Aurora Expeditions sends Antarctica voyage to 78º 44.405’ south
Aurora Expeditions pushed its antarctica program farther than ever in 2025/26, with Douglas Mawson reaching 78º 44.405’ south and setting a new World Record for the southernmost voyage in history. The company said the season was its largest Antarctic season to date, built around 30 voyages and an estimated 819 landings.
Michael Heath on Aurora's season
Michael Heath, Aurora Expeditions' CEO, called the season a milestone and pointed to the scale of the operation. "This season represents a significant milestone for Aurora Expeditions," he said, adding: "Delivering 30 voyages to Antarctica — including a return to East Antarctica - and operating three ships in the region for the first time — reflects both our heritage and how we continue to evolve."
Heath also said the season showed demand for a different style of trip. "It also reflects growing demand for deeper, more immersive exploration." Aurora said its 2026/27 Antarctic voyages were open for booking.
Douglas Mawson and East Antarctica
The launch of Douglas Mawson in Sydney in November gave Aurora a third expedition vessel ahead of its inaugural Antarctic season. For the first time in the company's 35-year history, Aurora operated three ships simultaneously in Antarctica, and the company returned to East Antarctica after 15 years.
The season also introduced Active Antarctica voyages with 14 included activities, while expeditioners from 56 nationalities took part. Aurora recorded 2,835 polar plunges and delivered 269 onboard lectures during the season.
AI routing and Citizen Science
Aurora said it became the first expedition operator to bring both AI-powered routing technology and microplastic filtration systems to Antarctica. The season also introduced drone-supported scouting to help bridge teams assess ice and landing sites in real time.
Expeditioners contributed thousands of hours to onboard Citizen Science programmes supporting whale and seabird monitoring, oceanographic data collection, and polar ecosystem observation. That mix of record-setting travel and research work made the season more than a simple expansion in volume.
For travelers looking at 2026/27, the practical change is that Aurora has already opened bookings after a season that stretched farther south, ran three ships at once, and added new activity and science options to its Antarctic program.
