WILD ANTARCTICA FEATURING THE WEDDELL SEA (FLY SOUTH) 

SHIP OFFERING THIS ITINERARY

Douglas Mawson

Setting sail in 2025, the Douglas Mawson is a new state-of-the-art ship and the last in a line of purpose-built vessels that have redefined small ship expedition cruising. Named after the legendary Australian geologist and explorer, this new small ship embodies Mawson’s pioneering spirit and is designed for global discovery. The Douglas Mawson features a host of amenities to help you connect with like-minded travellers and elevate your time onboard, including a heated outdoor swimming pool, sunbeds, two Jacuzzis, a gym, a sauna, and two restaurants. The multiple observation areas throughout the ship allow you to relax in comfort while you keep watch for wildlife or incredible landscapes that unfold before you.

Day 1 Punta Arenas, Chile

Arrive in Punta Arenas, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred to the hotel.

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. 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).

Meet your fellow expeditioners at a voyage briefing this evening 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 Punta Arenas to King George Island

This morning, transfer to Punta Arenas airport for your 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, the expedition team will be 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 the important safety briefings.

Days 3 – 8 Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea

The feeling of arriving in Antarctica will stay with you forever. Once you arrive, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are yours to explore. Because you are so far south, you will experience approximately 18-24 hours of daylight thus 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 from day to day, choosing the best options based on the weather, ice conditions and wildlife opportunities.

You will generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. 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 favourite spots along the peninsula.

Central to the story of where Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance became trapped in formidable sea ice, the Weddell Sea certainly is high on the list for many polar adventurers. A small set of islands standing off to the east of the Antarctic Peninsula collectively form the Antarctic Sound – the gateway to the Weddell Sea. It has a well-deserved reputation as being an iceberg alley where large icebergs try to escape, thus often making navigation difficult. However, the rewards can be great. The Weddell boasts a large Adélie penguin colony, some of which breed on the rocky slopes of a small volcanic island, where a large colony of Antarctic blue-eyed shags jostle for space with nest-building Wilson’s storm petrels. On thrilling Zodiac excursions, keep watch for chinstrap and gentoo penguins in and out of the water, as well as humpback, minke and orca whales.

Days 9 – 10 At Sea

Day 11 Ushuaia

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