WONDERS OF THE FROZEN CONTINENTS Arctic Animals Tips for your polar adventure Keep your eye out for some of the amazing animals you will Be adventurous and live in the moment. You will have so many fi nd in the Arctic. Check them off your list: new experiences and see incredible beauty. Walrus • Beluga Whale • Arctic Fox • Harp Seal • Polar Bear Canada Lynx • Snowshoe Hare • Caribou • Sea Otter • Grizzly Bear Embrace living “off the grid” Dale Sheep • Arctic Orca • Bald Eagle • Puffi n • Muskox • Snowy Unplug and get back to nature. Be prepared for no phone or Owl • Moose • Arctic Tern • Bowhead Whale and Narwhal. internet service. And in the Antarctic, you will fi nd: Protect yourself from the sun Antarctic Leopard • crabeater • Weddell and southern elephant It can be strong and reflects of the snow and ice. Pack lip seals • humpback • orca, blue and killer whales • penguins protection, sun screen and good sunglasses. Bring your camera! and albatross There’s so many amazing opportunities for some of the best photos of your life. Pack extra batteries, chargers and memory *Wildlife differs determined by itinerary. cards. Arctic Weather Be fl exible The average Arctic winter temperature is -34°C, while the Polar regions can be unpredictable. While your itinerary may average Arctic summer temperature is 3-12° C. In general, not always be on schedule, your guides will have back up plans Arctic winters are long and cold while summers are short so you will not miss out. Remember this is one of the most and cool. unique trips you will ever do; every trip is different and your experience will be individual. Antarctic Weather The average annual temperature ranges from about −10°C on the Antarctic coast to −60°C at the highest parts of the interior. Near the coast the temperature can exceed +10°C at times in summer and fall to below −40°C in winter. The big question: From the start, Aurora Expeditions was destined to be What to pack and how to dress? different. Co-founders Greg and Margaret Mortimer had a passion for adventure, exploring wild places and sharing the Clothing is key to your comfort. Weather varies depending on season, and even throughout the week or day. Dress like an experience with friends so in 1991, Aurora Expeditions onion (in layers), adding or subtracting the layers as needed. was born. Try the 3-layer system: Their aim was simple - to take small groups of travellers on 1. Base Layer This layer will insulate and keep moisture away from your voyages of discovery to regions that inspired them, thereby skin. Look for high-quality long underwear made from creating lifelong ambassadors for the preservation and synthetic materials or merino wool. Avoid cotton as it draws protection of these sacred places. More than two decades warmth from your body and can contribute to hypothermia. later, that pioneering spirit burns just as brightly, as does their 2. Insulating Mid-Layer dedication for personal, small group expeditions. Think fleece tops, jackets and pants to insulate and keep you dry. It’s not uncommon to have multiple mid-layers, On your voyage you will be accompanied by some of the depending on conditions. Synthetics, such as fleece, have world’s best expedition staff and remote area specialists. good insulating properties, dry quickly, and keep you warm Their onboard lectures entertain and expand your knowledge, even when wet. Wool and down are also well-suited. making your sailing a trip of a lifetime. A packable down jacket is a great option, as it has multiple uses and takes up a minimal amount of space. Whether you’re joining Aurora Expeditions for the fi rst time 3. Outer Layer or returning for another thrilling adventure, the original goals Your Aurora Expeditions package includes a 3-in-1 waterproof remain unchanged: explore wild places that stir the soul, offer polar expedition jacket. personal attention on unforgettable expeditions and welcome 4. Footwear new friends into the Aurora family. It’s important to have the right footwear for your expedition. Aurora Expeditions offers Complimentary loan of muck boots Other itineraries, dates and cabin types available, during the voyage. Just pack your own comfortable shoes Call our expedition experts for details. and boots for walking around the camp and the ship. Detailed Itinerary PRICE FROM Day 1: Depart UK, overnight Oslo £8599pp Day 2: Embark Longyearbyen 6 JULY 2021 Fly Oslo to Longyearbyen, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and taken on a sightseeing tour to explore the remote outskirts and ‘Capital’ of Spitsbergen, including a stop at the local museum. After the tour you will be transferred to the port in the late afternoon to embark the Greg Mortimer. Your voyage commences, cruising out of the beautiful Isfjorden. Days 3-11: Svalbard Archipelago Over the next ten days, the Svalbard Archipelago is yours to explore. The experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to design the day to day. This allows them to