Antarctica Direct: Sail and Fly the Drake Passage

“Professor Solomon was wonderful to have as a faculty leader. Her lectures were interesting and relevant and she made a real effort to spend time with all of the MIT guests.” –MIT traveler feedback following the MIT Antarctica trip in 2018, led by MIT Professor Susan Solomon

Trip Description

Venturing to Antarctica is an expedition like no other—a chance to explore wonderlands of sculpted snow and ice where whales swim, penguins flock, and albatross soar. In 2026, travel in a more time-efficient way without sacrificing any of the adventure: this cruise and fly expedition takes you to Antarctica aboard National Geographic Explorer, allowing you to experience the expedition milestone of crossing the Drake Passage. After being immersed in Antarctica’s spectacular icescapes, you’ll return to South America via a quick two-hour flight. MIT is sharing this trip departure with general-interest travelers, with the MIT group making up a portion of total travelers on board.

Read more about the trip!

MIT Enrichment Lecturer

Susan Solomon is a leading atmospheric chemist who is well known for positing the theory and discovering the cause of the Antarctic ozone hole. Solomon, who had been a scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration since 1981, joined the faculty of MIT’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) in January 2012.

Solomon has led two expeditions to Antarctica and had a glacier named after her. She is the author of several books and influential scientific papers in climate science, and has been honored with numerous prestigious awards, including the 1999 National Medal of Science (the highest scientific honor in the US). A member of the National Academy of Sciences, the French Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society, and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Solomon also co-led the science assessment of the 2007 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in that year. Time Magazine named Solomon as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008. 

Outside her core-scientific interests, Susan is the author of several books. Her new 2024 book Solvable:  How We Healed The Earth, And How We Can Do It Again is described by Kirkus Reviews as “…a pragmatic, inspiring package.”  It includes a chapter dedicated to humankind’s remarkable success in avoiding a near-miss environmental catastrophe by healing our ozone layer.  She is also the author of The Coldest March, a popular book on Antarctic history which stemmed from her frequent Antarctic sojourns during the late 80’s and early 90’s. Her book was selected among “2001 Books of the Year” lists of The New York Times, The Economist (UK), and The Independent (UK).   

Professor Solomon remarks: “Coming to Antarctica to work on understanding why the mysterious “hole” in our ozone layer opened up there in the 1980s took me on an unforgettable personal and professional journey.  I am still fascinated by the atmospheric chemistry and meteorology of this continent, the coldest place on Earth.  At MIT, I love teaching students about how we humans understood and managed the ozone depletion issue to a worldwide solution spanning science, public understanding, policy, and engineering.  I have also become a meteorological historian as a hobby. During our trip, I plan to talk about the amazing atmospheric science of Antarctica including its ozone layer and its changing climate, and the ways that early Antarctic explorers observed and experienced the weather during their brave quests to this remarkable land.”

• Please note that the MIT Alumni Travel Program does not conduct tours. MIT Alumni Travel acts as a facilitator with tour operators; tour participants work directly with the tour operators to make travel arrangements.
• For more details, please see About the MIT Alumni Travel Program.
• Also, check out our What to Expect page.
• MIT travelers are strongly encouraged to purchase travel insurance. Travelers are free to use any insurance company they prefer. For questions about trip insurance through Meyer Insurance, please call 866-679-7836.