With travel's restart now truly underway, plenty of people with pent-up travel aspirations are looking to take an epic post-pandemic vacation. An increasingly popular bucket-list item is a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the southernmost continent, possibly due to escalating climate change that's altering Antarctica's landscape and ecosystems.
Part of Antarctica's appeal for adventuresome travelers, of course, lies in its remoteness and its vast uncharted wilderness. Because the journey historically hasn't been an easy one, requiring sailors to cross the often-turbulent Drake Passage (the body of water between South America and Antarctica), not many can boast that they've seen the White Continent for themselves.
But, if you want to experience this otherworldly destination that's unlike anywhere else on Earth, Aurora Expeditions can take care of all the details. With more than 30 years' experience, the Australian-owned adventure company is a global leader in small-group, expedition-style cruises to the polar regions, and other wild and remote destinations.
For guests who are a bit reluctant about crossing the frequently-rough waters that separate Cape Horn from the Southern Ocean, due to sea sickness or an aversion to sailing on the open ocean, Aurora advises flying over the Drake Passage to Antarctica's surrounding islands, where they can join the expedition directly.
Flying one or both legs over the Drake Passage can also be an ideal choice for guests who are on a tighter schedule or who prefer to maximize their time at the actual destination. Flying over the Sub Antarctic also provides an extraordinary perspective you might miss if you're standing on a ship's deck, including the possibility of spotting wildlife like whales, seals and seabirds from above.
It's also worth considering that the seagoing voyage could, in rare cases, find its progress across the frozen tundra delayed due to weather conditions, although Aurora maintains contingency plans for such events. Plus, the company's ships are purpose-built for polar voyages and feature the revolutionary Ulstein X-BOW design that makes even the roughest conditions manageable.
Maybe you'd like to appreciate the Drake from both vantage points; or, perhaps you want to experience crossing the historic Drake Passage by sea once, but would rather forego it going the opposite direction. In which case, you can opt to bypass just one leg of the journey.
Several Aurora Expeditions Antarctic voyages include a built-in fly option, with charter flights included in the itineraries. Explorers can fly directly from South America to the Falkland Islands or King George Island (one of the South Shetland Islands). Upon arrival, they can walk straight from the landing strip to the shoreline to meet up with their ship's zodiacs.
These are the newly released 2023/2024 season itineraries that feature Fly/Sail, Sail/Fly and Fly/Fly options:
- Antarctic Explorer Express (9 days): Ushuaia, Argentina - Punta Arenas, Chile
- Falklands~Malvinas and Antarctic Peninsula (16 days): Santigo, Chile - Ushuaia, Argentina
- South Georgia & Antarctic Odyssey (19-21 days): Ushuaia, Argentina - Punta Arenas, Chile
There are also these classic itineraries (available during both the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 seasons) that feature a Fly component, including:
- Antarctic Explorer (11-12 days): Ushuaia, Argentina - Punta Arenas, Chile
- Wild Antarctica (12-14 days): Punta Arenas, Chile - Ushuaia, Argentina
- Across the Antarctic Circle (12-15 days): Ushuaia, Argentina - Ushuaia, Argentina
- Subantarctic Safari (17 days): Santiago, Chile - Ushuaia, Argentina (this is the Sylvia Earle's inaugural voyage from November 4-20, 2022)
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