Diving & snorkelling
Optional activities · from $695Drysuit diving and polar snorkeling reveal a cathedral of translucent blue sea ice, giant sea spiders, and penguins darting underwater with bird-like agility.
Available
January 2028
Antarctic Explorer
From
$15,211
Arrival
Feb 9, 2028
⚓ Ushuaia
Duration
9 days
8 nights
Ice class
1A / PC6
Dual-rated: Finnish-Swedish 1A/1A+ and Polar Class 6 for navigating medium first-year polar ice.
Year built
2025
Day by day
Route:
Itinerary and landing sites are indicative and subject to change based on weather, sea ice, and wildlife conditions.
Day 1 — Arrive Punta Arenas
Arrive in Punta Arenas, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred to our hotel. We ask that you arrive no later than 2:00pm on this day. In addition to ensuring your arrival in time for our important pre-flight briefings, if weather conditions deem it necessary, we may depart for King George Island on Day 1 as opposed to Day 2.Please visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk in the lobby between 2.00 pm – 6.00 pm to collect your luggage cabin tags. Our team will confirm details regarding your embarkation day, answer any questions and provide you with information about where to dine or purchase last minute items. Overlooking the Straits of Magellan, the city sits astride one of the world's most historic trade routes. Today, Punta Arenas reflects a great blend of cultural backgrounds, from English sheep ranchers to Portuguese sailors. It remains an utterly fascinating testament to Chile's rich history. Modern day Punta Arenas is home to many popular restaurants, and bars, offering a mix of local and international fare (meals at your own expense today). This evening, meet your fellow expeditioners at a voyage briefing where we will reconfirm your transfer times for tomorrow, explain the procedures for your flight to King George Island and outline important IAATO regulations for visitors to Antarctica.
Day 2 — Fly to King George Island, Embarkation
This morning we will be transferred to Punta Arenas airport for our charter flight to King George Island, Antarctica (weather permitting). The flight will take approximately one hour and forty-five minutes. On arrival into King George Island our expedition team is on hand to greet you and to prepare you for your Zodiac transfer to the vessel. You will have time to settle into your cabin before our important safety briefings. Note: King George Island is located at the northern part of the Antarctic Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands and is one of the most remote places on Earth. A clear sky with perfect visibility is required for safe take-off and landing. A contingency plan will be applied to your itinerary should your flights not proceed today. Your safety is our utmost priority. We apologise in advance for any delays caused due to this unpredictable situation. Please refer to our terms and conditions for a more detailed explanation.
Day 9 — Disembark in Ushuaia
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. 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 14.30 pm will be directly transferred to Ushuaia Airport, those with flights after 14.30 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, we do not recommend booking flights departing Ushuaia prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.
Activities
Kayaking & paddling
Optional activities · from $350Paddle in near-silence through mirror-calm glacial bays, drifting alongside iridescent ice sculptures and listening to the deep exhales of surfacing humpback whales.
Expedition Overview
Operator
Aurora Expeditions
Active AdventureAurora Expeditions operates dedicated polar expedition voyages to the White Continent with seasoned expedition teams.
Month
January 2028
High Summer · Playful ChicksWarmest temperatures, fluffy penguin chicks forming crèches, and surging whale arrivals.
Playful Chicks
Whale Watching
Warmest Weather
Regions
Visited Regions
9 regions on this voyage
Drake Passage
Rite of Passage • Albatross Alley
King George Island
Fly-Cruise Hub • Multi-National Stations
South Shetland Islands
Volcanic Isles • Penguin Rookeries & Calderas
Deception Island
Flooded Volcano • Geothermal Steam & Polar Plunge
Antarctic Peninsula
Classic Antarctica • Towering Peaks & Wildlife
Lemaire Channel
Kodak Gap • Kilometer-High Glaciated Chasm
Bellingshausen Sea
Western Frontier • Untamed Pack Ice & Remote Bays
Antarctic Circle
Deep South • 66°33′ S & Midnight Sun
Beagle Channel
Scenic Fjord • Sea Lion Colonies & Les Eclaireurs
Cabin offers
| Cabin | Occupancy | Price (per person) | Promo | Availability | Source | detail.action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| triple | $15,211 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
| double | $15,636 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
| double | $16,571 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
| double | $16,996 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
| double | $17,846 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
| double | $19,206 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
Balcony Stateroom Superior
Larger balcony staterooms on Decks 4 & 6 with full-size window; 27.77–36.27 m². Some are wheelchair accessible.
In your cabin
|
double | $20,991 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator |
| single | $21,595 | — | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
| single | $22,595 | — | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
| single | $23,454 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
| single | $23,695 | — | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
| single | $24,857 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
Junior Suite
Suite on Deck 7 with private balcony, full-size window and separate lounge area; 41.47–41.87 m².
In your cabin
|
double | $24,986 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator |
| single | $25,494 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
| single | $26,769 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
Captain Suite
Top suite on Deck 4 with private balcony, full-size window and separate lounge area; 45.22 m².
In your cabin
|
double | $28,556 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator |
| single | $28,809 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator | |
|
Balcony Stateroom Superior — Solo
Larger balcony staterooms on Decks 4 & 6 with full-size window; 27.77–36.27 m². Some are wheelchair accessible.
In your cabin
|
single | $31,487 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator |
|
Junior Suite — Solo
Suite on Deck 7 with private balcony, full-size window and separate lounge area; 41.47–41.87 m².
In your cabin
|
single | $49,972 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator |
|
Captain Suite — Solo
Top suite on Deck 4 with private balcony, full-size window and separate lounge area; 45.22 m².
In your cabin
|
single | $57,112 | Save up to 15% | available | Aurora Expeditions | View at operator |
Prices are captured from operator websites and may change — the operator's site is authoritative. Captured Sep 3, 2026 06:13 UTC.
Getting ready for this voyage?
Everything worth bringing on an Antarctic expedition — an interactive checklist you can tick off as you pack, keep as a personal link and download as a PDF.
Wildlife on this route
Wildlife
Gentoo Penguin
A stocky, orange-billed penguin of the genus Pygoscelis, closest kin to the Adélie and Chinstrap. Its loud, trumpeting call, delivered with head thrown back, carries across the shoreline colonies where expedition landings are made.
Wildlife
Humpback Whale
A 14–17 metre baleen whale known for breaching and long pectoral fins, often seen feeding on krill in loose groups along the ice edge.
Wildlife
Orca
Black and white apex predator instantly recognizable by its pale eye patches, the orca is the largest of the dolphins and one of the ocean's most capable hunters. Sightings often involve a tight-knit family pod working the ice edge together.
Wildlife
Wandering Albatross
The snowy albatross, better known as the wandering albatross, has the widest wingspan of any living bird alive today. Watch for it riding the wind for hours behind the ship without a single wingbeat.