Antarctic Explorer Express
Starts and Ends in
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pp twin share
Departing
01 Jan 2001
Duration
0 days
Activity Level
Daily shore excursions, guided hikes & outings
Moderate
Season
2026, 2027
Polar Expeditions
Boarding the charter plane to Antarctica
Antarctica | Credit: Jacqui Henderson
Expedition Team Member Admires the view
Pleneau and Port Charcot, Antarctica | Credit: Matt Horspool
Gentoo Penguins
Antarctica | Credit: Shutterstock
Iceberg in Antarctica
Antarctica | Credit: Tyson Mayr
Kayaking at Curtis Bay
Antarctica | Credit: Pia Harboure
Zodiac Cruising
Curtis Bay, Antarctica | Credit: Pia Harboure
Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctic Explorer Express
ANE003G and ANE004D are Sail/Fly expeditions, please refer to our Contingency Plans specific to Sail/Fly expeditions.
Highlights
Aurora Expeditions is actively monitoring developments around Avian Influenza outbreaks closely and are is in constant communication with key authorities such as IAATO. We have implemented enhanced biosecurity measures for arrival in Antarctica and reinforced our onboard protocols, and our expedition team will continue to closely assess each landing site to ensure to determine any risks.
In the spirit of expedition travel, we encourage you to adopt a flexible and adventurous attitude when joining our voyages. This itinerary is a guide only and is subject to change due to weather, sea state and other conditions beyond our control.
Florence Kuyper
Expedition Leader
After receiving her Masters degree in Educational Psychology in the Netherlands, Florence had a long career as a consultant-manager in the field of social affairs. Fluent in french, she is a cosmopolitan with a passion for deserts, history and nomadic people around the globe.
In 2004, she went for the first time to the big white desert; Antarctica, and her passion for this continent has drawn her back ‘South’ ever since. But Florence can also do extreme heat: she crossed 1,200 km of Mongolian desert on foot, together with a team and her Bactrian camel.
Florence also works on sailing yachts in the Arctic and Antarctica. She was Base Leader at Port Lockroy, a British historical base on the Antarctic Peninsula. Florence has worked in both polar regions since 2012 and she looks forward to sharing her knowledge and unlimited passion for the polar regions with you, especially in the field of history.
Scott Portelli
Photography Guide
Scott Portelli is an international award-winning wildlife, nature and underwater photographer. He’s a member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and is regarded as a leading professional in his field. Scott has spent thousands of hours in remote locations across the globe filming and photographing nature, wildlife, the underwater environment and wild places.
Scott has spent over a decade working in the polar regions with a focus on Antarctica, the Subantarctic and Artic regions, producing a unique portfolio of fine art photography that showcases the intricate environment and its intriguing inhabitants. Working in extreme conditions, Scott’s photography provides a rarely seen glimpse above and below the surface in some of the harshest places on the planet.
As a professional nature, wildlife, underwater and aerial photographer, Scott spends a lot of time travelling the world to remote destinations in search of some of the most amazing creatures on the planet. For Scott, it is about the journey, bringing an idea to life by capturing a moment in time or by evoking an emotion. Each image has a unique story that is usually a very intimate moment that Scott may have shared with the subject.
“To create interesting concepts, it sometimes involves me immersing myself in an environment in order to research the location, subject matter and what opportunities may present themselves. I once spent two months on the back of a snow mobile in Baffin Island, Canadian Arctic in minus 37 degrees just to do a reconnaissance of the region for a series of photos I wanted to produce. In the end, I love what I do and I love sharing the natural world through photography.”
Scott was awarded at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year in London in 2016, announced National Winner of the Sony World Photography Awards 2016 and Winner at Travel Photographer of the Year 2015. More recently, he was awarded winner in the Animal Behaviour Category at the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year ANZANG 2017, winner in the Underwater Category of the Asferico International Nature Photography Awards 2018 and runner up in the Behaviour Category at Underwater Photographer of the Year 2019. His conservation documentary also took out two awards at the prestigious French Underwater Film Festival in Marseille.
