HIGHLIGHTS
- Skirt rowdy beaches crowded with harems of New Zealand
(Hooker’s) sea lions to reach r?t? forests where rare
yellow-eyed penguins can be found.
- Revel in the richness of the unique Ross Sea ecosystem,
part of the Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area and a Sylvia Earle
Mission Blue “Hope Spot”.
- Navigate through gleaming pack ice alive with Weddell and
leopard seals, Adélie and emperor penguins and whales
feeding in fathomless leads.
- Reflect on the remarkable achievements of the Heroic Age
explorers as we attempt to visit some of their beautifully preserved
historic huts (conditions permitting).
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 Or Superior | Balcony Stateroom C | Balcony Stateroom B | Balcony Stateroom A | Balcony Stateroom Superior | Junior Suite | Captains Suite |
|---|
| Dec 14, 2026 | Jan 08, 2027 | 35,495 | 36,595 | 39,695 | 41,795 | 44,895 | 49,095 | 58,495 | 66,795 |
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 A | (High-end)
Captains Suite |
|---|
| Dec 14, 2026 | Jan 08, 2027 | 35,495 | 44,895 | 66,795 |
ITINERARY
Day
1 : Arrive Hobart
Arrive
in Hobart, 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 Hobart, we ask you to
make your way to your hotel. This afternoon, visit the Aurora
Expeditions hospitality desk in the lobby to collect your luggage tags.
Please clearly label the tags with your name and ship cabin number. 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.
Enjoy
your evening in Australia’s southernmost capital city. You
may like to indulge in a sumptuous meal at one of Hobart’s
celebrated restaurants, or perhaps enjoy a leisurely stroll along the
historic waterfront.
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. By 11.00 am, 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.
Your
morning is at leisure to explore Hobart.
Settle
into your beautifully appointed cabin and discover the many public
spaces designed with your comfort in mind. This luxurious vessel is
yours to explore! As we throw the lines and set sail down the Derwent
River, join your expedition team on deck to enjoy panoramic views of
the Hobart foreshore, and the dramatic fluted columns of the Tasman
Peninsula. From Storm Bay we set a southerly course, following in the
wake of the vessel Aurora, which carried Sir Douglas Mawson’s
Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) 100 years ago.
Days
3-5 : At Sea
On
an expedition such as this, the journey is as significant as the
destination. Sea days are a wonderful opportunity to relax, meet your
fellow travellers and learn about the history, environment and local
wildlife in this fascinating corner of the globe.
As
you acclimatise to life on board, your expedition team is available to
answer any questions you may have and offer pro-tips on photography and
birdwatching. With decades of collective experience in the region, they
love to share their expertise and enthusiasm with fellow travellers.
Specialists across a range of fields will offer entertaining talks and
presentations on the local wildlife and history, which you
won’t want to miss!
Once
you’ve settled in, you may like to pamper yourself with a
sauna, or work out at the onboard gym. For the bookworms, our
well-equipped polar library is the perfect place to while away the
hours at sea, and the bar is a vibrant social hub to get to know your
fellow expeditioners.
As
you take in the vast expanse of the Southern Ocean, spare a thought for
Mawson and his party, who made this transit aboard the Aurora, a wooden
vessel no longer than an Olympic swimming pool! Mawson reported
sightings of many whales and albatross in these waters, so spend some
time out on deck with your binoculars - or grab a
‘cuppa’ and find a vantage point in one of our
spacious observation lounges.
Days
6-7 : Macquarie Island
“Penguins
were in thousands on the uprising cliffs, and from rookeries near and
far came an incessant din . . . seabirds of many varieties gave warning
of our near approach to their nests” Douglas Mawson, 1911.
As
they sailed towards Antarctica, Mawson and his men encountered
‘an exquisite scene’. Macquarie Island (known
affectionately as Macca) rises steeply from the Southern Ocean in a
series of emerald summits: a beautifully fierce, elemental landscape
teeming with life.
