HIGHLIGHTS
- Witness
extraordinary wildlife including fledging penguin chicks.
- Zodiac
cruise in secluded bays and quiet coves filled with brash ice and
photograph enormous glaciers and spectacularly shaped icebergs in
various shades of blue.
- Keep
a close watch for the tail fluke of whales as they take a deep dive,
see porpoising penguins ice seals such as Weddell and crabeater seals
hauled out on ice floes.
- Observe
skuas patrolling penguin colonies preying on vulnerable juveniles.
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | Stateroom Single | Stateroom Single Superior | Stateroom Triple | Stateroom Twin | Stateroom Superior | Balcony Stateroom C | Balcony Stateroom B | Balcony Stateroom A | Balcony Suite | Junior Suite | Captains Suite |
|---|
| Jan 07, 2027 | Jan 15, 2027 | 19,195 | 21,095 | 15,895 | 16,395 | 17,295 | 17,795 | 18,695 | 20,095 | 21,995 | 26,195 | 29,995 |
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Stateroom Single | (Mid-range)
Balcony Stateroom C | (High-end)
Captains Suite |
|---|
| Jan 07, 2027 | Jan 15, 2027 | 19,195 | 17,795 | 29,995 |
ITINERARY
Day
1 : Ushuaia
Arrive
in Ushuaia, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora
Expeditions and transferred with your fellow expeditioners to your
assigned pre-voyage hotel. If you are already in Ushuaia, we ask you to
make your way to your hotel. Check-in is from 3.00 pm. This afternoon,
visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk in the hotel lobby,
between 3.00 pm and 7.00 pm, to collect your luggage tags, and confirm
if you wish to join our Lake Escondido pre-embarkation tour tomorrow.
Our team will confirm details regarding your embarkation day, answer
any questions and provide you with information on where to dine or
purchase last minute items.
Expeditioners arriving after 7.00 pm will find a welcome pack waiting
for them at check-in. We ask you to visit our hospitality desk tomorrow
between 8.00 am – 10.00 am.
The remainder of your time is at leisure. All meals today are at your
own expense.
Assigned accommodation: To be advised
Day
2 : Embarkation
This
morning, enjoy breakfast and check-out. Please ensure your cabin
luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and
cabin number. Take your cabin luggage to hotel reception, prior to, or
at check-out. Your luggage will be stored and transferred directly to
the port for clearance, to be placed in your cabin ahead of your
arrival on board. Please keep any valuables or personal items with you
throughout the day.
Those wishing to join our Lake Escondido tour today, please meet in the
hotel lobby at 8.45 am. This tour offers us an unforgettable panoramic
drive through big valleys of glacial origin, evergreen and deciduous
forests, waterfalls and rivers, in the vastness of the Andes Mountain
Range. We will leave Ushuaia city to the northeast of Tierra del Fuego,
driving through peat bog valleys to reach Garibaldi Pass, only
accessible by a winding road that will take us to a panoramic point.
From here we will have amazing panoramic views of Lake Escondido and,
if weather conditions allow, of Fagnano Lake. We will start our descent
towards the northeast to reach Fagnano Lake’s shore where we
will visit a local ranch. After appreciating the landscape, you will
have the chance to enjoy the typical Fuegian Lamb barbecue. Enjoy some
free time there before returning to Ushuaia for ship embarkation.
Alternatively, enjoy your day at leisure and meet at your hotel lobby
or from the meeting point at the parking lot near the pier (details
will be given by our ground staff at the hotel), to be transferred to
the pier for embarkation.
Once onboard, you’ll have time to settle into your cabin
before our important mandatory briefings. As the ship pulls away from
port, we’ll gather on the deck to commence our adventure with
spectacular views over Ushuaia and Tierra del
Fuego.
This evening, get to know your fellow expeditioners and friendly
expedition team and crew at a welcome dinner to celebrate the start of
a thrilling adventure to Antarctica.
Day 3-4 : Drake Passage
crossing
Settle into your stateroom and make yourself comfortable! The onboard
gym, wellbeing centre and well-equipped library are yours to discover,
and your expedition team will offer a series of presentations on
Antarctica’s history, wildlife and environment to help enrich
your experience. You will also be invited to collect your Muck Boots
and attend important briefings on biosecurity, wildlife-watching
guidelines and Zodiac safety, in preparation for your first landing in
Antarctica.
On day four the excitement is palpable as you near the South Shetland
Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, with everyone
converging on the observation decks to spot their first iceberg. Now
that you’re south of the Antarctic Convergence the ocean
takes on a whole new character, as you’re surrounded by
porpoising penguins and dramatic icebergs. The memory of your first
iceberg sighting is likely to remain with you for a lifetime. Time and
weather permitting, we may attempt our first Antarctic landing in the
late afternoon.
Day
5-7 : Antarctic Peninsula
It’s
almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in Antarctica.
Spotting your first iceberg and taking a deep breath of some of the
most fresh, crisp air on earth is an experience that will stay with you
forever.