Scott's other notable awards include:
- 3rd Prize - National Geographic Travel Photo Contest - Nature Category 2019
- Winner - 13th Annual Black & White Spider Awards 2018
- Highly Honoured - Nature's Best, Windland Smith Rice International Awards 2018
- Winner - Sony World Photography Awards 2016
An accredited licensed RPAS/UAV Pilot, Scott has worked on aerial projects for some of Australia’s most sought-after tourism destinations.
Scott runs photography workshops and lectures to show enthusiasts and experts alike the best way to get the most out of their photography. On his Polar tours he specialises in Nature & Wildlife photography bringing the best tips and techniques for photographing in challenging locations.
Scott Portelli will be a special guest photographer on our Antarctica: Through the Lens voyage, departing 25 January 2027.
Catherine Buckland
Dive & Snorkel Guide
In the profession of Scuba Diving, no two days are the same. For over 15 years Catherine has thrived off this challenging environment working in a variety of marine based qualifications. Her most memorable moments are always to do with wildlife, like witnessing breaching humpback whales from the Zodiac or watching adorable Gentoo chicks develop over the season. Even though the water is icy cold, she is excited to show expeditioners the amazing aspects of underwater Antarctica.
Alex Chavanne
Kayak Guide
Alex was born and raised in Northern California, an area wilder and closer to nature (and colder!) than most imagine. Since he could hold his head up, he was seated in a kayak, eventually beginning to lead tours off the rough and rocky Santa Cruz coastline after graduating from the University of California.
Spending his entire youth climbing and skiing the Sierra’s, surfing, kayaking and boating off the coast, and travelling the world with his parents led him comfortably into a life of guiding. His education in earth sciences at the university inspired an environmentalist attitude, as well as a research-based approach to science and learning. Working among scientists and leading experts has allowed him to make friends with and learn from some of the brightest and enthusiastic members of the industry since the start, and inspired a passion for the birdlife and lichen ecology of the polar regions.
After beginning work with a world-class surf kayaker in Santa Cruz, Alex has travelled the world, continuously challenging himself in and out of a kayak. Guiding month long kayak trips in the Patagonian Fiords, paddling the deceivingly tricky and frigid waters of the Pacific Northwest, and providing hands-on logistical support for whole-season scientific field trips in the High Arctic, among others have provided lessons and experience in leadership and wilderness conduct.
Although these skills are useful for guiding work in polar regions, they also transfer well to Alex’s personal life. When not guiding, he can be found climbing, paddling, skiing and fishing around the Lofoten Islands which he calls home.
Meet our Expert Team
Each voyage is accompanied by our highly acclaimed expedition team who we believe are the best in the business. Many are recognised leaders in their fields, keen to share their daily insights on shore and onboard. While your actual team may vary between voyages, every member of our Expedition Team is among the world's best remote area specialists.
Included Activities
Bird Watching
Lectures on wildlife, our environment, history and destinations
Marine Mammal Spotting
Photography
Polar Plunge
Scenic Cruising
Trips Ashore
Walking
Wildlife Watching
Zodiac Cruising
Our Ships
The Greg Mortimer
Capacity
148 Passengers Maximum (130 on Expedition)
Year built
2019
Cabins
76
Length
104m
Decks
8
Speed
10-12 Knots
The Douglas Mawson
Capacity
154 Passengers Maximum (130 on Expedition)
Year built
2025
Cabins
86
Length
104.4 m
Decks
8
Speed
10-12 Knots
Extension Tours
Loyal Travelers
We love celebrating our loyal expeditioners who return to explore with us. After your first Aurora Expeditions voyage, you’ll automatically achieve Bronze Adventurer status. The more voyages you embark on, the higher you climb—progressing to Silver and eventually Gold!
Solo Travelers
Voyages with Aurora Expeditions are such a fantastic choice for solo travelers, giving you the chance to experience the world’s most remote and incredible destinations with like-minded travelers and our expert guides, while on board our small, social and welcoming ships.