HIGHLIGHTS
- A
toast at the Antarctic Circle, 66°34’ south (approx)
- Enjoy
a splendour of wildlife activity as birds, seals and whales race to
fatten up for winter
- Visit
fascinating historic sites
- Zodiac
cruises with the hope of spotting leopard and crabeater seals
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
| Jan 16, 2025 | Jan 28, 2025 | 16,659 |
17,595 |
| Feb 23, 2025 | Mar 07, 2025 | 15,333 |
16,195 |
| Dec 16, 2025 | Dec 28, 2025 | 17,037 |
17,995 |
| Feb 21, 2026 | Mar 05, 2026 | 16,848 |
17,795 |
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
| Jan 16, 2025 | Jan 28, 2025 | 16,659 |
17,595 |
| Feb 23, 2025 | Mar 07, 2025 | 15,333 |
16,195 |
| Dec 16, 2025 | Dec 28, 2025 | 17,037 |
17,995 |
| Feb 21, 2026 | Mar 05, 2026 | 16,848 |
17,795 |
ITINERARY
Day
1 Ushuaia
Arrive
in Ushuaia, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora
Expeditions and transferred to our group hotel. Upon arrival at your
included hotel, kindly remind hotel check-in staff to provide you with
Aurora Expeditions cabin tags. Please clearly label the tags with your
name and ship cabin number.
At
approximately 6.00 pm this evening, meet your fellow expeditioners at a
voyage briefing. Afterwards, there’s free time to enjoy the
local cuisine at one of Ushuaia’s many restaurants. (Dinner
not included).
Accommodation: Las
Hayas Hotel (or similar)
Day
2 Embarkation
This
morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags
clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Please take your
cabin luggage down to hotel reception by 8.00 am. Your luggage will be
collected from your hotel and transferred directly to the port for
clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of your arrival on board.
Please keep any valuables or personal items with you throughout the
day. Once you have checked out of your hotel by 11.00 am, you have free
time before meeting back in the hotel lobby at 2.00 pm to commence a
short sightseeing tour of Ushuaia. Alternatively, enjoy time at leisure
and make your own way to the Prison Museum carpark by 3.45 pm to
re-join the group to be transferred to the pier for embarkation.
Ushuaia,
capital of Tierra del Fuego is located at the shores of the Beagle
Channel and surrounded by the Martial Mountains giving you a unique
landscape in Argentina, which is the combination of mountains, sea,
glaciers and forests. On this brief introductory tour, you will visit
“La Mision” neighbourhood, the old Government
House, and the upper area of the city, which offers beautiful panoramic
views of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel. During the excursion you will
see the antique houses that belonged to the first families settled in
Ushuaia. The excursion ends with a visit to the Old Prison Museum
before transferring to the pier for embarkation at approximately 4.00
pm.
After
embarkation, 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 Drake Passage crossing
As
we commence the Drake Passage crossing, we make the most of our time
getting comfortable with the motions of the sea. Our expedition team
prepare you for our first landing with important wildlife guidelines
and biosecurity procedures and start our lecture program to help you
learn more about Antarctica’s history, wildlife and
environment.
Our
wildlife experiences begin as we enjoy watching and photographing the
many seabirds, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels
following in our wake. They rise and fall skilfully, using air currents
created by the ship to gain momentum.
Day
4 Drake Passage & South Shetland Islands
Nearing
the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula on
day four, the excitement is palpable with everyone converging on one of
the observation decks, watching for our first iceberg. The ocean takes
on a whole new perspective once we are below the Antarctic Convergence
and are surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures.
The memory of your first big iceberg sighting is likely to remain with
you for a lifetime. Weather permitting, we may attempt our first
landing in Antarctica by late afternoon.
Days
5-10 Antarctic Peninsula & Crossing Antarctic Circle
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’ll 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’ll 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, and take a quiet moment to
experience the wonder of this incredible white continent.
On
this voyage, we plan to cross the Antarctic Circle, an imaginary line
located at the Antarctic Circle at latitude 66°33' South
(approximately). This is certainly a special highlight for everyone,
and the moment will be celebrated with a toast on the deck.
You’ve earned some boasting privileges, joining a small group
of lucky adventurers who’ve made it to this part of the
world. As we approach and cross the circle, you will notice subtle
changes in the landscape, icescape, and also in the distribution of
wildlife. The waters at this time of year are rich with krill and we
hope to see plenty of whales - particularly humpbacks and minkes and
enjoy the spectacle of penguins feeding their ravenous chicks.
Expect
a Christmas and New Year celebration like no other, on this voyage. No
matter where we are along the peninsula, we’ll enjoy some
festive landings before savouring a special Christmas feast with our
fellow expeditioners and raise a toast to ring in the new year.
Days
11-12 Drake Passage crossing
Enjoy
a final morning landing in the South Shetland Islands before we
re-enter the Drake Passage for our return journey to South America.
With
lectures and film presentations to complete our Antarctic experience,
there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of Southern Ocean and
the life that calls it home. There is time for reflection and
discussion about what we have seen and experienced, and the impact this
voyage has had on our attitude to life.
As
we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to
legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting.
Day
13 Disembark 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. A transfer to Ushuaia airport or to your
hotel is included in the voyage fare.
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
- One
night’s hotel accommodation with breakfast in Ushuaia on day 1
- Half
day city tour in Ushuaia on day 2 prior to embarkation
- Luggage
transfer from your hotel in Ushuaia to ship on day 2
- On-board
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
Welcome and 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 from expedition team
- Complimentary
access to onboard expedition doctor and medical clinic (initial consult)
- A
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
- Gratuities
for ship crew
Exclusions
- International
or domestic flights to or within South America, unless specified
- Transfers
not mentioned in the itinerary
- Airport
arrival or departure taxes
- Passport,
visa, reciprocity and vaccination charges
- Travel
insurance or emergency evacuation charges
- Hotels
and meals not included in itinerary
- Optional
excursions not included in the itinerary
- Optional
activity surcharges
- All
items of a personal nature including but not limited to: alcoholic
beverages and soft drinks (outside of dinner service), laundry
services, personal clothing, medical expenses, Wi-Fi, email or phone
charges
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
- Bird
watching
- Lectures
on wildlife, our environment, history and destinations
- Photography
- Polar
plunge
- Trips
ashore
- Walking
- Whale
and mammal spotting
- Zodiac
cruises
Add-on Activities
- Alpine
Trekking & Climbing
- Snowshoeing
- USD 350
- Camping
- USD 150
- Sea
Kayaking - USD 1,330
- Snorkelling
- USD 675
- Paddling
- USD 640
