Mawson’s Antarctica: Along the East Coast

Welcome to Queenstown, for your overnight stay to enjoy the high altitudes of the Southern Alps, mirror-like Lake Wakatipu, vine-laced countryside and atmospheric town. Enjoy your one-night hotel stay in Queenstown.

This morning you will be transferred via coach from Queenstown to Bluff, where your Discovery Yacht awaits. Marvel at the awe-inspiring scenery of rugged mountains, serene lakes, and lush forests.

Step on board Scenic Eclipse II and be warmly greeted with a glass of Champagne. Settle into your luxurious suite, meet your butler and fellow guests and toast to the journey ahead.

The most southernmost town in New Zealand, Bluff (or The Bluff as it is locally known) is perhaps the most European of all the settlements in the country. Called Campbelltown until 1917, the city was officially renamed after the 265 meter conical hill that towers above it. One of the farthest corners of the British Empire, the inaugural Royal Tour of New Zealand by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, concluded at Bluff in January 1954. Nowadays however, it is the Bluff oysters that are the stars of the show. Reputed to be the best in the world, these local heroes are what have really put Bluff on the map and are celebrated every May with a lively festival honouring Ostrea chilensis (that’s Latin for Bluff oyster). But gastronomy aside (and it is mostly oyster related), Bluff offers the adventurous traveller much in the way activity. Gateway to Stewart Island, day trippers here might enjoy hopping on the ferry for the hour long trip to Stewart Island, or New Zealand’s third island. Unspoilt, tranquil and stunning, Stewart Island is a showcase for New Zealand’s undiscovered tourism spots due to its privileged (yet remote) position in the world. However, for those who wish to stay on the mainland, the Bluff Maritime Museum is a “must visit” for anyone travelling along the Southern Scenic Route, with fascinating historical information about the many early shipwrecks in these challenging southern waters and coastlines. The comprehensive network of walking tracks will delight the ornithologists amongst you – just don’t forget your binoculars!

At the very southern tip of the South Island, Bluff is one of New Zealand's oldest European settlements. It began life as a whaling station in the 1830s and has retained its strong ties to the sea, with one of the world’s few natural oyster beds sitting just offshore in the Foveaux Strait. Bluff is the gateway to Stewart Island and Antarctica beyond, offering travellers a taste of the rugged character of an oystering port.

Freechoice:
Invercargill Sights & Transport World: Visit Invercargill to admire antique vehicles at the Transport World Museum and enjoy the town’s stunning gardens.

Southern Sojourn: Explore Southland's art and history from Bluff, starting with a scenic drive to Gore. Visit the Moonshine Museum and Eastern Southland Art Gallery, where you'll discover local and international artworks.

Bluff Scenic Drive & Walking Tour: Discover Stirling Point, the southernmost tip of the South Island, and explore Bluff Hill for panoramic views. Travel along the scenic coastline to Oyster Cove Marina, enjoy Ocean Beach's wild beauty, and explore seafaring history at the Bluff Maritime Museum.

Commonwealth Bay was Australia’s gateway to Antarctica. Embark on an unforgettable adventure as you step into the shoes of the legendary Sir Douglas Mawson, retracing his historic 1911–14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition. Discover the remote, wild beauty of East Antarctica as you navigate the iconic Commonwealth Bay, explore Mawson's Main Base huts, and immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscapes that defined the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. This is your chance to experience the extraordinary - just as the pioneers did over a century ago.

Discovery: Weather and ice conditions permitting, you'll have the opportunity to step back in time and visit the historic Mawson’s Huts, immersing yourself in the experience of the explorers from that remarkable expedition. All guests will receive a complimentary helicopter-shuttle flight to access the huts which will operate over the next three days for all guests to visit the huts.

As you venture further into the Antarctic region, join our guest experts in the theatre for lectures that provide deep insights about the fantastic world around you. Daily experiences may include cruising on Zodiacs, stepping ashore to view vast penguin rookeries or historic huts and kayaking around icebergs. Depending on ice conditions, submersible dives and paddling may also be possible.

Mawson famously named Commonwealth Bay "Home of the Blizzard" due to the dramatic weather conditions he faced during his expedition. Today, these historic huts and other significant sites offer a vivid and immersive experience of this remarkable era in Antarctic history—bringing it to life far beyond what any journal or book could capture.

Choose to book a treatment# at the tranquil Senses Spa. Perhaps an ESPA facial or an alternative therapy including Ayuverdic massage or Japanese shiatsu. Afterwards, hold on to that feeling of calm for a while longer in the Zen-like space of the Salt Therapy Lounge.

Discovery: Weather and ice conditions permitting, you'll have the opportunity to step back in time and visit the historic Mawson’s Huts, immersing yourself in the experience of the explorers from that remarkable expedition.

Daily experiences may include cruising on Zodiacs, stepping ashore to view vast penguin rookeries or historic huts, and kayaking around icebergs. Wherever your voyage takes you, you will have countless “pinch me" moments.

This part of East Antarctica not only hosts Mawson’s huts but also offers a rare ice-free sanctuary for Antarctic wildlife, including nesting Adélie penguins, snow petrels, and Wilson’s storm petrels.

Discovery: Weather and ice conditions permitting, you'll have the opportunity to step back in time and visit the historic Mawson’s Huts, immersing yourself in the experience of the explorers from that remarkable expedition.

