Welcome to Aurora Expeditions’ South Georgia and Antarctica Active: All Inclusive Activities expedition.
Aurora Expeditions is renowned for the variety and volume of activities offered to expeditioners on our voyages. On this activity-packed sailing, you will experience the wonders of South Georgia and Antarctica on a deeper level. Not only will you enjoy classic Zodiac excursions and guided walks offered on all our voyages, you will also have the opportunity to experience an array of other activities; all included as part of your expedition.
In South Georgia, embark on the Shackleton Walk, where you’ll retrace a tiny part of Shackleton’s arduous crossing of the island on foot. In Antarctica, paddle among icebergs in protected bays and perhaps glimpse wildlife close up. Step into your own snowshoes for a gentle hike, where breathtaking views await. Slip into a drysuit for the ultimate immersive activity — snorkelling in Antarctica. For an unforgettable overnight adventure in Antarctica, experience a night of camping on the ice. We can't guarantee a sound slumber, but we can ensure it’ll be an event you’ll remember for years to come.
Arrive in Buenos Aires, where you’ll be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred to our group hotel. Upon arrival at your included hotel, please visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk to collect your luggage cabin tags and to speak with our ground operations team, who may have information to share with you about this evening’s information session, pre-embarkation procedures or to provide you with suggestions on where to dine, locate the nearest ATM to withdraw cash, or purchase last-minute items from a supermarket or local pharmacy.
After check in, enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense.
Accommodation: TBC
This morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with the provided cabin tags and are clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Keep any valuables or personal items, such as medication, with you throughout the day. Depending on the departure time of your flight to Buenos Aires, breakfast may be enjoyed at your hotel or as a breakfast box provided by the hotel. A representative from Aurora Expeditions will accompany you to the airport where you will check in to your flight to Ushuaia, where your ship awaits.
Upon arriving at Ushuaia airport, you will be met by a representative from Aurora Expeditions and transferred to a pre-boarding lounge, where you can relax prior to boarding the Greg Mortimer. Your luggage will be delivered directly to the ship and waiting for you in your cabin.
Ushuaia is a vibrant port town and the major gateway to the Antarctic region. Depending on the arrival time of your flight from Buenos Aires, you may have time to discover Ushuaia at your leisure. Perhaps visit the Ushuaia Prison Museum, which offers a fascinating insight into Argentina’s penal history. Set within a former prison that operated from 1902 to 1947, its preserved cell blocks, exhibits and artefacts reveal the lives of inmates, prison staff and early settlers in remote Tierra del Fuego. Alternatively, stroll along the waterfront and surrounding streets, grabbing a snack or bite to eat at one of the many cafes and restaurants on offer or unwind at the pre-boarding lounge arranged by Aurora Expeditions.
Later in the afternoon, be transferred to the Greg Mortimer for embarkation. Settle into your cabin and explore the ship before attending the important mandatory briefings. Afterwards, as the ship pulls away from port, gather on deck and bid farewell to Ushuaia as we commence our adventure east to the Falklands~Malvinas and South Georgia.
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.
As we commence our trip across the South Atlantic Ocean towards South Georgia, we make the most of our time getting comfortable with the motions of the sea. Our expedition team prepares you for our first landing with important wildlife guidelines, biosecurity procedures, and starts our lecture program to help you learn more about the region’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 the vessel. They rise and fall skilfully, using air currents created by the ship to gain momentum.
You can also enjoy the ship’s array of amenities. Indulge in a spa treatment, borrow a book from our well-stocked library or perhaps stay active in the fitness centre.
As we near the rugged island of South Georgia, spare a thought for Captain James Cook, who arrived here in 1775 and believed it to be the northern tip of a great southern continent! In fact, it is a small island measuring only 176-km (110-mi) long, with a 3,000-metre (9,842-feet) snow-capped mountain range, some of the world’s largest congregations of wildlife, and a truly fascinating human history. South Georgia is an island of incredible riches.
