Aurora Expeditions 2015 Highlights

Only three weeks left before a new year starts! With more than 30 expeditions to some of the most amazing destinations in the world, 2015 delivered many wonderful highlights and experiences for Aurora Expeditions and our passengers. Before 2016 rolls on in, we look back at some of our favourite highlights of 2015.

JANUARY – We join the Tales By Light project in Antarctica

In January this year, we were excited to welcome producer and cinematographer Abraham Joffe on board Polar Pioneer to film an episode of National Geographic’s Tales By Light TV series in Antarctica! Airing on National Geographic’s cable channel in Australia in May 2015, the episode features acclaimed Australian photographer and Aurora Expeditions guest lecturer, Peter Eastway and showcased his journey as he captured some of South Georgia and Antarctica’s amazing landscapes and wildlife on this camera.

APRIL – And we’re off to Africa!

Always pushing the boundaries, we at Aurora Expeditions were over the moon to launch our brand new adventure in April this year. Passengers on our 15-day African Cruise Safari enjoyed an action-packed land and river-based adventure filled with wildlife, culture, wine, and fantastic discoveries!

MAY – Another successful time in Alaska!

In 2015 we returned to Alaska’s Inside Passage, after a successful launch in 2014. Regarded as the next ‘hot’ destination for small-ship adventure cruising, the jewel of the American state took our breath away yet again! Sailing out of Juneau aboard 60-passenger Wilderness Adventurer, we ventured through a world home to majestic rainforests, mesmerising glaciers, unique wildlife and captivating Alaskan legends.

JULY – Our Official Photographer returns from the Arctic

After a tough time judging more than 300 photographs, our ‘Official Arctic Photographer’ was finally named in April. Queensland resident Michael Baynes’ photograph ‘Sunrise at Yosemite National Park’ won him a place on our Across the Arctic Circle voyage with the mission to capture his experience through his lens.

AUGUST – Aurora ‘Walks-A-While’ to fight world poverty

34 hours and 20 minutes! This is what it took Aurora Expeditions ‘Walk-A-While’ team to complete this year’s Oxfam Trailwalker challenge. From the Hawkesbury river to Sydney Harbour, the team of four – Justine, Kate, Jim and Marcel – confronted their own challenges and gave their time and sweat to tackle 100 kilometres of bushland. Proudly supported by Aurora Expeditions, the team raised more than $4,500 to help Oxfam fight poverty around the world. Well done team ‘Walk-A-While’!

OCTOBER – The team get together

Each year our expedition team members fly in from around the world to meet and discuss our wide-range of expeditions and the behind-the-scenes operations that help our team run some of the best trips in the industry. Our teams share feedback and ideas, review critical environmental and safety guidelines and enjoy learning from each other’s experiences before they all jet off again on another year of adventures on the high sea.

NOVEMBER – We welcome our BirdLife Australia guest lecturer in Antarctica

Joining forces with BirdLife Australia on the first voyage of our Antarctic season this year, we welcomed senior bird ecologist Mick Roderick on board to join our expert guides and birding enthusiasts. From the Falkland Islands to South Georgia and the Antarctica Peninsula, passengers encountered and learnt about some of the planet’s most incredible bird life, such as the wandering albatross, giant petrels as well as our favourite flightless birds, the penguin, including some of the world’s largest king penguin rookeries in South Georgia!