Antarctica & Svalbard · Aurora Expeditions
The far side of the world. From an airport that suits you.
Arrive by private jet. Explore by expedition ship. essential.aero brings your flights together with an Aurora Expeditions polar voyage, with the journeys between airport, hotel and harbour considered from the start.
2 journey ideas
Antarctica or Svalbard
Up to 130 guests
On polar expeditions
Ages 6 and over
Discover together as a family
Which horizon is calling?
Penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula or the fjords of Svalbard: choose the place you have always wanted to see. We arrange your private flights and transfers around the expedition ship’s scheduled departure. These two ideas show how the journey could unfold.
01 · Antarctica
Nothing quite prepares you for the first iceberg.
From a Zodiac, the glaciers seem taller still. Ashore, watch penguins while the expedition team shares its knowledge of this remarkable place. Spirit of Antarctica sails from Ushuaia, crosses the Drake Passage and explores the Antarctic Peninsula before returning.
Your route to the ship
Your chosen airport → Ushuaia → Hotel → Harbour → Antarctic Peninsula
How your journey could unfold
- 01
Time to settle into Ushuaia
We plan your private flight to Ushuaia, with a stop if required for your departure point and aircraft. A private transfer takes you to your hotel. Your arrival allows a buffer before embarkation and is arranged around the programme’s start.
- 02
Set sail from the tip of Argentina
From the hotel, travel to the harbour, settle into your shipboard cabin and meet the expedition team. This itinerary crosses the Drake Passage, where sea conditions can be challenging.
- 03
Explore on the water and ashore
Zodiac cruises, guided landings and talks bring the polar landscape into focus. Weather, ice and local conditions shape each day. We can check kayaking and other optional activities for your chosen departure.
- 04
Back to your own aircraft
On returning to Ushuaia, your driver meets you for the journey to the airport or another night at a hotel. We allow time for disembarkation when arranging your private flight home.
The duration refers to the published expedition programme, including its scheduled arrangements on land. Additional travel days for your private flights and extra hotel nights are planned individually.
02 · Svalbard
Make this the summer you went further.
Mountainous coastlines, wide fjords and glaciers reaching the sea. Svalbard Odyssey takes you from Longyearbyen into the Arctic archipelago. Your expedition team seeks out suitable landing sites and opportunities to observe wildlife, adapting to the conditions on each voyage.
Your route to the ship
Your chosen airport → Oslo → Longyearbyen → Harbour → Svalbard
How your journey could unfold
- 01
Fly privately to Oslo
Depart from an airport that suits you. In Oslo, we arrange the transfer to your scheduled hotel. The published programme begins here with an overnight stay.
- 02
On to Longyearbyen
On day two, take Aurora’s included group charter to Longyearbyen. This is a shared flight, not an exclusive private jet. We coordinate the onward harbour transfer and embarkation with the expedition programme.
- 03
Eight days exploring the archipelago
Days 3 to 10 are devoted to the expedition. Guided outings and Zodiac cruises reveal glaciers and coastlines from fresh perspectives. You may encounter walruses or polar bears, although wildlife sightings cannot be promised.
- 04
Home via Oslo
Day eleven brings disembarkation, a transfer and the included group flight to Oslo. Your private jet can take you home from there, with the connection planned around confirmed flight times and an appropriate buffer.
Prefer an exclusive private flight directly to Longyearbyen? We will check this option with Aurora Expeditions, including meeting arrangements, transfers and changes to the included group flights. A credit is not automatic.
A small ship for a very big adventure.
Greg Mortimer, Sylvia Earle and Douglas Mawson each carry up to 130 guests on their polar expeditions. Between outings, the ship is your home: a cabin with a private bathroom, somewhere to retreat and time to speak with the expedition team. Depending on the ship, a Science Centre or interconnecting cabins may be available.
The gallery shows cabins and facilities aboard Sylvia Earle. We confirm the ship, cabin category and occupancy for your chosen departure; facilities vary between ships.
Cabins and life on board
Give them a story they will tell for years.
A penguin in the wild means something quite different from a picture in a textbook. Children aged six and over can travel with Aurora Expeditions. The destination, length of journey and activities should all suit your family.
The right space for your family
We check interconnecting shipboard cabins or a suitable shared arrangement. Please include the number and ages of your children in your enquiry. Child fares depend on your departure and cabin occupancy and are confirmed individually.
Discover together
Wildlife watching, talks and selected activities can be shared as a family. Individual excursions have their own age and participation requirements. Accompanying adults remain responsible for minors throughout the journey; a children’s club is not part of this proposal.
Consider the journey as well as the destination
We take account of breaks, luggage and suitable child seats for transfers with local partners. For Antarctica, we also discuss the longer journey and the Drake Passage crossing.
Every connection deserves a little thought.
Tell us when you would like to travel, where you would like to fly from and who is coming. We will check a suitable Aurora departure and build your individual outward and return arrangements around it.
Your expedition
Your proposal sets out the ship, sailing date and cabin category, together with the included meals, excursions and arrangements on land. Optional activities are checked separately.
Your private flights and onward transfers
We select a suitable aircraft for your party and luggage. Local partners connect the airport, hotel and harbour, with extra overnight stays offered where appropriate.
A quotation shaped around your journey.
Price on request. The total depends on your departure, shipboard accommodation, party and private flights. Your proposal clearly sets out the planned services and separately charged extras. These journey ideas are examples, not confirmed bookings.
Plan my expeditionBefore you set off
Will we have the ship to ourselves?
No. You share the polar expedition with other Aurora guests. Your individually arranged private jet is reserved for your party. The group charter between Oslo and Longyearbyen in the Svalbard programme is expressly separate from that arrangement.
Are the itinerary and landings guaranteed?
Weather, ice and local requirements may mean changes. The expedition team adjusts the route and outings accordingly. Particular landings, wildlife sightings or a circumnavigation of Svalbard cannot be guaranteed.
What do you need for a family quotation?
Your preferred dates, departure airport, number of adults and the number and ages of your children. Please also tell us about your shipboard accommodation preferences and any particular luggage requirements. Entry documents, insurance requirements and conditions of participation are clarified before booking.
Can we extend the journey?
Yes. An extra night before embarkation or a stay after the voyage can be included in the planning. We arrange transfers and private flights around the confirmed travel schedule.
Where would you like your next story to begin?
Tell us who is travelling and when you have time to get away. We will turn the idea into a personal itinerary.
Plan my expeditionAll experiences