Antarctica Complete

Arrive in Ushuaia, where an Aurora Expeditions representative will greet you and arrange your transfer to the assigned pre-voyage hotel with fellow expeditioners. If you are already in Ushuaia, proceed directly to your hotel, where check-in is available from 3:00 pm.  

This afternoon, visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk in the hotel lobby between 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm to collect luggage tags and confirm participation in tomorrow’s Lake Escondido pre-embarkation tour. The team will provide embarkation details, answer questions, and offer recommendations for dining and last-minute purchases.  

Expeditioners arriving after 7:00 pm will receive a welcome pack at check-in and should visit the hospitality desk between 8:00 am and 10:00 am the next day.  

Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense.

Assigned accommodation: To be advised

This morning, enjoy breakfast and checkout. Ensure your cabin luggage is labeled with your name and cabin number, then drop it at hotel reception before or at checkout. It will be securely stored and transferred directly to the port for clearance, arriving in your cabin before your embarkation. Keep valuables and personal items with you throughout the day.  

Expeditioners joining the Lake Escondido tour should meet in the hotel lobby at 8:45 am. This scenic journey winds through glacial valleys, lush forests, waterfalls, and rivers within the Andes Mountain Range. Traveling northeast of Ushuaia, pass peat bog valleys before ascending Garibaldi Pass, a winding route leading to a stunning viewpoint. From here, take in sweeping views of Lake Escondido and, weather permitting, Fagnano Lake. Continuing to Fagnano’s shore, visit a local ranch, admire the landscape, and savor a traditional Fuegian lamb barbecue before returning to Ushuaia for embarkation.  

Alternatively, enjoy a leisurely day and meet at your hotel lobby or the designated meeting point near the pier (details provided by ground staff) for your transfer to the port.  

Once onboard, settle into your cabin before attending mandatory safety briefings. As the ship departs, gather on deck for breathtaking views of Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego.  

This evening, connect with fellow expeditioners, the expedition team, and the crew at a welcome dinner, marking the start of your Antarctic adventure.

As you cross the Drake Passage, get comfortable with the motion of the sea. The expedition team prepares you for the first landing with wildlife guidelines and biosecurity procedures and starts lectures on Antarctica’s history, wildlife, and environment.

Your wildlife experiences begin as seabirds, including albatrosses and giant petrels, follow the vessel. On sea days, enjoy the onboard facilities like the gym, sauna, and jacuzzis, or relax in the observation lounges.

Nearing the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula on the afternoon of day four, the excitement is palpable, with everyone converging on one of the observation decks, watching for your first iceberg. The ocean takes on a new perspective once you are below the Antarctic Convergence and surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures. The memory of your first big iceberg sighting will likely remain with you forever. Time and weather permitting, you may attempt your first landing in Antarctica by late afternoon.

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 you arrive, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are yours to explore, and you have many choices available. Because you are so far south, 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 daily, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, ice conditions, and wildlife opportunities. 

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 favorite spots along the peninsula. 

While ashore, you aim to stretch your 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 can participate whenever conditions allow. Of course, keen polar plungers will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters - conditions permitting! The polar plunge can take place 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!

In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, you may ship cruise some narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from the mainland or linger in scenic bays to watch whales traveling or feeding. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or go to the bridge (open at the captain's discretion) for uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its splendor. Listen out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they carve. Take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of the pristine paradise of the splendid white continent. 

On this voyage, under favorable conditions, you plan to cross the Antarctic Circle, an imaginary line located at latitude 66°33' south. This is certainly a special highlight for many expeditions, and the moment will be celebrated with a toast on deck (conditions permitting). You have earned some boasting privileges, joining a small group of lucky adventurers who have ventured to this part of the world. As you approach The Circle, you can notice subtle changes in the landscape and wildlife distribution. The waters at this time of year are rich with krill, and you hope to see plenty of whales - particularly humpbacks and minkes. You also hope to enjoy the spectacle of penguins feeding their ravenous chicks.

Attend informative lectures about South Georgia as you sail across the Scotia Sea. You may want to relax in the sauna or stay active in the gym; the choice is yours for enjoying days at sea. 

Sea and weather conditions will determine your arrival time into South Georgia today.  

As you 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! It is a small island, only 176 km (110 mi) long. Still, with a 3,000 m (9,842 ft) 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.   

Jagged mountain peaks rise steeply on approach, while seabirds are often spotted soaring around the ship. Sail down the coast, taking in the spectacular glaciated scenery. This enchanting coastline is yours to explore!  

If time and weather conditions permit, en route, you could pass close to Shag Rocks, a fascinating group of jagged rocky islets protruding from the sea in the proximity of South Georgia.

