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Secret Atlas at a glance
- Style
- Expedition Micro Cruise — very small guest numbers, flexible days, time in the field over onboard amenities.
- Antarctic ship
- Explorer Yacht Aureum, 36 guests, operated with Antarpply Expeditions. Currently mid-refurbishment in South America.
- Arctic ships
- MV Freya and MV Vikingfjord, twelve guests, Svalbard and East Greenland.
- Antarctic gateway
- Puerto Natales, Chile, with a charter flight to King George Island — no Drake Passage crossing.
- Included
- Kayaking on the Antarctic voyages; a dedicated photographer on the expedition team.
- Have we sailed it?
- No. This page is built from a long conversation with their team and from the operator's published material.
What is our take on Secret Atlas?
Secret Atlas occupies an interesting space. They are not trying to be a floating luxury resort, and they are not trying to compete with the very smallest expedition ships. At 36 guests in Antarctica they have enough people aboard for a robust expedition programme while keeping the experience genuinely small.
Their definition of luxury is different. It is time. Space. Flexibility. Access. Less time waiting for people to get on and off Zodiacs, less emphasis on elaborate onboard amenities, more time actually experiencing Antarctica, South Georgia and the wildlife around you.
That philosophy came through very clearly in our conversation with their team, and we think it is worth paying attention to.
Have we sailed with Secret Atlas?
No, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. We recently spent an hour speaking directly with the Secret Atlas team about their Antarctic and South Georgia programmes, their expedition philosophy and what they are building. Everything below is either what they told us or what they publish — not firsthand experience.
Instead of guessing, we went straight to the source and asked the questions we would want answered before recommending them to a client. Where we could confirm a detail against the operator's own site we have; where we could not, we say so on this page.
For the regions Secret Atlas sails, our own firsthand accounts sit elsewhere on this site: Svalbard, Greenland and Antarctica.
Which ship do they use in Antarctica?
Explorer Yacht Aureum, a 36-guest ice-class vessel operated under the Secret Atlas banner in partnership with Antarpply Expeditions. Secret Atlas prefer her described as an explorer yacht rather than by an MV prefix. She is being refurbished in South America ahead of her first Secret Atlas Antarctic season.
| Detail | What we were told | Confirmed? |
|---|---|---|
| Guest capacity | 36 guests in 22 cabins, including eight single cabins | Confirmed on the operator's own site and its August 2026 announcement |
| Days in Antarctica | Seven full days on the fly-cruise programmes | Confirmed on the operator's own site |
| Gateway | Puerto Natales, Chile, with a charter flight to King George Island | Confirmed on the operator's own site |
| Ice class | An ice-class explorer yacht | Described as ice-class; we could not confirm the specific class notation |
| Open bow, batteries, stabilisers | Part of the current refurbishment | Planned, not installed — imagery shared with us was conceptual |
We will revise this table once the refit is complete and we have seen the ship ourselves.
The ship is being refurbished ahead of her first Antarctic season. The features described here are what Secret Atlas has told us they are building; we will update this page when we have seen her. The open bow, the battery packs and the stabilisers are planned rather than installed, and the imagery Secret Atlas shared with us was conceptual.
She carries four Zodiacs, which means the entire group can be moved efficiently rather than divided into a long series of groups waiting their turn. That matters more than it might sound: on an expedition, your time off the ship is the reason you are there.
Six expedition staff support the voyage — an expedition leader, a dedicated photographer, two team members with academic backgrounds who focus on the educational programme, an adventure guide with a kayaking background and an adventure guide with a mountaineering background. The guides also drive the Zodiacs, which makes for a particularly hands-on team.
Planned onboard: a panoramic observation lounge, generous outdoor deck space, an open bow close to sea level, a sauna, hot tub and small wellness area, and a basic medical clinic with an onboard doctor. There are no elevators, so guests should be comfortable with stairs and fit enough for an active expedition.
Why does a quiet ship matter?
