Antarctica Photography Expedition 2021 with Daniel Kordan

You will arrive in Chile’s southernmost city, Punta Arenas. For those who will be taking one of the flights on our preferred list, a representative of Aurora Expeditions will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in the heart of action. This fabulous city is the gateway to your exciting adventure ahead. You will have some leisure time to relax and explore the culture that it has to offer, before meeting with your fellow travellers for an evening brief from your photo guides about the next days ahead.

We’ll rise early in the morning on day two to embark upon our flight from Punta Arenas to King George Island in Antarctica. If the weather cooperates, then it is anticipated that this flight will take approximately 90 minutes.

Once we arrive at King George Island, we’ll be greeted by our Aurora Expeditions team, who will provide gumboots for you to wear in order to keep your feet dry as you make the transfer from a Zodiac to the Greg Mortimer. As we set sail, they’ll give you the low-down on what to expect onboard the Greg Mortimer as well as the necessary safety demonstrations and briefings for our trip.

Please note: The weather at King George Island may be unpredictable, due to its location at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. As such, there may be delays in taking off or landing. Iceland Photo Tours and Aurora Expeditions will work together to remain up-to-date on any satellite and weather information before our flight departure. In the case of any delays, you will be offered a number of programs to participate in until we are able to fly. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused.

Our next six days of sailing will involve a variety of destinations on the west of the Antarctic Peninsula, weather and conditions permitting. There will be no fixed itinerary; rather, your very experienced expedition team and photography guides will work together to plan the voyage as you go, making the most of the opportunities that will be available at the time. They will ensure that you will be at the best place at the right time to capture the wildlife, spectacular icebergs and astonishing scenery.

It will be the summer season in Antarctica, so be prepared to experience near 20 hours of daylight within a 24 hour period. We will maximise our opportunities for shooting within that time frame, making two to three Zodiac excursions a day. There will also be an incredible chance for our group to camp ashore, experiencing what it must have been like for the first Antarctic explorers back in the day, though this part of the workshop is optional.

Our shooting locations will be both spectacular and diverse. Some of the spots that we may make excursions to include:

Paradise Harbour

Paradise Harbour is a secluded bay famous for its frozen landscapes. Surrounded by glaciated mountains and awe-inspiring ice cliffs, this beautiful stretch of water is perfect for Zodiac cruising and spotting seals as well as penguins. Those with a truly keen eye and shutter finger may even capture a humpback or minke whales, frolicking amongst the ice floes!

Hydrurga Rocks

These rocks make up a small island, which is home to a waddle of Chinstrap penguins. Several rookeries of penguins colonise the rocky outreaches of the Hydrurga Rocks, making for stunning wildlife photography opportunities. This part of the Gerlache Strait is also known for being a bird haven, including Kelp gulls and Skuas.

Half Moon Island

This extraordinary island is one of the largest in Antarctica and one of the most beautiful sights in the South Shetlands. You will be met by thousands of penguins on the shore, as well as many Antarctic fur seals. Here, the rugged landscape is dominated by rocky outcrops, speckled with lichen. The opportunities for wildlife and landscape photography abound.

Lemaire Channel

This strait near Antarctica is often blocked by colossal jigsaw-like icebergs, making it one of the most photogenic sites in Antarctica. Bordering the strait are cliffs that seem to rise straight out of the ocean, towering up to 700 metres on either side. Depending upon the conditions of the ice, we may be able to sail slowly through the channel, making for a truly enchanting photography experience. You’ll be close enough to the icebergs to even touch them!

Port Lockroy

This natural harbour on the northwest side of Antarctica is an old British base from the 1960s which is quite scenic in nature. You will have the opportunity to tour the local museum, to purchase souvenirs at the gift shop, as well as to mail postcards home from the most southerly post office!

Neko Harbour

Bordered by the breathtaking jagged faces of glaciers on one side, jutting straight out of the sea, this small bay makes for a truly magical Zodiac landing. The panoramic views to be found in this harbour are spectacular, featuring rocky beaches juxtaposed with the frosty shapes of icebergs and snow. Be prepared to mingle with even more penguins, waddling about on the pack ice.

Robert Point

This small peninsula in the South Shetland Islands is home to a number of elephant seals and penguins, which dominate the steep and rocky beach along this magnificent shoreline. Meanwhile, sea birds including giant petrels, kelp gulls and skuas circle overhead, hunting for penguin eggs. There will be endless opportunities to capture the wildlife within their native habitat.

Other highlights that we may visit on this tour include:

Pleneau Island

Vernadsky; a Ukrainian scientific base

Petermann Island

Penola Strait

Antarctic Sound

Cuverville Island

Danco Island

Enterprise Island

Melchior Islands

On day nine, we will reach the much-anticipated part of our Antarctica photography tour, where we will cross the unforgettable waters of the Drake Passage on our return to Ushuaia. For the next couple of days, our photography guides will provide a number of post-processing masterclasses to further develop your portfolio, while the expedition crew will have you immersed in educational sessions to round out your Antarctic adventure. If the conditions are favourable as we near the waters of South America, the Captain of our ship may take us for a whirlwind journey up close and personal with the rocky headland of Cape Horn as a final hurrah to an extraordinary cruise.

In the morning on day eleven, our ship will sail through the waters of the Beagle Channel, before docking at Ushuaia. We will bid one another farewell, before disembarking from the ship at approximately 8am. You will then be transferred into the bustling centre of Ushuaia or to the airport, depending upon your preferences. The transfer is included in the price of this package.

Please note: In the case of any delays reaching the dock, we recommend that you book your departure flight from Ushuaia either after 12pm on the day of disembarkation or for the following day.