This expedition will show you more of Antarctica than ever before
Explore more of Antarctica than ever before with Aurora Expeditions. (Image: Tyson Mayr)
| THIS ARTICLE WAS CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Aurora Expeditions |
Here’s how Aurora Expeditions’ new 2024-25 itinerary will show you more of Antarctica than ever before.
Aurora Expeditions is opening new doors for that once-in-a-lifetime Antarctica dream you’ve always imagined. For some people, it’s being dwarfed by a frozen ice shelf tens of thousands of years old, watching shards of ice smash into the water below. For others, it’s seeing an elusive Emperor penguin up close, its golden plume glowing in the sunlight.
Spot Antarctic Minke Whales as they swim past. (Image: Jamie Lafferty)
It might be the splendour of watching whales feed, seeing a leopard seal swim alongside your Zodiac, or even simply standing beneath the phenomenon of the midnight sun.
Whatever your moment is, Antarctica will change you forever.
About Aurora Expeditions
With more than 32 years of pioneering exploration under their belt, Australian-owned operator Aurora Expeditions operates two of the most modern and advanced small-expedition ships in the Antarctic, the new purpose-built Sylvia Earle and the Greg Mortimer.
Admire Antarctica, even from the vessel. (Image: Matt Horspool)
Both expedition vessels act as an intimate and relaxed base camp to explore the Great White South, with an average of just 132 passengers per voyage. The smaller passenger numbers mean less time is spent getting passengers off the ship and more time is spent where it counts: watching blue meltwater cascade from towering icebergs, tiptoeing around penguin colonies on the Antarctic Continent, and exploring uncharted bays in a Zodiac. Plus you’ll always have a fellow adventurer to share the day’s excitement with once you’re back on board.
Aurora’s ship the Greg Mortimer was the first of the new generation of ice-class vessels to be built using the Ulstein X-Bow® technology, which uses less fuel than traditional ice-class ship designs, offering a faster and gentler transit through the legendary Drake Passage.
Snap photos of the incredible wildlife. (Image: Jamie Lafferty)
With smaller ships, they’re also able to go where other larger ships can’t, offering a more intimate experience of Antarctica: slipping into remote bays where penguins gather on rafts of ice, and tight channels where seals gently slumber.
One of the biggest advantages for those who travel with Aurora is their focus on a completely adventurous, immersive experience. In the true spirit of pioneering expeditions, Aurora follows nature: if conditions are good, the Expedition Team makes sure you’re out there making the most of every moment.
Get up close to icebergs on a Zodiac cruise. (Image: Matt Horspool)
Whether it’s zipping among icebergs in the Zodiacs, setting foot on the white continent, exploring penguin rookeries, or cruising the ice sheet, every possible moment you can spend among the ice will be a life-changing experience.
Many of the Expedition Team have been with Aurora for decades, bringing a wealth of knowledge to the experience, and while they’ll happily explain the difference between bergy bits and brash ice, they also love sharing their favourite place in the world and showing others how to take care of it.
See King Penguins up close. (Image: Tyson Mayr)
A deep sense of custodianship and conservation is at the core of every Antarctic experience with Aurora Expeditions. The company was one of the first members of IAATO, Antarctica’s self-governing management and conservation body, and today is proudly 100 per cent Climate Neutral.
Antarctica Itineraries
To make the most of the 2024-25 season, Aurora offers over 25 separate itineraries, including three brand-new ones. Discover adventures from nine-day voyages to the Peninsula to 23-day epic adventures that cross the wilds of the Southern Ocean.
Explore the wild, icy tundra of the Antarctic Peninsula on the ‘Antarctic Peninsula in Depth’ expedition. Here you’ll find the largest collection of Antarctic wildlife: spend time with nesting penguins and their brand-new chicks, spot whales as they glide by and watch seals relaxing on the shores. To see all this and add in a brand new stop to Aurora – the Chilean Fjords – try the ‘Antarctic Explorer featuring the Chilean Fjords’ or ‘Spirit of Antarctica featuring the Chilean Fjords’.
Cut your own path through the Weddell Sea. (Image: Tyson Mayr)
Adventure below the Antarctic Circle when you travel through the Weddell Sea – you’ll feel like a true explorer as the ship has to forge a path through the ice and icebergs. Get out on the Zodiacs to get closer to the animals that thrive on the ice and in freezing water.
It’s here that heroic explorers voyaging on the Endurance once became trapped in the ice and an exciting addition to the 2024-25 program is ‘In Shackleton’s Footsteps voyage’, which follows in their footsteps. You’ll also follow Elephant Island where the crew were stranded, and the highlight is a humbling trek across South Georgia to the historic whaling station where he raised the alarm.
Walk amongst the Elephant Seals and King Penguins of South Georgia. (Image: Ian Wade)
Speaking of South Georgia, this is home to literally thousands of king penguins, seals and sea birds all wandering over white sand beaches with glaciers, fjords and formidable snow in the background. You’ll feel as if you wander right into a David Attenborough documentary. Aurora has a total of five expeditions through this region.
For a different view, choose one of four Aurora Expeditions that take travellers through the wildlife and modern military-history mecca of the Falkland Islands. See the world’s largest black-browed albatross colony, penguins waddling along the beaches and brightly coloured ocean-front buildings.
See the world’s largest black-browed albatross colony.
For the time-poor (and those who don’t want to waste a moment on the ice), there are also eight fly/sail, sail/fly options during peak season from January to February 2025, which allow passengers to join or leave the vessel in Antarctica.
Aurora Expeditions activities
From walking in Shackleton’s footsteps to snowboarding some of the world’s most incredible slopes and camping on the continent, Aurora has an unparalleled selection of activities to make the most of your Antarctic adventure.
What sets Aurora apart is their ability to not only offer the most comprehensive activities in the most remote part of the world, but also pioneer them.
Swap your sea legs for your ski legs. (Image: Kevin Nicholas)
Get your pulse racing with sea kayaking, snorkelling or diving in waters teeming with marine life. Love winter sports? On select itineraries, snowboarding, skiing and snowshoeing are available in the icy wilderness.
And for those keen to pursue their passion for outdoor adventure all the way to the far end of the earth, Aurora was the first operator to offer commercial climbing in Antarctica. Today, professional guides offer alpine trekking and guided hikes, and even the ability to traverse South Georgia in Shackleton’s wake.
Go on the snorkelling adventure of a lifetime. (Image: Marcus Westberg)
Education and enrichment is core for Aurora, which is demonstrated by a comprehensive and interactive Citizen Science program on board. Under the guidance of the ship’s Citizen Science coordinator, passengers can help collect data, collaborating with professional scientists on seven projects that cover everything from measuring phytoplankton to photographing whales.
Sign up for the comprehensive Citizen Science program. (Image: Jamie Lafferty)
Whether you’re a curious novice or a proper professional, photography is a major focus for all expeditions with guides helping bring your adventures to life. In 2024, they have designed a 12-day photography-themed voyage designed especially for photography enthusiasts departing on November 12, 2024.
When does it sail?
The Antarctic season runs during the southern hemisphere summer, from late October to early April, with departures from Ushuaia, Argentina and Punta Arenas, Chile.
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