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Welcome to Vantage Explorations’ Mawson’s Antarctica expedition, sailing on the Douglas Mawson!

Retrace the historic voyage of Sir Douglas Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) and experience the grandeur of remote East Antarctica. Cross the Antarctic Circle and cruise the pack ice, skirting majestic ice cliffs and marvelling at beautifully sculpted icebergs. Keep watch for emperor and Adélie penguins porpoising along the ice edge, orcas patrolling for prey, and snow petrels soaring against a backdrop of the vast Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Continue towards Commonwealth Bay and the fabled Cape Denison. Conditions permitting, make landfall to explore what remains of Mawson’s main base, and find yourself transported back to the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Then onwards to Dunedin, with a pause to enjoy the ruggedly beautiful New Zealand subantarctic islands, where nesting royal albatross, the endemic yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho), and lush megaherb meadows await.

Highlights

Navigate through gleaming pack ice alive with Weddell and leopard seals, Adélie and emperor penguins and whales feeding in fathomless leads.
Discover the historic Commonwealth Bay as we attempt to make a rare and much-coveted landing at Cape Denison, the site of Mawson’s huts.
Skirt rowdy beaches crowded with harems of New Zealand (Hooker’s) sea lions to reach gnarled rātā forests where rare yellow-eyed penguins can be found.

Itinerary

Staterooms and Prices

Choose your departure

Included Activities

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Bird Watching
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Lectures on wildlife, our environment, history and destinations
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Marine Mammal Spotting
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Photography
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Polar Plunge
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Scenic Cruising
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Trips Ashore
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Walking
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Wildlife Watching
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Zodiac Cruising

Our Ship

The Douglas Mawson

Our new purpose-built small ship, the Douglas Mawson.
Capacity
154 Passengers Maximum (130 on Expedition)
Year built
2025
Cabins
86
Length
104.4 m
Decks
8
Speed
10-12 Knots