Climb Mt Vinson with K&P

Day 1 - Day 2: Flight to Punta Arenas Flight over Santiago to Punta Arenas, the most southern city of Chile. To travel from Europe to Punta Arenas takes about 24 - 30 hours. In order to seriously prepare the expedition, the leading mountain guide travels to Punta Arenas a few days beforehand. The guide will wait for us at the airport and the group then drives together to a good and centrally located hotel in the most southern city of Chile. Day 3: Punta Arenas This day serves the last preparations. Additionally, we have the briefing today that will prepare us for the peculiarities of the flight to the Antarctica. The interesting information prepares us ideally for the conditions we can expect. Day 4: Flight to the Union Glacier Now the „real deal“ begins! We board an Ilyushin that brings us to the Union Glacier Camp via a flight of about 5 hours. The flight alone, and especially the additional landing on ice, is world wide unique and very spectacular. The Union Glacier Camp is located at approximately 800 metres above sea level. The camp is one of the three bases on the Antarctica that are not located at the coast, the other two are the American Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole and the Russian Wostock Station at the cold pole. From this point onward we won’t experience any nights, we are under the spell of the midnight sun! Day 5: Union Glacier - Vinson Massif From the Union Glacier Camp we continue our journey with a Twin Otter or a Cessna to the Vinson Base Camp via an about 40 minutes long flight to the Vinson Base Camp that is located at 2,134 m. During the flight we have a wonderful view on the entire Vinson Massif that sprawls for over 13 km. Day 6 - Day 14: Mount Vinson During the following nine days we have time to ascend the Mount Vinson. For this ascent we have to establish two high camps. The first camp is established at approximately 2,800 m, the second camp is established at about 3,780 m, at least this is the plan. The crux of the ascent is located between the two high camps, where the ascent takes us over a pillar that is secured with fixed ropes. During the entire ascent we are surrounded by the grandiose mountain scenery of the Ellsworth Mountains. This is the latest point in time when everybody realises the absolute uniqueness of the expedition. Depending on the required „days“ the return to the Glacier Union Base Camp can take place somewhat earlier or later. Day 15: Flight to Punta Arenas Today is the return journey to civilisation. The Ilyushin brings us back to Punta Arenas. After all the hardships of the Antarctic we enjoy the hotel and all of its amenities. The following supper will be a feast... Day 16 - Day 17: Punta Arenas (Spare Days) The flight to and from the Union Glacier Camp is dependant on the weather and for this reason spare days are a necessity. In case the return flight from the Antarctic back to Punta Arenas takes place according to plan we have the option to go on many interesting excursions, like for example the visit to the nearby located penguinery or a visit to the Paine National Park. Day 18 - Day 19: Return Flight from Punta Arenas The flight back home from Punta Arenas has to be undertaken individually. Our mountain guide stays behind in Punta Arenas in order to re-establish the equipment. On the 19th day we stand once again on familiar ground back home, with the knowledge that we have experienced something very special.