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Aurora Expeditions · 11 Days
Aurora’s classic Antarctic voyage. Sail from Ushuaia across the Drake Passage the way the early explorers did, then spend four days among the ice, penguins and whales of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands.
The Voyage
Spirit of Antarctica is the voyage most people picture when they think of going south. You fly to Ushuaia, spend a night in a hotel, then board a small expedition ship and sail out along the Beagle Channel. Two days on the Drake Passage bring you to the South Shetland Islands and the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, and you then have four days to explore before sailing back. Arriving by sea is how every explorer of the Heroic Age reached Antarctica, and watching the first icebergs rise over the horizon after two days of open ocean is something a flight simply cannot give you.
The voyage runs on all three of Aurora’s ships, the Greg Mortimer, the Sylvia Earle and the new Douglas Mawson. They are close sisters, each about 104 metres long and built with the Ulstein X-BOW, a bow shaped to slice through the swell rather than slam into it, and none takes more than 130 guests on an expedition. That number matters. IAATO, the operators’ association founded in 1991 (the same year Aurora began), limits how many people may be ashore at a site at once, and on a ship this size everyone gets off, usually twice a day.
A few departures have a special theme. The New Scientist edition, on the Douglas Mawson in December, is run in partnership with New Scientist Discovery Tours and adds polar science workshops with a marine biologist, for curious travellers who want to understand what they are looking at. The Whale Migration edition on the Sylvia Earle in March 2027 is a 12 day voyage with five days on the Peninsula, timed for the peak in humpback numbers, and includes a marine biologist’s talk on the whales and a tour to Lake Escondido before you board. The Antarctic Women’s Expedition in March 2028, also on the Sylvia Earle, is for women only and celebrates women in conservation, science and exploration.
Aurora Expeditions, who now also trade as AE Expeditions, put a lot into the fare. Your night in Ushuaia with breakfast, all meals on board, premium spirits, cocktails, beer, wine and liqueurs throughout the voyage, every landing and Zodiac cruise, Wi-Fi and a three in one polar jacket to keep are all covered. Our what’s included page has the full list.
Day by Day
Fly into Ushuaia, where an Aurora representative meets you and takes you to the hotel for your included night before the voyage (the hotel is confirmed nearer the time). Rooms are ready from 3pm, and Aurora’s hospitality desk in the lobby is open from 3pm to 7pm to hand out luggage tags and answer questions. Arrive later than that and a welcome pack will be waiting, with the desk open again from 8am to 10am the next morning. Meals today are your own. Ushuaia, capital of Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego province, grew up around a prison, and the old jail is now a museum that is well worth an hour. Our gateway cities guide has more ideas.
After breakfast, label your bags with your name and cabin number and leave them at reception. They go straight to the port and will be waiting in your cabin when you board. A late check out and a hospitality room leave the day free, so take a walk along the waterfront, head into the hills behind town or simply browse the shops and cafés. At a time confirmed by the ground staff you meet in the hotel lobby or at the car park near the pier. Once on board there are mandatory briefings, then everyone gathers on deck as the ship pulls out along the Beagle Channel, named after the survey ship that later carried a young Charles Darwin. Tonight’s welcome dinner is your first chance to meet the Expedition Team and crew.
Two days at sea crossing the Drake Passage, named after Sir Francis Drake, whose ship was driven south of Tierra del Fuego in 1578. Nothing stands in the way of the Southern Ocean as it circles the globe here, so the sea can be lively while you find your sea legs. The Expedition Team start the lecture programme on Antarctic history, wildlife and the environment, and brief you on biosecurity and the wildlife guidelines before your first landing. Albatrosses and giant petrels follow the ship. Somewhere on the crossing you pass the Antarctic Convergence, where cold polar water meets warmer seas, and by the afternoon of day four, as you near the South Shetland Islands, everyone heads up on deck to spot the first iceberg. Weather and time permitting, there may be a first landing late in the day.
Four days to explore the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. The Expedition Team plan each day around the weather, the ice and the wildlife, and there are generally two outings a day. By Zodiac you cruise beneath ice cliffs and among grounded bergs, watching for whales, seals and porpoising penguins. Ashore you might visit a penguin rookery, find one of the historic huts left by earlier expeditions, or climb a snowy ridge for the view. Anyone booked on an optional activity goes out whenever conditions allow, and the polar plunge can be called at any time. The ship may also thread the narrow straits between the islands and the mainland, including the Gerlache Strait, charted by the Belgian Adrien de Gerlache in the Belgica in 1898, with a young Roald Amundsen aboard as first mate. With up to 20 hours of daylight in midsummer, the days are as full as you want them to be.
