South Georgia and Antarctica Shackleton Special Expedition Micro Cruise
See what Shackleton saw. Stand where he stood. Understand, finally, why he kept coming back.
Follow in the footsteps of Shackleton. This voyage follows the survival route in sequence. South Georgia first, aiming to reach King Haakon Bay, where the James Caird made landfall after the 800-mile crossing from Elephant Island; Fortuna Bay, where the hike to Stromness follows the final miles of the mountain crossing; and Grytviken, where Shackleton rests. Then north-west to Elephant Island, Point Wild, where 22 men waited under two upturned lifeboats for the ship that took four months to come. Then south into Antarctica, the continent the Endurance never reached.
With just 36 guests, six Senior Polar Guides, and four Zodiacs on the water at once, every guest explores South Georgia at its wildest and the Antarctic Peninsula together, with the freedom to linger, observe, and experience the polar world without compromise.
Spring breathes new life into the Southern Ocean as South Georgia’s vast king penguin colonies teem with activity and elephant seals battle for breeding territories along the beaches. Fur seal pups begin to appear, while wandering albatross soar effortlessly overhead. As the expedition continues south into Antarctica, gentoo, chinstrap, and Adélie penguins begin nesting, seals haul out on pristine sea ice, and the first humpback and minke whales return to feed in the nutrient-rich waters, marking the beginning of another extraordinary polar season.
19 days. 36 guests. The same Southern Ocean. Different century.
Embarkation day.
Most guests fly into Mount Pleasant Airport, where the expedition team will meet you. Luggage is transferred directly to the vessel. A charter bus into Stanley together with the team, the first chance for introductions.
If you are already on the Falklands, join us at the Tourist Office from 15:00. The afternoon is yours: the Maritime Museum, the waterfront, a pint at the Globe.
Aboard by 18:00 for mandatory safety briefings. Welcome cocktail, dinner, and the official start of the expedition.
The Scotia Sea passage.
Aureum's wing stabilisers manage the crossing; the onboard programme holds your attention between polar science lectures, photography workshops, and personal accounts from the expedition team.
On day 3, we hope to cross the Antarctic Convergence and pass Shag Rocks; jagged, isolated islets alive with seabirds, seals, and whales, the first land since the Falklands. South Georgia is one day ahead.
The approach takes us past Bird Island, one of the greatest concentrations of nesting wandering albatrosses on earth. Wildlife meets you before the first landing.
King Haakon Bay is where Shackleton's party made landfall after the open-boat crossing from Elephant Island. The bay is remote, rarely visited, and the scale of what happened there settles slowly.
Grytviken is a formal customs stop, and rather more besides. The museum, the abandoned whaling station, and in the cemetery: Shackleton and Wild under simple headstones. We take time here.
The remaining days move between St Andrews Bay, Salisbury Plain, Gold Harbour, Cooper Bay, Fortuna Bay and Drygalski Fjord. At Fortuna Bay, the hike toward Stromness follows the final section of the mountain crossing, the ground Shackleton, Worsley, and Crean walked on in 1916 to raise the alarm.
Early morning landings in golden light. King penguin colonies in full courtship. Elephant seal bulls compete on the beaches before fur seal numbers peak later in the season.
Possible locations: Bird Island, Elsehul Bay, King Haakon Bay, St Andrews Bay, Fortuna Bay, Stromness, Salisbury Plain, Cooper Bay, Gold Harbour, Drygalski Fjord, Grytviken, Nordenskjold Glacier, Ocean Harbour.
Aureum turns south-west across the Southern Ocean, retracing the route of the James Caird in reverse. Lectures and workshops continue on board. Time on deck if the weather permits.
On day 11 or 12, we hope to reach Elephant Island — Point Wild specifically, where 22 men waited under two overturned lifeboats for four months while Shackleton sailed to South Georgia for help. We aim to land or conduct a Zodiac cruise, subject to conditions.
Over four days, Aureum works through narrow channels and hidden bays: the Antarctic Sound, Weddell Sea, Gerlache Strait and Deception Island.
Leopard seals on ice floes. Gentoo, Chinstrap, and Adelie penguins at the nest. The silence of glacial amphitheatres broken by calving ice. For many guests, the moment that defines the entire voyage is stepping ashore on the seventh continent.
November brings Antarctica's early season, largely untrafficked, ice still present in the channels, the white of the peninsula not yet softened by summer. The continent as Shackleton would have known it.
Possible locations: Antarctic Sound, Paulet Island, Weddell Sea, Brown Bluff, Cierva Cove, Trinity Island, Gerlache Strait, Hughes Bay, Wilhelmina Bay, Deception Island.
Cape Horn ahead. The Drake Passage, two days of sailing among the albatrosses with the programme continuing as it has throughout: lectures, workshops, time on deck.
Aureum's wing stabilisers hold their value here too. The Drake earns its reputation. The crossing is manageable; what happened here is not.
