HIGHLIGHTS
- Observe the wildlife of Antarctica, with penguin chicks
developing their adult plumage and learning to swim, leopard seals and
orcas patrolling the waters, and increasing numbers of whales preparing
for migration
- Enjoy a range of excursion options for all levels and
interests, from leisurely walks to strenuous hikes, Zodiac cruises and
additional water-based activities, such as kayaking
- Soar over the Drake Passage, with our charter flights
between Chile and Antarctica
- Celebrate women in conservation on board our Sylvia Earle
expedition ship, with fellow female travellers
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | Stateroom Triple | Stateroom Twin | Superior Stateroom Twin | Balcony Stateroom C | Balcony Stateroom B | Balcony Stateroom A | Balcony Stateroom Superior | Junior Suite | Captain's Suite |
|---|
| Feb 23, 2027 | Mar 04, 2027 | 22,895 | N/A | 24,995 | 25,595 | 26,995 | 28,995 | 31,695 | 37,795 | 43,195 |
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Stateroom Triple | (Mid-range)
Balcony Stateroom B | (High-end)
Captain's Suite |
|---|
| Feb 23, 2027 | Mar 04, 2027 | 22,895 | 26,995 | 43,195 |
ITINERARY
Day
1 : Arrive Punta Arenas
Arrive
in Punta Arenas, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora
Expeditions and transferred to our hotel. We ask that you arrive no
later than 2.00 pm so that you may attend our important briefing this
evening.
Please
visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk in the lobby between 2.00
pm – 6.00 pm to collect your luggage cabin tags. Our team
will confirm details regarding your embarkation day, answer any
questions and provide you with information about where to dine or
purchase last minute items.
Overlooking
the Straits of Magellan, the city sits astride one of the world's most
historic trade routes. Today, Punta Arenas reflects a great blend of
cultural backgrounds, from English sheep ranchers to Portuguese
sailors. It remains an utterly fascinating testament to Chile's rich
history. Modern day Punta Arenas is home to many popular restaurants,
and bars, offering a mix of local and international fare (meals at your
own expense today).
At
7.00 pm this evening, meet your fellow expeditioners at a voyage
briefing where we will reconfirm your transfer times for tomorrow,
explain the procedures for your flight to King George Island and
outline important IAATO regulations for visitors to Antarctica.
Day
2 :Day 2 Fly to King George Island, Embarkation
This
morning we will be transferred to Punta Arenas airport for our charter
flight to King George Island, Antarctica (weather permitting). The
flight will take approximately one hour and forty-five minutes. On
arrival into King George Island our expedition team is on hand to greet
you and to prepare you for your Zodiac transfer to the vessel. You will
have time to settle into your cabin before our important safety
briefings.
Note:
King George Island is located at the northern part 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. A contingency plan will be applied to your
itinerary should your flights not proceed today. Your safety is our
utmost priority. We apologise in advance for any delays caused due to
this unpredictable situation. Please refer to our terms and conditions
for a more detailed explanation.
Days
3-8 : 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. 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.
On board, you will find a range of areas to socialise or relax. We have
a number of lounges, including our Glass Atrium Lounge and Observation
Lounge. Our wellness centre houses our sauna (with a large window, so
you can still enjoy the passing scenery), and offers treatments (book
with reception). Across from our wellness centre you will find our gym
with a range of equipment for your use. Perhaps you would like to take
a dip in one of our jacuzzis on the back deck or enjoy a quiet moment
in the library. As part of our deck theming, we hope to educate our
expeditioners on the impressive and important conservation work these
female scientists are doing across the globe, leading the way in global
conservation initiatives. We honour these women who work tirelessly to
make the world a better place through their innovation, education and
activism. If you are interested in the women who have inspired us, the
hallways of each deck will introduce you to:
Dr
Sylvia Earle - Dr.
