London, 25 July 2017:  Aurora Expeditions, Australia's most intrepid polar cruising company, is celebrating 25 years since its first expedition to Antarctica.

The 2017 southern hemisphere summer season marks a quarter of a century since Aurora Expeditions first took a small group of intrepid adventurers on a breathtaking expedition to the icy continent. Since that inaugural adventure in 1992, Aurora has operated over 200 expeditions to Antarctica, offering guests the chance to discover the continent's remote wilderness and follow in the footsteps of some of the world's greatest explorers.

To mark this milestone event, the company has launched a special anniversary expedition. Paying homage to Aurora's founders Greg and Margaret Mortimer, the expedition to Antarctica and South Georgia also honours a long list of polar explorers and adventurers.

The 18-day voyage will sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, to the Antarctic Peninsula, on board the intimate 54-passenger Polar Pioneer. Daily shore landings offer guests the opportunity to walk along the rugged coastline teeming with wildlife and through the remote snow-capped landscape. In the magnificent wildlife paradise of South Georgia, travellers can expect to see colonies of 500,000 king penguins, feisty fur seals and the wandering albatross – one of the largest seabirds on the planet.

Guests on board the '25 Year Anniversary' expedition will receive a series of exclusive added extras, including an anniversary dinner, a commemorative book highlighting photographs and stories of Aurora's 25-year history, and a polar jacket with a limited-edition anniversary polar explorer's badge.

The voyage will be led by one of Aurora's original expedition leaders, Dr Gary Miller, who has been travelling to Antarctica for over 30 years. Gary's leading team will include a naturalist, an historian and polar specialists.

The '25 Year Anniversary' expedition to Antarctica & South Georgia will depart Ushuaia, Argentina on 27 December 2017, concluding on 13 January 2018 in Santiago, Chile.

SPECIAL '25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY' OFFER – SAVE UP TO US$3,000 PER COUPLE

To celebrate this special anniversary, Aurora Expeditions are offering a saving of up to US$3,000 per couple across a range of voyages during their 25th anniversary season, including the dedicated '25 Year Anniversary' expedition. To take advantage of this exclusive anniversary offer, reservations must be made before 30 September 2017. Terms and conditions apply

For more information on Aurora Expeditions' '25 Year Anniversary' expedition call 020 7978 4534 email info@auroraexpeditions.co.uk or visit www.auroraexpeditions.co.uk

IMAGES AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD AT:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tmtz4k85j4yuskp/AAABLXixqiLL7-79OaSY4uBka?dl=0

For further press information please contact:

Frangelica Flook: frangelica.flook@cedartreepr.com

Laura Bannister: laura.bannister@cedartreepr.com

T: 020 7978 4534, M: 07747 606 898

NOTES FOR THE EDITOR

AURORA EXPEDITIONS

Aurora Expeditions is an Australian adventure company specialising in expedition-style travel to the world's wildest and remotest places.

Explorers Greg and Margaret Mortimer, veterans of almost three decades of Antarctic research, mountaineering and polar travel, founded Aurora Expeditions after working together on the Australian Bicentennial Antarctic Expedition, organised and led by Greg in 1988.

This expedition inspired the pair to make travel to the polar regions the focus of a business which would enable them to share their passion for Antarctica with like-minded travellers. In 1992, Aurora Expeditions, named in honour of Sir Douglas Mawson's ship, was born.

Their aim was simple — to take small groups of travellers on voyages of discovery to regions that inspired them, thereby creating lifelong ambassadors for the preservation and protection of these sacred places.

Over the years Aurora has expanded its scope from polar exploration to include new, rarely explored destinations such as Papua New Guinea and the Russian Far East.

In its quest to seek destinations that push the boundaries of travel, it has purposely kept the number of participants on each departure small, allowing more intimate encounters with wildlife and cultures, and lessening its impact on the regions visited.

Under the guidance of experienced leaders who have a great respect for natural and cultural environments, Aurora Expeditions continues to approach expedition travel as a catalyst for making a difference in one's life, and in the world.

For more information visit www.auroraexpeditions.com.au

GREG MORTIMER

A geochemist by profession, Greg Mortimer is one of the world's foremost mountaineers: an eminent Antarctic mountaineer and adventurer and a pioneer in leading travel expeditions to the Antarctic.

From 1979 to 1984, Greg worked as a geologist, a survival training instructor, and a Scientific Affairs Adviser for the New Zealand Antarctic Division.

His many achievements in mountaineering include the first ever ascent of the South face of Annapurna II in 1983; the first Australian ascent of the North face of Mount Everest, without the use of oxygen in 1984; the first Australian ascent of Vinson Massif, the highest mountain in Antarctica in 1988; the first Australian ascent of K2, the second highest mountain in the world in 1990; and in 2002 an ascent of Mt Manaslu, the world's eighth highest mountain.

In 1988 Greg organised and led the Australian Bicentennial Antarctic Expedition. His journeys have been covered in two documentaries, which have been distributed worldwide – 'The Loneliest Mountain', by Film Australia and 'Everest - The Australian Assault', by the Australian Television Channel Nine Network.

Greg's accomplishments have been recognised by the Australian government with an Order of Australia Medal for services to mountaineering. He is also the recipient of three Australian Geographic Society medals.

Greg is now a veteran of more than 100 Antarctic voyages and the great frozen continent remains one of his abiding passions. One of his other passions is the Blue Mountains outside of Sydney, where he now lives with his wife Margaret.

GARY MILLER

A wildlife fanatic, Expedition Leader Gary Miller has been exploring and working in the Polar Regions for well over 30 years, initially studying Polar Bears for his MA in Zoology.

Gary worked on a number of wildlife research projects, including bowhead and gray whales and desert bighorn sheep, before finding his passion for poles whilst carrying out research on penguins and skuas in Antarctica. Gary went on to spend 10 summers and a winter in Antarctica studying the behaviour, genetics and ecology of the south polar skua as well as Adélie, gentoo, chinstrap, royal, king and emperor penguins.

Over the years Gary has amassed first-hand experience of over half the world's different penguin species, published over 30 scientific articles, and is currently a Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia, focusing on the presence and consequences of diseases to penguins and skuas in Antarctica.

With almost 30 years' experience in Antarctica (and 15 in the Arctic), Gary's knowledge and passion for the continent's wildlife and nature is second to none.