Itinerary

Voyage Options

Sail to and from Ushuaia, Argentina, on ASG51, a 20-day voyage. ASG52 is a 17-day alternative, sailing from Ushuaia and returning to Stanley in the Falkland Islands with an onward flight to Santiago, Chile.

Day 1

Step aboard in the late afternoon to a cordial welcome, introductory briefing and an evening departure along the Beagle Channel. Settle into your homely cabin, explore the ship and enjoy a drink with your shipmates.

Day 2

Tune into the Southern Ocean as we cross Drake Passage. Our naturalists and historian inform us about Antarctica and the weeks ahead. Safety and environmental briefings prepare us for landings, while the outer decks and flying bridge offer the best vantage points for photography and wildlife viewing.

Day 3

The temperature plummets as we cross the biological boundary of the Antarctic Convergence. Cormorants, penguins and seals mark our approach to the South Shetland Islands, where we may well land.

Days 4-6

Sail through Antarctic Sound with its spectacular iceberg parade, and into the Weddell Sea. Along the way we may set foot on the Antarctic continent, watch for whales and seals in a sea of abundance, and visit magnificent penguins rookeries at the Antarctic Peninsula’s northern end. In the Weddell Sea we begin to trace Shackleton’s path.

Day 7

Approaching the steep slopes of Elephant Island, home to 22 of Shackleton’s men for four months, we hope for a clear view of the spot where the men wintered beneath upturned boats. With luck we go ashore to pay tribute to these hardy souls.

Day 8

Following in Shackleton’s wake, we sail across the Scotia Sea, detouring to the remote, mountainous South Orkney Islands. Zodiac cruise through a maze of icebergs, landing at a beach decorated with autumnal-hued lichen-encrusted boulders.

Day 9

Time to reflect on all we’ve seen and learned, to prepare for the next phase of our journey as we continue across the Scotia Sea.

Day 10

We enter King Haakon Bay on South Georgia’s southern coast and may make a ceremonial landing at Cave Cove, Shackleton’s first landfall after his epic open boat voyage. We farewell our alpine crossing party here as they begin their own adventurous journey through the crevassed terrain of the island’s interior.

Days 11-14

While the alpine party crosses the mountains and passes of South Georgia, the shipboard party explores the bays and promontories, revelling in the island’s extraordinary diversity of wildlife. We are spoiled for choice of landings: the world’s largest penguin rookeries, wandering albatross on nests, beaches of elephant and fur seals, and Grytviken’s whaling museum vie for our attention. You may choose to hike from Fortuna to Stromness, whose whaling station marked the ending of Shackleton’s arduous island crossing.

Days 15-17

Back to the Scotia Sea for a relaxing interlude. We continue our Antarctic education and wildlife watching en route to the Falkland Islands.

Day 18

Sea Lion Island offers a welcome opportunity to stretch our legs. Amongst a treasure trove of birdlife, Falkland Island steamer ducks and Magellanic penguins enliven walks through the tussock. There are clifftops to explore,  birds and southern sea lions to watch. 

Day 19

Prions, petrels and albatross accompany us on the last leg of our voyage as we swap photos and stories and reflect on shared adventures.

Day 20

In the wee hours we sail up the Beagle Channel to dock in Ushuaia. A hearty breakfast and fond farewell prepare us for leave-taking and the next leg of our respective journeys.

Please note that all of our itineraries are at the mercy of weather conditions and not all landings are guaranteed. Our itineraries are flexible and will change voyage to voyage, allowing the best chance to make the most of surprising wildlife displays and unexpected opportunities.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid?
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements?
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance?
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details?
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Antarctica Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Antarctica Photography Hints

Antarctica What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Iguazu Falls Visit the world’s most spectacular falls, flying from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
	Patagonia Sightseeing and rewarding walks in the magnificent Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares national parks.
	Lakes District Travel through the stunning Lakes District of Chile and Argentina – including Puerto Montt and Bariloche, the Switzerland of South America.
	Buenos Aires From the Rio Plata to Recoleta, fine art museums to tango bars, a whirlwind of experiences awaits you in a city renowned for its sensual elegance.
	Cuzco & Machu Picchu Explore the haunting beauty and cultural wonders of the Peruvian Andes and visit the fabled lost city of the Incas.

Itinerary

Day 1

Board Polar Pioneer or Akademik Shokalskiy dockside to a warm welcome. We have time to settle in, explore the ship and attend a welcome briefing before an evening sail down the Beagle Channel.

Day 2

Ease into shipboard life as we cross the Drake Passage. Our naturalist and geologist expand our Antarctic knowledge, safety and environmental briefings prepare us for landings. The outer decks and flying bridge provide excellent space to see and photograph wildlife. 

Day 3

Today we should cross the Antarctic Convergence, biological boundary to an icy world. Penguins and seals appear as we approach the South Shetland Islands, where we hope to make our first landing.

Day 4

Access to the Weddell Sea is totally ice-dependent. Calved from Weddell Sea’s massive ice shelves, the giant icebergs of Antarctic Sound on the Peninsula’s northeast coast create a memorable sight. We thread our way through waters alive with penguins against a backdrop of breathtaking scenery, forged by volcanic activity. 

Days 5-7

For the next three days, the whim of weather systems and shifting pack ice dictate our schedule. We may visit the vast penguin colonies of Brown Bluff, or Paulet Island, fossil-rich Seymour Island and historic Snow Hill Island. We may hike to spectacular vantage points on Beak and Devil islands. We may even reach the islands of Prince Gustav Channel. Wherever we go, wildlife, Heroic Age relics and haunting landscapes await.

Days 8-9

Returning through Antarctic Sound, we head for the Peninsula’s beautiful western flanks. We make full use of daylight hours and relatively ice-free waters to experience as much as possible. Wildlife stops on offshore islands, visiting historic huts and Zodiac cruising amidst bergs and whales are all possibilities.

Days 10-11

Petrels, prions and albatross accompany our ship across Drake Passage. The last shipboard talks help polish our Antarctic education before making a ceremonial rounding of Cape Horn, time and weather permitting.

Day 12

A pre-dawn sail along the Beagle Channel and an early breakfast prepare us to dock in Ushuaia. There’s time for final photos and to say our farewells before disembarking.

Please note that all of our itineraries are at the mercy of weather conditions and not all landings are guaranteed. Our itineraries are flexible and will change voyage to voyage, allowing the best chance to make the most of surprising wildlife displays and unexpected opportunities.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid?
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements?
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance?
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details?
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Antarctica Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Antarctica Photography Hints

Antarctica What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Iguazu Falls Visit the world’s most spectacular falls, flying from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
	Patagonia Sightseeing and rewarding walks in the magnificent Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares national parks.
	Lakes District Travel through the stunning Lakes District of Chile and Argentina – including Puerto Montt and Bariloche, the Switzerland of South America.
	Buenos Aires From the Rio Plata to Recoleta, fine art museums to tango bars, a whirlwind of experiences awaits you in a city renowned for its sensual elegance.
	Cuzco & Machu Picchu Explore the haunting beauty and cultural wonders of the Peruvian Andes and visit the fabled lost city of the Incas.

Itinerary

Voyage Options

Sail to and from Ushuaia, Argentina, on ASG46. Our other South Georgia voyages are two days shorter, with an option of flying one way and sailing the other. Voyages ASG47 and ASG48 sail from Ushuaia and return to Stanley in the Falkland Islands with an onward flight to Santiago, Chile. ASG45, ASG49 and ASG50 operate in the reverse direction, including a flight from Santiago to Stanley, with the ship sailing into Ushuaia to finish.

Day 1

Embark in the late afternoon to a warm welcome before we set sail along the Beagle Channel.

Day 2

Albatrosses, giant petrels and tiny Wilsons storm petrels escort us across the Atlantic Ocean. Our naturalist and historian enliven the crossing with informative talks, and we prepare for our first landing.

Day 3

We visit an outlying island in the Falkland group, greeted onshore by a fascinating mix of sea lions, elephant seals, Magellanic penguins and waterbirds. 

Day 4

Stanley, the Falklands’ undeniably British capital, features an excellent war museum, quirky post office, picturesque houses, welcoming shops and pubs.

Days 5-6

We cross the Scotia Sea, entertained by our expert naturalist and historian, and keeping watch for kelp-skirted Shag Rocks.

Days 7-10

We have ample time to explore the network of harbours along South Georgia’s spectacular northern coast, visiting wildlife havens that include the world’s largest king penguin rookeries and majestic albatross nests. Kayakers revel in paddling the coastline’s nooks and crannies, accompanied by playful seals. In Stromness and Grytviken harbours, 3000-metre peaks form dramatic backdrops to the remains of whaling stations. Kelp-strewn beaches are cluttered with basking elephant seals, feisty fur seals and a plethora of penguins.

Day 11

As we cross the Scotia Sea, watch for whales, seabirds and our first icebergs. We have time to discuss South Georgia, learn about Antarctica and prepare for more landings.

Days 12-13

Pack ice permitting, we step ashore on the dramatic South Orkney Islands, before crossing whale-rich waters to Elephant Island, integral to Shackleton’s survival story.

Days 14-16

We visit the South Shetland Islands before sailing overnight down Gerlache Strait. Awaken to the thrill of Antarctica, where we plan to visit busy penguin rookeries, historic sites and make a continental landing.

Days 17-18

Return to the realm of the albatross, as we head north across the Drake Passage.

Day 19

Dawn greets us in the Beagle Channel as we motor to the dock in Ushuaia. We bid farewell and continue onward travel, or stop in Ushuaia, known as the world’s southern most town.

Please note that all of our itineraries are at the mercy of weather conditions and not all landings are guaranteed. Our itineraries are flexible and will change voyage to voyage, allowing the best chance to make the most of surprising wildlife displays and unexpected opportunities. 

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid?
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements?
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance?
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details?
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Antarctica Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Antarctica Photography Hints

Antarctica What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Iguazu Falls Visit the world’s most spectacular falls, flying from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
	Patagonia Sightseeing and rewarding walks in the magnificent Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares national parks.
	Lakes District Travel through the stunning Lakes District of Chile and Argentina – including Puerto Montt and Bariloche, the Switzerland of South America.
	Buenos Aires From the Rio Plata to Recoleta, fine art museums to tango bars, a whirlwind of experiences awaits you in a city renowned for its sensual elegance.
	Cuzco & Machu Picchu Explore the haunting beauty and cultural wonders of the Peruvian Andes and visit the fabled lost city of the Incas.

Itinerary

Day 1

Step aboard your home-away-from-home and settle in to your comfortable cabin. There’s time to greet fellow passengers, meet the staff and explore the ship before our evening’s cruise down the Beagle Channel.

Day 2

We cross Drake Passage, accompanied by albatross, petrels, fulmars and prions. Join our polar experts to learn about Antarctica’s unique wildlife and history, talk to fellow passengers, staff and crew, and prepare for landings with environmental and safety briefings. Divers check equipment and procedures.

Day 3

Spirits soar as air and water temperatures fall, marking our crossing of the Antarctic Convergence. All eyes are peeled for the first iceberg, the first penguin and the first glimpse of land. With luck we go ashore this afternoon.

Days 4-8

We explore the Peninsula’s west coast, with time to watch the frenzied activities of penguin parents and chicks, to Zodiac cruise amongst icebergs and revel in the unparalleled beauty of vast, Antarctic land and icescapes. Divers immerse themselves in underwater exploration, while kayakers slice through a fascinating labyrinth of waterways. Further south, ice conditions govern our movements. Whether we cross the Circle via the ‘inner route’ or the Bellingshausen Sea, we celebrate in style. With luck we reach magnificent Crystal Sound, pass through the Gullet and steam on to Marguerite Bay. We may visit historical Stonington, Pourquoi Pas and Detaille islands.

Days 9-10

Time to leave the icy wonderland for warmer climes. With Anvers and Brabant islands astern, we return to Drake Passage, our winged companions soaring and dipping in our wake. As icebergs fade on the horizon, memories hold fast as we reflect on a rich diversity of experiences. We may round Cape Horn if conditions permit, before indulging in a special farewell dinner.

Day 11

Ushuaia greets us in the early morning. Fortified by a hearty breakfast, bid farewell to the ship, her staff, crew and fellow travellers.

Please note that all of our itineraries are at the mercy of weather conditions and not all landings are guaranteed. Our itineraries are flexible and will change voyage to voyage, allowing the best chance to make the most of surprising wildlife displays and unexpected opportunities. 

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid?
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements?
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance?
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details?
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Antarctica Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Antarctica Photography Hints

Antarctica What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Iguazu Falls Visit the world’s most spectacular falls, flying from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
	Patagonia Sightseeing and rewarding walks in the magnificent Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares national parks.
	Lakes District Travel through the stunning Lakes District of Chile and Argentina – including Puerto Montt and Bariloche, the Switzerland of South America.
	Buenos Aires From the Rio Plata to Recoleta, fine art museums to tango bars, a whirlwind of experiences awaits you in a city renowned for its sensual elegance.
	Cuzco & Machu Picchu Explore the haunting beauty and cultural wonders of the Peruvian Andes and visit the fabled lost city of the Incas.

Itinerary

Voyage options

Sail to and from Ushuaia, Argentina on ANP86 and ANP89, or choose a shorter journey, flying one way and sailing the other. Our fly/sail voyages vary in length, giving you the flexibility to choose between 5-8 days of Antarctic landings. On ANP85, ANP88 and ANP91, sail from Ushuaia and back to King George Island, with an onward flight to Punta Arenas, Chile. On ANP87, ANP90 and ANP92, we fly from Punta Arenas to King George Island, returning by ship to Ushuaia.

