News

Icebergs & Emperors - Inside Mawson’s Hut It is said that more people have stood atop of Everest than have been inside Mawson's Hut in Antarctica. Our Business Manager David Mannix was lucky enough to be among the privileged few when Aurora last visited the hut.......read more

Dear Diary ~ Lost in Paradise (PNG) Our maiden Papua New Guinea voyage departed in spite of Mt Turvurvur doing everything in its power to put a holt to our trip before we had even set sail. A little re-shuffling and we were away, on a voyage of absolute tropical splendour in the land of the unexpected. ....read more

Mawson's great-granddaughter joins our expedition Explore Mawson's Huts with Emma McEwin, Sir Douglas Mawson's great-granddaughter, as she sets sail with Aurora in December en route to experience her families heritage for the first time.....read more

Voyage Diary - PNG Expedition Our second Papua New Guinea voyage is under way and we can't wait to see how it unfolds. Our very own Ben Alexander reports from the ship as we go in search of adventure in the Solomon Sea....read more

Remote Papua New Guinea Aurora Expeditions offers travellers the chance to experience the rich cultural heritage and unspoilt nature of Papua New Guinea with two new adventure cruises in 2009. Aurora has added some exciting new stops to its itineraries, exploring some of the least visited regions of this fascinating country. ....read more

Travels to the ends of the Earth Our good friend and frequent Aurora traveller Kester Brown has released an inspirational new book of paintings, poems, photographs and short historical stories about the polar regions.....read more

Dear Diary ~ Arctic Dreams Our maiden grand adventure of the High Arctic, Arctic Dreams is underway! A 20-day expedition exploring all the classic Arctic highlights. From Iceland to Greenland, to Spitsbergen and onto Norway, this voyage should make for some fantastic discoveries. Check in every couple of days to read all about our expeditioners journey. ....read more

Charles Lindall's new model ~ The Nansen Sledge Aurora passenger Charles Lindall has returned once again from Antarctica with an impressive model from the Heroic age of Antarctic exploration. After building a replica of Mawson’s Hut on his 2005 journey to Commonwealth Bay onboard Marina Svetaeva, Charles ventured to the Ross Sea with us in 2007 and this time produced an astounding model of Nansen’s sledge.....read more

Dear Diary ~ Kamchatka & The Commander Is. After such a successful maiden voyage in the Russian Far East, expeditioners on our second voyage to the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Commander Islands are looking forward to being dazzled by this remarkable lands natural splendour. ....read more

Dear diary ~ Kuril Islands to Kamchatka Our maiden Kuril Islands to Kamchatka voyage was fare-welled last week by a traditional Japanese drum ceremony, in the port town of Kushiro. Marina Svetaeva is now riding the Ring of Fire north, whilst the Kuril Islands spoil our expeditioners with amazing landscapes and a wealth of animal life, including brown bears, sea birds and orca's. ....read more

Last chance for High Arctic! Aurora has a host of thrilling voyages set to depart in the Arctic summer through June, July and August. Our most comprehensive and exciting Arctic season yet, we still have some berths available on our voyages. ....read more

Unveiling our new online Video Gallery We are excited to bring you videos of our expeditions live to your lounge room. Each of our new videos has been filmed by our passengers and staff onboard our expeditions. Follow the link below to watch any one of our four fantastic new videos. Aurora video gallery

Choose the Antarctic voyage of your dreams Imagine sitting alongside thousands of penguins going about their daily lives, feeling the excitement of leopard seals circling only metres away from your Zodiac, or watching whales breach against a backdrop of shining icebergs and glacier-draped mountains. Our latest Antarctica brochure combines all of our Antarctic expeditions departing from Ushuaia (Argentina), Hobart (Australia) and Bluff (New Zealand). ....read more

Dear Diary ~ February Ross Sea Voyage 2008 Our Second Ross Sea voyage is now well and truly underway! Marina Svetaeva and her passengers should be entering the pack-ice of the Ross Sea at any moment. For an up to date account of our expeditioners experiences in the Great White Continent, Margaret's diary will be updated every few days, stay tuned. ....read more

Dear Diary ~ Ross Sea Antarctic Voyage January 2008 Marina Svetaeva is heading back to the Ross Sea region of Antarctica once again. To get a glimpse of life on board this expedition to this mesmerising region, keep a keen eye on our home page, as we'll be updating Margaret's diary every couple days. ....read more

New Expeditions to the Russian Far East With an incredible variety of wildlife and dramatic scenery, our cruises to the remote volcanic lands of Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands promises to be some of our most exciting adventures yet. Be one of the first to experience this rarely visited and spectacular wilderness area ....read more

Arctic Dreaming We are thrilled to announce our most exciting and comprehensive Arctic season yet, with a host of fantastic new voyages scheduled for 2008 exploring the hidden realms of Scotland, Norway, Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland. ....read more

Dear Diary - updates from Aurora's inaugural Norway Voyage Polar Pioneer set sail on her inaugural Norway voyage on the 13th July. She will make her way along the Norwegian coastline and then onto Spitsbergen. Aurora's Sue Werner will be keeping us in the loop with updates of their adventures every few days. Stay Tuned....read more

Kimberley - The Land Time Forgot Aurora Expeditions is proud to announce that once again, legendary Kimberley explorer Mike Cusack will be leading our expeditions to Australia's Kimberley Coast. From tropical islands alive with nesting birds, to ancient rock-paintings and spectacular sandstone gorges, the Kimberley Coast is an awe-inspiring experience in our own backyard....read more

The Wild Side of Antarctica with Aurora Expeditions Aurora Expeditions is thrilled to offer adventurers the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the great Antarctic explorers, with the launch of two new voyages to the Ross Sea departing from Hobart and New Zealand in January and February 2008 ....read more

