Aurora Expeditions announced that international bestselling author, keynote speaker, and award-winning travel photographer Lola Akinmade Åkerström will host the Antarctic Direct: Fly the Drake Fly/Fly Women’s Only Expedition. She will be joined by special guest Dr. Sandra H. “Sandy” Magnus, a former NASA astronaut, aboard the Sylvia Earle, Aurora’s advanced small expedition ship named after the legendary oceanographer.
This exclusive women-only Antartica expedition, departing February 23, 2027, celebrates women in exploration, storytelling, and environmental conservation. Åkerström, who has photographed and reported from over 80 countries, brings a global perspective to the voyage. Her work has been featured in outlets such as BBC, CNN, The Guardian, Travel + Leisure, and Lonely Planet. She is a Hasselblad Heroine and recipient of numerous honors, including the Condé Nast Traveler Women Who Travel Power List, Newsweek Future of Travel Award for Storytelling, and Travel Pulse’s Most Influential Woman in Travel award.
Set during the late Antarctic summer, an ideal time for wildlife sightings and breathtaking landscapes, the expedition offers stunning views of glaciers, penguins, and golden polar sunsets. Travelers will fly both ways over the Drake Passage, maximizing their time on the Antarctic Peninsula.