Day 1

Enjoy a hearty, late afternoon welcome from our friendly staff and Russian crew. You have time to settle in to your cabin and explore the ship before our evening departure. Watch for dolphins and albatross as we sail down the Beagle Channel.

Day 2

Our Drake Passage crossing offers excellent birdwatching from the outer decks or the warmth of the bridge. Learn about Antarctica from our expert naturalist’s informative talks, and about safety and environmental guidelines from expedition staff. We have time to meet fellow travellers, chat, read and prepare for the days ahead.

Day 3

If the Drake Passage is kind, we should make our first landing today. Keen eyes watch for icebergs, while sightings of penguins, fur seals and king cormorants announce our approach to the South Shetlands Islands.

Days 4-9

An overnight passage along Gerlache Strait delivers us to the stunning Antarctic Peninsula, an ethereal wonderland of vast proportions. Aboard robust Zodiacs, we explore penguin rookeries, historic sites and scientific stations. Zodiac cruising brings us close to intricately shaped icebergs and seals basking on ice floes. Dwarfed by massive bergs, kayakers glide into secluded bays, while our photography group learns how best to capture Antarctica’s raw beauty. We focus on immersing ourselves in nature, spontaneity and flexibility enhancing our enjoyment. Bubble-netting humpbacks demand a wake-up call, even at midnight! A curious leopard seal cruising amongst spectacular icebergs may mean postponing lunch. We make the most of every day.

Days 10-11

As the Captain steers the ship north across Drake Passage, our minds and souls revel in rich Antarctic experiences. There’s time to watch for seabirds, enjoy entertaining talks, discuss what we’ve seen and learned, exchange photos and stories. With luck, we may make a ceremonial rounding of Cape Horn before sharing a farewell dinner. 

Day 12

Cruise along the Beagle Channel in the early morning. Disembark after breakfast for onward travel or to savour more time in Ushuaia. 

Please note that all of our itineraries are at the mercy of weather conditions and not all landings are guaranteed. Our itineraries are flexible and will change voyage to voyage, allowing the best chance to make the most of surprising wildlife displays and unexpected opportunities. 

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid?
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements?
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance?
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details?
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Antarctica Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Antarctica Photography Hints

Antarctica What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Iguazu Falls Visit the world’s most spectacular falls, flying from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
	Patagonia Sightseeing and rewarding walks in the magnificent Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares national parks.
	Lakes District Travel through the stunning Lakes District of Chile and Argentina – including Puerto Montt and Bariloche, the Switzerland of South America.
	Buenos Aires From the Rio Plata to Recoleta, fine art museums to tango bars, a whirlwind of experiences awaits you in a city renowned for its sensual elegance.
	Cuzco & Machu Picchu Explore the haunting beauty and cultural wonders of the Peruvian Andes and visit the fabled lost city of the Incas.

Itinerary

A rare chance to visit the once forbidden Novaya Zemlya and explore Franz Josef Land’s distant and wondrous islands. Departing Murmansk, we sail north into the Barents Sea to a world few have seen. Sea time passes quickly, with entertaining and informative talks about the region’s early explorers, the wildlife and plants we hope to see in the Russian Arctic National Park. Watch for whales, walrus and seals, and – as we reach pack ice – maybe polar bears. Spectacular bird cliffs feature, as do long tundra walks and historic huts. In true expedition style, weather and pack ice dictate our movements.

Day 1
Overnight in Murmansk then tour this bustling home to Russia’s Northern Fleet. We visit Aloysha, the towering Soviet monument to Arctic defenders, and the delightful Church-of-the-Saviour-on-Waters. Mid-afternoon we’re warmly welcomed aboard Akademik Shokalskiy, with time to settle in before departure.

Days 2-3
Sailing north across the ice-speckled Barents Sea, affords a fantastic opportunity to hear stories of explorers Barents, Nansen, Sedov and many more. We spend time with our enthusiastic crew and staff, watching for Arctic wildlife and the first signs of pack ice.

Days 4-6
Mountainous and shrouded in mystery, the Novaya Zemlya archipelago comprises one large island and many small, stretching 1000 km in an elongated crescent between the Barents and Kara seas. It remains one of Russia’s most restricted regions. Most lies within a closely guarded military zone, but we head north, hoping to visit Putin’s recently extended Arctic National Park. We Zodiac cruise around offshore island bird rookeries of glaucous gulls, Arctic terns, snowy owls, geese and eider ducks. Whales, walruses, seals and dolphins frequent the surrounding waters. We plan to land at North Cape.

Days 7-11
As we push north to the outer limits of the Barents Sea, an archipelago of 191 ice-covered islands rises from the horizon – Franz Josef Land, the planet’s last major landmass to be discovered! Over the next five days we enter a world of exquisite Arctic beauty that few have seen. Uninhabited, bar a few Russian border guards who maintain a presence here, this is the realm of the polar bear, walrus, seals and elusive beluga whales. Migrating visitors include kittiwakes, fulmars and gulls.

While the archipelago is 85 per cent glaciated, the mostly ice-free shoreline of each island is unique. Just off Cape Tegetthoff, Hall Island, a huge cliff rises from the sea like a giant shark’s dorsal fin. Nearby are the weathered remains of explorers’ huts. Seabird cliffs tower over Cape Flora, Nordbrook Island, close to where Nansen met the Jackson expedition after his failed attempt on the North Pole. Walrus haulouts feature at Stolichky and Appolonov islands; Hooker Island has an abandoned polar research station and unpredictable polar bear visitors. Majestic Champ Island’s ice-capped mountains are the highest in the archipelago. There we search for the geological oddity of unique stone spheres up to 3 m in diameter.

Along the entire coastline we watch for remains of explorers’ and hunters’ huts and camps. Some may be little more than weathered timbers and a gravesite, while others stand strong. Although Franz Josef Land’s southern waters are relatively ice-free at this time of year, our schedule is dictated by weather and ice conditions. Fortunately, we have many options.

Days 12-13
As we sail southwest across the Barents Sea, we have time for lively discussions about all we’ve seen, to enjoy the beauty of European Arctic light, and top up our tally of whales, seals and seabirds.

Day 14
We enter Kola Bay for an early morning arrival in Murmansk - largest city north of the Arctic Circle. After bidding our crew and staff goodbye, transfer to the airport.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Foreigners entering Russian Federation require a valid visa. A tourist visa is issued for a period of 30 days. Please refer to appropriate Consulate in a country of your residence for details. Click here to find your closest Russian Consulate. 

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Russian Coast Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Russian Coast Photography Hints

Russian Coast What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Moscow Tours As Russia’s capital, referred to as Matushka Moskova – Mother Moscow -this spectacular city has plenty to offer. From the famous domes of St Basil’s Cathedral and the ornate underground of the Russian Metro, you will see the diversity and contrast of this city and its grand past to what it is evolving to be today.
	St Petersburg Tours Europe’s finest architects were called on by Peter the Great to design this city. His dreams for it was to be one gigantic museum, making it one of the most spectacular cities in Europe. Visit the amazing Hermitage and get lost in its treasures and explore Peter and Paul Fortress, the oldest building in St Petersburg.
	Russia: Past and Present Experience Russia's past and present with a tour combining the best of it's two great cities - St Petersburg and Moscow. Exploring St Petersburgs historic landmarks you will then fly to Moscow to experience a taste of modern Russia.

Itinerary

Autumn, when Arctic pack ice recedes, offers the best chance to complete the North East Passage. Cross nine time zones, traverse Siberia’s vast north coast, land in places few have seen. Marvel at the tundra’s breathtaking autumn colours, millions of migratory birds, and polar bears busily feeding cubs before winter’s hibernation. We encounter massive river deltas, exploring their wilderness maze, and roam across islands, alert for remnants of woolly mammoths that grazed here when it was the Great Arctic Plain. As our ice-strengthened ship tracks close to the coast, we land at whim, visiting hunting camps and historic sites, and meeting local people. A true expedition, only adventurous spirits need apply.

Day 1
Transfer from airport to board Akademik Shokalskiy late afternoon for an evening departure from Anadyr. Informative talks, preparatory briefings, bird and whale watching on the Bering Sea.

Day 2
Explore Achen Lagoon, a favourite of migratory birds, and cruise amongst Preobrazheniya Bay’s extraordinary basalt spires and overhangs.

Day 3
‘Whalebone Alley’, Yttygran’s historic sculpture park of weathered whalebones, precedes our visit to the Chukchi inhabitants of Yanrakinnot village. Pintegney Bay and Seniavinskiy Strait may reveal puffin rookeries, walrus and beluga whales.

Day 4
Chukchi and Eskimo ivory carvers and hunters in Uelen village share their culture. From Cape Deshnev, easternmost point of mainland Asia, we visit Big Diomede Island 

Day 5
Zodiacs transport us to Kolyuchin Island’s sea cliffs where puffins, gulls and cormorants fledge. 

Days 6-8
Wrangel Island, the world’s northernmost World Heritage Site, is a wildlife paradise where low mountains, rivers and wetlands support 400 plant species and the planet’s greatest concentration of polar bear dens. See thousands of migrating birds, countless animals and the last-known stomping grounds of the woolly mammoth.

Day 9
Reindeer herds roam across Chukotka’s Aion Island pastures, where Russian archaeologists unearthed ancient Eskimo artefacts in the 1920s-30s.

Day 10
Often icebound, even during summer, the Medvezie (Bear) Islands are a popular denning area for polar bears.

Day 11
The Indigirka delta’s patchy forests, autumnal grasses and mosses provide habitat for myriad birds in one of the world’s most important breeding grounds.

Day 12
Melting permafrost on the Novosibirskie Islands reveals megafauna bones and tusks dating back 200,000 years, when mammoths and rhinoceros roamed the Great Arctic Plain. We may see sanderlings, sandpipers, red knots, wolves and polar bears.

Day 13
Mighty Lena River delta, the world’s second largest, fosters carpets of moss, lichen, medicinal herbs and flowers. Walrus, seals, many land mammals and 100 bird species feed here. Beluga whales and narwhals forage in outer channels.

Day 14
Seek the world’s biggest migrating caribou herd, a diversity of birds and woolly mammoth tusks on the Taimyr Peninsula, mainland Asia’s northernmost feature.

Days 15-17
Mountains, ice caps, glaciers and fjords feature on Severnaya Zemlya’s four biggest islands. Little auks, guillemots and kittiwakes wrap up their breeding season.

Days 18-20
Enter icy Kara Sea aiming for Uyedineniya and Pakhtusova Islands, favoured by seabirds, walrus and polar bears.

Days 21-23
Zodiac cruise near militarily restricted Novaya Zemlya, visit Willem Barents’s 1597 overwintering site and replica house. Look for migrating terns, grouse and snowy owls.

Days 24-26
A time to relax, recap all that we’ve seen and enjoy crossing the Barents Sea. Disembark in Murmansk in the morning and celebrate our month-long adventure, sailing the North East Passage! Overnight in Murmansk and transfer to airport. 

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Foreigners entering Russian Federation require a valid visa. A tourist visa is issued for a period of 30 days. Please refer to appropriate Consulate in a country of your residence for details. Click here to find your closest Russian Consulate. 

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Russian Coast Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Russian Coast Photography Hints

Russian Coast What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Moscow Tours As Russia’s capital, referred to as Matushka Moskova – Mother Moscow -this spectacular city has plenty to offer. From the famous domes of St Basil’s Cathedral and the ornate underground of the Russian Metro, you will see the diversity and contrast of this city and its grand past to what it is evolving to be today.
	St Petersburg Tours Europe’s finest architects were called on by Peter the Great to design this city. His dreams for it was to be one gigantic museum, making it one of the most spectacular cities in Europe. Visit the amazing Hermitage and get lost in its treasures and explore Peter and Paul Fortress, the oldest building in St Petersburg.
	Russia: Past and Present Experience Russia's past and present with a tour combining the best of it's two great cities - St Petersburg and Moscow. Exploring St Petersburgs historic landmarks you will then fly to Moscow to experience a taste of modern Russia.

Itinerary

Sweet summer days stretch well into night as snow-capped volcanoes blush with alpenglow and pine-scent fills the air. Lush vegetation reclaims abandoned fish processing plants, now bear-cub playgrounds. Hot springs beckon along Kamchatka’s coast, while waterfalls thunder nearby. Aleut cultural performances brighten subarctic Commander Islands, where bird cliffs pulsate with puffins, murres, auklets and kittiwakes. Explorer Vitus Bering’s tragic grave stands near waters alive with sea lions, fur seals and otters. In Chukotka’s glacier-carved fjords and jagged mountains, we may meet Chukchi fishermen and hike to alpine lakes. Hidden for so long, Kamchatka and Chukotka now reveal their treasures. 

Day 1
Petropavlovsk, cultural centre of Kamchatka, sports a lively buzz as we pass through to board Akademik Shokalskiy in the evening. Our staff and Russian crew usher us aboard before a late departure down beautiful Avacha Bay, suitably bordered by symmetric volcanoes.

Day 2
Wake to the wild beauty of Kamchatka’s east coast. Careful Zodiac navigation takes us past salmon fishing camps into the powerful Zhupanova River, as far upstream as we can go. Look for brown bears, Steller’s sea eagles and distant mountains.

Day 3
Kronotskiy Biosphere Reserve protects stunning volcanoes, dwarf pine thickets, hundreds of brown bears, a Steller’s sea lion rookery, salmon-rich rivers, eagles, gyrfalcons and wolverines. Soak in the soothing hot springs of Kamenistaya Bay and trek through lowlands covered in cottongrass, aspens and birch. As we turn towards the Commander Islands, our naturalists and lecturers share their enthusiasm with informative talks about what we hope to see.

