From the Arctic to the Andes: Explora Introduces 2027 Expedition Season, Including Its First Winter Itinerary in Iceland

Devoted to Deep, Sustainable Exploration, the Brand Takes Travelers on Expert-Led, Small-Group Journeys to the Most Remote Corners of the World

SANTIAGO, Chile, June 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Explora, named the World's Leading Expedition Company for six consecutive years by the World Travel Awards, today introduced its 2027 collection of expeditions, led by the debut of its first winter itinerary in Iceland — a route not offered by any other full-service operator and unique in the market. Reaching from the Arctic to the high Andes and the far south of Patagonia, the season brings together four point-to-point journeys: the new Iceland Winter Expedition as a counterpart to Explora's established Summer Expedition of the country, the Sacred Mountains Expedition in Peru, and the Tierra del Fuego Expedition in Chile, each running on select departures through 2027.

Built for travelers drawn to the places that anchor a lifetime of exploration, Explora's Expeditions travel in a small group of no more than eight, led by the company's expert guides into a territory that is hard to reach on one's own. Together, they open authentic access to some of the most remote landscapes on Earth, from a winter ice hike on Europe's largest glacier to the old Inca trails above the Sacred Valley and the fjords at the end of the world, with nights in place-making lodges, camps and historic hotels along the way.

"Travel, at its best, is a way of paying attention, and the places that change you are usually the hardest to reach," said Sebastián Correa, VP of Expeditions & Explorations, Explora. "That belief runs through all of these expeditions, from the winter glaciers of Iceland, the newest of the four, to the high passes of the Andes and the fjords at the southern end of Patagonia. On every one of our journeys, the idea is the same: to go slowly, in a small group, until a landscape stops being scenery and starts to feel alive. What we are really after is that shift, from looking at a place to caring what becomes of it."

Iceland Winter Expedition

Explora's first winter itinerary in Iceland meets the island in its most dramatic season, unfolding over seven days across four regions and guiding a small group through volcanic landscapes, glacier fields and winter coastlines. While exploring Iceland's outdoors in winter might seem suited only to experienced adventurers, Explora is designed to make the season approachable, with expert guides and specially equipped vehicles opening the country in its quieter, less-crowded months. The route favors places few travelers reach over the busiest stops, leaving room to take in sites without the high-season crowds.

Beginning and ending in Reykjavík, the journey traces Iceland's natural wonders from the tectonic rift at Þingvellir National Park, where the world's first parliament once met, and the waterfalls and geysers of the Golden Circle to the black-sand beaches of the south coast and the iceberg-filled lagoon of Jökulsárlón. At the heart of the experience is a guided ice hike on Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier, exploring its blue ice and crevasses on foot with crampons and ice axes — an accessible introduction to the glacier that requires no prior experience. Additional highlights include snowmobiling beneath the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, a morning at the interactive Lava Center, and a geothermal soak at the Sky Lagoon as the cold settles over the coast. Timed around Iceland's shifting winter light, when the days are short and the nights long, every departure carries strong odds of the Northern Lights.

Travelers move by specially modified 4x4 vehicles and stay at a collection of distinctive properties, including Reykjavík's landmark Hotel Borg, the family-run working farm of Hotel Skálakot and the glacier-facing Hotel Jökulsárlón. Inaugural departures are scheduled for December 5–11, 2026; February 22–28, 2027; and March 3–9, 2027.

Iceland Summer Expedition

Where the winter itinerary turns toward the coast and the cold, Explora's summer expedition, first offered in 2025, heads inland, spending eight days in the long light of the northern summer. The expedition reaches some of the highlands' least-visited terrain, well away from Iceland's more frequented sights. Beginning and ending in Reykjavík, the route spans the Þórsmörk valley, the banded rhyolite mountains and geothermal fields of Landmannalaugar, the Southern Fjallabak highlands, Vatnajökull and the remote Langisjór lake. The trip includes hikes and overland drives across stark, volcanic country with glaciers, canyons, waterfalls and ice-blue lagoons, as well as the landscapes around Eyjafjallajökull, which shares a magma system with neighboring Katla.