A last morning landing in the South Shetland Islands, then the ship turns north for South America. The islands were first sighted in 1819 by William Smith, a British merchant captain pushed south while rounding Cape Horn, and within a few years sealers had almost wiped out the fur seals here. Heading home there are more lectures and films, time to sort through your photographs and plenty of talk about what you have seen. Aurora hope you return as an ambassador for Antarctica and its protection. Weather and time permitting, the captain may sail close to Cape Horn as you approach the tip of the continent.
In the early morning the ship sails up the Beagle Channel and docks in Ushuaia, and you are free to disembark at around 8am. Transport to a hotel is arranged for guests who booked their accommodation through Aurora or are staying in the centre near the port. If your flight leaves before 2.30pm you are taken straight to the airport, while later flyers have time in town before an afternoon transfer, with details given on board. Aurora advise against booking a flight out of Ushuaia that leaves before midday in case of delays, and we would say the same.
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
Aurora’s own film of the 2025/26 Antarctic season gives a good feel for a Peninsula voyage, from Zodiac cruising and landings to life on board.
Video: Antarctica 2025 to 2026 Season Highlights, from Aurora Expeditions on YouTube.
2026/27 to 2027/28 Seasons
Spirit of Antarctica sails from December 2026 to March 2028, with 13 departures on sale across the Douglas Mawson, the Sylvia Earle and the Greg Mortimer. November and December bring nesting penguins and clean snow, January and February the chicks and the mildest weather, and late February and March the best of the whale watching. About half the departures run for 11 days, while the 2026/27 sailings and a couple of later ones are listed at 12 days, so do check the dates below. Fares start from £11,778 per person, two sharing, and some dates currently carry savings of up to 20%. Our when to go guide explains each month.
Five 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Dec 202612 days, Ushuaia round tripNew Scientist editionSave up to 10% | Douglas Mawson | £14,272was £15,858Limited | £14,688was £16,320Limited | £21,548was £23,942 | £15,858Limited |
| 29 Dec 202612 days, Ushuaia round trip | Sylvia Earle | Sold out | £21,247Limited | £25,328Limited | Sold out |
| 17 Feb 202712 days, Ushuaia round trip | Douglas Mawson | £16,089Limited | £17,320Limited | £24,250Limited | Sold out |
| 27 Feb 202712 days, Ushuaia round tripSave up to 10% | Douglas Mawson | Sold out | £14,895was £16,550Limited | £20,855was £23,172 | £17,859Limited |
| 13 Mar 202712 days, Ushuaia round tripWhale Migration editionSave up to 15% | Sylvia Earle | Sold out | Sold out | £17,864was £21,016 | Sold out |
Eight departures in the 2027/28 season, on the Douglas Mawson and the Greg Mortimer and the Sylvia Earle.
| Departs | Ship | Aurora Stateroom from | Balcony Stateroom from | Suites from | Solo from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Nov 202712 days, Ushuaia round tripSave up to 10% | Douglas Mawson | £12,678was £14,087 | £13,025was £14,472 | £19,122was £21,247Limited | £13,317Limited |
| 3 Dec 202711 days, Ushuaia round tripNew Scientist editionSave up to 15% | Douglas Mawson | £12,039was £14,164Limited | £13,087was £15,396 | £19,238was £22,633 | £14,164Limited |
| 12 Dec 202711 days, Ushuaia round tripSave up to 15% | Douglas Mawson | £12,039was £14,164Limited | £13,087was £15,396 | £19,238was £22,633 | £15,011Limited |
| 12 Jan 202811 days, Ushuaia round tripSave up to 10% | Sylvia Earle | £13,718was £15,242Limited | £14,134was £15,704 | £20,786was £23,095Limited | Sold out |
| 20 Jan 202811 days, Ushuaia round tripSave up to 10% | Greg Mortimer | £13,025was £14,472 | £14,827was £16,474 | £20,786was £23,095 | £15,704Limited |
| 9 Feb 202811 days, Ushuaia round tripSave up to 15% | Greg Mortimer | £12,301was £14,472 | £13,348was £15,704 | £19,631was £23,095 | £15,704Limited |
| 22 Feb 202812 days, Ushuaia round tripSave up to 20% | Sylvia Earle | £12,194was £15,242 | £12,563was £15,704 | £18,476was £23,095 | £15,704Limited |
| 3 Mar 202811 days, Ushuaia round tripWomen's ExpeditionSave up to 15% | Sylvia Earle | Sold out | £11,778was £13,856 | £17,405was £20,477 | £13,856Limited |
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. Flights from the UK are not included, and we are happy to arrange them for you. 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
Optional activities vary by departure and have limited places, so they are best booked early. Across this voyage’s dates Aurora offer sea kayaking, paddling and snorkelling on most sailings, scuba diving on several Sylvia Earle and Greg Mortimer departures, and snowshoeing and camping on the November and December voyages. Camping means a night out on the ice with no tent, just a sleeping bag and the summer sky. The November 2027 departure also offers ski and snowboard touring. Our activities guide explains each one.