Days 4-6
Spectacular sea cliffs, arches and stacks, signal our arrival in the Commander Islands. Pay tribute to explorer Vitus Bering and visit his grave and memorial. Highlights include: Peregegrebnaya Bay, summer nesting site for red-legged and black-legged kittiwakes; Cape Monati, to spot albatross and whales; northern fur seals and Steller’s sea lions; cruising around volcanic Ariy Kamen, surrounded by thousands of kittiwakes, puffins and murres. At Nikolskoe village, Russia’s remaining Aleut community entertains us with lively performances. A small museum features Bering memorabilia and some of the world’s only remains of the extinct Steller’s sea cow.

Day 7
We ramble across the fantastic, terraced, recently uplifted coastline of Soldatskaya Bay. Thick vegetation draws a variety of wildlife, including long-billed murrelets and salmon-fishing bears.

Day 8
Small, narrow Verkhoturova Island hosts cormorants, gulls, kittiwakes and auklets, while Steller’s sea lions adorn nearby rocky islets. A heartfelt greeting awaits us at Tymlat Bay, a Koryak village, along with a feast of senses, as these wonderful, hardy folk display their unique culture through dance, games and deliciously fresh food.

Day 9
A Zodiac cruise along Govena Peninsula takes us into stunning Lavrova Bay fjord where abandoned herring factory attracts bears. Orcas and Bryde’s whales frequent these waters. Afternoon hike through Uznaya Glubokaya Bay’s fields reveals succulent roseroot, diminutive but fragrant; magenta-colored pixie eyes; and cheery purple-blue-colored Jacob’s ladder. Continue past waterfalls to glacial moraine and a spectacular vista of jagged peaks.

Day 10
Wake to spectacular mountains rising above Natalya Bay. Zodiac cruise beneath Bogoslov Island’s sea cliffs, where puffins, kittiwakes, murres and cormorants breed, and climbing bears raid their nests. Walrus haul out nearby. Hike to hidden alpine lakes and gaze upon the dramatic glacier-carved valleys of St Peter Bay, or Glybokaya Bay. Scattered stands of birch and alder hide singing bluethroat, while golden rhododendron and dwarf azaleas carpet the tundra.

Day 11
Lush valleys and dramatic mountains feature in the Koriakskiy Reserve, one of the planet’s greatest waterfowl reserves where some 700,000 white-fronted and bean geese, whooper swans, little brown cranes and shore birds come to nest. Dezhneva Bay offers a coastal lagoon for birders and, possibly, grey whales. In Anastasia Bay are walrus haulouts and birdlife, including the bluethroat and Siberian rubythroat.

Day 12
Explore Gabriel Bay’s wide river mouth and lagoon, classic stone tundra country dotted with cheery pale-blue blossoms of forget-me-not. We may meet local Chukchi fisherman living a traditional lifestyle and inspect an abandoned polar weather station. Watch for brown bears, wolves, and beluga whales.

Day 13
Putting the Bering Sea behind us, we arrive early in Anadyr and after breakfast, bid farewell to staff and crew before being transferred to the airport for onward adventures.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Foreigners entering Russian Federation require a valid visa. A tourist visa is issued for a period of 30 days. Please refer to appropriate Consulate in a country of your residence for details. Click here to find your closest Russian Consulate. 

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Russian Coast Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Russian Coast Photography Hints

Russian Coast What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Moscow Tours As Russia’s capital, referred to as Matushka Moskova – Mother Moscow -this spectacular city has plenty to offer. From the famous domes of St Basil’s Cathedral and the ornate underground of the Russian Metro, you will see the diversity and contrast of this city and its grand past to what it is evolving to be today.
	St Petersburg Tours Europe’s finest architects were called on by Peter the Great to design this city. His dreams for it was to be one gigantic museum, making it one of the most spectacular cities in Europe. Visit the amazing Hermitage and get lost in its treasures and explore Peter and Paul Fortress, the oldest building in St Petersburg.
	Russia: Past and Present Experience Russia's past and present with a tour combining the best of it's two great cities - St Petersburg and Moscow. Exploring St Petersburgs historic landmarks you will then fly to Moscow to experience a taste of modern Russia.

Itinerary

Wrangel Island, Russia’s treasured wildlife sanctuary, features some 400 plant species, polar bears and cubs, vast walrus breeding grounds, reindeer herds, Arctic fox, lemmings, seals and multitudes of migratory birds. Almost 24 hours’ daylight and retreating pack ice make this the ideal time of year to attempt reaching Wrangel Island. We pass through Bering Strait, watch for beluga whales, experience traditional life of the Chukchi people and explore the Chukotka coast west along the Northeast Passage. We return through the Diomedes Islands, famous for their role in the Cold War.

Day 1
Excitement mounts as we transfer from airport and expedition staff greet us on Anadyr’s wharf in the afternoon. We settle in on Akademik Shokalskiy before sailing downriver and into the Bering Sea.

Day 2
Walrus and gray whales stir the waters of Arakamchechen Archipelago and weather dictates our landings. On Itygran Island, Whalebone Alley is an avenue of raised bowhead and gray whale ribs and jawbones, believed to be an ancient ceremonial site of Chukchi hunters. At Yanrakinnot, we meet modern-day Chukchis who still live a traditional lifestyle – herding reindeer, fishing and hunting. Parakeet auklets, horned puffins and pomarine jaegers herald the feast of bird life to come. On board, our lecturers and naturalists begin their entertaining presentations to inform us of the area’s wildlife, geology and history.

Day 3
Beluga whales may appear as we pass through Bering Strait, where Russia and North America are but 100-kilometres apart. If conditions allow, we land at Cape Dezhnev, easternmost point of Eurasia, to visit an abandoned polar research station and indigenous settlement atop windswept cliffs. After lunch, local crafts and a small museum displaying traditional Chukchi and Inuit clothing, artwork and ivory carvings feature in Uelen village. Late afternoon we cross the Arctic Circle on the international dateline, the chance to straddle two continents, two time zones and two oceans at once, before continuing north into one of the least-visited corners of the Arctic Ocean.

Day 4
Wild and untouched, the Kolyluchinskaya Estuary is ancient tundra between the Amguena and Vankarem Rivers along Chukotka’s north coast. In Zodiacs we search for ringed seals and whales, while on land we hike amongst tundra flowers and watch for yellow-billed loons, tufted puffins and the endemic emperor geese. Our Russian crew and expedition leader assess the pack ice to determine our chances of visiting Wrangel Island.

Days 5-7
We thread our way amongst ice floes, searching for a route to Wrangel Island. Weather and ice pose challenges, but we’ve timed our run to give us the best possible chance. If conditions allow, we land and meet local scientists, who guide us into the vast nature reserve that protects the high Arctic’s greatest biodiversity of plants and animals. Fuelled by the midnight sun, the tundra bursts with life. Inland hills have a high concentration of polar bear dens, and we may see mothers and cubs. We hike across vast alpine valleys, where reindeer, musk ox and Arctic fox live and fossilised remains of woolly mammoth may be found. Zodiacs carry us across Inuit fishing grounds to search for walrus and grey whales

Days 8-12
Returning to the rugged Chukotka coast, we first head west toward the port of Pevek to explore the celebrated North East Passage for several days. This is expedition cruising at its best, searching for new tundra walks, Zodiac trips and Yupik and Inuit villages. Our return through the Chukchi Sea promises fresh discoveries and a visit to Cape Vankarem, one of northeastern Russia’s largest walrus haulouts.

Day 13
We pass through Bering Strait on the lookout for orca and beluga whales, setting a course through the Diomedes Islands, a Cold War hotspot. We hope to visit Arakamchechen Island, home to guillemots, tufted puffins and crested auklets.

Day 14
Our grand adventure behind us, we dock early at Anadyr, bid farewell to our travelling companions and transfer to airport.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Foreigners entering Russian Federation require a valid visa. A tourist visa is issued for a period of 30 days. Please refer to appropriate Consulate in a country of your residence for details. Click here to find your closest Russian Consulate. 

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Russian Coast Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Russian Coast Photography Hints

Russian Coast What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Moscow Tours As Russia’s capital, referred to as Matushka Moskova – Mother Moscow -this spectacular city has plenty to offer. From the famous domes of St Basil’s Cathedral and the ornate underground of the Russian Metro, you will see the diversity and contrast of this city and its grand past to what it is evolving to be today.
	St Petersburg Tours Europe’s finest architects were called on by Peter the Great to design this city. His dreams for it was to be one gigantic museum, making it one of the most spectacular cities in Europe. Visit the amazing Hermitage and get lost in its treasures and explore Peter and Paul Fortress, the oldest building in St Petersburg.
	Russia: Past and Present Experience Russia's past and present with a tour combining the best of it's two great cities - St Petersburg and Moscow. Exploring St Petersburgs historic landmarks you will then fly to Moscow to experience a taste of modern Russia.

Itinerary

From Sakhalin Island to Kamchatka Peninsula, the Kuril Islands stretch like a shaman’s necklace across the rich Pacific waters north of Japan. Subtle remains of Ainu life hint at lost culture, fog adds mystery to abandoned Cold War listening posts, secret Soviet navy bases, Japanese bunkers and airfields. Steller’s sea lions call from rocky outcrops; otters float amongst fields of kelp; clouds of whiskered auklets, northern fulmars, tufted puffins and the mighty Steller’s sea eagle. We encounter brown bears and cubs, tundra rich with berries, reveling in blissful hot springs and rushing rivers filled with salmon. Our kayakers go where few have paddled before.

Day 1
Arrive in Sakhalin Island’s southern port, to be warmly welcomed on board Akademik Shokalskiy, and settle in before a late afternoon departure. Sailing to where the Okhotsk Sea’s icy waters meet the warmer Pacific Ocean, we enter a world often wreathed in fog. As on all of our voyages, a flexible itinerary allows for changing weather and seas.

Day 2
Megaherb forests, hot springs and geological wonders await us on enchanting southern Kuril Islands. View active volcanoes 1819 metres high, photograph magnificent basalt formations and trek through a forest of meadowsweet, cow parsnip and giant coltsfoot to soothing hot springs. Explore nature reserves, home to exquisite native orchids and brown bears feeding in the salmon-rich rivers. Cruise along numerous bays alive with largha seals, Steller’s sea lions and killer whales, stopping to admire sea cliffs festooned with slaty-backed gulls, tufted puffins and rhinoceros auklets. Spectacular cascades herald the Ptitchy River’s final drop to the sea.

Day 3
Harbour seals forage in Zolotoy Bay at Iturup, Kuril’s largest island. Przhevalskya Point’s black lava sea cliffs host Japanese cormorants and tufted puffins. Cruise inside Lion’s Mouth Bay, caldera of an ancient shield volcano. At Kurilsk, the locals may welcome us with tours and performances. Along the way, watch for minke whales, harbour seals, pods of Dall’s porpoise and the Laysan albatross.

Day 4
Urup offers 120km of stunning volcanoes, lush vegetation, lakes and rivers. Cruise the Twins, a geological wonderland of twisted basalt sea cliffs, hike to Japanese bunkers with spectacular views and tufted puffin nests. On the west coast, we may Zodiac through basalt tunnels of Petroskov Rocks.

Day 5
Evocative mists often engulf Chirpoy islands’ volcanoes; roars herald the Steller’s sea lion colony on Brat Chirpoy, while thousands of northern fulmars, albatross and crested auklets float nearby. Broutona’s dramatic cliff lines are home to thousands of guillemots, kittiwakes and tufted puffins.

Day 6
We explore the ghostly remains of a secret Soviet Navy base on Simushir or spectacular volcanic Ketoy, then aim for Yankicha’s emerald green caldera, where fumaroles steam and seabirds nest on steep cliffs. At dusk, thousands of whiskered auklets stream back from the sea.

Day 7
Northern fur seals, Steller’s sea lions, auklets and petrels enliven the Lovushki Islands. Cruising Matua’s northwest coast, we see lava flows from Sarychev, which last erupted in 2009. Ashore are WWII remains of Japanese airfield and bunkers.

Day 8
Ekarma offers sanctuary to many birds, including puffins, auklets, fulmars and cormorants. Sea otters swim just off the northeastern cape. Traces of Ainu culture await on Shiashkotan.

Day 9
Of Paramushir’s 23 volcanoes, five are active. A birdwatcher’s delight, we look for Siberian ruby throats, rough legged buzzards, snow buntings and the exquisite harlequin duck. Hike across Onekotan’s tundra as it wakes to summer and through bonsai pine forests to Black Lake, watching for red foxes and remains of Ainu dwellings.

Day 10
A peaceful river snakes through Shumshu’s grassy wetlands with remnant orchids and wild roses. On Atlasova, Soviet gulag remains and nesting cormorants rest in the shadow of a majestic 2,339-metre volcano, highest in the Kurils.

Days 11–12
Lush valleys and snow-capped volcanoes welcome us to Kamchatka’s east coast, where brown bears feast on berries and salmon. We aim for Vestnik Bay and Utashud Island, a grand finale of shy otters, Steller’s sea lions, seabirds, seals and whales.

Day 13
Cruise into spectacular Avacha Bay for our morning arrival in Petropavlovsk - Kamchatskiy, a busy port set against a dramatic backdrop of snow-clad volcanoes. Bid farewell to expedition staff and the ship’s crew for afternoon transfer to airport. 

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Foreigners entering Russian Federation require a valid visa. A tourist visa is issued for a period of 30 days. Please refer to appropriate Consulate in a country of your residence for details. Click here to find your closest Russian Consulate. 