Keep
your binoculars handy because this subantarctic refuge is home to 3.5
million breeding seabirds, including no less than four species of
penguin! Alongside boisterous colonies of tuxedoed kings, charming
gentoos, robust rockhoppers and endemic royal penguins,
you’ll find three types of fur seals and a large proportion
of the world’s elephant seals. Layer up and head out on deck
to experience the sound, sight (and smell!) as you approach one of the
largest concentrations of life in the Southern Ocean.
Remember
to keep an eye out for Macca’s kelp forests—these
remarkable underwater ecosystems are quite mesmerising as their fronds
sway back and forth on the water’s surface.
In
addition to being a globally recognised and protected wildlife refuge,
Macquarie Island played an important role in Antarctic history. It was
here, in 1911, that five men disembarked Mawson’s Aurora and
established a radio relay station which would transmit the first
communication from Antarctica to the outside world.
Days
8-10 : At Sea
As
Macquarie Island slips over the horizon, keep watch for wandering,
grey-headed, black-browed and light-mantled albatross, which may follow
the ship to bid you farewell as you continue south.
Close
observers may notice a subtle change in the character of the sea as you
cross the Antarctic Convergence. Beyond this zone where the waters of
the north and south mix, the sea surface temperature drops by about
4°C (39°F), signalling your entry into the Antarctic.
This transition zone is known for its nutrient waters, so keep watch
for porpoising penguins, flocks of fluttering Antarctic petrels, or
perhaps the more solitary snow petrel. You’re not far from
the Antarctic Circle, so your first iceberg can’t be far away!
Sea
days are a great opportunity for some R & R as you digest your
subantarctic experiences and prepare for the next phase of your voyage.
Relax and unwind your way, perhaps meeting newfound friends at the bar,
treating yourself to a sauna, or editing some images in the comfort of
your cabin. And join your expedition team in the lecture room for
presentations on the charismatic wildlife and extraordinary adventures
that took place along the epic Antarctic coastline you are about to
experience.
Days
11-17 : Victoria Land Coast and the Ross Sea
It’s
almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in this storied,
ice-bound sector of Antarctica. Stepping outside and taking a deep
breath of some of the most fresh, crisp air on earth is an experience
to cherish forever.
The
Ross Sea region is a globally significant wildlife sanctuary. Its
nutrient-rich waters support an astonishing array of uniquely adapted
Antarctic species, including Ross Sea orcas, Antarctic petrels and
South Pacific Weddell seals. It is also home to Antarctica’s
largest Adélie penguin colony, and many of the largest
emperor penguin colonies. The unique biodiversity of the Ross Sea has
been protected within the world’s largest marine protected
area since 2016.
The
human heritage of the Ross Sea coast is equally impressive. Since James
Clark Ross discovered the region in 1841, countless expeditions have
built base camps on scattered ice-free slivers of land, using them as
staging posts for bold forays across the polar plateau. Many of them
departed in a hurry, leaving artefacts, scientific equipment and
sometimes entire huts behind. Today these sites are preserved as
open-air museums and protected under the Antarctic Treaty System.
Embrace
the spirit of exploration as your expedition team designs your voyage
from day to day, bringing decades of experience to selecting the ideal
sites based on the prevailing weather, ice conditions and wildlife
opportunities.
Some
places we may visit include:
Ross
Ice Shelf
Find
a spot on deck as we cruise perfectly cleaved ice cliffs towering some
30 metres above the crystalline waters of the Ross Sea. This is the
floating edge of the largest ice shelf in Antarctica, which covers an
area the size of France. Watch for elegant emperor penguins,
sweet-faced Weddell seals hauled out on ice floes, and the unmistakable
‘pouf’ of an orca’s
exhalation.
Franklin
Island
This
delightful ice-free outpost with a rookery of rambunctious
Adélie penguins is well worth a visit. Stretch your legs as
you stroll up a gentle incline past the colony to a high point, where
panoramic views of the Ross archipelago and the ice shelf
unfurl.
