Arrive in Ushuaia, where an Aurora Expeditions representative will greet you and arrange your transfer to the assigned pre-voyage hotel with fellow expeditioners. If you are already in Ushuaia, proceed directly to your hotel, where check-in is available from 3:00 pm.  

Between 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm, visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk in the lobby to collect luggage tags and confirm participation in tomorrow’s Lake Escondido pre-embarkation tour. The team will provide embarkation details, answer questions, and offer recommendations for dining and last-minute purchases.  
Expeditioners arriving after 7:00 pm will receive a welcome pack at check-in and should visit the hospitality desk between 8:00 am and 10:00 am the next day.  

Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense.

Assigned accommodation: To be advised

This morning, enjoy breakfast and check out. Ensure your cabin luggage is labeled with your name and cabin number, then drop it at hotel reception before or at check-out. It will be securely stored and transferred to the port for clearance, arriving in your cabin before embarkation. Keep valuables and personal items with you throughout the day.  

Expeditioners joining the Lake Escondido tour should meet in the hotel lobby at 8:45 am. This scenic drive winds through glacial valleys, lush forests, waterfalls, and rivers within the Andes Mountain Range. Traveling northeast of Ushuaia, pass peat bog valleys before ascending Garibaldi Pass, a winding route leading to a stunning viewpoint. From here, enjoy sweeping views of Lake Escondido and, weather permitting, Fagnano Lake. Continuing to Fagnano’s shore, visit a local ranch, take in the landscape, and savor a traditional Fuegian lamb barbecue before returning to Ushuaia for embarkation.  

Alternatively, spend the day leisurely and meet at your hotel lobby or the designated meeting point near the pier (details provided by ground staff) to transfer to the port.  

Once onboard, settle into your cabin before attending mandatory safety briefings. As the ship departs, gather on deck for breathtaking views of Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego.  

Enjoy a welcome dinner with fellow expeditioners, the expedition team, and the crew this evening, marking the exciting start of your Antarctic adventure.

As you commence the Drake Passage crossing, you make the most of your time getting comfortable with the motions of the sea. Your expedition team will prepare you for your first landing with important wildlife guidelines and biosecurity procedures and start your lecture program to help you learn more about Antarctica's history, wildlife, and environment.

Your wildlife experiences begin as you enjoy watching and photographing the many seabirds, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels, following your vessel. On sea days, you can enjoy the vessel's facilities, including the gym, sauna, and jacuzzis, or relax in one of the observation lounges. 

Nearing the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula on the afternoon of day four, the excitement is palpable, with everyone converging on one of the observation decks, watching for your first iceberg. The ocean takes on a new perspective once you are below the Antarctic Convergence and surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures. The memory of your first big iceberg sighting will likely remain with you forever. Time and weather permitting, you may attempt your first landing in Antarctica by late afternoon.

It is 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 you arrive, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are yours to explore, and you have many choices available. Because you are so far south, 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, will use their expertise to design your voyage daily, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, ice conditions, and wildlife opportunities.

You 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 favorite spots along the peninsula.

While ashore, you aim to stretch your 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 can participate whenever conditions allow. Of course, keen polar plungers will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters - conditions permitting! The polar plunge can take place any time during the voyage, so listen out for the announcement from the expedition team and get ready for the most exhilarating dip of your life!

In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, you may ship cruise some narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from the mainland or linger in scenic bays to watch whales traveling or feeding. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or go to the bridge (open at the captain’s discretion) for uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its splendor. Listen out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they carve. Take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of the pristine paradise of the splendid white continent.

As you approach Frei Base on King George Island, it is time to farewell Antarctica and your amazing adventure before boarding your flight (approximately one hour and forty-five minutes) to Punta Arenas, Chile. There is time for reflection and discussion about what you have seen and experienced. Tell your family, friends, and colleagues about your journey to this magical place, advocating for its conservation and preservation so that they might one day visit the region and experience what you have been lucky to see and do here. 

In Punta Arenas, transfer to your group hotel for an overnight stay.

Note: King George Island is located at the northern tip 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-off and landing. Apologies in advance for any possible delays. 

After breakfast, bid a fond farewell to your fellow travelers as you continue your onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature (breakfast included). A transfer to the airport is included in the voyage fare.

Note: Should your flight not proceed due to local conditions; you remain on the ship until it is deemed achievable to return to Punta Arenas. Refer to the terms and conditions for further details.