Aureum uses an electro-diesel system, with battery packs being added as part of the refurbishment. Secret Atlas told us the battery capability can allow the engines to be switched off in certain situations, creating a much quieter platform for wildlife encounters. For travellers there to watch whales and orcas, that is an intriguing advantage.
It is a good example of how expedition-ship technology is not only about the engine room. It can affect what you experience outside the ship. As with everything in this section, the battery installation is part of the refit rather than something we have seen working.
What are the cabins and solo options like?
Secret Atlas describe 22 guest cabins on Aureum across suites, twin and double cabins, and eight dedicated single cabins for solo travellers. The single cabins are the detail we like most: a way to join a very small expedition without paying for a whole double.
Cabins range from entry-level accommodation on the lower deck to larger signature cabins and suites, and all 36 guests dine together in a single sitting.
If you travel alone, our guide to solo expedition travel explains how single cabins and supplements actually work across the lines we book.
How does Antarctica without the Drake Passage work?
Their fly-cruise programme uses Puerto Natales, Chile, rather than Punta Arenas, as its gateway. Guests spend time in Puerto Natales, fly roughly two and a half hours to King George Island, and then have seven full days exploring Antarctica instead of spending several days crossing the Drake Passage by ship.
Because the ship is small, Secret Atlas say they can head farther south and away from some of the busiest parts of the Antarctic Peninsula. Their goal is not simply to get you to Antarctica; it is to give you time in Antarctica.
The flight-based programmes include the hotel at the beginning and end of the programme. Secret Atlas also told us travellers can add three further hotel nights in Puerto Natales at no additional cost beyond the original programme, with breakfast — a chance to slow down after the expedition rather than rush onto a flight home. We do not publish fares or terms here; ask us and we will quote what is current.
If this is your first polar voyage, read our guide for first-time expedition travellers alongside this page.
Is South Georgia more than an add-on here?
Yes, and this is where Secret Atlas gets particularly interesting for experienced travellers. They run programmes combining South Georgia and Antarctica, and a longer programme focused heavily on South Georgia — time in the field there rather than a few days bolted onto a Peninsula itinerary.
Their team told us these voyages suit repeat Antarctic travellers, wildlife enthusiasts and photographers, and we agree that is where the product becomes especially compelling.
We asked specifically about travelling to South Georgia earlier in the season. September and October still offer abundant wildlife, including king penguins and young seals, while the landscape retains much more of its winter snow and ice. Rather than beaches absolutely packed with wildlife, you may find a quieter, more pristine landscape as the region emerges from winter.
One caveat: because these are early-season visits, some facilities in places such as Grytviken may still be closed. That is not a bad thing, simply something to understand before choosing an early-season departure. Our South Georgia guide covers the season in more detail.
What is included — kayaking and photography?
Kayaking is included on Secret Atlas's Antarctic voyages rather than sold as a separate package, and a dedicated photographer travels with the expedition team. Kayaking groups are limited in size, using primarily double kayaks with some singles depending on conditions.
Because there are seven full days in Antarctica on the fly-cruise programmes, the thinking is that you should have several chances to paddle rather than choosing between kayaking and everything else. Your trip should not become "I paid extra for kayaking, so now I have to kayak every time the boats go in the water." Our kayaking page covers how paddling programmes differ between lines.
Note: kayaking is publicly offered as part of the Antarctic programmes. South Georgia conditions can be considerably more challenging, so kayaking there is not something Secret Atlas guarantees.
The onboard photographer does not make these voyages professionals-only. It means someone aboard understands the wish to come home with more than a few lucky snapshots, and on photography-focused departures the team may build in opportunities around sunrise and wildlife encounters. See our expedition photography guide for what actually helps.
What about their Arctic micro cruises?
The Arctic is where Secret Atlas built their reputation: twelve-guest micro-expeditions in Svalbard and East Greenland aboard MV Freya and MV Vikingfjord, ice-strengthened vessels small enough to work narrow fjords and rarely visited shorelines.
