEN ...... 1 ROUTES AND SCHEDULES – TO STANLEY, FALKLAND ISLANDS, THEN PUNTA ARENAS, CHILE, AND FROM USHUAIA, ARGENTINA ...... 2 FLIGHTS FROM HOME TO SANTIAGO, CHILE (SCL) ...... 2 FLIGHT FROM SANTIAGO, CHILE (SCL) TO MOUNT PLEASANT, FALKLAND ISLANDS (MPN) ...... 2 INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS FROM USHUAIA (USH) TO BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (EZE/AEP) ...... 3 FLIGHT CONNECTIONS AND AIRPORTS IN BUENOS AIRES ...... 3 FLIGHTS BETWEEN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (EZE) AND HOME ...... 3 LODGING IN SANTIAGO, PUNTA ARENAS, USHUAIA, AND BUENOS AIRES ...... 3 LODGING IN SANTIAGO ...... 3 LODGING IN USHUAIA AND BUENOS AIRES ...... 3 SHARED AND SINGLE LODGING ...... 4 TRANSFERS ...... 4 TRANSFERS IN PUNTA ARENAS ...... 4 TRANSFERS IN USHUAIA ...... 4 TRANSFERS BETWEEN AIRPORTS IN BUENOS AIRES (NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR COST) ...... 4 PRE-VOYAGE DAY TOURS OUT OF PUNTA ARENAS (OPTIONAL) ...... 4

CONTACT DETAILS FOR OUR RECOMMENDED TRAVEL AGENT, ANA CRAVEN We strongly recommend using Ana to book all of your flights. Ana is not a Cheesemans’ employee but is very familiar with our tours and frequently communicates with us. We have no stake in booking through her other than it is easier for us to keep up with your flight schedules, plus she is invaluable when it comes to resolving problems before and during travel. She has even helped locate lost luggage, assistance you will not get booking flights online. Ana is from Argentina, knows our trip logistics well, and has dealt with these

*Details in this document were updated on this date, but flight times and other information may change prior to your departure, so please verify this information. All price quotes are per person in USD unless otherwise specified. airlines for many years, so her experience alone is worth the small booking fee ($50 per person for international booking or $40 per person for domestic booking). To discuss your flight options or ask questions about the group flights, please contact her directly:

E-mail: Mail: [email protected] Ana Craven c/o Alicia's Travel Phone: 2187 E Villa St +1 (626) 683-1303 (Office, M-F 9am-5pm PT) Pasadena, CA 91107 +1 (626) 379-5267 (Cell, after hours) USA

ROUTES AND SCHEDULES – TO STANLEY, FALKLAND ISLANDS, THEN PUNTA ARENAS, CHILE, AND FROM USHUAIA, ARGENTINA No flights (except Punta Arenas to King George Island) are included in the tour, however Ana can arrange them for you.

Flights from Home to Santiago, Chile (SCL) 2-Week Falkland Islands Extension: Everyone must arrive in Santiago, Chile (SCL) by February 2 for an overnight (included) prior to the February 3 once-weekly flight to the Falkland Islands (not included). For most people in the US, this will mean departing home on February 1. If you miss this flight to the Falklands, you will miss at least a week’s worth of tour, so consider arriving in Santiago a day earlier for a cushion (departing the US on January 31). Many carriers fly to Santiago and most flights from the US are usually overnight flights.

1-Week Falkland Islands Extension: Everyone must arrive in Santiago, Chile (SCL) by February 9 for an overnight (included) prior to the February 10 once-weekly flight to the Falkland Islands (not included). For most people in the US, this will mean departing home on February 8. If you miss this flight to the Falklands, you will miss this extension, so consider arriving in Santiago a day earlier for a cushion (departing the US on February 7). Many carriers fly to Santiago and most flights from the US are usually overnight flights.

Flight from Santiago, Chile (SCL) to Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands (MPN) Our tours of the Falkland Islands begin in Stanley. The closest airport to Stanley is Mount Pleasant Airport, Falkland Islands (MPN), and is accessed only by a once-weekly flight from Santiago, Chile. Because it is a once-weekly flight, it’s crucial that everyone book this flight early. This flight is operated by LATAM and has one stop en route in Punta Arenas, Chile (PUQ). If you book the SCL-MPN on the same ticket as your other flights, you may get a better rate.

