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Antarctica - Discovery & Learning Voyage | Ortelius

11 Days
From £ 7,688

STYLE: Small Ship Expedition Cruise 

Trip Code: ACOWOAD11-STD

DIFFICULTY RATING: 2 (Light adventure)

Start: Ushuaia, Argentina

Finish: Ushuaia, Argentina

SHIP: Ortelius

DestinationDestination

Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

DestinationDeparture Date

22/01/2025, 01/02/2025, 01/12/2025

MealsMeals

All Meals On board The Ship

TransportTransport

Group Transfers On Disembarkation to the airport 

TransportAccommodation

Cabin on board a ship



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Included SightseeingIncluded Sightseeing

Daily Antarctica Excursions in location, Zodiac Cruising, On board Expert Lectures & Briefings by the Experienced Expedition Team

 

NOTE: Itinerary is subject to change depending on weather & ice conditions 

OVERVIEW

This cruise delivers you to wondrous landscapes found in one of the harshest environments on Earth. Meet the great stars of the Antarctic, the penguins, found in the thousands in a variety of curious species. Come say hello to whales, seals, and thousands of penguins.

 

SPECIAL INFORMATION: 22 Jan 2026 departure includes a Navigational Workshop. Be part of a true polar expedition! During this adventurous voyage, we will visit some of Antarctica’s remote islands. This includes the Wauwermans Islands (close to Anvers Island), where we will chart and make depth measurements while exploring the area in our Zodiac boats and kayaks. Navigation workshops and presentations about historic Antarctic voyages are also part of this exciting activity-based expedition.

Select this activity if you’re interested in learning the history, theory, and practice of land and sea navigation. Topics covered include the use of sextants, chart positioning, and GPS functions, among others. All courses are led by experienced expedition guides. No additional equipment needed.

ITINERARY

Embarkation in Ushuaia

Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.

Crossing The Drake - Day 2 & 3

Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too. Wandering albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels are a few of the birds you might see.

Antarctica - Day 4 to 7

Gray stone peaks sketched with snow, towers of broken blue-white ice, and dramatically different wildlife below and above. You first pass the snow-capped Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel, sailing between Brabant and Anvers Islands. Sites you may visit include:

Danco Island – Activities here may focus on the gentoo penguins nesting on the island, in addition to the Weddell and crabeater seals that can be found nearby.

Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and endless wind-carved snow, Neko Harbour offers opportunities for a Zodiac cruise and landing that afford the closest views of the surrounding alpine peaks.

Paradise Bay – You may be able to take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where there’s a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales.

South Shetland Islands

The volcanic islands of the South Shetlands are windswept and often cloaked in mist, but they do offer subtle pleasures: There’s a wide variety of flora (mosses, lichens, flowering grasses) and no small amount of fauna (gentoo penguins, chinstrap penguins, southern giant petrels). In Deception Island, the ship plunges through Neptune’s Bellows and into the flooded caldera. Here you find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, and thousands of cape petrels – along with kelp gulls, brown and south polar skuas, and Antarctic terns. A good hike is a possibility in this fascinating and desolate volcanic landscape.

As an alternative, you may be able to engage in activities near Half Moon Island. Here chinstrap penguins and Weddell seals often haul out onto the beach near Cámara Base, an Argentine scientific research station. Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.

At Sea - Drake Passage - Day 9 & 10

Your return voyage is far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.

Disembarkation in Ushuaia

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.

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Ortelius

Ortelius

With its origins in Poland, the M/V Ortelius now plies the waters of the Antarctic and Arctic as an ice-strengthened Polar expedition vessel. It is named after the Flemish cartographer and geographer, Abraham Ortelius, who also created the first modern atlas. Adept at navigating through solid one year sea-ice and loose multi-pack ice, this ship is ideally suited to reaching more remote locations such as the Ross Sea.

The comfortable M/V Ortelius accommodates up to 108 passengers in 50 cabins. Staterooms range from quadruple and triple cabins with portholes and both upper and lower berths, to twin porthole, window and deluxe cabins with lower berths only up to superior cabins which feature a double bed. The ship has plenty of open-deck spaces as well as a large bridge accessible to passengers. Alongside the expedition team that is made up of an expedition leader plus 5 guides/lecturers, the ship is manned by 34 extremely experienced nautical crew, an international catering staff and you can find a doctor onboard for any required medical attention.

On board there are also two restaurants, a bar/lecture room and a sauna. There are 11 Zodiacs on board, maximising time spent on shore and wildlife opportunities.

 

Ice Class: Length: 90.95m / 299.4ft
Breadth: 17.20m / 57.8ftMax
Draft: Cruising
Speed: 14.5 knots
Electricity: 240 volts Passenger
Capacity:
116 passengers & 52 Crew & Staff

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Accommodation

We believe that appropriate accommodation should add to the authentic travel experience, as well as providing utmost enjoyment. For that reason our accommodation is scrutinised by our staff on the ground frequently, ensuring the properties adhere to our high standards. This key will help you understand the levels of accommodation available on this tour.

Standard

Comfortable properties with dependable facilities and service.

Superior

Comfortable properties with dependable facilities and service.

Deluxe

Luxurious properties with impeccable facilities and service.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

Optional Activities vary for each itinerary. Limited spaces available. Contact your Destination Specialist for pricing & availability.

Hiking

Hiking excursions are among the most popular options in Antarctica as many itineraries are short and suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. Guided hikes lead you to amazing vantage points and allow even closer interaction with local wildlife, so don’t forget to pack your camera!

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Pricing per person & date

Antarctica - Discovery & Learning Voyage | Ortelius from £ 7,688
Departing Ending Duration
22 Jan 202501 Feb 202511
01 Feb 202511 Feb 202511
01 Dec 202511 Dec 202511

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Important Information

  • Prices are based on per person, and may be based on quad/triple/twin share.

    Prices are correct at time of publishing but are subject to change at any time. 

    Itinerary is subject to change depending on weather and ice conditions.

  • INCLUSIONS

    Cabin Accommodation on board MV Ortelius
    All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea
    All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac
    Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff
    Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes
    Group departure transfers in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation)
    All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme
    Comprehensive pre-departure material
    Access to 1.5 GB of free internet connectivity per person, which resets every 24 hours. Supplementary vouchers available to purchase on onboard. Subject to satellite coverage

     

    EXCLUSIONS

    Airfares to/from disembarkation city 
    Visa & passport fees (if applicable)
    Travel insurance
    Beverages (other than tea & coffee)
    Meals ashore
    Personal expenses such as laundry & bar
    Gratuities for the crew (guidelines will be provided)
    Pre and post land arrangements 
    Government arrival or departure taxes (if applicable)
    Additional optional activities

     

  • 2 (Light adventure)
  • Available upon request. Please contact us for more details. No single supplement will apply if willing to share in selected cabins. 

  • Departure Date, Fuel Surcharges, Cabin Category, Currency Fluctuations, Seasonality & Availability.