Amazing Antarctic Photography Expedition

Arrive in Ushuaia, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred with your fellow explorers to your assigned pre-voyage hotel. If you are already in Ushuaia, we ask that you make your way to your hotel. Check-in is from 3 p.m. onwards. This afternoon, visit the AE Expeditions hospitality desk in the lobby at Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort, Luis Fernando Martial 1650, between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m., or 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., to collect your luggage tags and confirm if you wish to join our Beagle Channel and Isla de Los Lobos Cruise (sea lion island) the following day. Our team will confirm details regarding your embarkation day, answer any questions and provide you with information on where to dine or purchase last-minute items.

Expeditioners arriving after 7 p.m. will find a welcome pack waiting for them at check-in. We ask that youvisit our hospitality desk the next day between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

The rest of the day you can enjoy free time. All meals on this day are at your own expense.

Assigned accommodation: Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort or Los Acebos Ushuaia Hotel

This morning, you’ll enjoy breakfast and then check out. Please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labeled with your name and cabin number. Take your cabin luggage to hotel reception, prior to, or at checkout. Your luggage will be stored and transferred directly to the port for clearance, to be placed in your cabin ahead of your arrival. Please keep any valuables or personal items with you throughout the day.

You’ll have free time in the morning to explore Ushuaia.

Those wishing to join our afternoon catamaran cruise should meet back at the hotel lobby at 12.45 p.m. and be ready to transfer to the port at 1 p.m. Here we board our catamaran and sail the Beagle Channel towards the city’s iconic Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse. Passing by the Bridges Archipelago, we’ll slow down to watch colonies of sea lions and imperial cormorants relax in the sun on the rocky outcrops. There is also a chance to spot gulls, rock cormorants, skuas, petrels, and albatrosses. Our cruise offers panoramic views of the city and the surrounding mountain range, and you’ll also hear tales of the people and communities of the region.

Alternatively, you can enjoy free time and meet at your hotel lobby at 3.45 p.m. to be transferred to the pier for embarkation.

Once onboard, you’ll have time to settle into your cabin before our important mandatory briefings. As the ship pulls away from port, we’ll gather on the deck to commence our adventure with spectacular views over Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego.

This evening get to know your fellow travelers, along with your friendly expedition team and crew, at a welcome dinner to celebrate the start of our thrilling adventure to Antarctica.

As we traverse the Drake Passage crossing, we’ll make the most of our time getting comfortable with the rhythms of the sea. Our expedition team will prepare you for our first landing with important wildlife guidelines and biosecurity procedures. We’ll also start our lecture program to help you learn more about Antarctica’s history, wildlife and environment. Our wildlife experiences begin as we enjoy watching and photographing the many seabirds that inhabit the area, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels following our vessel. You may enjoy the facilities onboard the vessel, including visiting the gym and wellness center or relaxing in one of the observation lounges.

Nearing the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula on the afternoon of Day Four, we’ll gather on one of the observation decks to look out for our first iceberg. The ocean takes on a whole new perspective once we are below the Antarctic Convergence and are surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures. The memory of your first colossal iceberg sighting is likely to remain with you for a lifetime. Time and weather permitting, we may attempt our first landing in Antarctica by late afternoon.

And now the long-anticipated part of our journey begins, as we will finally arrive in Antarctica. Admiring the specracular icebergs 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.

Having made countless journeys to this area, your experienced expedition team 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’ll want to dress warmly before joining Zodiac cruises along spectacular ice cliffs or among grounded icebergs, where you can 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 of our favorite spots along the peninsula.

While ashore we’ll 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. If you have chosen an optional activity, you’ll be able to participate whenever the conditions allow. Of course, keen polar plungers will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in ice-cold waters — conditions permitting!

In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may take our ship through some of the narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from the mainland, or linger in scenic bays to watch whales swimming or feeding. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or make your way 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 calve. Take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of the pristine paradise of this majestic continent.

Additionally, you’ll have numerous photography lectures and post-processing workshops with our photography guides.

As we approach Frei Base on King George Island, it is time to say farewell to Antarctica before boarding our flight (approximately one hour and forty-five minutes) to Punta Arenas, Chile. There will be 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. Perhaps you’ll feel inspired to advocate for its preservation, so that others might one day visit the region to enjoy the same unforgettable experiences that you were able to.

In Punta Arenas airport, you will be transferred to our group hotel for an overnight stay.

Note: King George Island is located at the northern tip 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 takeoff and landing. We apologize in advance for any possible delays.

Accommodation: Hotel Dreams del Estrecho or Hotel Cabo de Hornos

After breakfast, bid a fond farewell to your fellow travelers as we continue on our ownjourneys, hopefully with a newfound appreciation for the immense power and beauty of nature. A transfer to the airport is included in the voyage fare.

Note: Should your flight not proceed due to local conditions, you will remain on the ship until it is deemed safe to return to Punta Arenas. Refer to the terms and conditions for further details.