As wandering albatrosses glide above the swells and dolphins play in the ship’s wake, days at sea are shaped by a thoughtfully curated program of talks, workshops, and firsthand stories from the expedition team. Hands-on photography sessions help refine your approach to polar environments, while time on deck offers uninterrupted moments to observe, reflect, and connect with the vastness of the Southern Ocean.

South Georgia is one of the greatest wildlife destinations on Earth, and we have six days to explore its astonishing shores. Our exact route remains deliberately flexible, allowing wildlife, weather, and conditions to determine each day’s opportunities.

Possible landings include St. Andrews Bay, Salisbury Plain, Gold Harbour, Cooper Bay, Fortuna Bay, Stromness, and Grytviken, where Shackleton is buried. At this time of year, immense king penguin colonies fill the landscape while elephant seals gather along the beaches during the dramatic breeding season and wandering albatross return to their nesting grounds.

Beyond the sheer abundance of wildlife, we begin to trace the remarkable final chapter of Shackleton’s journey, exploring the same mountains, bays, and remote coastline that shaped one of history’s greatest stories of survival.

Leaving South Georgia behind, we cross the Scotia Sea toward Antarctica, following the route of Shackleton and the crew of the Endurance. Days at sea bring further talks, workshops, photography sessions, and time on deck as the first great icebergs begin to signal our approach to the Antarctic world.

Conditions permitting, we visit Elephant Island, where 22 members of Shackleton’s crew survived for more than four months while awaiting rescue. Standing before this isolated, icebound island brings extraordinary perspective to the story we have followed across the Southern Ocean.

Antarctica emerges as a world of almost unimaginable scale: immense glaciers, sculpted blue icebergs, snow-covered mountains, and wildlife thriving at the edge of the frozen continent.

Early in the season, the landscape remains exceptionally white and ice-filled as gentoo, chinstrap, and Adélie penguins gather at their nesting grounds. By Zodiac and on foot, we explore wherever conditions are most compelling, watching for seals resting on the ice and whales moving through the surrounding waters.

There is no fixed daily itinerary here. Our expedition team follows the weather, ice, wildlife, and light, giving us the freedom to linger when extraordinary moments unfold and explore the best opportunities Antarctica presents each day. Those inclined may also take the ultimate polar challenge with a plunge into the frigid Antarctic waters.

We turn north and begin our crossing of the legendary Drake Passage toward South America. These final days at sea offer time to reflect on all we have experienced, review photographs, attend talks and workshops, and watch for seabirds and marine life from Aureum’s observation decks.

As the mountains of Tierra del Fuego appear on the horizon, we approach Ushuaia and the conclusion of an extraordinary journey across the Southern Ocean.

We disembark Aureum in Ushuaia and transfer to Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa, set high above the city within the Cerro Alarkén Nature Reserve. The remainder of the day is yours to unwind in the pools and hot tubs, explore the surrounding trails, or simply relax and reflect on the expedition over a final evening in Patagonia.

After breakfast, we transfer to Ushuaia Airport for onward flights home, bringing our journey through South Georgia, Antarctica, and the Southern Ocean to a close.