Extraordinary operation by a Turkish tourism professional: Flying travel enthusiasts to Antarctica

Antarctica, with its extreme conditions where minus 30 degrees can be described as a warm summer day, its six-month-long nights, and its wild nature, captures the dreams of experienced travelers. The limitless exploration opportunities the seventh continent offers its visitors are only possible between November and March.

While the journeys shed light on Antarctica's wilderness, its frozen history, and the contradictory beauty of this remote continent, travelers have the opportunity to be part of a true exploration at the most extreme points of nature.

This exploration can be carried out with Antarctica 21, a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). Antarctica 21 serves on the frozen continent with its Magellan Explorer and Ocean Nova ships.

Before Antarctica 21, travelers wishing to reach the Antarctic Peninsula had only one option: setting sail into the famously rough seas of the Drake Passage.

Antarctica 21 transformed this adventurous journey into a different concept for the first time in 2003, taking explorers to the mainland via special Antarctic flights starting from Punta Arenas, Chile's gateway to Patagonia, and boarding them onto the expedition ship without subjecting them to stormy crossings and seasickness.

Since that day, travelers reaching Antarctica faster have been experiencing their adventures on the seventh continent more comfortably, more boutique, and by spending more time in Antarctica.

Thinking of those who want to experience the nostalgic Drake Passage journey, the company continues to offer this opportunity to Antarctic explorers with a few voyages organized from Argentine Patagonia. The company has a sole authorized sales agent in Turkey. Matilda Travel, which draws attention with extraordinary overseas trips organized from Turkey for the first time, has brought hard-to-reach Antarctic routes to local travelers with its flight-inclusive package programs, in addition to gaining new privileges for Turkey's outbound tourism through its GSA agreement with Antarctica 21.

Flight operations to Antarctica with Antarctic Airways make reaching Antarctica quite easy, but it should be remembered that landing in adverse weather conditions is still one of the significant challenges. It is not the companies operating the mission that decide when the trip will begin, but Antarctica itself.

Transportation to Antarctica is carried out with Antarctic Airways' aircraft fleet consisting of BAE 146-200, AVRO RJ 85, and AVRO RJ 100 models. Passengers are picked up from Punta Arenas and transported to King George Island. Here, visitors transfer to the Antarctic expedition ship via zodiac boats.

These trips to Antarctica are planned in accordance with Goethe's quote, "A traveler travels not to arrive, but to explore." In addition to Antarctic fauna such as penguins, whales, and leopard seals, informative tours accompanied by oceanographers, naturalists, and expert polar guides are also offered.

CENTER OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Antarctica's frozen history covers a wide spectrum, from the first explorations of this continent to modern tourism. Once home to the daring journeys of hunters and explorers, this continent has now become a center for sustainable tourism and scientific research.

Antarctica trips also set a promising example for the future of Turkish tourism.

TRAVELERS MEET SCIENTISTS

Businessperson and tourism professional Burak Bilgit, owner of Matilda Travel, which organizes boutique tourist trips, brings travel enthusiasts together with oceanographers and naturalists in Antarctica through the cooperation they have established with Antarctica 21.

BURAK BİLGİT: ANTARCTICA IS A PLACE BEYOND DREAMS

Businessperson Burak Bilgit, the sole authorized representative in Turkey for the company Antarctic 21, which provides access to Antarctica by air, says the following about the operation: “We are the sole authorized sales representative in Turkey for the company Antarctica 21, which transformed the Antarctic adventure into a different concept for the first time in 2003. Before A21, travelers wishing to reach the Antarctic Peninsula had only one option: setting sail into the famously rough seas of the Drake Passage. We take explorers to the mainland via special flights from Punta Arenas, Chile's gateway to Patagonia, and board them onto the expedition ship without subjecting them to stormy crossings and seasickness.