Arctic Kayaking on top of the world Imagine kayaking in the midnight sun among massive icebergs and alongside active glacier fronts, while seeking out polar bears, walrus and seals. We still have some kayaking spots left for our 2007 High Arctic voyages.....read more

South Georgia Diary Aurora co-founder Margaret Werner has just returned from an extraordinary voyage on board Polar Pioneer to South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula. Read her daily updates here and come along for the ride.....read more

Staff Profile: Robyn Mundy Inspired by a biography of Sir Douglas Mawson when she was a young girl, Robyn made her first trip to Antarctica more than 10 years ago. From working as a biological field assistant at Australia's Davis station to recently completing a PhD on Mawson, Antarctica has cast a spell on Robyn that shows no sign of waning....read more

Happy Feet movie brings Antarctica to life This moving story about Mumbles, a young Emperor penguin, is set to bring even more attention to the Antarctic continent. Aurora Expeditions is proud to have been involved in many aspects of the movie’s production, from choosing locations that form the backdrop of the film, to setting the environmental message of the movie....read more

Aurora's Money Goddess goes wild Our beloved accountant Elaine Balsdon is finally living her dream, embarking on her very first Antarctic journey - our 'South Georgia & Antarctic Peninsula' voyage departing on November 10th. Here, she recounts her experiences onboard Polar Pioneer.......read more

Ross Sea Antarctic Diary Marina Svetaeva is heading back to the Ross Sea region of Antarctica once again. To get a glimpse of life on board an expedition to this mesmerising region, sneek a peak at Margaret Werner's diary from our last Ross Sea trip.....read more

High Arctic Diary Penny Hirsch recently returned from our 'Jewels of the Arctic' voyage to Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland. Read her voyage diary here for a first hand account of this extraordinary adventure onboard Polar Pioneer.....read more

Aurora's expedition staff meeting At the end of October a number of Aurora Expeditions field staff got together in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney to discuss the upcoming Antarctic season. A productive weekend resulted with some important decisions made about our operations. ....read more

Discovering new joys in wild Scotland Peter Malcolm, Expedition Leader for our Wild Scotland voyages, shares with us one of the highlights of our recent trips and shows that some of the richest rewards from expedition cruising come from our leaders curiosity and sense of adventure.....read more

Our fearless leader checks in from Greenland Aurora Expeditions founder Greg Mortimer has embarked upon a private rock climbing expedition to the remote coast of Greenland. Along with two close friends, Greg will be aiming to scale a number of unclimbed rock faces over the coming weeks. ....read more

Join our inaugural voyage to Norway! Experience the thrill of cruising up narrow fjords, walking on soft tundra and looking out for unique wildlife among some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. Aurora Expeditions continues its tradition of ground breaking voyages by announcing a brand new voyage for 2007, Across the Arctic Circle: Scotland, Norway & Spitsbergen.....read more

New Kimberley Coast Brochure out now Aurora Expeditions and the Australian Geographic Society invite you to discover the wonders of the Kimberley Coast. Departing from Broome in June and July, we have three fantastic voyages in 2007 showcasing the best of this remote wilderness area. ....read more

‘Trip of the Year’ award for Aurora One of America’s most prestigious lifestyle and adventure travel magazines has awarded Aurora Expeditions 1st place in the ‘Trip of the Year - Polar Category' for our Antarctic Climbers and Photographers voyage. ....read more

New Wild Scotland brochure out now Aurora Expeditions offers adventurers the opportunity to explore the extraordinary wilderness, magic and mystery of the Scottish Isles, with two new voyages aboard Polar Pioneer, departing June & July 2007.....read more

Mawson's Hut in Miniature While preparing for his voyage to Commonwealth Bay with Aurora, Charles Lindall was wondering what he could do to fill in some time during the sea crossing. What started off as a wild idea ended up as a work of art – a model of Mawson’s Hut…....read more

Arctic Impressions Best known for it's unique wildlife that includes polar bears and walrus, the Arctic islands of Greenland and Spitsbergen offer a surprising variety of experiences in one of the world's most picturesque regions. ....read more

Kimberley Dreaming Visiting the wilds of Australia's Kimberley Coast appeal to those with a true sense of adventure. Remote, pristine and and a rich source of Aboriginal culture, the rewards are plentiful for those who take the time to dig deep into the Kimberley's character. Our Sales Manager, Chantelle Argent, was lucky enough to hop on board our ship Coral Princess and take a journey 40,000 years back in time.....read more

Commonwealth Bay Antarctic Diary Aurora Expeditions first ever voyage with our new ship Marina Svetaeva has finished and what a successful expedition it was. On board, David Mannix sent us regular updates for our web diary. If you’ve ever wondered what travelling to East Antarctica from Australia is like, read on and enjoy the adventure… ....read more

A Natural High in the Arctic Armed with little more than images of polar bears and ice, we sent our Marketing Manager David Mannix aboard Polar Pioneer where he discovered there's a lot more to the High Arctic than just the cliches.....read more

Staff Profile – Henrik Lovendahl Henrik’s adventurous spirit and love of travel caused him to leave his native Denmark some ten years ago. Henrik has worked in the diving industry for many years as an instructor, as an educational consultant for PADI Asia Pacific and most recently as Aurora's dive master. ....read more

Cruising to the Heart of Nature Aurora Expeditions offers adventure travel cruises to Antarctica, High Arctic, Norway, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, Far East Russia (Kamchatka) and Australia's Kimberley Coast. An ecotourism holiday with Aurora Expeditions has polar adventure activities including camping, sea kayaking, scuba diving and has potential for interaction with polar bears, penguins and whales. We encourage you to spend some time at our site and be inspired to vacation at some of the most unspoilt locations on Earth.