Flight from Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands (MPN) to Punta Arenas, Chile (PUQ) Both the 2-Week and 1-Week Falkland Islands extensions depart from Mount Pleasant Airport to Punta Arenas, Chile on February 17. This is another once-weekly flight, so it’s crucial that everyone book this flight early. The flight to Antarctica departs from Punta Arenas on February 20 and you are required to overnight in Punta Arenas on February 19 – there is a MANDATORY pre-expedition orientation the evening of the 19th. You may choose to spend the days between flights either in Punta Arenas or elsewhere. We are organizing day-trip options for those who wish to join us in Punta Arenas on those days (see PRE-VOYAGE DAY TOURS section below).

Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris Page 2 of 5 International Flights from Ushuaia (USH) to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE/AEP) The ship arrives in Ushuaia, Argentina (USH) on the morning of March 3. We require that you book your flight home from Ushuaia after 12:00pm on March 3 to allow for possible delays with customs when disembarking the ship. See TRANSFERS section for information about transfers to the airport.

Flight Connections and Airports in Buenos Aires Flights to international destinations from Ushuaia route through Buenos Aires, Argentina. Buenos Aires has two airports, collectively coded BUE. The international airport, “Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarini,” airport code EZE, is where your international flight will depart. The domestic airport, “Aeroparque Jorge Newbery,” airport code AEP, has more flight choices from Ushuaia, however if you can book a flight directly from USH to EZE, you avoid the need to transfer between airports (which can take 1.5 hours, depending on traffic). See TRANSFERS section for more information. Even if booking an USH-EZE flight, it is wise to allow about four hours between flights in Buenos Aires to guard against delays, schedule changes, or the possibility of being rerouted to AEP.

Flights between Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) and Home Many airline options are available between Buenos Aires (EZE) and the US/other destinations.

LODGING IN SANTIAGO, PUNTA ARENAS, USHUAIA, AND BUENOS AIRES Lodging in Santiago Please note that the cost of the extension includes one night’s lodging in Santiago on either February 2 or 9 (depending on which Falklands extension you’re on, double occupancy, unless you booked a single in the Falklands). Your overnight at the Santiago Airport Holiday Inn is conveniently located directly across the street from the airport and about 20 minutes outside the city of Santiago. Check in time is 3pm, so if you arrive earlier and you’d like to leave your luggage to wander on your own, the bellmen will hold your luggage at the hotel for you. Contact us if you would like an early check in (which requires paying for an extra night), or to reserve any extra nights; the cost is about $238 per night, single or double, so $119 per person if shared (subject to change), and includes a buffet breakfast. If you book your own hotel for extra nights, please let us know where you’re staying in case we need to reach you before the extension.

Extra nights lodging in Punta Arenas Please note that the cost of the voyage includes one night’s lodging in Punta Arenas on February 19 (double occupancy, unless you booked a single cabin). Your overnight at the Hotel Diego de Almagro is located on the banks of the Strait of Magellan and is just five blocks from the city center. Check in time is 2pm, so if you arrive earlier and you’d like to leave your luggage to wander on your own, we’ll have a locked room available for you on February 19. Contact us if you would like an early check in (which requires paying for an extra night), or to reserve any extra nights; the cost is about $140 per night, single or double, so $70 per person if shared (subject to change), and includes breakfast. If you book your own hotel for extra nights, please let us know where you’re staying in case we need to reach you before the voyage.

Lodging in Ushuaia and Buenos Aires No overnights in Ushuaia or Buenos Aires are included in your tour cost, however we are happy to make recommendations for your stay in Buenos Aires or book extra nights at the Hotel Albatros in Ushuaia.

If spending extra time in Buenos Aires, you’ll likely want to stay in the city, closer to AEP (EZE is outside of the city proper so there’s less to do in that area). If you just need a quick overnight between flights, you likely

Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris Page 3 of 5 want to stay closer to EZE. If you’re booking flights with Ana, she is happy to book any overnights in Buenos Aires that you may need, or you can book on your own.