On approach, jagged mountain peaks rise steeply, while seabirds are often spotted soaring around the ship. We will sail down the coast, taking in the spectacular glaciated scenery. This enchanting coastline is yours to explore!
If time and weather conditions permit, we could pass close to Shag Rocks, a fascinating group of jagged rocky islets protruding from the sea, in the proximity of South Georgia.
Over the next few days, your experienced expedition team will use their deep knowledge and extensive experience leading expeditions in South Georgia to plan your voyage from day to day, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, sea state and wildlife opportunities.
We generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. Make sure you layer up before joining Zodiac cruises around craggy coves and along the rocky coastline in search of nesting penguins, seal haul-outs and bird cliffs. Keep an eye out for South Georgia’s kelp forests during Zodiac cruises. These remarkable underwater ecosystems are quite mesmerising as their fronds sway back and forth on the water’s surface.
Trusty Zodiacs will also transport you from ship to shore, where you can visit some of the largest king penguin colonies on earth. Wander along pebbled streams and grassy glacial outwash plains, and embark on guided walks among fur seals and elephant seals, making sure you keep a safe distance from the wildlife and listening to the advice provided by your guides at all times.
During the early season, around November, the beaches on South Georgia are teeming with wildlife jostling for space, and walking may not be possible. In these instances, your experienced expedition team may offer Zodiac cruising along the shoreline, observing courtship and mating behaviour of wildlife from a safe distance.
We also hope to visit the remnants of South Georgia’s thriving whaling stations and pay our respects to Sir Ernest Shackleton, whose incredible voyage of survival is synonymous with this island. If you have chosen an optional activity, you’ll have the option to do that whenever conditions allow.
In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may sail through fjords with towering cliffs of ancient stone, or into deeply indented bays towards dramatic glacier fronts aboard our expedition ship. This is a great time to find a comfy spot in the observation lounge or make your way to the bridge to enjoy uninterrupted views of South Georgia’s majestic coast.
After three days exploring South Georgia, it’s time to say goodbye to this incredible destination. If time allows, we may enjoy a morning landing in South Georgia before commencing our sailing to the Antarctic peninsula.
With ample time on board, you may choose to spend your time editing photos, enjoying the ship’s amenities, indulging in a massage or attending informative lectures in preparation for your adventures in Antarctica. With an array of activities to look forward to, stay active in the fitness centre in preparation for snorkelling, snow-shoeing and paddling.
En route to the Peninsula, if time and weather permits, we may attempt to follow the coastline of Elephant Island, a half-submerged mountain cloaked with an ice sheet at the outer limits of the South Shetland Islands.
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. As we are visiting Antarctica early in the season, you’ll experience a mesmerising landscape of pristine white snow, an ideal backdrop for capturing stunning photos.
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 will want to rug up before joining Zodiac cruises along spectacular ice cliffs or among grounded icebergs, keeping a close watch for whales, seals and porpoising penguins. Zodiacs will also shuttle 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.
In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may sail along some of the narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from the mainland, or linger in scenic bays to watch whales travelling or feeding. Keep an ear out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they carve into the sea. Take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of this incredible white continent.
Over the coming days, your expedition team will look for the ideal opportunities for you to experience the suite of activities on offer. And of course keen polar plungers will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters - conditions permitting! The polar plunge can take place at any time during the voyage, so listen out for the announcement from the expedition team and get ready for the most exhilarating dip of your life!
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 the Southern Ocean and the life that calls it home. There is time for reflection and discussion about what we have seen and experienced. We hope you become ambassadors for Antarctica telling your family, friends and colleagues about your journey to this magical place, advocating for its conservation and preservation so that they might one day visit the region to experience what you have been lucky to see and do here.
As we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting.
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. Transfer to Ushuaia airport for our return flight to Buenos Aires, where your Antarctic expedition comes to an end.
Note: We strongly recommend booking an overnight stay in Buenos Aires at the conclusion of your voyage to allow for any potential disembarkation or flight delays and ensure a relaxed onward journey.
If flying out of Buenos Aires on the day of disembarkation, we do not recommend booking flights departing prior to 21.00 pm.
