HIGHLIGHTS
- Explore
the seldom-visited islands of the antipodean subantarctic, a sanctuary
for millions of breeding albatross, penguins and seals.
- Discover
the delicate subantarctic ecosystem of Campbell Island (Motu Ihupuku),
where royal albatross nest amidst fields of flowering megaherb.
- Skirt
rowdy beaches crowded with harems of New Zealand (Hooker’s)
sea lions to reach rata forests where rare yellow-eyed penguins can be
found.
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
| Jan 02, 2026 | Jan 16, 2026 | 13,163 |
13,676 |
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
| Jan 02, 2026 | Jan 16, 2026 | 13,163 |
13,676 |
ITINERARY
Day
1 Arrive Dunedin
Arrive
in Dunedin, 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 Dunedin, we
ask you to make your way to yourhotel. 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.
That evening, enjoy light refreshments as you meet your fellow
expeditioners at a Welcome Reception and PreEmbarkation Briefing.
Afterwards, enjoy your evening in New Zealand’s southernmost
city. You may like to indulge in a meal at
one of Dunedin’s fine restaurants, or perhaps enjoy a
leisurely stroll along the picturesque Otago harbour.
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 Dunedin. Settle into
your cabin, where each detail was designed with your comfort in mind.
This luxurious vessel is yours to explore! As
we throw the lines and set sail, join your expedition team on deck
before tucking into a delicious dinner, and toast
to the voyage ahead.
Day
3 Stewart Island (Rakiura)
“Have
a care for this island. Sanctuaries such as these are imperative. There
is no song of Bellbird or Tui on the moon.”
Olga Sansom, 1970. Past Curator, Southland Museum and Stewart Islander Stewart
Island (Rakiura) is the northernmost of the New Zealand subantarctic
islands and a sanctuary for many rare and endemic
species. We plan to visit the quaint fishing village of Oban, the
southernmost settlement in New Zealand,
where humans are outnumbered by brown kiwis (southern tokoeka). As you
wander along the beach, keep an eye out
for blue penguins (korora) and yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) waddling
along the rocky coast, and New Zealand
white-capped albatross soaring overhead.
In
the afternoon land on Ulva Island to experience New Zealand as it may
have been centuries ago, before humans arrived. A
series of successful pest eradication programs have made the island a
sanctuary for endangered and endemic
birds, including some 18 natives. Meander through cool forests of
ferns, mosses and ancient conifers, where
birdsong abounds. Scan the understorey for the elusive endemic South
Island Rifleman (T?tipounamu), Yellowhead
(Mohoua) and South Island Saddleback (Tieke).
Day
4 Fiordland (Te Rua-o-te-moko)
Delight
in the company of inquisitive cetaceans as you cruise the deep glacial
sounds of Fiordland. Rug up and find a spot on
deck as we wend our way through the many uninhabited islands scattered
across the area. Bottlenose dolphins,
playful fur seals and humpback whales are frequent visitors, and keen
observers may be rewarded with a rare
sighting of the Fiordland crested penguin (tawaki).
Day
5 Snares Islands (Tini Heke)
The
cluster of craggy islands and islets that make up the Snares is the
most untouched of the antipodean subantarctic
groups. Despite their relative proximity to New Zealand’s
South Island, the Snares have remained free
from
introduced land predators, making them an invaluable sanctuary for
millions of shearwaters, petrels and other seabirds.
Rug
up, hop into a Zodiac and experience the bustling coastline of the
Snares from sea level. Keep watch for endemic Snares
crested penguins and Buller’s albatross (toroa) with their
distinctive black and yellow beaks. You may spot sea lions
dozing in grassy glades, or perhaps catch a glimpse of the tiny Snares
Island tomtit flitting amongst tree daisies. 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.
Days
6-7 At Sea
After
several busy days of subantarctic exploration, 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. Join your
expedition team in the lecture room to hear about the fascinating human
history of Macquarie Island and learn how
to identify the unique and charismatic creatures that call it home. Of
course, the best place on board is
out
on deck, in the company of petrels and albatross soaring effortlessly
with the wind.
Days
8-9 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.
Day
10 At Sea
We
leave the grandeur of Macquarie Island - and our southernmost
destination - behind, but our voyage is far from over.
There’s still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the
Southern Ocean and the seabirds that call it home. Grab a cuppa and
duck into the lecture room to learn about the unique wildlife and
historic sites ahead and meet your new travel
mates in the bar to reminisce on your experiences so far. As you
approach Campbell Island it’s worth heading out on deck to
watch for the rare Campbell, Salvins and whitecapped albatross, which
may accompany us as we sail their home waters.
Days
11-13 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.
Day 14 At Sea
As
your journey draws to a close, take some time to reflect on the
experiences of the past two weeks. You may like to review
your photos, jot some 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
15 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.
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 Dunedin
on Day 1.
- 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, nonalcoholic 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.
EXPEDITION
EXCLUSIONS
- 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.
Note: A $15 USD per person per day
gratuity for the crew is automatically added to your onboard account.
It is at
your
discretion if you would like to remove the tip (or adjust the amount)
when you settle your bill. It is not necessary
to
tip the expedition team members. This gratuity amount is included for
suites as part of their ‘Suite Benefits’.
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
- Bird
watching
- Lectures
on wildlife, our environment, history and destinations
- Photography
- Polar
plunge
- Trips
ashore
- Walking
- Whale
and mammal spotting
- Zodiac
cruises