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Russian Coast Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Russian Coast Photography Hints

Russian Coast What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Moscow Tours As Russia’s capital, referred to as Matushka Moskova – Mother Moscow -this spectacular city has plenty to offer. From the famous domes of St Basil’s Cathedral and the ornate underground of the Russian Metro, you will see the diversity and contrast of this city and its grand past to what it is evolving to be today.
	St Petersburg Tours Europe’s finest architects were called on by Peter the Great to design this city. His dreams for it was to be one gigantic museum, making it one of the most spectacular cities in Europe. Visit the amazing Hermitage and get lost in its treasures and explore Peter and Paul Fortress, the oldest building in St Petersburg.
	Russia: Past and Present Experience Russia's past and present with a tour combining the best of it's two great cities - St Petersburg and Moscow. Exploring St Petersburgs historic landmarks you will then fly to Moscow to experience a taste of modern Russia.

Itinerary

This voyage offers a complete European Arctic experience: tundra walks amidst reindeer and exquisite dwarf vegetation, Zodiac cruises near calving glacier fronts, hikes to breathtaking mountain vistas and warm welcomes into indigenous communities. We may see reindeer, Arctic fox, musk ox, countless sea and land birds, walrus, seals, whales and polar bears. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re an active adventurer or you’ve come to relax. Voyage 1 takes us from Spitsbergen to Iceland via Greenland, while Voyage 2 offers the same trip in reverse. Please note that ice conditions vary enormously from year to year along Greenland’s coast.

Day 1
After a night in Oslo, Norway, we fly to Spitsbergen and enjoy a tour of colourful Longyearbyen. Board Polar Pioneer in the late afternoon, settle in and sail down magnificent Isfjorden, flanked by bird cliffs, vast glaciers and jagged mountains.

Days 2–3
Spitsbergen’s northwest coast features calving icebergs, historic whaling stations and trappers’ camps. Brunnich’s guillemots, little auks and kittiwakes nest in their thousands. Reindeer roam the tundra and so can you, photographing wildflowers like saxifrage, moss campion, bell-heather and hairy lousewort. From our Zodiacs, gain fantastic views of ice cliffs, including Monacobreen, one of Spitsbergen’s largest glaciers. In the north, there’s a good chance of seeing walrus – and possibly even polar bears – on the pack ice.

Days 4–5
Crossing the Greenland Sea, we sail through the Polar Basin’s nutrient-rich waters, searching for fin and beluga whales, encroaching pack ice, and seabirds. Our expert naturalists and guest lecturers entertain us with fascinating, illustrated talks on European Arctic plants and animals, and epic tales of such early explorers as Nansen, Andrée and Scoresby. These are relaxed days, wonderful for getting to know fellow expeditioners and preparing for a landing, if conditions permit, in the world’s largest national park – Greenland’s northeast coast. The region is home to polar bear, walrus, Arctic hare and musk ox. Watch for ringed, bearded, harp and hooded seals from the Zodiacs.

Days 6–8
Ice is often the overwhelming first impression of Greenland. An ice cap covers 81 per cent of the island and pack ice, even in summer, may fill northern bays. Ashore, cosy trappers’ huts beckon from across the tundra, where musk ox, Arctic fox and eider ducks roam. These are just some of the delights in Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord. Lively cascades at Kap Humboldt provide a microclimate for spectacular hanging gardens. Kong Oskar Fjord offers spectacular glacier-carved mountains.

Days 9-11
In Scoresbysund, the world’s biggest fjord, the vast Greenland icecap sweeps down in massive glaciers that calve explosively, creating giant icebergs. Near Sydkap, our Zodiacs weave through a maze of grounded icebergs, some more than 30-metres high, sculpted with deep green tunnels and aquamarine lakes. Enjoy a warm Ittoqqortoormiit welcome, from Inuit happy to share their culture and explain the challenges of Arctic life. Our kayakers find ideal paddling conditions, wending their way through interconnected waterways, watching for polar bears and narwhals.

Days 12
Sailing south along the Blosseville Coast, searching for musk ox and narwhals and marvel at the mountain scenery that dominates the skyline. If weather permits, we head for Rømer Fjord, a deep waterway with stunning mountain views.

Day 13
As we sail across Denmark Strait towards Iceland, there’s time to reflect on our rich experiences, enjoy the flying antics of northern fulmars and black-backed gulls, and spot dolphins, orcas and other whales in their feeding grounds.

Day 14
Arrive early morning in Isafjordur, a stunning fishing town in Iceland’s northwest. After breakfast, bid farewell to Polar Pioneer and her crew and catch a flight to Reykjavik or continue your adventure by exploring Iceland.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Arctic Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Arctic Photography Hints

Arctic Clothing Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Norway in a Nutshell Departing from Oslo, this breathtaking independent journey by train and boat takes you through some of the loveliest scenery in southern Norway.
	Reykjavik Day Trips Explore the intriguing capital of Iceland, with visits to the main city sites and day trips to surrounding waterfalls and hot springs.
	Iceland Complete A 7-day tour around the ring road that circles the entire country, taking in a myriad of natural wonders and inspiring landscapes.
	Iceland Self Drive Adventures Hire a car and take in the wondrous sights of Iceland at your own pace. A world of discovery awaits.

Itinerary

Where warm Gulf Stream currents and Arctic pack ice collide, a wild archipelago features deep fjords, rugged mountains, vast glaciers and polar desert. We visit Spitsbergen as perpetual soft summer light bathes the land, and stretch our legs across tundra alive with green moss and tiny flowers of brilliant hue. Zodiacs carry us to noisy cliffs of breeding birds, while the seas are tumbled by whales, bearded seals and walrus. We cruise the fjords and coast keeping watch for the mightiest inhabitant of all – the polar bear. Kayaking and scuba diving add a special dimension.

Day 1
After a night in Oslo, Norway, we fly to Spitsbergen and enjoy a tour of colourful Longyearbyen. Late afternoon sees us warmly welcomed on board Polar Pioneer, settling in and enjoying our departure under the Midnight Sun.

Days 2–3
Early morning reveals the spectacular aqua-blue ice cliffs of the 14th July Glacier or perhaps the Waggonway Glacier in Magdalenefjorden. Our itinerary depends on weather, snow and ice conditions, and the presence of wildlife. Thanks to the nutrient-rich Gulf Stream, temperatures on the rugged west coast are relatively mild, ideal for the many Atlantic puffins and thick-billed murres that fill the cliffs. We look for bearded seals, with their precious curling whiskers. Up Kingsfjorden we may visit Ny Ålesund, a mining town turned polar research centre and at Amsterdamoya, we hike the tundra, alert for reindeer and Arctic fox. We explore remains of a 350-year-old Dutch whaling settlement and learn of an ill-fated ballooning attempt over the North Pole.

Days 4–6
Beluga whales, pack ice and maybe even polar bears feature as we round Spitsbergen’s northwest coast into the Arctic Ocean and turn south into Woodfjorden. We search for ringed, bearded and harp seals and ashore, trappers’s huts, reindeer and Arctic fox. In Leifdefjorden, breeding eider ducks, terns, skuas, glaucous gulls and black-legged kittiwakes, attract polar bears with cubs. Offshore, walrus feed on clams or haul out on beaches, especially on Moffen Island, a walrus sanctuary. With 24-hour daylight, there’s plenty of time to admire many of the tundra’s 164 species of flowering plants, including purple saxifrage, exquisite yellow spider plants and Svalbard poppies. If ice conditions allow, we attempt to cross latitude 80° North – a cause for celebration!

Days 7–8
Welcome to the wild side! Frigid Arctic currents sweep around Spitsbergen’s northeast corner, lowering air and sea temperatures, and creating a landscape eroded by severe frost. Even in summer, pack ice could bar our way. We attempt to pass through narrow Hinlopen Strait, between Spitsbergen and austere, ice-capped Nordaustlandet, Our Russian crew and expedition staff use their considerable expertise to reach the region’s highlights. We Zodiac cruise beneath Alkefjellt, sheer basalt cliffs rising more than 250 metres, literally buzzing with some 200,000 nests of Brunnich’s guillemots, possibly with Arctic fox scavenging below. On Torrellneset, we could well approach dozens of sleeping walrus. A true polar desert, the east coast offers walks among stunted glaciers, exposed fossil fields, and tundra, where we watch for Arctic fox, eider ducks and the elusive Svalbard ptarmigan. Sailing between Barentsøya and Edgeøya, we cross polar bear migration routes and may visit Sundeneset, a fertile plain covered in green mosses and delicate flowers, including the yellow marsh saxifrage.

Days 9–10
This is true expedition cruising, where plans are dictated by ice conditions and our desire to explore. If pack ice allows, we round South Cape, returning to the world of open water and rugged coastal mountains, and sail north toward Hornsund and Bellsund, deep fjords with remarkable glaciers and wildlife. If ice stops us on the east side, we adjust our itinerary, backtrack and delve deeper into the wonders of Spitsbergen’s north and west coasts, including a visit to colonies where hundreds of thousands of little auks nest, darkening the sky as they commute to their fishing grounds.

Day 11
A midnight cruise of Isfjorden returns us to Longyearbyen, the end of our spectacular voyage and a transfer to the airport for flight to Oslo for an overnight stay.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Arctic Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Arctic Photography Hints

Arctic Clothing Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Norway in a Nutshell Departing from Oslo, this breathtaking independent journey by train and boat takes you through some of the loveliest scenery in southern Norway.
	Reykjavik Day Trips Explore the intriguing capital of Iceland, with visits to the main city sites and day trips to surrounding waterfalls and hot springs.
	Iceland Complete A 7-day tour around the ring road that circles the entire country, taking in a myriad of natural wonders and inspiring landscapes.
	Iceland Self Drive Adventures Hire a car and take in the wondrous sights of Iceland at your own pace. A world of discovery awaits.

Itinerary

DAY 1
Aurora Expeditions’ staff and Russian crew welcome you aboard Polar Pioneer in Oban as we set sail on our Scottish adventure.

DAYS 2-3
Overnight we travel to Iona, birthplace of Christianity in Britain and burial ground of early Scottish kings. The Abbey and Nunnery grounds hold intricately carved stones and crosses dating back to 600 AD. At Staffa, we visit Fingal’s Cave, set amidst spectacular basalt columns, and learn why it inspired Mendelssohn’s Herbrides Overture. At the Cullin Hills, spiritual heart of Skye, we follow a lonely track to Rubh’an Dunain, an ancient passage grave with a nearby Iron Age fort and a stone-lined canal, possibly built by Vikings. Canna offers easy walks with sea and golden eagles overhead, and a Zodiac cruise to basking sharks, dolphins, grey seals and puffins.

DAYS 4-6
Conditions permitting, we land on Hirta, in remote St Kilda. These soaring islands hold Europe’s most important seabird colony and Britain’s highest sea stacks. We learn of the incredible skills and fortitude of islanders, who survived here for nearly 5000 years. Flannan Island boasts spectacular cliffs, rock stacks, hidden beaches and luxuriant heaths. On Lewis we visit the Callanish Stones, sombre rock slabs placed here nearly 3000 years ago to mark burial sites. A refreshing Zodiac cruise takes us to white sand beaches and Bostadh’s reconstructed Iron Age house. An evening walk on Pabay Mor’s hills reveals ancient stone dams. Island hopping northeast, we aim to visit Sula Sgeir and North Rona, home to one of the oldest chapels in Britain. Both are tiny specks of rarely-visited land inhabited by breeding seals and large seabird colonies.

DAYS 7-8
Swept by the warm Gulf Stream and blessed with red, fertile soil, the Orkney archipelago of 70 islands has welcomed people since ancient times. From Kirkwall, we visit 5000-year-old archaeological wonders like Skara Brae, excavated less than 100 years ago to reveal Stone Age life. We view relics of Viking occupation and World War II curiosities, like the famous Churchill barriers and the exquisite Italian Chapel, built from scrap by Italian POWs. We sail past the giant sea stack “Old Man of Hoy”. On Papa Westray we see the Knap of Howar, the oldest standing dwelling in Europe and on to Fair Isle, a birdwatchers’ paradise, where the few inhabitants still live in traditional crofts.

DAYS 9-10
Closer to Norway than Scotland, the Shetland Isles played a strategic role in Viking conquests. We may wander through the narrow lanes of Lerwick, Shetland’s capital and explore the complex Stone, Bronze and Iron Age settlement of Jarlshof. On Mousa, home to the world’s best-preserved and most complete Iron Age structure known as a ‘broch’, storm petrels nest in stone walls returning at dusk after a day feeding at sea. Foula’s 30 inhabitants live in crofting hamlets dwarfed by the island’s five dramatic peaks. Aptly named Foula means ‘Bird Island’ in Old Norse, but it is also protected for its plants and geology. Papa Stour’s coastline offers Zodiac exploration of dramatic caves carved into the sea cliffs

DAYS 11-13
Enjoy a relaxing morning at sea before arriving at Torshavn, capital of the Faroe Islands. This cultural centre features traditional turf-roofed houses. Nearby in Kirkjubour are the ruins of St Magus Cathedral, one of the most important historical sites in the Faroes. Zodiac cruising along Mykines offers close views of cormorant colonies, with guillemots and razorbills nesting on volcanic ledges. Higher slopes provide burrows for thousands of puffins. The immense, vertical Westmanna Cliffs reveal a seabird haven rising above dramatic rock archways and sea-carved clefts. Our itinerary allows time to explore new landings and visit Fugloy, the easternmost Faroe, rich in birdlife.

DAY 14
Return to Torshavn early morning and bid farewell to Polar Pioneer staff and crew. Transfer to airport for flight to Copenhagen, Denmark, for your onward journey.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Arctic Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Arctic Photography Hints

Arctic Clothing Checklist

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid?
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements?
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance?
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details?
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Antarctica Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Antarctica Polar Clothing

Antarctica Recommended Reading

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Norway in a Nutshell Departing from Oslo, this breathtaking independent journey by train and boat takes you through some of the loveliest scenery in southern Norway.
	Reykjavik Day Trips Explore the intriguing capital of Iceland, with visits to the main city sites and day trips to surrounding waterfalls and hot springs.
	Iceland Complete A 7-day tour around the ring road that circles the entire country, taking in a myriad of natural wonders and inspiring landscapes.
	Iceland Self Drive Adventures Hire a car and take in the wondrous sights of Iceland at your own pace. A world of discovery awaits.

