0333 405 0194
Enquiries & Reservations
Aurora Expeditions · 8 Days
No Drake Passage crossing at all. Fly from Punta Arenas to King George Island, step aboard your ship and spend four days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula before flying back to Chile.
The Voyage
Between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands lies the Drake Passage, where the Pacific and Atlantic meet in a channel that is narrow by ocean standards and very deep. Some crossings are flat calm, others are rough enough to test the most seasoned sailor, and you cannot know in advance which you will get. Antarctic Peninsula: Fly the Drake takes the question away. You fly over the Drake in both directions, so the time you would have spent at sea goes on exploring instead.
It works like this. You arrive in Punta Arenas, in Chilean Patagonia, for a hotel night and an evening briefing. The next morning a charter flight of about an hour and forty five minutes takes you to King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands, where the Expedition Team meet you and take you out to the ship by Zodiac. Four days on the Antarctic Peninsula follow, then you fly back to Punta Arenas for a second hotel night. King George Island is crowded with research stations from several nations, all there under the Antarctic Treaty signed in 1959, which set the continent aside for peace and science, and Chile’s Frei Base has the airstrip that makes the whole thing possible.
Punta Arenas makes a fitting starting point. It sits on the Strait of Magellan, one of the great trade routes of the age of sail, and it was from here in 1916 that Ernest Shackleton set out on the Chilean tug Yelcho to rescue the men stranded on Elephant Island. Flying does depend on the weather, as a clear sky is needed on King George Island, so Aurora have contingency plans for delays and you may even fly a day early if the forecast demands it.
Aurora Expeditions, who now also trade as AE Expeditions, run the voyage on the Douglas Mawson in January 2027 and January 2028. The 23 February 2027 departure on the Sylvia Earle is an Antarctic Women’s Expedition, open to women only, on a ship whose deck corridors celebrate leading women in ocean conservation.
Day by Day
Arrive in Punta Arenas, where Aurora meet you and take you to the hotel. Please plan to arrive by 2pm at the latest. That leaves time for the briefings, and if the weather calls for it the flight to King George Island may go today rather than tomorrow. The hospitality desk in the lobby is open from 2pm to 6pm with your luggage cabin tags and answers to any questions. Meals today are your own, and the city has plenty of good restaurants and bars. Its old mansions and its cemetery tell the story of a town built by sheep ranchers and sailors from many countries. This evening a briefing confirms tomorrow’s transfer times, explains the flight procedures and covers the IAATO rules for visiting Antarctica.
A morning transfer takes you to Punta Arenas airport for the charter flight to King George Island, weather permitting, which takes about an hour and forty five minutes. Watch from the window as the Drake Passage slides by below, then for the first icebergs as you near the South Shetlands. On landing the Expedition Team greet you and get you ready for the Zodiac ride out to the ship, where you settle into your cabin before the safety briefings. King George Island is among the most remote places on Earth and the flight needs a clear sky and good visibility, so if it cannot go today a contingency plan comes into play. Safety always comes first.
Four days to explore the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. The Expedition Team plan as they go, picking sites by weather, ice and wildlife, and there are generally two landings or Zodiac cruises a day. Wrap up warm for the Zodiacs, which take you along ice cliffs and between grounded icebergs in search of whales, seals and penguins, and ashore you might visit a rookery, a historic hut or a ridge with a view down over the ice. Optional activities run whenever conditions allow, and the polar plunge is there for the brave. The ship may cruise narrow straits or linger in a bay while whales feed. In midsummer there are up to 20 hours of daylight, so the days are as full as you like, and the creak and rumble of glaciers calving is never far away.
The ship returns to Frei Base on King George Island and it is time to leave Antarctica. You board the charter flight, about an hour and forty five minutes, back to Punta Arenas, with time on the way to think over everything you have seen. Aurora hope you go home an ambassador for the continent and its protection. From the airport you transfer to the group hotel for the night. As on the way out, the flight needs a clear sky and good visibility, so delays are possible.
Breakfast at the hotel is included, followed by farewells and the included transfer to the airport for your onward journey. If the weather has held up the flight from King George Island, you will have stayed on board until it was safe to fly, which is why we suggest leaving a little slack in your plans. If you have time, stay on and explore Chilean Patagonia, perhaps with Aurora’s five day Patagonia Eco Camp, which starts and ends here. Our gateway cities guide has ideas for Punta Arenas itself.
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
With more time on the Peninsula and none at sea, whale watching from the ship and the Zodiacs is a big part of this voyage. Aurora’s film shows what to expect.
Video: Whale Watching in Antarctica, from Aurora Expeditions on YouTube.
