0333 405 0194
Enquiries & Reservations
Aurora Expeditions · 11 Days
Fly from Punta Arenas straight to King George Island, step aboard the new Douglas Mawson and spend seven days heading south along the Peninsula towards the Antarctic Circle.
The Voyage
For most travellers the price of a voyage to the Antarctic Circle is the Drake Passage: two days out and two days back on one of the most restless stretches of water on the planet. This version of Aurora’s Circle voyage takes that out of the equation. A charter flight of about an hour and forty five minutes carries you from Punta Arenas in Chile to King George Island in the South Shetland Islands, where Zodiacs ferry you out to the ship. On Day 10 you fly back the same way. The result is a shorter trip, 11 days in all, with more of it spent in Antarctica: Days 3 to 9 are all given over to exploring.
King George Island has a long human story for such a remote place. The British merchant captain William Smith sighted the South Shetlands in 1819, King George Island itself was named after King George III, and within a couple of years sealers had all but wiped out the fur seals on their beaches. Today the island is home to research stations run by several nations, and the gravel airstrip beside Chile’s Frei base is one of the few places in Antarctica where a passenger aircraft can land.
From there the Douglas Mawson heads south along the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, aiming to cross the Circle at about 66°33' South. Further south and west, in the Bellingshausen Sea, Adrien de Gerlache’s Belgica was frozen into the pack in 1898, and her crew, including a young Roald Amundsen, became the first expedition to survive a winter in the Antarctic. You will be far more comfortable. The ship is named after Douglas Mawson, the Australian geologist who led the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911 to 1914, and she is Aurora’s newest, built in 2025 with 130 guests on expedition, a heated outdoor pool and a choice of ten stateroom types.
Two hotel nights at the Cabo de Hornos in Punta Arenas and the return flights are part of the fare. Drinks work differently on this voyage: beer and house wine are served with dinner rather than an open bar throughout. Aurora, also known as AE Expeditions, still include every landing, Zodiac cruise and lecture. Read more on what is included.
Day by Day
Aurora’s representative meets you in Punta Arenas and takes you to the Hotel Cabo de Hornos. Please arrive by 2pm at the latest. The briefings are important, and if the forecast demands it the flight to King George Island can be brought forward to today. Between 2pm and 6pm the Aurora hospitality desk in the lobby hands out cabin luggage tags and answers questions. Punta Arenas looks out over the Strait of Magellan, the passage Ferdinand Magellan found in 1520, and grew rich on sheep farming and shipping before the Panama Canal opened. Meals today are at your own expense. In the evening a voyage briefing confirms transfer times, explains the flight and covers the IAATO rules for visitors.
A morning transfer takes you to Punta Arenas airport for the charter flight to King George Island, weather permitting. The flight takes about an hour and forty five minutes, and on a clear day the view of the ice as you come in to land is quite something. The expedition team meet you on arrival and take you out to the ship by Zodiac, and you have time to settle in before the safety briefings. Flying here needs clear skies and good visibility for both take off and landing. If the flight cannot go today, Aurora apply a contingency plan to the itinerary, and their terms and conditions explain how this works.
Seven days to explore the western Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, planned day by day by an expedition team who weigh up weather, ice and wildlife. Most days bring two landings or Zodiac outings. You might cruise along ice cliffs or among grounded bergs, then go ashore at a penguin rookery, a historic hut or a research station. Walks range from pebble beaches to snowy ridges with wide views. Optional activities run when conditions allow, and there is a polar plunge for the brave. The ship may thread narrow channels or wait in a quiet bay while whales feed. Conditions permitting, you cross the Antarctic Circle and toast it on deck. Daylight lasts up to 24 hours south of the Circle at midsummer, the water is full of krill, and humpbacks, minkes and busy penguin parents are all part of the scene.
The ship returns to King George Island and approaches Frei base, and it is time to say goodbye to Antarctica. You board the flight of about an hour and forty five minutes back to Punta Arenas, a good moment to look back on what you have seen. Aurora hope you will go home and tell people about this place and why it is worth protecting. From the airport you transfer to the Hotel Cabo de Hornos for the night. As on the way out, the flight needs clear skies, so delays are possible.
Breakfast is included before you say farewell to your fellow travellers, and a transfer to the airport is part of the fare. If the weather had stopped the return flight, you would have stayed on board until it was safe to fly back to Punta Arenas, so we suggest building a little slack into your onward plans. Aurora’s terms and conditions set out the details. Many of our clients use the chance to see more of Chile, from Santiago and Valparaiso to the Atacama, before heading home.
Every Antarctic itinerary depends on the ice, the weather and the wildlife. The Captain and Expedition Leader choose each day’s landings and Zodiac cruises on the spot, so the order of the days and the places visited can change.
Watch
A short look around the Douglas Mawson, the ship you sail on for this voyage, from her observation lounge to the pool deck.
Video: Discover with the Douglas Mawson, from Aurora Expeditions on YouTube.