make best use of the prevailing weather, ice conditions and wildlife opportunities. You may want to do some research before you go. There are many exciting places they can choose to visit; a sample of some of the places where you may land, hike, photograph or view spectacular wildlife and scenery follows: Kongsfjorden (Kings Bay) • Nordvesthjørnet and Raudfjorden, Magdalenefjorden • Smeerenberg • Virgohamna • Ytre Norskøya, Woodfjorden • Liefdefjorden and Bockfjorden • Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve • Nordaustlandet • Moffen Island • Sjuøyane (Seven Islands) • Hinlopen Strait • Barentsøya and Edgeøya Isfjorden • Hornsund • Bellsund • Sundnest • Gnalodden Freemanshundet • Hamiltonbukta • Lilliehookbreen • Gnalodden Svalbard Odyssey Kapp Lee • Varsolbukta 6 July to 19 July 2021 • 15 days / 14 Nights Days 12-13: At Sea Crossing the Barents Sea to Kirkenes offers some good Enjoy the best of Svalbard, a world of endless daylight, where opportunities to encounter whales and certainly plenty of polar bear sightings quicken your pulse, guillemot cries opportunities to photograph sea birds. You will enjoy echo from sea cliffs and beluga whales rise from the sea. fi nal presentations from the team of experts, spend Explore tundra adorned with wildflowers and historic camps time editing photos or simply relaxing. of explorers and hunters. Push through pack ice to fi nd walrus Day 14: Disembark Kirkenes and bearded seals. Our schedule is flexible and we make the Expedition Inclusions During the early morning we cruise into • Flights from the UK most of spontaneous opportunities. the Bokfjord towards Kirkenes. Say farewell • 2 night hotel stay in Oslo to your expedition team and fellow • Captain’s Welcome and Farewell reception including four-course expeditioners as we all continue on our Voyage Highlights dinner, house cocktails, house beer and wine, non-alcoholic onward journeys. A transfer is included • Witness spectacular mountains rising directly out of the sea beverages to the airport where you will pick • Cruise past brilliantly blue glaciers and through stunning fjords • Group arrival transfer from airport to the Greg Mortimer on Day 1 up your flight to Oslo. • Venture close to 80° North looking for polar bears • Group sightseeing tour of Longyearbyen on arrival pre-voyage Overnight included. • Discover the Arctic’s other wildlife: walrus, seals, reindeer, • Group transfer from ship to downtown Kirkenes or to the airport Arctic fox, seabirds and whales on Day 13 • Walk across the tundra to enjoy the exquisite micro-flora Day 15: Fly to UK • Onboard accommodation during voyage including daily • Visit historic sites; museums, whaling settlements, geology cabin service and fossils. • All meals, snacks, tea and coffee during voyage • Enjoy a great variety of diverse terrain: icecaps, tundra, polar • Beer, house wine and soft drinks with dinner desert and rocky hillsides • All shore excursions and Zodiac cruises • Celebrate near-endless sunlight under the glistening midnight sun • Educational lectures and guiding services from expedition team • Access to our onboard doctor and basic medical services • A 3-in-1 waterproof polar expedition jacket • Complimentary use of muck boots during the voyage • Comprehensive pre-departure information • A printed photo book produced with photos from your voyage • Port surcharges, permits and landing fees Call our experts today on: 0330 094 0172 Detailed Itinerary Day 1: Fly from UK to Santiago PRICE Day 2: Arrive Santiago, hotel for 2 nights FROM Day 3: Day at leisure pp £11599 Day 4: Arrive Punta Arenas 2 JANUARY 2021 Fly from Buenos Aires to Punta Arenas. On arrival you will gather to meet your fellow expeditioners and a briefi ng on the fi rst leg of your expedition the flight to Antarctica! Overnight included. Day 5: Fly Punta Arenas to King George Island This morning we will be transferred to Punta Arenas airport for our early morning charter flight to King George Island, Antarctica (weather permitting). The flight will take approximately two-and-a-half hours. On arrival into King George Island our expedition team is on hand to greet you for your Zodiac transfer to and board the Greg Mortimer Days 6-12: Antarctic Peninsula Over the next few days you will be able to choose from a variety of activities depending on ice and weather conditions. The experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day. This allows us to make best use of the prevailing weather, ice conditions and wildlife opportunities. You will sail so far south, there will be approximately 18-20 hours of daylight and the days can be as busy as you wish; cruising along spectacular ice cliffs; following whales that are feeding near the surface Voyage Highlights and landing on the continent and its off-shore islands to visit penguin rookeries, seal haul outs, historic huts, and a few other magnifi cent spots Enjoy kayaking with a difference as you paddle through drifting along the peninsula.