Once we arrive, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the
South Shetland Islands are ours to explore, and we have a host of
choices available to us. Because we are so far south, we will
experience approximately 18-24 hours of daylight and the days can be as
busy as you wish.
Your experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to
this area, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to
day, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, ice
conditions and wildlife opportunities.
We generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. You will
want to rug up before joining Zodiac cruises along spectacular ice
cliffs or among grounded icebergs, keeping watch for whales, seals and
porpoising penguins. Zodiacs will also transport you from the ship to
land, where you can visit penguin rookeries, discover historic huts and
explore some of our favourite spots along the peninsula.
While ashore we aim to stretch our legs, wandering along pebbly beaches
or perhaps up snow-covered ridgelines to vantage points with mountains
towering overhead and ice-speckled oceans below. If you have chosen an
optional activity, you will have the option to do that whenever
conditions allow, and of course keen polar plungers will have the
chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters - conditions
permitting!
In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may ship cruise
some of the narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from
the mainland, or linger in scenic bays to watch whales travelling or
feeding. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or make
your way to the bridge for uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its
splendour. Keep an ear out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as
they carve their way from summit to sea. Take a quiet moment to
experience the wonder of this incredible white continent.
Day
8 : Fly King George Island to Punta Arenas
As
we approach Frei Base on King George Island, it is time to farewell
Antarctica and our amazing adventure before boarding our flight
(approximately one hour and forty-five minutes) to Punta Arenas, Chile.
There is time for reflection and discussion about what we have seen and
experienced. We hope you become ambassadors for Antarctica telling your
family, friends and colleagues about your journey to this magical
place, advocating for its conservation and preservation so that they
might one day visit the region to experience what you have been lucky
to see and do here.
In Punta Arenas, you will be transferred to our group hotel for an
overnight stay.
Note: King George Island is located at the northern tip of the
Antarctic Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands and is one of the
most remote places on Earth. A clear sky with perfect visibility is
required for safe take-off and landing. We apologise in advance for any
possible delays.
Day
9 : Depart Punta Arenas
After
breakfast, bid a fond farewell to your fellow travellers as we continue
our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense
power of nature (breakfast included). A transfer to the airport is
included in the voyage fare.
Note: Should
your flight not proceed due to local conditions; you will remain on the
ship until it is deemed achievable to return to Punta Arenas. Refer to
our terms and conditions for further details.
Douglas Mawson (Luxury Expedition, 154-guests)
The Douglas Mawson features a host of amenities to help you connect with like-minded travellers and elevate your time onboard our floating base camp for adventure. After a long day of exploring, head to the back deck to swim in the heated outdoor swimming pool, find a sun bed to read on, or soak in one of two Jacuzzis. Work up a sweat in the gym before unwinding in the sauna, resolve to learn something new in the Citizen Science Centre, then enjoy a delicious meal with new and old friends in one of two restaurants. Or, with multiple observation areas throughout the ship, simply relax in comfort while you keep watch for wildlife or incredible landscapes unfold before you.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- All airport transfers mentioned in the itinerary.
- One night’s hotel accommodation including
breakfast, in Ushuaia on Day 1.
- ?Lake Escondido tour in Ushuaia, on Day
2.
- Onboard accommodation during voyage, including daily cabin
service.
- All meals, snacks, tea and coffee during voyage.
- Soft drinks and juices throughout all meals.
- Beer and house wine with dinner.
- Captain’s Farewell reception including
four-course dinner, house cocktails, house beer and wine, non-alcoholic
beverages.
- All shore excursions and Zodiac cruises.
- Educational lectures and guiding services provided by
Expedition Team.
- Complimentary access to onboard expedition doctor and
medical clinic (initial consultation).
- One 3-in-1 waterproof, polar expedition jacket.
- Complimentary use of Muck Boots during the voyage.
- Comprehensive pre-departure information.
- Port surcharges, permits and landing fees.
- Wi-Fi*.
* Please
note we travel to remote regions and therefore the connection can be
unreliable.
Excluded
from this voyage :
- International or domestic flights – unless
specified in the itinerary.
- Transfers – unless specified in the itinerary.
- Airport arrival or departure taxes.
- Passport, visa, reciprocity and vaccination fees and
charges.
- Travel insurance or emergency evacuation charges.
- Hotel accommodation and meals – unless specified
in the itinerary.
- Optional excursions and optional activity surcharges.
- All items of a personal nature, including but not limited
to alcoholic beverages (outside of dinner service), gratuities, laundry
services, personal clothing, medical expenses or phone charges.
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
Add-on
Activities
- Sea Kayaking : USD $1,030
- Snorkelling : USD $515
- Paddling : USD $480
Included
Activities
- Bird watching
- Lectures on wildlife, our environment, history and
destinations
- Near shore cruises
- Photography
- Polar plunge
- Trips ashore
- Walking
- Whale and mammal spotting
- Zodiac cruises