Twelve guests is a different proposition again from 36. Expect very few people, long days ashore or on the water, and a photography-led rhythm — this is the product experienced Arctic travellers seek out. Our own Svalbard and East Greenland material sits on the Svalbard and Greenland pages.
Some Arctic departures carry working scientists aboard. Secret Atlas has hosted marine researchers deploying remotely operated vehicles to survey Arctic seafloor ecosystems, with briefings and footage shared with guests. This is genuine research access rather than a formal citizen science programme — you are watching and learning, not collecting data on a structured protocol.
Secret Atlas describe an East Greenland programme reached by charter flight from Iceland. We could not confirm the current charter arrangement on the operator's own site at the time of writing, so treat it as something to check with us at the time of booking.
Who is Secret Atlas best for?
Travellers who value the expedition itself more than the ship. If you would rather have 36 guests than 200-plus, more time off the ship, flexibility in the day and kayaking included, this is a strong fit. If the ship is a major part of your holiday, it is not.
Neither approach is better. They are simply different ways to experience the polar regions, and knowing which one you want is most of the decision.
You may love Secret Atlas if you
- Want a genuinely small expedition — 36 guests rather than 200-plus
- Want more time off the ship, and flexibility within the day
- Value wildlife encounters and photography above onboard amenities
- Want kayaking included rather than sold as an add-on
- Are drawn to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands
- Have already been to Antarctica and want something different
Look at other options if you
- Want a wide choice of restaurants and onboard entertainment
- Consider the ship itself a major part of the holiday
- Want extensive traditional luxury-ship amenities
- Prefer a structured, predictable daily schedule
- Are looking for a resort-like experience at sea
What is the bottom line?
Secret Atlas is not trying to be everything to everyone, and we think that is a good thing. For a first Antarctic trip we would look closely at the fly-cruise programmes and the time they give you on the continent. For someone who has already been, the conversation is about South Georgia and the Falklands.
We have not sailed with them ourselves, so we are still building our firsthand experience with the product. But after an hour asking their team the questions we know our clients will ask, we are glad to have Secret Atlas in the Glacial Expeditions conversation.
And when you are spending this kind of money, that is exactly how the conversation should start: not with "which ship is the prettiest?" but with "what kind of expedition do you actually want to have?"
We book across every expedition line, so we can set Secret Atlas directly against alternatives such as Quark Expeditions, Aurora Expeditions and Lindblad Expeditions before you commit.
Secret Atlas questions
Which ship does Secret Atlas use in Antarctica?
Explorer Yacht Aureum, a 36-guest ice-class vessel operated in partnership with Antarpply Expeditions. She is being refurbished in South America ahead of her first Secret Atlas Antarctic season.
How many guests does Secret Atlas carry?
Thirty-six guests on the Antarctic and South Georgia voyages aboard Aureum, and twelve guests on the Arctic micro cruises aboard MV Freya and MV Vikingfjord.
Do Secret Atlas voyages cross the Drake Passage?
Their fly-cruise programmes do not. Guests fly from Puerto Natales, Chile, to King George Island in about two and a half hours, then have seven full days exploring Antarctica.
Is kayaking included with Secret Atlas?
Kayaking is included on the Antarctic programmes rather than sold separately. South Georgia conditions are more demanding, so kayaking there is not guaranteed.
Does Secret Atlas have a citizen science programme?
Not a formal one. Some Arctic departures carry working scientists aboard, with briefings and footage shared with guests, which is research access rather than a structured citizen science programme.
Have Chris and Erika sailed with Secret Atlas?
Not yet. This page is based on an hour-long conversation with the Secret Atlas team in September 2026 and on the operator's published material, and it will be updated once we have sailed or seen the ship.
Compare and plan
Antarctica
Seasons, routes and how the Peninsula actually works.
South Georgia
Why experienced travellers go back for the wildlife.
Svalbard
Where the twelve-guest Arctic micro cruises sail.
Solo expedition travel
Single cabins, supplements and what they really cost.
First-time expedition travellers
What to decide before you choose a ship.