Welcome to Aurora Expeditions’ Mawson’s Antarctica expedition, sailing on the Douglas Mawson!
✓ Retrace the historic voyage of Sir Douglas Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) and experience the grandeur of remote East Antarctica
✓ Cross the Antarctic Circle and cruise the pack ice, skirting majestic ice cliffs and marvelling at beautifully sculpted icebergs
✓ Keep watch for emperor and Adélie penguins porpoising along the ice edge; orcas patrolling for prey; and snow petrels soaring against a backdrop of the vast Antarctic Ice Sheet
✓ Conditions permitting, make landfall to explore what remains of Mawson’s main base, and find yourself transported back to the heroic age of Antarctic Exploration
✓ Onwards to Dunedin, pause to enjoy the ruggedly beautiful New Zealand subantarctic islands, where nesting royal albatross, the endemic yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho), and lush megaherb meadows await
Expedition To/From: Hobart, Australia/Dunedin, New Zealand
Our world-class expedition vessel: Douglas Mawson.
Destination Highlights
• Navigate through gleaming pack ice alive with Weddell and leopard seals, Adélie and emperor penguins and whales feeding in fathomless leads
• Discover the historic Commonwealth Bay as we attempt to make a rare and much-coveted landing at Cape Denison, the site of Mawson’s huts
• Skirt rowdy beaches crowded with harems of New Zealand (Hooker’s) sea lions to reach gnarled rātā forests where rare yellow-eyed penguins can be found
Sample Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Hobart and transfer your hotel
Day 2: Embarkation day
Days 3-5: At Sea
Days 6-7: Macquarie Island
Days 8-10: At Sea
Days 11-13: East Antarctic Coast
Days 14-15: Commonwealth Bay
Days 16-19: At Sea
Days 20-22: New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands
Day 23: At Sea
Day 24: Disembark in Dunedin
INCLUSIONS
• All airport transfers mentioned in the itinerary.
• One night’s hotel accommodation including breakfast, in Hobart on
Day 1.
• Onboard accommodation during voyage, including daily cabin service.
• All meals, snacks, tea and coffee during voyage.
• Beer, house wine and soft drinks with dinner.
• Captain’s Farewell reception including four-course dinner, house
cocktails, house beer and wine, non-alcoholic beverages.
• All shore excursions and Zodiac cruises.
• Educational lectures and guiding services provided by Expedition
Team.
• Complimentary access to onboard expedition doctor and medical
clinic (initial consultation).
• One 3-in-1 waterproof, polar expedition jacket.
• Complimentary use of Muck Boots during the voyage.
• Comprehensive pre-departure information.
• Port surcharges, permits and landing fees.
• Wi-Fi* (Please note we travel to remote regions and therefore the connection can be unreliable).
EXCLUSIONS
• International or domestic flights – unless specified in the itinerary.
• Transfers – unless specified in the itinerary.
• Airport arrival or departure taxes.
• Passport, visa, reciprocity and vaccination fees and charges.
• Travel insurance or emergency evacuation charges.
• Hotel accommodation and meals – unless specified in the itinerary.
• Optional excursions and optional activity surcharges.
• All items of a personal nature, including but not limited to alcoholic beverages and soft drinks (outside of dinner service), gratuities, laundry services, personal clothing, medical expenses, wi-fi, email or phone charges.