Antarctica isn’t just a place to see — it’s a place to do. From cruising in a Zodiac past towering icebergs to walking alongside waddling penguins, these are just a couple of the unforgettable moments awaiting your clients on our Antarctic Explorer voyage. Below, we’ve listed five must-do experiences that belong on every Antarctic bucket list.
5 Must-Do Experiences in the Antarctic:
1. Step Foot on the 7th Continent
There’s something profound about setting foot on a land so few have walked. The silence, the scale, the sheer remoteness — it stays with you.
2. Kayak Among Icebergs
Paddle through a maze of sculpted ice and watch penguins dive from ice floes. This is Antarctica at eye level.
3. Watch Whales in the Wild
From humpbacks to minkes, the Southern Ocean teems with giants. Seeing them glide past your vessel — unhurried, powerful, free — is pure magic.
4. Visit a Penguin Colony
Waddle into the world of thousands of penguins. Watch their antics, hear their calls, and feel the pulse of life on the ice.
5. Cruise in a Zodiac Through Ice-Laden Bays
Get closer to the continent’s hidden corners aboard a nimble Zodiac. Explore secluded coves, drift past icebergs, and land where few have been.
This Antarctic Journey Has It All
Antarctic Explorer
17 Mar – 28 Mar 2026 | 12 Days
Your clients can experience it all on this carefully crafted journey to the Antarctic Peninsula. They’ll fly one leg of the Drake Passage to maximise time on the ice, explore the coastline daily by Zodiac, and even have the option to sea kayak for a thrilling, close-up encounter with towering icebergs and pristine bays.
Explore the voyage
Early Antarctic explorers returned from their voyages to the deep south with tales of a magnificent, ice-covered land teeming with life. Experience the awe-inspiring immensity of Antarctica, reducing your time on the high seas by flying across the Drake Passage in one direction. Immerse yourself in the unimaginable beauty of the Antarctic Peninsula, where vast glaciers tumble into the sea, penguins are dwarfed by soaring peaks and humpback and minke whales feast on abundant krill.
Highlights
Witness extraordinary wildlife, including fledging penguin chicks.
Zodiac cruise in secluded bays and quiet coves filled with brash ice and photograph enormous glaciers and spectacularly shaped icebergs in various shades of blue.
Keep a close watch for the tail fluke of whales as they take a deep dive, see porpoising penguins and ice seals such as Weddell and crabeater seals hauled out on ice floes.
Observe skuas patrolling penguin colonies preying on vulnerable juveniles.
Aurora Expeditions is actively monitoring developments around Avian Influenza outbreaks closely and are is in constant communication with key authorities such as IAATO. We have implemented enhanced biosecurity measures for arrival in Antarctica and reinforced our onboard protocols, and our expedition team will continue to closely assess each landing site to ensure to determine any risks.
In the spirit of expedition travel, we encourage you to adopt a flexible and adventurous attitude when joining our voyages. This itinerary is a guide only and is subject to change due to weather, sea state and other conditions beyond our control.
Antarctic Explorer Full Itinerary:
Punta Arenas, Chile, South America Ushuaia, Argentina, South America
Day 1 Arrive Punta Arenas
Arrive in Punta Arenas, where you will be met by a representative of AE
Expeditions and transferred to our hotel. We ask that you arrive no later
than 2:00pm on this day. In addition to ensuring your arrival in time for our
important pre-flight briefings, if weather conditions deem it necessary, we
may depart for King George Island on Day 1 as opposed to Day 2. Please
visit the AE Expeditions hospitality desk in the lobby between 2.00 pm
6.00 pm to collect your luggage cabin tags. Our team will confirm details
regarding your embarkation day, answer any questions and provide you
with information about where to dine or purchase last minute items.
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.
It remains a fascinating testament to Chile’s rich history. 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). At 7.00 pm
this evening, meet your fellow expeditioners at a voyage briefing 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 Fly to King George Island, Embarkation
This morning we will be transferred to Punta Arenas airport for our charter
flight to King George Island, Antarctica (weather permi ting). The flight wi l
take approximately one hour and forty-five minutes. On arrival into King
George Island our expedition team is 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 our important safety briefings. Note: King George Island
is located at the northern part 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 take-o f and landing. A
contingency plan wi l be applied to your itinerary should your flights not
proceed today. Your safety is our utmost priority. We apologise in advance
for any delays caused due to this unpredictable situation. Please refer to
our terms and conditions for a more detailed explanation.
Days 3-9 Antarctic Peninsula
It’s almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in Antarctica.
Spotting your first iceberg 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 wi l experience
approximately 18-24 hours of daylight and the days can be as busy as you
wish. Your experienced expedition team, who have made countless
journeys to this area, wi l 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 will want to 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 of our favourite spots along the
peninsula. While ashore we aim to 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 will have the option to do that
whenever conditions allow, and of course keen polar plungers will have the
chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters – conditions
permiting! In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may
ship cruise some of the narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore
islands from the mainland, or linger in scenic bays to watch whales
travelling or feeding. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or
make your way to the bridge for uninterrupted views of Antarctica in a l its
splendour. Keep an ear out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as
they carve their way from summit to sea. Take a quiet moment to
experience the wonder of this incredible white continent.
Days 10-11 Drake Passage Crossing
Enjoy a final morning landing in the South Shetland Islands before we re
enter the Drake Passage for our return journey to South America. With
lectures and film presentations to complete our Antarctic experience, there
is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean and the life
that ca ls it home. There is time for reflection and discussion about what
we have seen and experienced. We hope you become ambassadors for
Antarctica telling your family, friends and co leagues about your journey to
this magical place, advocating for its conservation and preservation so that
they might one day visit the region to experience what you have been lucky
to see and do here. As we approach the tip of South America, our Captain
may sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting.
Day 12 Disembark Ushuaia
During the early morning, we cruise up the Beagle Channel, before quietly
slipping into dock in Ushuaia, where we will be free to disembark around
8.00 am. Farewell your expedition team and fellow passengers as we al
continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the
immense power of nature. Upon disembarkation, for those continuing
their travels in the region, transportation to the hotel will be arranged
exclusively for guests who have booked their accommodations through
Aurora or for those staying in downtown areas near the port. Expeditioners
departing on flights prior to 12:30 pm will be directly transferred to Ushuaia
Airport, those with flights after 12:30 pm will have the opportunity to explore
Ushuaia before an afternoon airport transfer, and the transfer procedures
and details will be communicated onboard before disembarkation. Note: At
the conclusion of the voyage, we do not recommend booking flights
departing Ushuaia prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case
there are delays.
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