Daily experiences may include cruising on Zodiacs, stepping ashore to view vast penguin rookeries or historic huts, and kayaking around icebergs. Wherever your voyage takes you, you will have countless “pinch me" moments.

You might sail past a number of immense glaciers that carve through East Antarctica, making for incredible spectacles. It’s hard to comprehend the scale of the Mertz Glacier, an enormous hunk of crystalised ice more than 30km wide that gleams like a turquoise jewel. Sunlight cascades over its waves like liquid silver; in the troughs between are shadows of azure.

The 9km-wide Suvorov Glacier is similarly impressive, an endless bank of white unfurling into the distance. There are no trees or shrubs; flora is just a sprinkling of occasional lichen, moss and algae. This is what infinity looks like.

Discovery: Enjoy daily Discovery excursions. Cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, step onto islands to view vast penguin rookeries and seals. Kayak and stand-up paddleboard around icebergs and hear the ice cracking and whales feeding below. To see more of East Antarctica from above or below the horizon book a helicopter^ or a submersible^ experience.

This 160-kilometre-long chain of volcanic islands, some of them still active, straddles the Antarctic Circle. Here, you’ll have a front-row seat to one of the greatest convergences of wildlife in the world.

Humpbacks, fin and minke whales may put on a show while we are nearby, breaching, blowing, and slapping their tails. Crabeater, Weddell Ross Sea Seals and leopard seals loll about, sunbaking between swims. Join a Discovery Excursion or just take in the view from the Observation Deck or your private verandah.

Discovery: Daily experiences may include cruising on Zodiacs, stepping ashore to view vast penguin rookeries or historic huts, and kayaking around icebergs. Wherever your voyage takes you, you will have countless “pinch me" moments.

The chain is named after British mariner Captain Balleny, who reported seeing smoke billowing from its 1,340-metre summit when exploring the area in 1839. Almost completely mantled by ice, Young Island is the northernmost island in the archipelago. At the other end of the chain, Sturge is the southernmost island.

Utilise your binoculars from your suite or head for the telescopes in the Observation Lounge and take in the astonishing bird life, including enormous breeding colonies of southern fulmers and snow petrels. Gain deep insights from your expert polar Discovery Team about the region and its rich birdlife.

Discovery: Enjoy daily Scenic Discovery excursions. Cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, step onto islands to view vast penguin rookeries and seals. Kayak and stand-up paddleboard around icebergs and hear the ice cracking and whales feeding below.

Sea and ice conditions will guide your days in the western Ross Sea, where you'll find the Possession Islands—an intriguing cluster of small, rugged islands and rocks spanning approximately 7 miles (11 km). These seldom-visited outcrops are home to tens of thousands of penguins. Enjoy panoramic views of the Admiralty Mountains across the water and explore the striking rock formations and coastal caves.

Discovery: Enjoy daily Scenic Discovery excursions. Cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, step onto islands to view vast penguin rookeries and seals. Kayak and stand-up paddleboard around icebergs and hear the ice cracking and whales feeding below. To see more of East Antarctica from above or below the horizon book a helicopter^ or a submersible^ experience.

Spend another day in the Possession Islands for further exploration or stay on board and spend some time in the Observation Lounge on Deck 5. Be enchanted by the endless horizons of the ocean from the panoramic glass windows or look through the Swarovski telescopes searching for wildlife.

Before celebrating New Year’s Eve, enjoy a treatment# in the luxurious Senses Spa or stretching out in a class at the PURE: Yoga & Pilates Studio.

Bring in the New Year with joyful celebrations this evening. Sip Champagne as you cruise through the world’s coldest, iciest and most mesmerising continent. It’s a special New Year’s Eve full of unforgettable moments shared with your new friends.

Discovery: Partake in daily Scenic Discovery excursions. Cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, step onto islands to view vast penguin rookeries and seals. Kayak and stand-up paddleboard around icebergs and hear the ice cracking and whales feeding below.

Experience the awe-inspiring majesty of the world's largest floating ice mass—a natural fortress that often unleashes fierce weather, with gale-force winds driving snow across the landscape. Just 800 miles from the South Pole, these towering 30-metre-high ice cliffs once halted early explorers in their tracks. As we cruise along, you might be lucky enough to witness the dramatic sight of icebergs 'calving,' a breathtaking moment to cherish.

Your voyage ends in Hobart, the culmination of an unforgettable journey into one of the last unexplored corners of the planet. After breakfast, it’s time to bid farewell to your new friends and the dedicated Scenic Eclipse II crew, who have made your voyage so remarkable.

Fly home carrying once-in-a-lifetime memories or choose to extend your journey to explore the captivating city of Hobart.

Please book your flight to depart out of Hobart after 12:00 PM.

^Flights on board our two helicopters and submersible experiences are at additional cost, subject to regulatory approval, availability, weight restrictions, medical approval and weather, ice and tidal conditions. #Spa treatments at additional cost. +All drinks on board, including those stocked in your mini bar, are included, except for a very small number of rare, fine and vintage wines, Champagnes and spirits. Specialty restaurants require a reservation, enquire on board.

The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Scenic cannot guarantee the voyage will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Locations listed within East Antarctica are subject to weather and operational conditions. Sightings cannot be guaranteed. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.