McMurdo
Sound
Enter
a realm of exquisite beauty, an otherworldly icescape set against a
backdrop of gleaming glaciers, shimmering mountains, and the polar ice
sheet itself. McMurdo Sound is the historic gateway to the South Pole
and remains a busy working harbour today, serving as a logistics hub
for the extensive scientific operations taking place at the McMurdo and
Scott Research bases on Ross Island.
It
is here, in this achingly barren landscape, that early explorers
established their base camps and struck out for the South Pole. If
conditions allow, we aim to land at one (or more) of their beautifully
preserved huts, many of which still stand, to dwell for a moment
amongst the artefacts of a distant time, and reflect on the triumphs
and tragedies of those who brought them here.
Cape
Washington, Terra Nova Bay
Bounded
by soaring peaks and fed by immense glaciers, Terra Nova Bay supports
an abundance of polar wildlife, including the rarely sighted Arnoux's
Beaked Whale. Fast ice anchored to the bay’s northern shore
in the shelter of Cape Washington is home to one of the largest known
emperor penguin colonies. Some 20,000 males huddle here each winter,
incubating their eggs and awaiting the sun’s return. Weather
and ice permitting, visit the bustling rookery to witness the
delightful emperors and their fledging chicks.
Cape
Hallett
The
snow-capped Admiralty Mountains rise dramatically from the gravelly
spit of Cape Hallett, where we hope to land. This is the site of a
decommissioned scientific base and an abundance of Antarctic mosses,
lichens and invertebrates, protected by the Antarctic Treaty
System.
Amble
across gently undulating terrain, taking care to give resting Weddell
seals a wide berth. The Adélie penguin rookery here can host
close to 50,000 breeding pairs, while snow petrels, Wilson’s
storm petrels and South Polar skuas breed in the rocky crevices
nearby.
Cape
Hallett also has a special significance for Aurora. It was from this
rocky foothold that Greg Mortimer, co-founder of Aurora Expeditions,
launched the Australian Bicentennial Antarctic Expedition in 1988. Cape
Hallett provided access to the glaciated coastal ranges beyond, where
the six-man team completed the first ascent of Mt Minto (4,165
metres).
Cape
Adare
Cape
Adare lies 100 km (62 miles) north of Cape Hallet, at the western
entrance to the Ross Sea. A rare ice-free refuge on this icebound
coastline, Cape Adare is home to Antarctica’s largest
Adélie penguin colony. Ice and weather permitting, wend your
way through the pack ice to land on the flat, cobbled spit where more
than 250,000 breeding pairs of Adélies gather to busily
breed, feed and raise their chicks in the short southern
summer.
First
visited by James Clark Ross in 1841, this rocky promontory played an
important role in the pioneering expeditions of the Heroic Age of
Antarctic exploration. It was here in 1899 that the Southern Cross
expedition, led by Carsten Borchgrevink, became the first to winter
over in Antarctica and establish the first human structures on the
continent.
The
remnants of these pioneering constructions, and thousands of artefacts
scattered in their vicinity, remain virtually untouched and protected
under the Antarctic Treaty System. We hope to enter
Borchgrevink’s living quarters to experience the awe and
imagine the perils of conducting science here, as they did, through an
Antarctic winter.
Days
18-21 : At Sea
We
leave the grandeur of the ice to the seals and penguins and head
northwards, but our voyage is far from over. In the days ahead there is
plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean and the life
that calls it home. If the mood takes you, join your expedition team in
the lecture room for presentations and polar film showings, or meet
your new travel mates in the bar, library or observation deck to
reminisce on your Antarctic experiences.
These
days at sea also offer time and space to reflect on the emotions and
special moments you’ve lived over the past two weeks. You may
like to review your photos, jot some notes in a journal, mark your
passage on a map, and reflect on your journey so
far.