Itinerary

Day 1

Pearls, history and stunning Broome beaches are on offer before a warm welcome aboard Coral Princess and a late afternoon departure.

Day 2

Sparse and beautiful, the dampier Peninsula passes by to starboard in the morning, and if weather conditions permit, we hope for an afternoon cruise in the Lacepede Islands, home to vast numbers of frigates, brown boobies, green and flatback turtles.

Days 3-4

Like scattered puzzle pieces tossed across an azure sea, Buccaneer Archipelago’s 800 iron-rich islands are a photographer’s dream. despite its name, Crocodile Creek offers safe, cooling swims; Talbot Bay pearl farms and the Horizontal Waterfalls whitewater excitement. If tides allow, Montgomery Reef provides a delightful cruise amidst bubbling cascades in channels full of turtles, manta rays and sharks.

Days 5-6

Camden Sound Whale Sanctuary offers

protected waters, where the world’s largest group of humpbacks arrives from Antarctica to give birth to their calves. Fit expeditioners may follow Mike Cusack on a trek to Kunmunya Mission ruins, where he spent a year with his wife as Australian Geographic’s “Wilderness Couple”. Our excursion craft takes us up Prince Regent River to magnificent King Cascade.

Day 7

Mighty Mount Trafalgar watches over the magnificent mangrove stands, soaring red cliffs and powerful tidal currents of Prince Regent nature Reserve. We may spotlight for saltwater crocodiles and visit Careening Bay, where in 1820, explorer Phillip Parker King sought haven and blazed “HMC Mermaid” into a massive boab tree that still stands.

Day 8

nesting osprey and monjons (small rock wallabies), bring life to Bigge Island, one of the most important cultural sites on our voyage. Wandjina and Bradshaw (Gwion Gwion) paintings and ceremonial stone rings embody the spirit of those who have gone before.

Day 9

Vanisttart Bay and Admiralty Gulf offer stunning bays and islands where we’ll search for delicate Bradshaw (Gwion Gwion) figures or perhaps relics from WWII.

Day 10

We cruise up King George River and deep into the red-rock gorge to be refreshed by the 80-metre, uninterrupted cascade of King George Falls, the tallest waterfall in Western Australia, before heading across Joseph Bonaparte Gulf.

Day 11

Our voyage ends in darwin, where we say goodbye to new friends and enjoy a complimentary transfer to the hotel or airport before journeying home.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Kimberley What to Bring Guidelines

Kimberley Photography Hints

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	The Ghan Railway A legendary journey stretching across Australia’s red centre from Darwin to Adelaide.
	The Ghan With Uluru, Kings Canyon & Alice Springs Combine your Ghan train experience with a 4-day stopover visiting some of Australia’s most iconic sites.
	Kimberley 4WD Safari’s A variety of trips throughout the rugged Kimberley interior and well off the beaten track.

Itinerary

Day 1

Board Akademik Shokalskiy in Alotau in the early afternoon for our special commemorative voyage. Sail into beautiful Milne Bay where in August 1942, Australia inflicted a major loss on the Japanese.

Day 2

Former bustling port and capital of Milne Bay, Samarai Island’s wharves and town were partially destroyed by Australians in 1942 to keep them from the Japanese. Stroll through faded rebuilt colonial buildings and climb a small hill to a spectacular view of China Strait. Admire Kwato Island’s magnificent stone church and commanding views from a strategic gun position.

Day 3

Canoe flotilla leads us to Dobu Island and the enthralling story of the Kula Ring. Mud pools boil and geysers gush at Dei Dei Hot Springs on Fergusson Island, largest of the D’Entrecasteaux group.

Day 4

Small islands dot the rim of Egum Atoll’s vast lagoon, offering pristine exploration above and below the sea. Gawa Island provides birdwatching and a taste of village life.

Day 5

Dazzling white sands, azure seas and Kitava Island’s chief welcome us to the Trobriands, famed ‘Islands of Love’. Lively yam harvest dances feature traditional costumes and brilliant smiles. In July 1942 the Australian Army established a Spotters Station on the island. Today there’s brisk trade in finely carved ebony artefacts and excellent snorkelling.

Day 6

Idyllic Linden Harbour framed by lofty mountains was a Japanese stronghold after the fall of Rabaul in 1942. Lindenhafen and nearby Gasmata became the focus of an Allied campaign to recapture New Britain. War wrecks intermingle with stunning waterfalls, natural spring pools and perfect snorkelling waters.

Day 7

Jacquinot Bay’s marine creatures feast on nutrient-rich upwellings from the Solomon Trench, delighting snorkelers. On 4 September 1944, the 5th Australian Division made an amphibious landing at Palmalmal plantation to cordon off 100,000 Japanese troops in Rabaul.

Day 8

A dawn river cruise in search of crocodiles, a coconut plantation visit and an energetic trek to an impressive cave system reveal the wonders of Wide Bay. After lunch, enjoy a spectacular sing-sing at Karlai.

Day 9

In a pre-dawn ceremony at Tol plantation we commemorate members of Lark Force and civilians, massacred here on 4 February 1942. In 1987, survivors from Rabaul erected the Tol Memorial. We follow with an exploration of Henry Reid Bay.

Day 10

Spear-wielding ‘Masalai’, or bush spirits, welcome us to Lambon Island, New Ireland, where villagers re-enact first encounters with Europeans. On nearby Lambassa Island, stunning beaches, glorious snorkelling and tropical rainforest belie the tragedy of Marquis de Ray’s 1880 property scam.

Day 11

Explore Bismarck Archipelago’s exotic Duke of York Islands, of great spiritual significance to their inhabitants. WWII wrecks litter the surrounding reefs.

Day 12

Our commemorative voyage culminates in a moving ANZAC Day Dawn Service, marking the 70th anniversary of New Guinea’s entrance into World War II. Visit historic sites and enjoy Rabaul, perched on beautiful Simpson Harbour ringed by active volcanoes.

Day 13

Wake to Rabaul’s dawn chorus and, after breakfast, bid our fellow expeditioners, staff and Russian crew farewell. 

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Papua New Guinea Clothing Guidelines

Papua New Guinea Photography Hints

Papua New Guinea Recommended Reading

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid?
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements?
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance?
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details?
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Antarctica Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Antarctica Polar Clothing

Antarctica Recommended Reading

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

Itinerary

Day 1

Sleepy Alotau passes by as we transfer to Akademik Shokalskiy, where friendly staff and crew welcome us. Set sail into the tropical paradise of Milne Bay.

Day 2

Muscular paddlers escort us to Dobu Island, where happy children await us and we learn the enthralling story of the Kula Ring. Mud pools boil and geysers gush at Dei Dei Hot Springs on Fergusson Island, largest of the D’Entrecasteaux group.

Day 3

Dazzling white sands, azure seas and Kitava Island’s chief welcome us to the Trobriands, famed ‘Islands of Love’. Lively yam harvest dances feature traditional costumes and brilliant smiles. There’s brisk trade in finely carved ebony artefacts delicately inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Fringing reefs, easily reached from sandy beaches, delight snorkellers of all ages.

Day 4

Lababia village rests amidst a conservation success story, the Kamiali Wildlife Management Area, protected by local people. Enjoy rainforest walks on the David Suzuki Trail, seeking hornbills, parrots, palm cockatoos and the striking Raggiana bird of paradise.

Day 5

Four coral atolls of seldom-visited Tami Islands encircle a well-protected, turquoise lagoon. At idyllic Wannam Island, clouds of colourful fish lure snorkellers, and sing-sing spirit men coax squeals from our young expeditioners.

Day 6

Historic Madang offers snorkelling in crystal clear lagoons, bird watching, lively markets filled with fruit and local artefacts, and many WWII reminders. Explore Madang’s natural beauty and enjoy its languid, tropical pace.

Days 7 & 8

Watam village masks, bird dances and spirit-chasing dragons – Sepik River culture is unique and mesmerising. Blue-eyed cockatoos, egrets, great-billed herons and the spectacular Blyth’s hornbill dominate the dawn chorus. Villages little-changed since first contact in the late 1800s are home to the region’s famed master wood carvers. Visit Murik Lakes, where the Sepik meets the Bismarck Sea – a maze of lagoons and mangrove swamps rich with fish and birds.

Day 9

A morning at sea, accompanied by seabirds, brings us to Karkar Island, its namesake an 1800m active volcano. Village gardens thrive in fertile soil in this most-densely populated region. We visit Kulku/Mrangis to see a working copra plantation.

Day 10

Trade and fishing dominate life on the Siassi Islands, where mainland and Bismarck Archipelago cultures meet. We visit Tuam, one of the largest islands, whose prized decorations include dogs’ teeth, spiky spondyllus shells and spectacular headdresses.

Day 9

As we approach Tufi, birdsong echoes across dramatic fjords with sheer basal cliffs and outrigger canoes escort us to a welcome dance. Look out for Queen Alexandria’s Birdwing ¬– world’s largest butterfly with a 30 cm wingspan – and snorkel or scubaTufi’s famed outer reefs.

Day 10

Lovely walks around Weddau and Dogura villages, include a trek to Mt Pasipasi’s 600 m summit for fantastic north coast views. Red-roofed Dogura Cathedral is one of the few buildings to survive WWII.

Day 11

Arrive in Alotau early morning and bid farewell to our fellow expeditions, expedition staff and Russian crew.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Papua New Guinea Clothing Guidelines

Papua New Guinea Photography Hints

Papua New Guinea Recommended Reading

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

Itinerary

Day 1

Embark Polar Pioneer at 4 p.m. to a warm reception from Aurora Expeditions staff and Russian crew before we cast off and sail down the Beagle Channel.

Day 2

Crossing Drake Passage, our historian breathes life into Shackleton’s epic adventure, while our expedition staff prepare us with environmental and Zodiac briefings and natural history talks. We have time to enjoy the petrels and albatross that often accompany our ship.

Day 3

We mark our entry into Antarctica’s biologically rich waters by crossing the Antarctic Convergence. Excitement builds as icebergs and the South Shetland Islands appear. We hope for an evening landing.

Days 4-7

We make use of daylight to explore the Antarctic Peninsula’s spectacular western side. We visit penguin rookeries, sites of historic interest and cruise in Zodiacs amongst grounded icebergs, listening for courting leopard seals. As autumn arrives, penguin chicks fledge and the waters are alive with humpback and minke whales.

Day 8

Shackleton’s story comes to life at Elephant Island. We hope the often tempestuous seas will allow a landing at Cape Wild, where 22 men spent a winter beneath upturned boats, awaiting the return of the Boss.

Day 9

We deviate from Shackleton’s James Caird route long enough to visit the wild and remote South Orkney Islands. Fantastic icebergs often collect along the shores and we hope to land and stretch our legs.

Day 10

Today we traverse some of the most productive waters in the world, keeping an eye out for fin, sei and possibly even blue whales.

Days 11-15

We aim for King Haakon Bay, where Shackleton made landfall, to disembark those adventurous souls keen to recreate the Boss’s South Georgia crossing. We enjoy extraordinary wildlife landings as we make our way around to meet them in Fortuna Bay, with many of us hiking the final stretch to Stromness. South Georgia is breathtakingly beautiful. Abandoned whaling stations, myriad penguins, albatross and endearing fur seals pups hold sway against a glorious backdrop of glaciated mountains.

Days 16-17

We sail west across the Scotia Sea and pass Shag Rocks. We reflect on our South Georgia experience and enjoy relaxed days, with plenty or seabirds and possibly whales to keep our attention.
 
Day 18 

We visit the Falkland’s southern islands, perhaps meeting up with sea lions, elephant seals and an astounding variety of birdlife including magellenic penguins.
 
Day 19 

At sea, our final day is a flurry of shared photos, memories and a farewell drink with the Captain.
 
Day 20

In the early hours we sail up the Beagle Channel and disembark in Ushuaia.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid?
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements?
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance?
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details?
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Antarctica Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Antarctica Photography Hints

Antarctica What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Iguazu Falls Visit the world’s most spectacular falls, flying from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
	Patagonia Sightseeing and rewarding walks in the magnificent Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares national parks.
	Lakes District Travel through the stunning Lakes District of Chile and Argentina – including Puerto Montt and Bariloche, the Switzerland of South America.
	Buenos Aires From the Rio Plata to Recoleta, fine art museums to tango bars, a whirlwind of experiences awaits you in a city renowned for its sensual elegance.
	Cuzco & Machu Picchu Explore the haunting beauty and cultural wonders of the Peruvian Andes and visit the fabled lost city of the Incas.

Itinerary

Day 1

Board Polar Pioneer dockside at 4 p.m. our friendly expedition staff show you to your cabin, with time to explore the ship before our evening departure down the Beagle Channel.

Day 2

Waken to Drake Passage in all its glory. Test your sea legs, and if weather permits, the outer decks are a fantastic place to observe and photograph seabirds. Our program of entertaining, informative talks begins, along with safety and environmental briefings. Divers check their equipment and review Antarctic diving operations.

Day 3

Excitement mounts as we cross the Antarctic Convergence, biological boundary to the Frozen South, ever watchful for our first iceberg. As we approach the South Shetland Islands, an often rain-swept archipelago, the sea comes alive with penguins, seals and possibly whales. We hope to make a landing and enjoy the company of gentoo and chinstrap penguins, fur and elephant seals.