Nights are spent in small boutique hotels, countryside guest houses and Reykjavík hotels, with 2027 departures set for June 18–25; June 28–July 5; July 9–16; July 19–26; August 7–14; August 17–24; and September 4–11, 2027.

Sacred Mountains Expedition

Crafted for experienced trekkers seeking a path to Machu Picchu that few ever travel, the Sacred Mountains Expedition is a nine-day journey through Peru's Sacred Valley of the Incas. Rather than the classic Inca Trail, it follows one of the route's lesser-known paths, reaching Machu Picchu by ways that few trekkers ever see. Beginning and ending at Explora's award-winning Valle Sagrado lodge, the route opens with acclimatization hikes to the archaeological site of Machu Kolka above Chinchero, along the ancient Qhapaq Ñan road to the ruins of Wata, and on old shepherd trails between Lamay and Pisac. It then turns nomadic and camp-supported, climbing into the Misquiyaco Private Conservation Area through cloud forest and above the tree line before pressing deep into the Vilcabamba range beneath Apu Salkantay, the snow-capped peak revered as a mountain guardian. After a descent toward the Vilcanota River and a day in Ollantaytambo, with its Temple of the Sun and a traditional pachamanca lunch cooked in the earth, travelers board the Vistadome train to the Inca Trail and climb through cloud forest by way of Wiñay Wayna to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, for a first sight of Machu Picchu on foot, the way the Inca approached it.

Daily hikes range from about 3.5 to 15 kilometers (2.2 to 9.3 miles), with altitudes reaching 4,671 meters (15,324 feet). In addition to Explora's Valle Sagrado lodge, accommodations are arranged in private tented camps and at Las Qolqas Hotel in Ollantaytambo, with two recovery massages along the way. 2027 departures are scheduled for May 4–12; May 15–23; May 29–June 6; June 9–17; June 26–July 4; July 6–14; July 17–25; August 7–15; and August 18–26, 2027.

Tierra del Fuego Expedition

At the southern tip of South America, where the continent transforms into islands, channels and ice, the seven-day Tierra del Fuego Expedition explores the 'Land of Fire.' Beginning in Punta Arenas, it crosses the Strait of Magellan by boat, the passage made by Ferdinand Magellan in 1520 to reach the island he named for the large bonfires he saw from the sea, likely made by the indigenous Selk'nam who inhabited the area. The route then continues past Porvenir, the island's main town, and across open pampas and working estancias to a colony of king penguins, before entering the island's forests. Hikes there lead into Karukinka Park, a private reserve of more than 300,000 hectares (741,000 acres), with nights in cabins near Lake Fagnano hosted by the Genkowsky family, among the last settlers of this remote frontier. Later days navigate the Patagonian fjords from Caleta María into Parry Fjord and the Almirantazgo Sound, with sea elephants, leopard seals and black-browed albatrosses along the shore, and a full day in Yendegaia National Park, closed to the public but open to Explora, among its high glacial lagoons.

Suitable for all fitness levels, with options for more active days, the expedition incorporates stays in family-owned cabins and traditional lodges, ending with a small-plane flight from Pampa Guanaco back to Punta Arenas. 2027 departures are scheduled for January 18–24; February 8–14; March 1–7; April 3–9; October 26–November 1; November 4–10; November 13–19; December 20–26, 2027; and December 28, 2027–January 3, 2028.

All four expeditions travel in small groups of up to eight and run on select 2027 departures, with accommodations, all meals, guided explorations, equipment, round transfers and expert guides included. To book, or to ask about private and solo arrangements, contact [email protected] or +56 2 2395 2800. Learn more at explora.com.

About Explora

Named the World's Leading Expedition Company for six consecutive years by the World Travel Awards, Explora is a family-owned, certified B Corporation offering immersive journeys across seven luxury lodges in Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, including award-winning properties in Torres del Paine, El Chaltén, and Patagonia National Park. Founded in 1993, the company is dedicated to purposeful exploration in South America's most remote landscapes, advancing conservation, and fostering a deeper understanding of the fragile ecosystems it calls home. Explora Expeditions further expand the brand's spirit of discovery through immersive small-group journeys deep into the world's most untouched environments, including Tierra del Fuego as well as Iceland and Peru.

SOURCE Explora