Your experienced expedition team will use their local knowledge to plan your voyage daily, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, sea state, and wildlife opportunities.  

Remember to layer up before joining Zodiac excursions that may zip into craggy coves and along the rocky coastline in search of nesting penguins, seal haul-outs, and bird cliffs. Remember to watch for South Georgia’s kelp forests as well - these remarkable underwater ecosystems are mesmerizing as their fronds sway back and forth on the water’s surface.

Your Zodiacs will also transport you ashore, where you can visit some of the largest king penguin colonies on Earth, take a guided walk among fur seals and elephant seals (making sure you listen to your guides and keep your distance!) and wander along pebbled streams and grassy glacial outwash plains. You also hope to visit the remnants of South Georgia’s thriving whaling stations and pay your respects to Sir Ernest Shackleton, whose incredible voyage of survival is synonymous with this island. If you have chosen an optional activity, you can do that whenever conditions allow.

In addition to Zodiac and shore excursions, you may ship cruise through fjords with towering ancient stone cliffs or into deeply indented bays towards dramatic glacier fronts. This is a great time to find a comfy spot in the observation lounge or go to the bridge (open at the captain’s discretion) to enjoy uninterrupted views of South Georgia’s majestic coast.

Between the Falklands~Malvinas and South Georgia, be enthralled by the ceaseless flight of the many seabirds that follow and circle the ship. Your onboard lecture program will continue with presentations from your team of experts. You can also enjoy the many facilities on the ship, borrow a book from the well-stocked library, or stay active in the fitness center.

Sea and weather conditions will determine your arrival time at Falklands-Malvinas today.  

The Falklands-Malvinas comprises two large islands (East and West Falkland), with over 700 islands scattered off the coast. All but seven of these are uninhabited, with windswept coastlines, white sand beaches, and crystal-clear water. These beautifully barren islands are true wildlife havens, sheltering an impressive diversity of birdlife, including Earth's largest black-browed albatross colony. The cold, nutrient-rich waters surrounding the islands make this a prime location for spotting marine life.

The Falklands-Malvinas comprises two large islands (East and West Falkland), with over 700 islands scattered off the coast. All but seven of these are uninhabited, with windswept coastlines, white sand beaches, and crystal-clear water. These beautifully barren islands are true wildlife havens, sheltering an impressive diversity of birdlife, including Earth's largest black-browed albatross colony. The cold, nutrient-rich waters surrounding the islands make this a prime location for spotting marine life. 

There are many beautiful areas to explore across the Falklands-Malvinas, each offering a unique perspective on this magnificent archipelago. Your experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to design your voyage daily, choosing the best options based on the prevailing winds, weather, and wildlife opportunities. 

You generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. Even though you are north of the Antarctic Convergence, it can be quite chilly here, so you want to layer up before joining Zodiac cruises into rocky coves or along sea cliffs, keeping watch for seals, sea lions, dolphins, and penguins. Zodiacs will also shuttle you from the ship to land, where you may visit albatross colonies and penguin rookeries and perhaps even have a traditional English' tea and scones' at a local cottage.   

Conditions permitting, you plan to land in historic Stanley, the capital of the Falklands-Malvinas. This charming town is distinctly British, with terraced townhouses, pioneer cottages, and even an iconic red telephone box! Colorful buildings house cozy cafes, English pubs, souvenir shops, a post office, and the fascinating Historic Dockyard Museum, with displays on the maritime history of the Falkland Islands, natural history, and links to Antarctica.

As you sail towards Ushuaia, you may choose to spend your precious time editing photos, enjoying the onboard facilities, or attending final lectures. Celebrate the end of an unforgettable voyage with newfound friends at a special Captain’s farewell dinner.  

With lectures and film presentations to complete your 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 you have seen and experienced. Tell 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 and experience what you have been lucky to see and do here.

During the early morning, you cruise up the Beagle Channel before quietly slipping into the dock in Ushuaia, where you can disembark around 8.00 am. Farewell to your expedition team and fellow passengers as you continue your onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature.

Upon disembarkation, for those continuing their travels in the region, transportation to the hotel will be arranged exclusively for guests who have booked their accommodations through Aurora or for those staying in downtown areas near the port. Expeditioners departing on flights prior to 12.30 pm will be directly transferred to Ushuaia Airport, those with flights after 12.30 pm will have the opportunity to explore Ushuaia before an afternoon airport transfer, and the transfer procedures and details will be communicated onboard before disembarkation.

Note: At the conclusion of the voyage, it is not recommended to book flights departing Ushuaia prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.