2026/27 to 2027/28 Seasons
Antarctic Peninsula: Fly the Drake has three departures on sale, all from Punta Arenas. Two sail on the Douglas Mawson in January 2027 and January 2028, the heart of the summer, when penguin chicks fill the colonies and the days are longest. The third, from 23 February 2027 on the Sylvia Earle, is the Antarctic Women’s Expedition, and late February is a good time for whales. The two 2027 departures are listed at ten days and the 2028 departure at eight, so ask us for the day by day of your chosen date. Fares start from £14,329 per person, two sharing, with savings of up to 15% on some dates. See when to go for more.
Two departures in the 2026/27 season, on the Douglas Mawson and the Sylvia Earle.
| Departs | Ship | Aurora Stateroom from | Balcony Stateroom from | Suites from | Solo from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jan 202710 days, Punta Arenas round tripSave up to 10% | Douglas Mawson | £17,598was £19,553Limited | £19,053was £21,170Limited | £32,081was £35,645Limited | £20,631Limited |
| 23 Feb 202710 days, Punta Arenas round tripWomen's ExpeditionSave up to 15% | Sylvia Earle | Sold out | £16,751was £19,707Limited | £24,736was £29,101 | Sold out |
One departure in the 2027/28 season, on the Douglas Mawson.
| Departs | Ship | Aurora Stateroom from | Balcony Stateroom from | Suites from | Solo from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Jan 20288 days, Punta Arenas round tripSave up to 15% | Douglas Mawson | £14,329was £16,858Limited | £15,573was £18,321 | £22,903was £26,945Limited | £16,858Limited |
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$20 per person per day is added to your onboard account, and you can adjust or remove it when you settle up. For suite guests the gratuity is already included. Our Aurora what’s included page has more detail.
Make More of It
Sea kayaking, paddling and snorkelling are offered as optional activities on every departure. With four days on the Peninsula and no sea days, there is a good chance of getting out on the water if the weather plays fair, but places are limited, so book early. Our activities guide has more on each.
The five day Patagonia Eco Camp starts and ends in Punta Arenas and makes the obvious add on. Aurora’s other extension tours include a Taste of Santiago (4 days), the Santiago and Valparaiso Explorer (6 days), a Taste of Buenos Aires (4 days), the Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls Explorer (6 days), an Atacama Desert Adventure (4 days) and a two day Ushuaia City Stay. We can fit flights and extra hotel nights around whichever you choose.
| Add-on activity | From, per person |
|---|---|
| Paddling | £269 |
| Snorkelling | £397 |
| Sea kayaking | £793 |
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
Yes. You fly over it in both directions, on a charter flight of about an hour and forty five minutes between Punta Arenas and King George Island in the South Shetland Islands. You join the ship by Zodiac on arrival and leave it the same way, so the only sailing is around the Antarctic Peninsula itself, where the waters are generally much more sheltered.
The flight needs a clear sky and good visibility to land on King George Island. Aurora ask you to reach Punta Arenas by 2pm on day one, partly so the flight can leave a day early if the forecast demands it. If the flight out cannot go, a contingency plan is applied to your itinerary, and if the flight home is delayed you stay on the ship until it can leave. Aurora’s booking conditions give the detail.
You need to be at the hotel by 2pm on day one for the briefings. Most flights from the UK reach Punta Arenas via Santiago, and with long distances and the risk of delays we strongly suggest arriving at least a day early. We can book a hotel night in Punta Arenas and your flights so that the timings work.
The itinerary shown is eight days: a hotel night in Punta Arenas, the flight to King George Island on day two, four days on the Antarctic Peninsula, the return flight and a second hotel night on day seven, and home on day eight. The two 2027 departures are listed at ten days, so ask us for the exact day by day if you are looking at those dates.
The January departures sail on the Douglas Mawson, built in 2025, with a heated outdoor pool and single staterooms. The February 2027 Antarctic Women’s Expedition sails on the Sylvia Earle, built in 2022. Both are X-BOW sister ships with no more than 130 guests on expedition, an observation lounge, sauna, two Jacuzzis and a Citizen Science Centre.
It is a women only departure on the Sylvia Earle, leaving Punta Arenas on 23 February 2027. The ship is named after the American oceanographer Dr Sylvia Earle, and the corridors of each deck introduce women who lead ocean conservation around the world, which suits the spirit of the voyage. It is a good choice for women travelling solo or with friends.
Aurora rate it as moderate. The landings involve stepping in and out of Zodiacs and walking on uneven, sometimes snowy or rocky ground, but you choose how far you go and the Expedition Team are always on hand. As there are no sea crossings, this voyage is a popular choice for travellers who worry about seasickness.
Yes. Aurora keep up to 10 dedicated solo cabins on every sailing with no single supplement, and the Douglas Mawson has purpose built single staterooms. If the solo cabins have gone you can book any available cabin with a 50% supplement. Women travelling alone may also like the Antarctic Women’s Expedition departure.
Other Voyages
If you would like to cross the Antarctic Circle without crossing the Drake, look at Across the Antarctic Circle: Fly the Drake. To sail one way and fly the other, try Antarctic Explorer or the shorter Antarctic Explorer Express. Or browse all our Antarctica cruises.