Before the voyage you can add a two day Ushuaia City Stay. Afterwards, Aurora’s 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), the Patagonia Eco Camp (5 days) and an Atacama Desert Adventure (4 days). We are happy to help with flights and extra hotel nights too.
| Add-on activity | From, per person |
|---|---|
| Camping on the ice | £127 |
| Paddling | £269 |
| Snowshoeing | £285 |
| Snorkelling | £520 |
| Scuba diving | £997 |
| Sea kayaking | £1,024 |
| Ski and snowboard touring | £1,074 (sold out on current dates) |
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
Departures are 11 or 12 days, starting with a hotel night in Ushuaia and finishing back in Ushuaia on the morning of day 11. You spend two days crossing the Drake Passage each way and four full days on the Antarctic Peninsula and in the South Shetland Islands, with a possible first landing on the afternoon of day four. Some departures, including the Whale Migration edition, are listed at 12 days, which on that edition gives five days on the Peninsula.
It depends on the date. Spirit of Antarctica sails on all three of Aurora’s ships: the Douglas Mawson (built 2025), the Sylvia Earle (2022) and the Greg Mortimer (2019). They are close sisters, all with the Ulstein X-BOW, an observation lounge, sauna, two Jacuzzis and a Citizen Science Centre, and each carries no more than 130 guests on expedition. The Douglas Mawson also has a heated outdoor pool. The dates table shows the ship for each departure.
International flights are not included. The fare covers the airport transfers in the itinerary, a night in an Ushuaia hotel with breakfast before you sail, and everything on board. Most people reach Ushuaia from the UK via Buenos Aires, and we can arrange the flights for you. On the way home, avoid any flight out of Ushuaia that leaves before midday on disembarkation day, in case the ship is delayed.
It varies from one crossing to the next. Some days it is calm enough to be called the Drake Lake, other days there is a big swell, because the Southern Ocean flows round the world here without any land to stop it. The X-BOW helps the ship ride the waves more smoothly, and the Expedition Team keep you busy with lectures and briefings. If you are prone to seasickness, bring your usual remedy and ask the ship’s doctor for advice.
No. This voyage explores the western Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, which lie north of the Antarctic Circle at about 66 degrees 33 minutes south. If crossing the circle matters to you, look at Aurora’s Across the Antarctic Circle, which sails further south down the Peninsula. Our Antarctic Circle guide explains what is involved.
Penguins are almost certain, with gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie colonies along the Peninsula. Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals haul out on the ice, and humpback and minke whales feed in the bays, with whale numbers building through the season. On the Drake Passage you will see albatrosses and giant petrels. Our Antarctic wildlife guide describes what to look for and when.
Yes, and many people do. Aurora keep up to 10 dedicated solo cabins on every sailing with no single supplement, though they sell early. If those have gone, or you would like a different cabin, you can book any available cabin with a 50% supplement. The ships are small and sociable, with open seating at meals, and the Antarctic Women’s Expedition departure is popular with women travelling alone.
Aurora give you a three in one waterproof polar jacket to keep and lend you Muck Boots for the landings, which takes care of the bulkiest items. Bring waterproof over trousers, thermal base layers, a warm fleece, a hat, waterproof gloves, good sunglasses and strong sunscreen, as the light off the snow is fierce. Our practical information page has a full packing list.
Other Voyages
If you would rather spend less time at sea, Antarctic Explorer sails one way and flies the other. To go further south, Across the Antarctic Circle takes you over 66 degrees south, and if you want kayaking, snowshoeing and the rest built into the fare, Antarctica Active is worth a look. Or browse all our Antarctica cruises.