HIGHLIGHTS
- Photograph ice seals as you Zodiac cruise through glassy
waters, marvelling at the iridescent blues of icebergs.
- In the Antarctic Peninsula, whales start to arrive to feed
on plentiful krill after a marathon migration to here.
- In South Georgia king penguins are sitting on eggs, chicks
are hatching, juveniles are moulting and fledging.
- Hike from Fortuna Bay to Stromness and enjoy striking views
of the abandoned whaling station with our vessel anchored in the bay.
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 |
|---|
| Mar 09, 2027 | Mar 29, 2027 | 37,895 | 41,595 | 31,395 | 32,395 | 34,195 | 35,095 | 36,995 | 39,695 | 43,395 | 51,695 | 59,095 |
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 |
|---|
| Mar 09, 2027 | Mar 29, 2027 | 37,895 | 35,095 | 59,095 |
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 – 8.45 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.
Days
5-8 : Antarctic Peninsula
It
is 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 participate in the
activity whenever conditions allow, and of course keen polar plungers
will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters -
conditions permitting! The polar plunge can take place at any time
during the voyage, so listen out for the announcement from the
expedition team and get ready for the most exhilarating dip of your
life!
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 (open at the captain’s discretion) for
uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its splendour. Listen out for
the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they carve into sea. Take a
quiet moment to experience the wonder of the pristine paradise of the
splendid white continent.
If
you have chosen an optional activity, you will have the option to do
enjoy that activity whenever conditions allow.
Days
9-10 : At Sea
Enjoy
informative and entertaining lectures from our expedition team and
learn about the wildlife, history and culture of the places that you
will visit on the voyage. You may want to use the sauna and jacuzzis,
stay active in the gym or borrow a book from our well-stocked library
and relax in one of the many observation areas on board the
vessel.
Day
11 : At Sea / South Georgia
Sea
and weather conditions will determine our departure time from South
Georgia today.
Days
12-15 : South Georgia
As
you near the rugged island of South Georgia, spare a thought for
Captain James Cook, who arrived here in 1775 and believed it to be the
northern tip of a great southern continent! In fact, it is a small
island only 176 km (110 mi) long, but with a 3,000 m (9,842 ft)
snow-capped mountain range, some of the world’s largest
congregations of wildlife and a truly fascinating human history, South
Georgia is an island of incredible riches. On approach, jagged mountain
peaks rise steeply, while seabirds are often spotted soaring around the
ship.
Remember
to layer up before joining Zodiac cruises around craggy coves and along
the rocky coastline in search of nesting penguins, seal haul-outs and
bird cliffs. Remember to keep an eye out for South Georgia’s
kelp forests as well - these remarkable underwater ecosystems are quite
mesmerising as their fronds sway back and forth on the
water’s surface.
Zodiacs
will also shuttle you from ship to shore, where you can visit some of
the largest king penguin colonies on the planet, take a guided walk
among fur seals and elephant seals (making sure you listen to your
guides and keep your distance!) and wander along pebbled streams and
grassy glacial outwash plains. We also hope to visit the remnants of
South Georgia’s thriving whaling stations and pay our
respects to Sir Ernest Shackleton, whose incredible voyage of survival
is synonymous with this island.
Days
16-17 : At Sea
As
we sail towards the Falklands~Malvinas, there is plenty to keep you
occupied on board.
Our
expedition team will continue to share their wealth of knowledge about
the wildlife, history and natural world as part of the onboard lecture
series. You will have ample time to enjoy observing seabirds from the
stern of the ship, keeping a close watch for whales and other marine
wildlife, or simply enjoying the many facilities available to you on
the ship.
Day
18 : At Sea / Falklands~Malvinas
Sea
and weather conditions will determine our arrival time to the
Falklands~Malvinas today.
Day
19 : Falklands~Malvinas
There
are many beautiful areas to explore across the Falklands~Malvinas, each
offering a unique perspective on this magnificent archipelago. 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 winds, weather and
wildlife opportunities.
Even
though we’re north of the Antarctic Convergence it can be
quite chilly here, so you will want to layer up before joining Zodiac
cruises into rocky coves or along sea cliffs, keeping watch for seals,
sea lions, dolphins and penguins. On landings we may visit albatross
colonies, penguin rookeries and perhaps even have a traditional English
‘tea and scones’ at a local
cottage.
Conditions
permitting, we aim to land in historic Stanley, the capital of the
Falklands~Malvinas. This charming town has a distinctly British
character, with terraced town houses, pioneer cottages and even an
iconic red telephone box! Colourful buildings house cosy cafes, English
pubs, souvenir shops, a post office and the fascinating Historic
Dockyard Museum, with displays on the maritime history of the Falkland
Islands, natural history and links to Antarctica.
Day
: 20 At Sea
With
lectures and film presentations to complete our Antarctic experience,
there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the South Atlantic
Ocean and the life that calls it home. There is time for reflection and
discussion about what we have seen and experienced. We hope you become
ambassadors for the Antarctic region, telling your family, friends and
colleagues about your journey to this magical part of the planet,
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.
As
we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to
legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting.
Day
21 : Disembark in Ushuaia
During
the early morning, we cruise up the Beagle Channel, before quietly
slipping into dock in Ushuaia, where we will be free to disembark
around 8.00 am. Farewell your expedition team and fellow passengers as
we all continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of
the immense power of nature.
Upon
disembarkation, for those continuing their travels in the region,
transportation to the hotel will be arranged exclusively for guests who
have booked their accommodations through Aurora or for those staying in
downtown areas near the port. Expeditioners departing on flights prior
to 12.30 pm will be directly transferred to Ushuaia Airport, those with
flights after 12.30 pm will have the opportunity to explore Ushuaia
before an afternoon airport transfer, and the transfer procedures and
details will be communicated onboard before
disembarkation.
Note: At the
conclusion of the voyage, we do not recommend booking flights departing
Ushuaia prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there
are delays.
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 $1,745
- Paddling : USD $640
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
