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