2027/28 Season
Across the Antarctic Circle: Fly the Drake has a single departure, leaving Punta Arenas on 7 February 2028 and returning on 17 February, on the Douglas Mawson. Fares start from £20,924 per person twin share, with savings of up to 10% at the moment. February is a fine time to be this far south. Penguin chicks are growing fast, the summer sea ice has had time to break up, and whales are feeding hard on the krill. With only one sailing and a ship of 130 guests, we would not leave it late.
One departure in the 2027/28 season, on the Douglas Mawson.
| Departs | Ship | Aurora Stateroom from | Balcony Stateroom from | Suites from | Solo from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb 202811 days, Punta Arenas round tripSave up to 10% | Douglas Mawson | £20,924was £23,249Limited | £22,726was £25,251 | £33,467was £37,185 | £23,249Limited |
Prices are per person in pounds, two sharing, and include Aurora’s current savings. The Solo column is the price for a cabin to yourself. They are taken from Aurora Expeditions’ UK fares on 3 November 2026. The fare includes the charter flight shown in the itinerary, but not your flights from the UK to South America. Aurora adjust fares and offers often, so prices and availability can change daily. Call us on 0333 405 0194 for today’s fare and the full range of staterooms on your chosen date.
Your Fare
Aurora’s fares cover more than many people expect, including drinks, landings and your polar jacket. On this voyage the price includes:
Not included: flights to and from South America unless shown above, travel insurance (which must include at least US$250,000 of medical, repatriation and evacuation cover), optional add-on activities, visas and personal spending. A crew gratuity of US$15 per person per day is added to your onboard account, and you can adjust or remove it when you settle up. Our Aurora what’s included page has more detail.
Make More of It
Three optional activities are offered on this departure: sea kayaking, paddling and snorkelling. They are booked before you travel and places are limited. Our activities page explains what each involves and who it suits.
Aurora’s extension tours include Taste of Santiago (4 days), the Santiago & Valparaiso Explorer (6 days), Taste of Buenos Aires (4 days), the Buenos Aires & Iguazu Falls Explorer (6 days), the Patagonia Eco Camp (5 days), the Atacama Desert Adventure (4 days) and a two day Ushuaia City Stay. As this voyage starts and ends in Punta Arenas, the Chilean options fit most easily. See our gateway cities guide.
| Add-on activity | From, per person |
|---|---|
| Paddling | £269 |
| Snorkelling | £535 |
| Sea kayaking | £1,039 |
Activity prices vary by departure. Places are limited, they are booked with your voyage, and every activity depends on the weather and ice on the day. See our Aurora activities page for what each one involves.
Questions
You fly from Punta Arenas to King George Island in the South Shetlands on Day 2, a charter flight of about an hour and forty five minutes, and join the ship by Zodiac. On Day 10 you fly back the same way. Both flights, the transfers and two nights at the Hotel Cabo de Hornos in Punta Arenas are included in the fare.
The flights need clear skies and good visibility. If the outbound flight cannot go, Aurora apply a contingency plan to the itinerary, and the flight may even be brought forward to Day 1, which is why you must arrive by 2pm. If the return flight is delayed you stay on board until it can go. Leave some flexibility in your onward travel.
Crossing the Circle at about 66°33' South is the plan, conditions permitting. The captain and expedition leader decide where the ship can safely go each day, and heavy ice can block the way south. By February the sea ice has usually broken up further than earlier in the season, but nobody can guarantee it.
It costs more than the sailing version, because of the charter flights, but it gives you seven days in Antarctica in 11 days, against six days in 13 on Across the Antarctic Circle. If your time is short, or you worry about seasickness, flying is a very good answer. If you want the full crossing, the sailing version suits better.
The Douglas Mawson, Aurora’s newest ship, built in 2025. She takes up to 130 guests on expeditions and has 86 cabins across ten stateroom types, including single staterooms, plus a heated outdoor pool and pool bar, a Science Centre, a lecture theatre, sauna and two Jacuzzis. Like her sisters she has the X-BOW and is built to Polar Class 6.
On this voyage beer and house wine are included with dinner, with soft drinks, tea and coffee throughout. Other alcoholic drinks are charged. A crew gratuity of US$15 per person per day is added to your onboard account, which you can adjust or remove, and you do not need to tip the expedition team. Suite guests have the gratuity included.
Yes, flights to Punta Arenas are not included, and you need to land by 2pm on Day 1. From the UK you usually fly via Santiago. Your Day 11 airport transfer is included, so you can fly out of Punta Arenas the same morning. We can help put the whole journey together.
Aurora rate the voyage as moderate. You need to be steady enough to get in and out of a Zodiac with help and to walk on uneven, sometimes snowy ground. Landings are at your own pace, and you can always choose a Zodiac cruise or stay on board if you prefer.
Other Voyages
If you would rather cross the Drake by sea, Across the Antarctic Circle sails from Ushuaia over 13 days. Antarctic Peninsula: Fly the Drake uses the same flights for a voyage that stays further north, and Wild Antarctica featuring the Weddell Sea flies you south and sails you home. Browse them all on our Antarctica cruises page.