Day 4

Entering Antarctic Sound, we watch for massive tabular bergs calved from Weddell Sea ice shelves and swept along the Peninsula’s north coast. We plan to land on offshore islands and perhaps beneath Brown Bluff, on the continent itself, where thousands of penguins feed fluffy chicks amongst spectacular ice and landscapes.

Days 5-7

Welcome to the Peninsula’s wild side! The Weddell Sea generates its own weather, currents are strong and fast, and ice movement is unpredictable. We’re at the mercy of greater forces and pick our landings accordingly. Some possibilities include Snow Hill Island to visit Nordenskjold’s Hut, fossil- rich Seymour Island, Paulet Island, with its huge penguin rookeries and historical remains, or perhaps Devil or Beak islands where we hike to spectacular vantage points.

Each year, global warming increases our reach – possibly even down Prince Gustav Channel. Wherever we go, we’re assured of memorable Antarctic wildlife, relics from the Heroic Age and haunting landscapes.

Days 8-9

Back on the Peninsula’s west coast, we contrast the classic alpine scenery with the Weddell Sea’s wild isolation. Towering, glaciated peaks rise from a maze of islands and waterways. Leopard seal hunt fledging penguins, while Weddell and crabeater seals bask on ice floes. Another chapter of Antarctic history unfolds as we explore a scientific base or two, or perhaps some old huts. We make full use of our Zodiacs for cruising amongst icebergs, communing with whales – should they choose to approach us – and delivering our divers to the best sites.

Days 10-11

Our return across the Drake Passage is a time to relax after the past week’s flurry of landings and activities. Our lecture series continues, and we recap all we’ve seen and done, swap photos and memories. If the weather is on our side, we make a ceremonial rounding of Cape Horn.

Day 12

Dawn finds us steaming up Beagle Channel to dock at Ushuaia in the early hours. After a hearty breakfast, it’s time to transfer to the airport or to explore the wonderful town of Ushuaia.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid?
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements?
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance?
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details?
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Antarctica Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Antarctica Photography Hints

Antarctica What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Iguazu Falls Visit the world’s most spectacular falls, flying from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
	Patagonia Sightseeing and rewarding walks in the magnificent Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares national parks.
	Lakes District Travel through the stunning Lakes District of Chile and Argentina – including Puerto Montt and Bariloche, the Switzerland of South America.
	Buenos Aires From the Rio Plata to Recoleta, fine art museums to tango bars, a whirlwind of experiences awaits you in a city renowned for its sensual elegance.
	Cuzco & Machu Picchu Explore the haunting beauty and cultural wonders of the Peruvian Andes and visit the fabled lost city of the Incas.

Itinerary

Day 1

We’re welcomed aboard Polar Pioneer at 4 p.m., shown our cabins, then gather on the flying bridge for a wonderful evening sail down the Beagle Channel, alert for penguins, petrels and dolphins.

Day 2

An exciting day at sea, with entertaining talks on Antarctica’s natural history, environmental and safety briefings and captivating seabirds to enjoy. Cape petrels mesmerise us, black- browed albatross enchant, but majestic wanderers take our breath away as we cross Drake Passage.

Day 3

Our climbers and kayakers prepare their equipment, bets are on for the first iceberg sighting and curious fur seals and porpoising penguins herald our approach to the South Shetland Islands. If conditions and timing allow, we attempt our first landing in the late afternoon. We hope to see sparring elephant seals and feisty fur seals, nesting southern giant petrels and several types of penguin.

Days 4-8

Overnight we enter Gerlache Strait and awaken to the glory of Antarctica – soaring, glaciated peaks, ethereal light, sheltered waterways, icebergs like fairy castles. Antarctica is at its most pristine in the early season. Gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguins busily choose nesting sites and whales feed on krill-rich waters. Skuas and snowy sheathbills patrol the rookeries, blue-eyed cormorants nest on ledges and crabeater and Weddell seals snooze on ice floes.

Our expert guides lead climbers up peaks, paddlers amongst the ice, and, if the weather permits, campers to a special site. Zodiac cruises among stunning icebergs, whale watching and a continental landing are on our wish list; flexibility is the key. We may visit scientific stations and historic sites, but our focus is on close encounters with nature. Making full use of daylight hours, we take every opportunity to explore.

Days 9-10

We sail north to the realm of the albatross as we return across Drake Passage. It’s a time of photo sharing, entertaining talks and quiet reflection. If weather permits, we round Cape Horn before a special farewell dinner.

Day 11

Dawn greets us in the Beagle Channel. After breakfast we disembark to catch a flight or explore Ushuaia, the town at the end of the world.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid?
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements?
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance?
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details?
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Antarctica Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Antarctica Photography Hints

Antarctica What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Iguazu Falls Visit the world’s most spectacular falls, flying from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
	Patagonia Sightseeing and rewarding walks in the magnificent Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares national parks.
	Lakes District Travel through the stunning Lakes District of Chile and Argentina – including Puerto Montt and Bariloche, the Switzerland of South America.
	Buenos Aires From the Rio Plata to Recoleta, fine art museums to tango bars, a whirlwind of experiences awaits you in a city renowned for its sensual elegance.
	Cuzco & Machu Picchu Explore the haunting beauty and cultural wonders of the Peruvian Andes and visit the fabled lost city of the Incas.

Itinerary

Voyage options: All South Georgia voyages have similar itineraries. On Voyages 1 and 3, we fly from Santiago to join the ship in Stanley. Voyage 2 boards in Ushuaia and operates in the reverse direction to Voyages 1 and 3. Voyage 1 includes a night in Stanley, while Voyage 3 spends an extra day on South Georgia.

Day 1

Fly from Santiago, Chile, to Stanley, for a fascinating tour of the Falkland Islands capital, before transferring to our group hotel.

Day 2

We visit colonies of king, magellenic and gentoo penguins, a museum depicting island life and the Falklands war, and a traditional ‘camp’ or working sheep farm. At 1745 we meet at the Jetty Visitors Centre for a Zodiac ride to our ship. After a warm welcome, we set sail for South Georgia.

Days 3-4

Cruising the Scotia Sea affords us time to settle in, meet fellow expeditioners and some of our Russian crew. The wildlife, geology and history of the subantarctic islands come alive in illustrated talks by our expedition staff. Environmental and Zodiac briefings prepare us for landings, and because the Scotia Sea is one of the richest ecosystems in the Southern Ocean, we should see plenty of seabirds and seals, whales and icebergs.

Days 5-8

Surrounded by krill-rich waters, South Georgia is one of the world’s most spectacular wildlife oases. During the brief summer, the islands’ beaches are packed with elephant seals, fur seals and penguins hurrying to raise their young. Snow-capped peaks and glaciers dominate the skyline, while broad expanses of tussock grass harbour albatross nests, and burrows of petrels and prions. We plan to land as often as prevailing conditions allow, take extended hikes, or sit quietly enjoying busy beach activity. At Grytviken we pay homage to Shackleton and tour the whaling museum.

Day 9

We sail southwest on the next leg of our grand adventure, a time to relax, reflect on our South Georgia experiences and gear up for our next landings.

Day 10

If pack ice allows, we visit the dramatic South Orkney Islands, where Adélie penguins adorn jade icebergs, and lichen-covered rocks sport autumn hues. A warm welcome awaits if we reach the Argentine base of Orcadas.

Day 11

South Orkneys and Elephant Island. Weather Blue whales feed in the waters between the and ice permitting, we Zodiac cruise along Point Wild, hoping to land where Shackleton’s men spent a winter under upturned boats.

Day 12-14

From the South Shetland Islands, through spectacular Gerlache Strait, we explore the ice-draped west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Highlights include gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguin rookeries, and historic sites. We hope to make a continental landing, hike to glorious vantage points, maybe even bumslide back down. Our Zodiacs provide magic rides amongst exquisite icebergs, per- haps close encounters with whales and seals.

Day 15-16

We head north to cross Drake Passage, where prions, petrels and majestic albatross frequently circle the ship. Time to relax, tune into the sea and recap our many experiences.

Day 17

In the wee hours we sail up the Beagle Channel to dock in Ushuaia.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid?
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements?
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance?
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details?
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Antarctica Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Antarctica Photography Hints

Antarctica What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Iguazu Falls Visit the world’s most spectacular falls, flying from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
	Patagonia Sightseeing and rewarding walks in the magnificent Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares national parks.
	Lakes District Travel through the stunning Lakes District of Chile and Argentina – including Puerto Montt and Bariloche, the Switzerland of South America.
	Buenos Aires From the Rio Plata to Recoleta, fine art museums to tango bars, a whirlwind of experiences awaits you in a city renowned for its sensual elegance.
	Cuzco & Machu Picchu Explore the haunting beauty and cultural wonders of the Peruvian Andes and visit the fabled lost city of the Incas.

Itinerary

Day 1
You land in Reykjavik, Iceland’s colourful capital, set against a backdrop of still-active volcanoes, and are transferred to Keflavik, where we board our expedition ship, Polar Pioneer. In the evening, we set sail into whale- rich waters of Denmark Strait, excited by the prospect of adventures ahead.

Day 2
We wake to the sight of Wesmannaeyjar, the Westman Islands, an extraordinary basalt archipelago cloaked in emerald green vegetation. We dock in Heimaey, made famous in 1973 when the volcano Eldfell erupted, forcing inhabitants to flee to the mainland. We visit farmhouses dating back to 650 AD, photograph Helgafell, the Holy Mountain, hike the still-warm slopes of Eldfell and visit Pompeii of the North project, an excavation of houses buried in the 1973 eruption.

Day 3
As we cross Denmark Strait, our shipboard historian and naturalists give entertaining talks that help us appreciate the discoveries lying ahead. Thanks to cold upwellings, the nutrient waters are rich in birdlife and mammals, and the ship’s bridge or outer viewing decks are perfect for spotting whales, photographing fulmars and kittiwakes, or simply becoming lost in Arctic reverie. Fin whales, the world’s second largest, are often seen, as well as humpbacks, minkes and maybe even
sperm whales.

Days 4–5
Greenland’s wild southeast coast greets us with ice-laden fjords, rugged peaks and undisturbed wildlife, and we are aiming straight for its heart. Its steep, sharp-peaked mountains, countless lakes, rivers and streams and glacier-carved valleys radiate a purity found in few other places. We take full advantage of Polar Pioneer’s shallow draft and maneuverability to explore Skjoldungen Fjord, where glaciers carve through spectacular mountains, yet recede in the warmth of changing climes. Our Zodiacs ferry us ashore for leg-stretching walks up valleys, with rests to admire such tundra plants as crowberry, alpine eyebright, Arctic mouse-ear and dwarf birch. On a calm day, the serenity is overwhelming, and if we’re close to shore, we might hear the blow of pilot or killer whales. We may visit Skjoldungen Islands, known for their spectacular ice cap views, and search for remains of an abandoned settlement. Our Russian captain and crew keep a close watch on weather changes that could push pack ice into the fjord.

Days 6–7
In true expedition fashion, our explorations will depend on weather and ice conditions as we make our way north. Possible destinations include Koge Bugt, where the Greenland ice cap reaches the sea, releasing vast, tabular icebergs; umivik, where Fridtjof Nansen set off in 1888 with dog sleds and five companions to make the first ever crossing of the ice cap; or ice-choked Dietrichsons Sund, where glaciers have scraped smooth the surrounding coastline. Should we take walks inland, we’ll search for the charming snow bunting and rock ptarmigan. Glaucous gulls and Arctic terns are common breeders, and little auks, the most numerous Atlantic seabird, can be seen in their thousands.

Day 8–10
We visit remote trappers’ camps and Inuit villages of the Ammassalik district. Despite an often-harsh climate and the isolation, an abundance of wildlife both on land and in the surrounding waters provides just enough livelihood to support these hardy souls. People first arrived 2000 years ago, rowing skin boats. Although outboards and aluminium have replaced paddles and umiaks, the surviving population still relies on boats to survive. The village Isortorq, or “foggy sea”, is so-named as much for the weather as the glacial silt in the milky-green fjord. The 100 or so people who live here are mostly hunters, relying on ringed, bearded, hooded and harp seals that live in the waters and on ice floes nearby. We watch out for Nanoq, as the Inuit call polar bears. Inland is a wild and mountainous world, offering views that linger in our memory long after we set sail across the Denmark Strait. We spend out last day at sea whale watching, photographing sea birds and sharing a celebratory last dinner with our new friends.

Day 11
In the early morning hours we reach Keflavik and the end of our memorable voyage.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Arctic Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Arctic Photography Hints

Arctic Clothing Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Norway in a Nutshell Departing from Oslo, this breathtaking independent journey by train and boat takes you through some of the loveliest scenery in southern Norway.
	Reykjavik Day Trips Explore the intriguing capital of Iceland, with visits to the main city sites and day trips to surrounding waterfalls and hot springs.
	Iceland Complete A 7-day tour around the ring road that circles the entire country, taking in a myriad of natural wonders and inspiring landscapes.
	Iceland Self Drive Adventures Hire a car and take in the wondrous sights of Iceland at your own pace. A world of discovery awaits.

Itinerary

Day 1
An historical Trappers Station, friendly sled dogs, a natural history museum and the magnificent Advent River Valley feature on our half-day tour of Longyearbyen, commencing at the airport soon after we arrive. Warmly welcomed on board our expedition ship, Polar Pioneer, in the late afternoon, pulse rates quicken as we depart along stunning Isfjorden, a wonderland of bird cliffs, sweeping glaciers and majestic mountains.