As
you approach the rugged New Zealand subantarctic islands you have a
rare opportunity to spot the endemic white-capped mollymawk (a type of
albatross) in flight. The largest of the mollymawk family, over ninety
percent of its population breeds on the Auckland Islands. Keep an eye
out also for the playful New Zealand sea lion and southern right whale,
which are known to frolic in these waters.
Days
22-24 : New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands
First
visited by M?ori navigators centuries ago, these islands are of great
significance to Ng?i Tahu, the indigenous peoples of New
Zealand’s South Island. Their natural beauty and astonishing
biodiversity have now been recognised globally, but few have had the
privilege to visit these far-flung shores, which are now yours to
explore.
Auckland
Islands (Maungahuka / Motu Maha)
Born
of fire, scoured by ancient glaciers and shaped by the fierce hand of
the Southern Ocean, there is an exquisite ruggedness to this group of
weather-worn islands. This apparent bleakness belies the extraordinary
abundance of life that thrives here. Roughly half of the
world’s yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho), most of the
world’s white-capped mollymawks, and the entire population of
Auckland Islands wandering albatross find shelter on these
shores.
Embrace
the spirit of exploration as your expedition team designs your voyage
from day to day, bringing decades of experience to selecting ideal
sites based on the prevailing conditions and wildlife
opportunities.
Some
places we may visit include:
Sandy
Bay
Sandy
Bay is home to a breeding colony of rare New Zealand
(Hooker’s) sea lions and an enchanting r?t? forest where
yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) make their nests.
Carnley
Harbour, Erlangen Clearing
Carnley
Harbour offers superb Zodiac cruising through a landscape rich in human
history. In 1864, five men became stranded here after their schooner,
the Grafton, was wrecked, putting a sudden end to their sealing and tin
prospecting ambitions. We hope to see the skeletal remnants of the
Grafton, and the moss-covered remains of the Epigwaitt Hut, where they
sheltered for 20 months.
Victoria
Passage
Victoria
Passage is a lively channel separating Auckland Island from the
mountainous Adams Island to the south. We may Zodiac cruise these
scenic waters, watching for sooty shearwaters, penguins and sea-lions
frolicking in the pure waters.
Campbell
Island (Motu Ihupuku)
Wind
and weather permitting, we will Zodiac cruise sheltered harbours and
coves in search of Campbell Island snipes and teals, yellow-eyed
penguins (hoiho), and New Zealand (Hooker’s) sea lions
(whakahao).
We
hope to land at Beeman Cove, Perseverance Harbour, where an old
meteorological station stands vigil on the windswept shoreline. Follow
a boardwalk through tussock and upland tundra, then enter an
otherworldly landscape where large-leaved megaherbs abound. Wonder at
the Ross Lily, Campbell Island Daisy and Campbell Island carrot, whose
brilliant flowers would look more at home in the tropics than these
southern climes. Continue towards the nesting grounds of majestic
southern royal albatross, whose wingspans can exceed three metres (10
feet). It is truly humbling to be in the presence of these great
wanderers of the southern seas. Find a spot to quietly observe these
marvellous birds as they go about their daily duties, undisturbed by
their human visitors.
Day
25 : At Sea
As
your journey draws to a close, take some time to reflect on the
experiences of the past few weeks. Perhaps take some time to organise
your photos, jot some more notes in your journal or simply relax and
soak up the ambiance on board as you farewell your travel mates . . .
until next time!
We
hope you become ambassadors for the great Southern Ocean, advocating
for its conservation and preservation, and share your experiences with
your loved ones, so they might visit and become ambassadors themselves.
Day
26 : Disembark Dunedin
After
breakfast, 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.
Note: At the
conclusion of the voyage, we do not recommend booking flights departing
prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.
Greg Mortimer (Luxury Expedition, 120-guests)
Capable of negotiating the strongest winds and waves, the Greg Mortimer is built to world-class polar standards. It is designed in close consultation with expedition specialists, taking advantage of Auroras more than 25 years of experience.
(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
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