Disembarkation Day
Following breakfast, and once the vessel has been cleared by the local authorities, disembarkation typically begins from 09:00.
A complimentary transfer will take you to Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa, where a final overnight stay is included as part of your expedition. The remainder of the day is yours to relax and enjoy the hotel's exceptional facilities, including the fitness centre, indoor swimming pool, indoor and outdoor relaxation pools, outdoor hot tubs, and pool bar. Alternatively, immerse yourself in Patagonia by exploring the scenic walking trails of the Cerro Alarkén Nature Reserve.
Departure Day
After breakfast, a complimentary transfer to Ushuaia Airport is provided according to your flight schedule.
Your expedition comes to an end in Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city, concluding an extraordinary journey through South Georgia, Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. We hope to welcome you on another Secret Atlas expedition in the future.
Itineraries are subject to change.
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Classic Twin
Signature Twin
Classic Single
Signature Single
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Classic Twin
Signature Twin
Classic Single
Signature Single
Vessel Type: Ice-Class Small Ship
Length: 56 m
Passenger Capacity: 36
Aureum is a purpose-designed micro expedition vessel built to deliver an intimate and highly flexible Antarctic experience, carrying just 36 guests supported by 26 crew, including six senior polar guides. With an ice-class 1C rating, Polar Code compliance, hybrid diesel-electric propulsion and active fin stabilisers, the vessel combines expedition capability with comfort and reduced environmental impact. Four Zodiacs allow guests to move efficiently between ship and shore, while open decks, a forward observation deck and the bridge lounge provide exceptional vantage points for wildlife and photography. The open-door bridge also gives guests the opportunity to follow the expedition alongside the captain and guides as routes and conditions unfold.
Life aboard Aureum is designed around relaxation and connection after days of exploration. The intimate lounge and dining room provide welcoming spaces for briefings, lectures, meals and quiet downtime, while the wellness area on the top deck features a sauna, hot tub and gym. A dedicated mudroom and disembarkation platform make the transition from ship to shore straightforward, with space to prepare and store expedition gear. With a high proportion of single cabins, comfortable shared spaces and a small-group atmosphere throughout, Aureum offers a distinctive blend of premium service, expedition capability and genuine access to the polar environment.
Inclusions
SVALBARD
• Expert Svalbard Expedition Leader
• Lectures on Svalbard
• Use of Zodiac (Dinghies) for shore landings and photography opportunities
• Polar Bear protection guides for shore landings
• Full Board (breakfast, lunch and dinner + alcoholic drinks with evening meal)
• Bedding and towels
• Highly experienced Captain and Cook
• Rubber boots for shore landings
• Transfers from airport to hotel and to vessel for embarkation + vessel to airport/hotel after disembarkation
ANTARCTICA
• Expert Antarctica Expedition Guide Team
• Lectures on Antarctica
• Use of Zodiac (Dinghies) for shore landings and photography opportunities
• Full Board (breakfast, lunch and dinner )
• Bedding and towels
• Highly experienced Captain and Cook
• Rubber boots for shore landings
Exclusions
• Flights
• Travel and cancellation insurance
• Any additional expenses such as museum entry
Small Ship Cruise
Highlights
• Shackleton's route, end to end. South Georgia, Antarctica, and Elephant Island in a single voyage. These are the locations the story moves between, covered in one continuous itinerary.• Follow Shackleton’s footsteps. Walk the windswept shores where Sir Ernest Shackleton’s legendary journey unfolded. Visit Grytviken, where his final resting place lies, and connect with the island’s compelling polar history firsthand.
• King Haakon Bay. Where the James Caird made landfall after the 800-mile open-boat journey from Elephant Island. The bay is remote, rarely visited, and unchanged.
• The Fortuna Bay hike to Stromness. The final section of Shackleton's mountain crossing with Worsley and Crean. The walk rewards those willing to do it. The arrival at Stromness is its own thing.
• Elephant Island. Point Wild, where 22 men lived under two upturned lifeboats through an Antarctic winter, waiting for a ship that took four months to come. We aim to land or Zodiac cruise, conditions allowing.
• Antarctica in early season. November brings the continent white and largely undisturbed. Leopard seals on ice floes, penguin colonies at the nest, glaciers calving into channels that carry no traffic.
• South Georgia wildlife alongside the history. King penguin in courtship at St Andrews Bay and Salisbury Plain, elephant seal bulls competing on the beaches, wandering albatrosses from Bird Island.
• 36 guests aboard Aureum. Active fin stabilisers for the crossings. Ice-class hull for Antarctic waters. Six senior polar guides across the whole voyage.
• Expert photography guidance. A dedicated photography guide is part of the guiding team on every departure, on hand to help you capture the wildlife, icescapes, and dramatic light of Antarctica and South Georgia.
Our Associates Include