Days 2–3
Turquoise ice cliffs of the 14th July Glacier greet us, should we awaken in Magdalenefjorden, well north along Spitsbergen’s rugged west coast. As we soon learn, each day is action-packed, our itinerary dependent on weather, snow and ice conditions, and the presence of wildlife. Gulf Stream currents sweep up the coast, keeping temperatures relatively warm. Our Zodiacs carry us close to fantastic bird cliffs alive with guillemots and thick-billed murres. We’ll look for bearded seals with their quaint, curling whiskers, and visit Ny Ålesund in Kongsfjorden, once a mining town, now a polar research centre. At Amsterdamoya we stretch our legs with tundra walks, ever alert for reindeer and Arctic fox; poke about the remains of a 350-year-old Dutch whaling settlement and hear the tale of Swedish explorer Andrée’s ill-fated attempt to fly a balloon over the North Pole.

Days 4–6
We enter the Arctic Ocean, searching for beluga whales, pack ice and polar bears as we round the northwest corner of Spitsbergen and make our way down Woodfjorden. Ringed, bearded and even small numbers of harp seals can be seen, both from our ship and Zodiacs. On shore we stretch our legs, searching for trappers’ huts and keeping a watchful eye for reindeer and Arctic fox. Polar bears with cubs often hunt for eggs on Leifdefjorden’s islands, the breeding grounds of eider ducks, Arctic terns, Arctic skuas, great skuas, glaucous gulls and black-legged kittiwakes. Along the pack ice edge we stay alert for sightings of minke and other whales. The long days are perfect for relaxed wildflower walks, allowing us time to photograph some of the tundra’s 164 species of flowering plants, including purple saxifrage, exquisite yellow spider plants and Svalbard poppies. If ice conditions allow, we’ll attempt to
cross latitude 80° North – cause for celebration!

Days 7–10
Welcome to the wild side! Frigid Arctic currents sweep around Spitsbergen’s northeast corner, lowering air and sea temperatures, and creating a landscape worn down by severe frost. Even in summer, pack ice could bar our way. We attempt to pass through narrow Hinlopen Strait, between Spitsbergen and austere, ice-capped Nordaustlandet, sail down past Barentsøya and Edgeøya, eventually rounding South Cape. Our Russian crew and expedition staff call on their considerable expertise to reach some of the region’s highlights. We Zodiac cruise beneath Alkefjellt, sheer basalt cliffs that rise like an ancient castle more than 250-metres, adorned with some 200,000 nests of Brunnich’s guillemots literally buzzing with life. On Torrellneset, we could stealthily approach dozens of sleeping walrus. A true polar desert, the east coast offers walks among stunted glaciers, exposed fossil fields, and tundra, where we watch for Arctic fox, eider ducks and the elusive Svalbard ptarmi gan. We cross polar bear migration routes and may visit Sundeneset, a fertile plain covered in green mosses and delicate flowers, including the yellow marsh saxifrage. This is true expedition cruising, where our plans are dictated by ice conditions and our desire to explore. If pack ice allows, we’ll round

South Cape, returning to the world of open water and rugged coastal mountains, and sail north toward Hornsund and Bellsund. If ice stops us on the East side, we’ll simply adjust our itinerary, backtrack and delve deeper into the wonders of Spitsbergen’s north and west coasts, including a visit to Hornsund in the south, where little auks nest and darken the sky as they fly to and from their fishing grounds.

Day 11
An early morning cruise of Isfjorden returns us to Longyearbyen, the end of our memorable voyage and a transfer to the airport or our hotel.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Arctic Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Arctic Photography Hints

Arctic Clothing Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Norway in a Nutshell Departing from Oslo, this breathtaking independent journey by train and boat takes you through some of the loveliest scenery in southern Norway.
	Reykjavik Day Trips Explore the intriguing capital of Iceland, with visits to the main city sites and day trips to surrounding waterfalls and hot springs.
	Iceland Complete A 7-day tour around the ring road that circles the entire country, taking in a myriad of natural wonders and inspiring landscapes.
	Iceland Self Drive Adventures Hire a car and take in the wondrous sights of Iceland at your own pace. A world of discovery awaits.

Itinerary

Voyage to the End of Earth offers a rare chance to visit Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land. Access to these Arctic wonderlands has been restricted for decades, due to their military sensitivity. The highly productive Kara Sea attracts diverse marine life, including walrus, whales and seals. Explorers have been drawn to this area for centuries, searching for both the North Pole and a maritime route to the east. Our own explorations take us to historic huts and abandoned research stations.

Day 1
Gateway to the Russian Arctic and home to the Northern Fleet, Murmansk bustles with the energy of a growing port. We arrive to full swing of the Midnight Sun, in the city famed for hosting allied convoys during World War II. This morning you will be met on arrival at Murmansk airport and taken on a city tour, including a visit to Aloysha, the towering Soviet monument to the Arctic defenders, and the delightful Church-of-the-Saviour-on-Waters, and mid-afternoon you will be transferred to Akademik Shokalskiy. After a warm welcome, we set sail bound for Novaya Zemlya and Franz Joseph Land.

Day 2 -4
Sailing north across the ice-speckled Barents Sea, we have a fantastic opportunity to hear the stories of explorers Barents, Nansen, Sedov and many more. Spend time with our enthusiastic crew and staff, watching for Arctic wildlife and distant pack ice. 

Day 5-6
Mountainous and shrouded in mystery, the Novaya Zemlya archipelago remains one of Russia’s most restricted regions. Most lies within a closely guarded military zone, but we head north, some of the first visitors to Putin’s recently extended Arctic National Park. We Zodiac cruise around island bird rookeries, photographing glaucous gulls, Arctic terns, Snowy owls, geese and eider ducks.

Days 7-11
As we push north to the outer limits of the Barents Sea, an archipelago of 191 ice-covered islands rises from the horizon – Franz Josef Land, the planet’s last major landmass to be discovered! Over the next five days we enter a world of exquisite Arctic beauty that few have seen. Uninhabited, bar a few Russian border guards who maintain a presence here, this is the realm of the polar bear, walrus, seals and elusive beluga whales. Summer visitors include kittiwakes, fulmars and gulls. While the archipelago is 85% glaciated, the mostly ice-free shoreline of each island is unique. We may visit explorers’ huts on Bell and Hall islands; Nordbrook Island’s seabird cliffs; walrus haulouts at Stolichky and Appolonov islands; Hooker Island’s abandoned polar research station with its unpredictable polar bear visitors. Marvel at Champ Island’s unique stone spheres up to 3 m in diameter.

Days 12-13
As we sail southwest across the Barents Sea, we have time for lively discussions about all we’ve seen, to enjoy the beauty of high Arctic light, and top up our tally of whales, seals and seabirds.

Day 14
We enter Kola Bay for an early morning arrival in Murmansk - largest city north of the Arctic Circle. After bidding our crew and staff goodbye, you will be taken to your hotel and on a city tour before being transferred to the airport for your early morning flight.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Foreigners entering Russian Federation require a valid visa. A tourist visa is issued for a period of 30 days. Please refer to appropriate Consulate in a country of your residence for details. Click here to find your closest Russian Consulate. 

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Russian Coast Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Russian Coast Photography Hints

Russian Coast What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Moscow Tours As Russia’s capital, referred to as Matushka Moskova – Mother Moscow -this spectacular city has plenty to offer. From the famous domes of St Basil’s Cathedral and the ornate underground of the Russian Metro, you will see the diversity and contrast of this city and its grand past to what it is evolving to be today.
	St Petersburg Tours Europe’s finest architects were called on by Peter the Great to design this city. His dreams for it was to be one gigantic museum, making it one of the most spectacular cities in Europe. Visit the amazing Hermitage and get lost in its treasures and explore Peter and Paul Fortress, the oldest building in St Petersburg.
	Russia: Past and Present Experience Russia's past and present with a tour combining the best of it's two great cities - St Petersburg and Moscow. Exploring St Petersburgs historic landmarks you will then fly to Moscow to experience a taste of modern Russia.

Itinerary

Across the Northeast Passage attempts one of the great geographical challenges of our time – a must for explorers and the adventure-minded. We traverse nine time zones and six seas, from Murmansk to Anadyr, following in the wake of Baron Nils Nordenskjöld – the first to succeed. We call at numerous archipelagos, huge Siberian river deltas and discover isolated Eskimo villages, polar bear dens and a treasure trove of Arctic wildlife.

Days 1-3
After your overnight stay in Murmansk and afternoon city tour, you will be transferred to Akademik Shokalskiy late afternoon for an evening departure. Informative talks, preparatory briefings, bird and whale watching on the Barents Sea. 

Days 4-5
Explore militarily restricted Novaya Zemlya, visit Willem Barents’s 1597 overwintering site and replica house. Look for migrating terns, grouse and Snowy owls. 

Days 6-7
Enter icy Kara Sea aiming for Uyedineniya and Pakhtusova Islands, favoured by seabirds, walrus and polar bears.

Days 8-10
Severnaya Zemlya’s four biggest islands sport mountains, ice caps, glaciers and fjords. Little auks, guillemots and kittiwakes wrap up their breeding season. 

Day 11
Seek the world’s biggest migrating caribou herd, a diversity of birds and woolly mammoth tusks on the Taimyr Peninsula, mainland Asia’s northernmost feature.

Day 12
Mighty Lena River delta, the world’s second largest, fosters carpets of moss, lichen, medicinal herbs and flowers. Walrus, seals, many land mammals and 100 bird species feed here. Beluga whales and narwhals forage in outer channels. 

Days 13–15
Melting permafrost on the Novosibirskie Islands reveals mega-fauna bones and tusks 200 millennia old, when mammoths and rhinoceros roamed the Great Arctic Plain. We may see sanderlings, sandpipers, red knots, wolves and polar bears. 

Day 16
The Indigirka delta’s patchy forests, autumnal grasses and mosses provide habitat for a myriad of birds in one of the world’s most important breeding grounds.

Day 17
Often icebound, even during summer, the Medvezie (Bear) islands are a popular denning area for polar bears. 

Day 18
When winter snow melts, Chukotka’s Aion Island pastures lure reindeer herds. In the 1920s-30s, Russian archaeologists unearthed ancient Eskimo artefacts here.

Days 19 – 21
Wrangel Island, the world’s most northern World Heritage Site, is a wildlife paradise! Never glaciated, the low mountains, rivers and wetlands support 400 plant species and the planet’s greatest concentration of polar bear dens. Thousands of migrating birds, countless animals and the last-known stamping grounds of the woolly mammoth. 

Day 22
Zodiacs transport us to Kolyuchin Island’s sea cliffs where puffins, gulls and cormorants fledge. 

Day 23
Chukchi and Eskimo ivory carvers and hunters in Uelen village share their culture. From Cape Dezhneva, easternmost point of mainland Asia, we visit Big Diomede Island. 

Day 24
‘Whalebone Alley’, Yttygran’s historic sculpture park of weathered whalebones, precedes our visit to the Chukchi inhabitants of Yanrakinnot village. Pintegney Bay and Seniavinskiy Strait may reveal puffin rookeries, walrus and Beluga whales. 

Day 25
Explore Achen Lagoon, a favourite of migratory birds, and cruise amongst Preobrazeniya Bay’s extraordinary basalt spires and overhangs. 

Day 26
Disembark in Anadyr in the morning and celebrate your month-long adventure while being transferred to the airport.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Foreigners entering Russian Federation require a valid visa. A tourist visa is issued for a period of 30 days. Please refer to appropriate Consulate in a country of your residence for details. Click here to find your closest Russian Consulate. 

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Russian Coast Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Russian Coast Photography Hints

Russian Coast What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Moscow Tours As Russia’s capital, referred to as Matushka Moskova – Mother Moscow -this spectacular city has plenty to offer. From the famous domes of St Basil’s Cathedral and the ornate underground of the Russian Metro, you will see the diversity and contrast of this city and its grand past to what it is evolving to be today.
	St Petersburg Tours Europe’s finest architects were called on by Peter the Great to design this city. His dreams for it was to be one gigantic museum, making it one of the most spectacular cities in Europe. Visit the amazing Hermitage and get lost in its treasures and explore Peter and Paul Fortress, the oldest building in St Petersburg.
	Russia: Past and Present Experience Russia's past and present with a tour combining the best of it's two great cities - St Petersburg and Moscow. Exploring St Petersburgs historic landmarks you will then fly to Moscow to experience a taste of modern Russia.

Itinerary

Day 1
Boarding our purpose-built expedition vessel, Oceanic Discoverer in Cairns, we are joined by new and old friends as we set sail towards the China Strait and settle into the rhythm of life on board.

Day 2
After a leisurely morning, we enjoy a day at sea relaxing in the comfort of our home away from home. Our knowledgeable guest lecturers will inform and entertain us on the experiences that may unfold over the next few as we make our way towards the fertile waters of Papua New Guinea.

Day 3
Steaming into the tranquil isles of Milne Bay province, with their backdrop of majestic volcanoes and pristine coral atolls, an ancient land of strange traditions unfolds. We are flanked by the splendour of imposing mountain ranges on each side as we sail into the harbour town of Alotau.

Day 4
Dobu is a small circle of land floating in the southern D'Entrecasteaux and is the island image of Eden. At the main wharf stands the handsome stone church, the first Methodist Church in the islands. Mangroves shade a shoreline path where we may be greeted by villagers with gifts of betel nut. On Fergusson Island we will delight in the Dei Dei Hot Springs where the landowner shares the mythical and spiritual tales of these hot water and mud springs.

Day 5
Historically known as the 'Islands of Love', the Trobriands offer us a glimpse of traditional culture largely unspoilt by outside influence. We hope to witness the traditional Trobriand yam harvest dances performed by the locals in stunning traditional costumes.

Day 6
We explore Tuam, in the Sassi group of islands, which offers a mix of both mainland and Bismark Archipelago cultures. Their prized trinkets and decorations include dog's teeth, spondyllus shells and wonderful balsa wood and sago bark headdresses.