Shared and single lodging If you are traveling alone and would like to share a room to reduce the cost of the extra night, please let us know and we will try to find you a roommate. We cannot guarantee we will find one as this will depend on the number and configuration of participants needing extra nights. Please let us know if you prefer to have a single room for any extra nights or for your night that is included in the tour. Single rooms are subject to availability and additional charge.

TRANSFERS Transfers in Punta Arenas On February 17, you have the option of flying from Mount Pleasant to Punta Arenas, or diverting for a night or two to another destination and joining us in Punta Arenas by the 19th. We have arranged optional day- trips in Punta Arenas that you may want to participate in (see PRE-VOYAGE DAY TOURS section below). When you arrive in Punta Arenas, you will pass through customs, collect your luggage, and then we will transfer you to the Hotel Diego de Almagro.

In the evening on February 19, we will meet for a MANDATORY pre-expedition orientation.

The transfer from the Hotel Diego de Almagro to the Punta Arenas airport for your flight to King George Island on February 20 is included. Details with exact meeting times/places for both the 19th and the 20th will be given closer to the trip.

Transfers in Ushuaia Transfers in Ushuaia are included on the day of disembarkation, March 3. Depending on the timing of your flight, our local agency will take you directly to the airport or to town for a few hours. If you’re overnighting in Ushuaia, the agency will transfer you to the Hotel Albatros, or you can easily arrange your own taxi (about $10-$30 depending on your hotel location).

Transfers between airports in Buenos Aires (not included in tour cost) Buenos Aires has two airports, the international Aeropuerto Ezeiza (EZE) where most international flights arrive, and the domestic airport Aeroparque (AEP) located beside the Rio de la Plata in downtown Buenos Aires. Most flights from Ushuaia arrive in AEP, so most of you will have to transfer between the two airports. However, if you can book a flight directly from USH to EZE, you avoid the need to transfer between airports. Allow about 1.5 hours, depending on traffic, for the drive between airports, and be sure to arrange and pay for your transfer via bus or private taxi inside the airport with Manuel Tienda Leon (look for the yellow lion logo) or one of the other equivalent transfer services, rather than taking a taxi at the airport curb. The cost is approximately $35 to $55 (per person) for a private transfer by car, about $30 (per person) by bus if Manuel Tienda Leon has a bus leaving on a schedule that works for you, or about $65 (per taxi) by taxi arranged inside the airport (all are payable in US dollars or by credit card).

PRE-VOYAGE DAY TOURS OUT OF PUNTA ARENAS (OPTIONAL) We are organizing the following day tours in Punta Arenas before the expedition. Space is limited, so contact

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February 18, 2018: All-day Birding in the Strait of Magellan This is a full-day tour that focuses on the birds in the region. The area offers a great variety of habitats where a large array of bird species live. Depart from our hotel at 7:00am and meet our local guide, drive south of Punta Arenas to the Beech woodlands where you will find waterbirds (grebes, ducks, coots, etc.), as well as some birds of prey. Then we will drive to San Juan Bay and seek out specialty bird species such as the Austral Parakeet, Magellanic Woodpecker, and Patagonian Sierra Finch. From the shoreline, we’ll search for Black- browed Albatross and Southern Giant Petrels, and also watch for Peale’s Dolphin and Southern Fur Seals. In the afternoon, we’ll visit Patagonian steppe and scrub habitat. Since we’re still near the shore and wetlands, shorebirds will be present like the Chilean Flamingo and Baird’s Sandpiper. Next, we’ll go to the moorlands and seek out Lesser Rhea, Austral Canastero, and Black-throated Finch. We’ll arrive back at the hotel in time for dinner. Cost is $120 per person, lunch included, dinner on your own. Limited to 16 people.

February 19, 2018: Half-day Penguins of Magdalena Island Depart our hotel at 6:45am, transfer to Laredo Dock and board our boat at 7:30am, depart for and explore Magdalena Island and its Magellanic Penguin colony. Re-board the boat and keep an eye out for South American Sea Lions and seabirds such as Chilean Skua, cormorants, gulls, and South American Tern, as we make our way back to Laredo Dock via Marta Inlet. Return to the hotel around noon. Lunch and afternoon plans are on your own. Cost is $165 per person. Limited to 16 people.

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