Earle was the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration; a National Geographic
explorer-in-residence since 1998; and was named by Time Magazine as its
first ‘Hero of the Planet’. Her conservation
initiative Mission Blue is creating a global network of marine
protected areas known as Hope Spots, and her new Deep Hope project aims
to deliver two deep-dive submersibles to collect crucial scientific
data of as-yet-unseen ocean depths.
Dr.
Carden Wallace AM -
Principal Scientist Emeritus at the Queensland Museum since 2014, Dr.
Wallace is a preeminent Australian scientist and the first
curator/director of the Museum of Tropical Queensland from 1987 to
2003. She is an expert on corals and was part of a team that discovered
the mass spawning of coral in 1984. In recognition of her contribution
to marine science, Dr. Wallace was appointed a Member of the Order of
Australia in 2021.
Joanna
Ruxton - Joanna
has the rare distinction of being hailed as ‘the person
responsible for the plastic-free movement’ by Sir David
Attenborough himself. She spent many years at the BBC Natural History
Unit working on the first Blue Planet documentary series. Her
award-winning film A Plastic Ocean, released in 2016, shows the
devastating impact of plastic waste on ocean ecosystems and has helped
to turn the tide against single-use plastics. In 2009, Joanna
co-founded Plastic Oceans UK (now known as Ocean Generation), to
inspire an inclusive global movement to restore a sustainable
relationship between humanity and oceans.
Sharon
Kwok - In 2013,
Sharon founded the AquaMeridian Conservation & Education
Foundation to promote marine education and inspire the next generation
to protect and preserve ocean biodiversity. Sharon continues her
advocacy as a Mission Blue and WildAid board member and Executive
Director of the AquaMeridian Conservation & Education
Foundation.
Bernadette
Demientieff -
Bernadette is a passionate mother/advocate for the rights of Alaska and
the Gwich’in people in northeast Alaska and northwest Canada.
As Executive Director of the Gwich’in Steering Committee, she
speaks for the protection of the calving grounds of the porcupine
caribou herd, known as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, against
destruction from oil and gas companies.
Dr.
Asha de Vos -
Internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan marine biologist, ocean educator
and pioneer of blue whale research in the northern Indian Ocean, Dr.
Asha de Vos founded Oceanswell, Sri Lanka’s first marine
conservation research and education organisation. Her flagship
initiative, The Sri Lankan Blue Whale Project, has led to many key
research publications and informs policy on whale conservation at a
local and global level. Asha’s award-winning work has been
showcased by the BBC, National Geographic, The New York Times and TED,
among many others, and in 2018 she was named one of the 100 most
inspirational and influential women in the world by the BBC.
Hanli
Prinsloo - Hanli
Prinsloo is the founder and executive director of I AM WATER, an ocean
conservation foundation based in Cape Town, South Africa. Dedicated to
protecting oceans through human experience, I AM WATER helps children
in underserved South African communities experience the
ocean’s transformative beauty for the first time. A champion
freediver, Hanli co-founded I AM WATER Ocean Travel with husband Peter
Marshall, offering intimate wildlife encounters with the
ocean’s most majestic creatures.
Day
9 : 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.
From Punta Arenas airport, 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.
Accommodation: To be
advised
Day
10 : 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.
Sylvia Earle (Luxury Expedition, 126-guests)
Due to sail in October 2021 our new ship honours the highly accomplished marine biologist, oceanographer and explorer, Sylvia Earle. As the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and named by Time Magazine as its first Hero for the Planet in 1998 - this vessel pays tribute to Sylvia's long standing conservation efforts for marine protected areas and ocean wildlife. Sylvia Earle will be actively involved in the development of her namesake.
(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.
- Afternoon catamaran cruise in Ushuaia, on Day 2.
- Onboard accommodation during voyage, including daily cabin
service.
- All meals, snacks, tea and coffee during voyage.
- Beer, house wine and soft drinks 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*.
Note: 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 and soft drinks (outside of dinner service),
gratuities, laundry services, personal clothing, medical expenses or
phone charges.
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
Add-on
Activities
- Sea Kayaking : USD $1,030
- Scuba Diving: USD $1095
- 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
