Sail the Drake Passage, the most storied ocean crossing in the world, with albatross for company. Then fly out of Antarctica, landing in Patagonia. The crossing is the point. The flight is the exit.
With 36 guests, six Senior Polar Guides, and four Zodiacs in the water at once, all guests reach the Peninsula together, with the time and space to go further.
This voyage combines what neither format alone can offer. The Drake Passage south from Ushuaia: two days at sea across open ocean, Cape Horn astern, wandering albatrosses tracing the swell, the continent building on the horizon. Four full days on the Antarctic Peninsula. Then a 2.5-hour charter flight from King George Island to Puerto Natales, arriving in Patagonia with a farewell night at Weskar Lodge rather than two more days at sea.
Somewhere around the second day, the water changes.
You cross the Antarctic Convergence, the line where warmer subantarctic water meets the cold, nutrient-dense Southern Ocean. Sea temperature drops several degrees within hours. The air sharpens. Bird numbers increase. It's the moment the ocean tells you you've reached Antarctic waters, well before the ship does.
Aureum's ice-class hull and fin stabilisers are built for this crossing specifically, sustained Southern Ocean swell, not sheltered coastal water. The result is a safer, steadier crossing.
Nine days total. The Drake Passage as an experience, not a delay. Patagonia as a landing, not a transit. 36 guests throughout.
- Fly out of Antarctica. The return crossing is a 2.5-hour charter flight from King George Island to Puerto Natales. The expedition ends in Patagonia rather than back at the Drake: a different arrival, and a better one.
- 36 guests. Four Zodiacs, six senior polar guides, all in the water simultaneously, each responding independently to conditions.
- The Drake Passage, sailed. Two days south from Ushuaia across open ocean. Cape Horn in the wake. Wandering albatrosses on the wing above the swell. Aureum's fin stabilisers keep the crossing comfortable, the Southern Ocean does the rest.
- Four full days on the Peninsula. The Gerlache Strait, Lemaire Channel, Paradise Bay, Deception Island: the core of the Antarctic Peninsula's most extraordinary geography with time to move unhurried through it.
- Continental landing. For most guests, the moment that defines the voyage is stepping ashore on the seventh continent. The Peninsula receives you at micro-scale, 36 guests, all ashore at once, with no one waiting back on the ship and no schedule pulling you away.
- Wildlife of the Peninsula. Gentoo, Chinstrap, and Adélie penguins. Leopard, Weddell, and crabeater seals. Humpback and minke whales in the channels. Petrels, skuas, and Antarctic terns overhead.
- 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.
- A farewell night at Weskar Lodge. Torres del Paine on the doorstep, a farewell dinner, time for the expedition to settle. Up to three additional nights at no extra cost if the return flight window shifts with the weather.
Availability is always subject to confirmation. Please check with us before booking flights
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Aureum
Accommodating just 36 guests, Aureum embodies everything that defines the Secret Atlas experience: small-ship exploration, exceptional flexibility, and a level of immersion that larger expedition vessels simply can’t offer.
Purpose-built for polar exploration, Aureum features a high ice class, allowing her to navigate through sea ice with confidence, along with wing stabilisers for enhanced comfort in open water. One of the features we're most excited about is her hybrid propulsion system. When conditions allow, we can switch off the engines and glide silently through the polar wilderness, experiencing the extraordinary stillness of the ice while watching whales and wildlife undisturbed.
Onboard, you'll enjoy exceptional service alongside thoughtfully designed facilities, including a panoramic observation lounge and wellness centre with gym equipment, sauna, and outdoor hot tub. I particularly love the open bridge policy, so at any time you can watch the captain at work, ask questions, search for wildlife and feel in the heart of the expedition operations.
With just 36 passengers onboard, MV Aureum is particularly well suited to solo travellers. You embark as strangers but often disembark as friends. Because the group is so small, you’ll have the opportunity to meet everyone onboard, share the experience together and quickly become acquainted as one close-knit group.
Deck plans are for illustrative purposes only – The actual ship and cabin layout may differ.