Day 7
The historic town of Madang sits on a peninsula surrounded by picturesque islands. Famed for its diving, the waters surrounding Madang offer excellent visibility and many WWII wrecks to explore. We explore the town and have the opportunity to purchase magnificent artefacts. There is also the chance to go swimming, snorkelling, diving and explore the harbour.

Day 8
This morning we enter the mouth of the mighty Sepik River - of the world's great river systems. Oceanic Discoverer will cruise upriver to the middle Sepik region renowned for its distinctive and much sought-after artefacts. We visit the remote villages of Angoram and Bien where the local Sepik people are among the greatest primitive artists on Earth and each village has its own distinct style. We anchor this evening deep in the Sepik itself, while overhead hundreds of noisy flying foxes stream across the sky.

Day 9
An early morning start offers a great opportunity for bird watching. Join our naturalists and seek out Spotted Blue-eyed Cockatoos, Wagtails, Great Egrets, Little Egrets, Great Billed Heron and the enormous Blyth's Hornbill as we cruise up the great Sepik River.

Day 10
A renowned turtle nesting ground and home of the giant lizard, we explore the beaches of this seldom-visited island and spend time relaxing or snorkelling in the beautiful clear waters.

Day 11 - 12
With the support of a local guide, we will embark on an exploration of the region. Kimbe Bay is one of the world's richest and most diverse coral reef systems, home to over 860 different species of tropical fish and in excess of 400 different varieties of coral. With over 70% of all coral species in the Indo Pacific region found here, Kimbe Bay is recognised as one of the world's most diverse marine environments. We may experience genuine island friendliness and hospitality, as we are welcomed into the region by a flotilla of outrigger canoes.

Day 13
In the early morning we sail into Simpson Harbour and the port city of Rabaul. Surrounded by six volcanic peaks, including the still active Mt Tavurvur, forming a stunning backdrop and fitting farewell to our new and old friends.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Papua New Guinea Clothing Guidelines

Papua New Guinea Photography Hints

Papua New Guinea Recommended Reading

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

Itinerary

Our first and second voyages take us from Broome to Bigge Island off the Kimberley's north-west coast and back again. This allows us additional time to focus our exploration on the hidden bays and offshore islands along the way.

Day 1
Having sampled the relaxed pace of life in cosmopolitan Broome, we transfer to our floating home, Coral Princess.

Day 2
By early afternoon, we'll wander along beautiful, white sandy beaches of the Lacepede Islands, prime breeding grounds for the green - and occasionally flatback - turtles. We'll be immersed in the cries of some 40,000 brown boobies, 5000 lesser frigate birds, and thousands of terns, pelicans and cormorants.

Day 3 - 4
The iron-red stumps of the Wyndham and McLarty ranges reach the sea at Talbot Bay and Yampi Sound, creating a startling maze of more than 800 red islands mirrored in clear blue waters. Cruising north we may choose to cool off in Crocodile Creek, confront the renowned Horizontal Waterfalls in Talbot Bay and inspect tide pools of awe-inspiring Montgomery Reef.

Day 5 - 6
After a visit to the magnificent rock art galleries of Raft Point, we'll cruise past the failed 19th C sheep farming areas in Doubtful Bay and Camden Harbour, and hope to visit the former home site of Susan and Michael Cusack near the ruins of Kunmunya Mission. Making good use of the shallow draft of Coral Princess, we plan to enter the 100 kilometre-long knife-slice of the Prince Regent River gorge. If all goes well, we can plunge into the cool, freshwater swimming holes near the remote King Cascade.

Day 7
Using our Zodiac inflatables or purpose-built river launch, we set out to explore the coastal fringe of the Prince Regent Nature Reserve, home to more than half of the Kimberley's mammal and bird species, the formidable saltwater crocodile, and at least 500 species of plants. Further north, Careening Bay provided a haven to explorer Phillip Parker King in 1820.

Day 8
As we cruise north, we travel offshore to Bigge Island in search of the "upsetting eyes and electrified hair" of the famous Wandjina spirit paintings. Here we may also ponder the origin of controversial rock art that depicts figures smoking pipes and wearing baggy European trousers.

Day 9
Turning south, we make for Langgi in the northern Collier Bay area, where a maze of three metre-high stone pillars mark the start of a mythical Aboriginal tale.

Day 10
Overnight we cruise into Yampi Sound, one of the world's richest iron ore provinces. Nearby Koolan Island is described in the Australian Geographic Kimberley book as one of the most beautiful yet daunting places on earth.

Day 11
We should arrive back in Broome by early morning. Complimentary transfer to hotel or airport is provided as we begin the journey home, after saying farewell to newfound friends.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Kimberley What to Bring Guidelines

Kimberley Photography Hints

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	The Ghan Railway A legendary journey stretching across Australia’s red centre from Darwin to Adelaide.
	The Ghan With Uluru, Kings Canyon & Alice Springs Combine your Ghan train experience with a 4-day stopover visiting some of Australia’s most iconic sites.
	Kimberley 4WD Safari’s A variety of trips throughout the rugged Kimberley interior and well off the beaten track.

Itinerary

NOTE: The itinerary for this voyage is the reverse of our outbound trip, with the following changes. We spend one day at Kimbe Bay and visit Lababia village. We also visit Tufi Fjords rather than Kitava Island in the Trobriands. Itineraries for the two new stops are as follows:

Day 8 - Lababia
Lababia, a picturesque village, is home to the proud custodians of the Kamiali Wildlife Management Area, one of PNG's most important conservation areas. Walking the David Suzuki trail, we'll enjoy prolific birdlife, including hornbills, parrots, palm cockatoos and maybe even the striking Raggiana bird of paradise.

Day 9 - Tufi Fjords
Tufi Fjords, rarely visited, feature 25 individual canyons of sheer basalt cliffs, the only fjords in Papua New Guinea. We soak up spectacular views from towering cliffs, search the rainforest for the world's largest butterfly and learn about the locals' ancient tribal customs.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Please contact our reservations staff for assistance, or if you are unsure if you require a visa.

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Papua New Guinea Clothing Guidelines

Papua New Guinea Photography Hints

Papua New Guinea Recommended Reading

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

Itinerary

The Ring of Fire displays the spectacular results of the forces that shape our world – tectonic plates and volcanism. Active volcanoes, sculpted basalt sea cliffs, archways, tunnels, and lush vegetation provide habitat for an astounding diversity of wildlife. We see large numbers of seabirds, sea lions, otters and whales. Soak in hot springs, hike through megaherb forests, visit Cold War listening posts, secret Soviet Navy bases and remains of Ainu villages.

Day 1
Upon your arrival at Petropavlovsk - Kamchataskiy airport, you will be transferred to Akademik Shokalskiy in the evening for a late night departure.

Days 2-3
We awake to lush valleys and snow-capped volcanoes of Kamchatka’s east coast. Brown bears feast on berries and salmon. Expect Steller sea lions, countless breeding seabirds and seals, whales and otters.

Day 4
On Shumshu, a peaceful river snakes through grassy wetlands with remnant orchids and wild roses. Soviet gulag remains on Atlasova share a volcanic landscape with nesting cormorants. 

Day 5
Of Paramushir’s 23 volcanoes, five are active including Ebeko, which has erupted in the past two years. We take a hike across Onekotan’s autumnal tundra and through bonsai pine forests to Black Lake, watching for red foxes and remains of Ainu dwellings. 

Day 6
Ekarma offers sanctuary to many birds, including puffins, auklets, fulmars and cormorants. Sea otters swim just off the northeastern cape. Traces of Ainu culture await on Shiashkotan. 

Day 7
Northern fur seals, Steller sea lions, auklets and petrels enliven the Lovushki Islands. Cruising Matua’s northwest coast, we see lava flows from Sarychev, which last erupted in 2009. Ashore are WWII remains of Japanese airfield and bunkers. 

Day 8
Fumaroles steam and seabirds nest on steep cliffs around Yankicha’s emerald green caldera. At dawn, thousands of whiskered auklets stream out to sea. We explore the ghostly remains of a secret Soviet Navy base on Simushir. 

Day 9
We zodiac cruise in evocative mists that often engulf Chirpoy Island twin volcanoes. A roar heralds the Steller sea lion colony on Brat Chirpoy Island, while thousands of northern fulmars, albatross and crested auklets float nearby. 

Day 10
Urup offers 120 km of stunning volcanoes, lush vegetation, lakes and rivers. Cruise the Twins, a geological wonderland of twisted basalt sea cliffs, hike up to Japanese bunkers with spectacular views and tufted puffin nests. On the west coast, we may Zodiac through basalt tunnels of Petroskov Rocks. 

Day 11-12
Iturup is Kuril’s largest island, where harbour seals forage in Zolotoy Bay. Przhevalskya Point’s black lava sea cliffs host Japanese cormorants and tufted puffins. We cruise inside Lion’s Mouth Bay, caldera of an ancient shield volcano. At Kurilsk, the locals welcome us with tours and performances. Our final day offers landings depending on local conditions. Along the way we watch for minke whales, harbour seals and pods of Dall’s porpoise. We may find a megaherb forest or hot springs to enjoy. In the Kurils, there’s always scope for surprise! 

Day 13
Arrive early morning at Sakhalin’s southern port, and disembark at the end of our magical adventure before being transferred to your hotel or the airport for your afternoon departure.

Activities

How to Prepare

To ensure you have an enjoyable and safe expedition we have developed some import pre-departure information to help you prepare for your voyage. We strongly recommend you download the documents below and read carefully. Our reservation staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Before you depart for your expedition we will send you a detailed pack including your itinerary, travel documents and any other essential information relevant to your voyage.

Is your passport valid? 
Your passport will be required to have validity that will extend to six months after the date of your return.

Visa arrangements? 
Your visa arrangements are your responsibility. Foreigners entering Russian Federation require a valid visa. A tourist visa is issued for a period of 30 days. Please refer to appropriate Consulate in a country of your residence for details. Click here to find your closest Russian Consulate. 

Travel insurance? 
All passengers are required to provide travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact number to Aurora Expeditions prior to departure. We strongly recommend insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation from the vessel.

Emergency contact details? 
So that you can be contacted in the case of an emergency, remember to provide your family or friends with a copy of your travel documents as well as Aurora Expeditions’ and your Ship’s contact numbers.

Remember to pack any valuables or essential items such as medication in your hand luggage to avoid issues in the case of lost baggage.

Russian Coast Landing & Wildlife Viewing Guidelines

Russian Coast Photography Hints

Russian Coast What To Bring Checklist

How to Book

Contact us

If you are interested in an Aurora Expeditions voyage, please contact our sales team to check availability.
Either email an expert here or call our experienced consultants direct on + 61 2 9252 1033 or 1800 637 688 (Freecall within Australia).

Complete a booking form

Once availability is confirmed, please download, print and complete the booking form. Please return it to us, along with your deposit to secure your berth.  Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of contract before sending us your signed booking form.

Download the booking form here.

Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions.

Preparation for your voyage

On receipt of the booking form, we will contact you to confirm your booking and our reservations staff will send you a comprehensive pre-departure kit. This kit will contain all necessary pre-departure information including visa information, insurance information, a medical and personal details form, comprehensive gear list and information tailored to your voyage.

Aurora Expeditions - Your Personal Travel Agent

Aurora Expeditions is a licensed travel agent. Our experienced reservations consultants all have specialised expertise on the destinations we travel to. Each voyage has a dedicated travel expert solely working on developing dynamic itineraries for our passengers.  Contact our reservations team and allow us to create a personal itinerary to compliment your voyage, including airfares, accommodation, travel insurance and pre and post voyage travel options.

We look forward to assisting you with your journey of a lifetime.

Extend your Holiday

TOUR	DESCRIPTION
	Moscow Tours As Russia’s capital, referred to as Matushka Moskova – Mother Moscow -this spectacular city has plenty to offer. From the famous domes of St Basil’s Cathedral and the ornate underground of the Russian Metro, you will see the diversity and contrast of this city and its grand past to what it is evolving to be today.
	St Petersburg Tours Europe’s finest architects were called on by Peter the Great to design this city. His dreams for it was to be one gigantic museum, making it one of the most spectacular cities in Europe. Visit the amazing Hermitage and get lost in its treasures and explore Peter and Paul Fortress, the oldest building in St Petersburg.
	Russia: Past and Present Experience Russia's past and present with a tour combining the best of it's two great cities - St Petersburg and Moscow. Exploring St Petersburgs historic landmarks you will then fly to Moscow to experience a taste of modern Russia.

Itinerary

Note: Voyage 6 departing Keflavik will be based on the below itinerary in reverse. Please also note Voyage 6 will have a strong Geology and Fossil feature and is later in the season, making way for alternate detours and excursions as well as a differing landscape.

Day 1
We'll be met at Longyearbyen airport and whisked away on a half-day tour that includes an historical trapper's station, friendly huskies and the chance to stretch our legs in the beautiful Advent River Valley. Excitement mounts as we board Polar Pioneer in the late afternoon and sail down magnificent Isfjiorden, rich with bird cliffs, vast glaciers and jagged mountains.

Days 2–3
Our exploration of Spitsbergen's northwest coast features calving icebergs, mountain and tundra hikes, historic whaling stations and trappers' camps. We hope to see puffins, Brunnich's guillemots, little auks and kittiwakes in their thousands. We'll board Zodiacs for close views of ice cliffs. Reindeer roam the tundra and we will too, photographing wildflowers like saxifrage, moss campion, bell-heather and hairy lousewort.

Days 4–5
Crossing the Greenland Sea, we sail through the Polar Basin's nutrient- rich waters, searching for fin whales and beluga whales, encroaching pack ice, and maybe a narwhal or two. Our expert naturalists