Our guests, who reach Antarctica faster, experience their Antarctic adventures more comfortably, more boutique, and by spending more time on the seventh continent. For those who want to experience the nostalgic Drake Passage journey, we also organize a few voyages from Argentine Patagonia. We are guests of special charter flights with Antarctic Airways. Antarctic Airways has an aircraft fleet with a maximum capacity of 76 passengers. It consists of BAE 146-200, AVRO RJ 85, and AVRO RJ 100 type models. We arrive at the airstrip in Punta Arenas for the special Antarctic Airways flight. As our plane leaves Punta Arenas and charts its course toward the Southern Ocean, the Chilean Patagonia and the Strait of Magellan continue to offer breathtaking views below. A short while later, we break away from the end of the world and glide through the skies of the Southern Ocean. After a 2-hour flight, the Seventh Continent, Antarctica, reveals itself. An endlessly white continent lies beneath your feet amidst misty clouds. We land on King George Island. Located among the South Shetland Islands, King George Island hosts a small airstrip for special Antarctic flights. Here, we meet our expert teams, board zodiac boats, and settle into the Antarctic expedition ship that will be our companion on our week-long exploration journey.

Bilgit describes Antarctica with these sentences:

It is impossible for your imagination to design an Antarctica for you. There is no way to mentally prepare for the magnificence of such a place. A vast silence, a frozen void. It is only possible to visit between November and March. We set out to explore during the southern hemisphere's summer season, before everything freezes and before the sun sets. Penguins lined up under the Antarctic sky on an endlessly white continent, whales gently submerging by swinging their giant tails... The Antarctic fauna, from fur seals to leopard seals, makes travelers a real part of the wildlife.”

Turkish tourism professional Burak Bilgit expressed how his path crossed with Antarctica 21, which has provided air access to Antarctica since 2003, as follows:

Antarctica 21 hosts explorers from all over the world. We said, "Why shouldn't we be a part of this?" We came together with the A21 team on the path we set out on with this vision.

To understand Antarctica 21, one must first know Antarctica. We are traveling to the bottom of the world. And this is not an ordinary trip. I am not talking about just stopping by the shores of Antarctica with large cruise ships. This is an operation that reaches the Antarctic mainland with special flights and devotes all motivation to an Antarctic exploration.

Having the privilege of being able to land on the Antarctic mainland by plane, exploring Antarctic penguins with Australian naturalist Graeme Snow, participating in whale expeditions with Oceanographer Dani Arbas, and exploring a geography where only 100 people are allowed for land excursions with an expedition ship with a maximum capacity of 75 people, without waiting, in small groups with the entire team. This is a very unique experience.

What Travel Enthusiasts Can Do in Antarctica:

Transportation with Special Flights: Thanks to special flights carried out with Antarctic Airways, they can reach the Antarctic Peninsula faster and more comfortably by skipping the challenging Drake Passage.

Exploration with Zodiac Boats: Visitors can transfer to the Antarctic expedition ship via zodiac boats, reach remote parts of the continent, and cruise among glaciers.

Wildlife Observation: They can find the opportunity to observe penguins, whales, leopard seals, and other wildlife species.

Glacier Hikes and Climbing: Exploring Antarctica's snowy peaks and glaciers using snowshoes and crampons.

Education with Science and Naturalists: They can participate in informative tours carried out accompanied by oceanographers, naturalists, and expert polar guides.

Travel with Boutique Concept Ships: They can have comfortable and personalized travel experiences with boutique concept ships such as Ocean Nova and Magellan Explorer.

Polar Plunge: A courage-requiring experience of diving into icy waters.

Visiting Port Lockroy Post Office: The opportunity to visit the southernmost post office in the world and send postcards to loved ones.

Humpback Whale Observations: They can participate in humpback whale watching tours accompanied by marine biologists.

Watching the Sunset: They can have unforgettable moments by watching the sun set over the icebergs.

ABOUT ANTARCTICA: WILDLIFE CAPTIVATES

Antarctica is considered the world's largest desert because it is generally covered in ice.

The fact that there are six months of daylight and six months of night in half of the year is due to the axial tilt.

Minus 30 degrees can often be described as a warm summer day.

It offers a rich wildlife such as penguins, whales, and leopard seals.

There are massive ice cathedrals and enormous glacier structures.

Antarctica's unique light plays and color tones are mesmerizing.

The world's southernmost post office and museum, Port Lockroy Post Office, is located here.

Humpback whales are found in Antarctica.

News Source: 12punto