Antarctica – Beyond the Polar Circle – Wilkins Ice Shelf – Aurora Australis – Ortelius, March 2025

Itinerary Map

Trip Summary

Dates: 

Mar 21, 2025 -
Apr 5, 2025

Duration: 

16 Days

Ship:

Adventure
options:
Starting at: $ 10,500.00
About the Antarctica Beyond the Polar Circle – Wilkins Ice Shelf – Aurora Australis itinerary
  • Day 1: Ushuaia
  • Days 2-3: Drake Passage
  • Day 4: Pendleton Strait
  • Days 5: Detaille Island & The Gullet
  • Day 6: Porquoi Pas and Horseshoe Islands
  • Days 7-10: George IV and Wilkins Ice Shelf
  • Day 11: Jenny and Leonie Islands
  • Day 12: Lagoon and Mikkelsen Islands
  • Days 13-15: Drake Passage
  • Day 16: Ushuaia

 

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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.

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.

You arrive at the Antarctic Peninsula near the Antarctic Circle in the afternoon. If sea ice allows it, you can then continue through Pendleton Strait and attempt a landing at the rarely visited southern tip of Renaud Island. Here you have the opportunity to see the first Adélie penguins of the trip as well as enjoy spectacular views of the icebergs in this surreal, snow-swept environment.

In the afternoon we sail to the Fish Islands and encounter one of the southernmost Adélie penguin and blue-eyed shag colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula.

Spending the night in the area of Crystal Sound the scenery will leave you staying up until the small hours, there is a chance to see Orca, Humpback and Minke Whale in this area.

Detaille Island – You may make a landing at an abandoned British research station here, taking in the island’s lofty position and imposing glaciers scenery.

We then sail through The Gullet, one of the most impressive narrow channels in Antarctic, with towering mountains either side, birds following the ship and playful penguins and seals frolicking in the water as we sail through this very special part of the journey. If ice conditions allow we will also carry out a landing or cruise in the afternoon.

Discovered and charted by the famous explorer Charcot, Pourquoi Pas offers a pleasant landing on a rocky beach against the backdrop of the mighty Moider Glacier. A gentle walk from the landing site provides an impressive view, while Antarctic furs seals relaxing behind the beach are a nice addition to the wildlife we’ve encountered on this voyage.

After lunch we head toward Horseshoe Island, named for its distinctive shape. An abandoned research station provides an insight into the early days of scientific research, and original artifacts show how different life was in those pioneering days. The hut is set among some of the most beautiful scenery in Antarctica, with views over the mountains and snow of Pourquoi Pas Island as well as Horseshoe Island’s mountain range. This is a photographic landing in many senses. Two old wooden boats even remain at the landing site as if waiting for their final launch.

Provided ice and weather conditions allow, you next head toward Antarctica’s ice shelves (the George IV and Wilkins). Here we hope to show you the scale of these vast cliffs and expanses of ice that will dwarf us and our ship. A range of Antarctic wildlife like humpback whales, fur seals, Adélie penguins, and maybe even one or more Ross’ seals may appear.

Jenny Island will give another aspect to your Antarctic experience, offering raised beaches, hanging glaciers, and moss carpets. The island is also popular with wildlife: Terns, skuas, elephant seals, leopard seals, and Adélie penguins are all regular visitors.

A landing at Leonie Island will take your breath away. There is also the possibility to take a hike to the peak of the island, giving you a dramatic panorama of Marguerite Bay and Adelaide Island.

Lagoon island is the most northern island of the Leonie Islands group, also discovered and charted by Jean-Baptiste Charcot. This low laying island will provide a stark contrast to the previous days with its gently sloped beaches and flat areas to explore. The wildlife here will varies depending on snow cover. If there is little snow the ground is almost desert-like in appearance.

The Mikkelsen Islands offer a spectacular Zodiac cruise where we hope to encounter up to five Antarctic seal species. We may also see some beautiful birdlife, such as giant petrels and Adélie penguins.

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.

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.

Welcome aboard the Ortelius

The ice-strengthened vessel Ortelius is an excellent vessel for Polar expedition cruises in the Arctic and Antarctica, capable of visiting  remote locations such as the Ross Sea and Franz Josef Land in the Arctic. Ortelius was built in Poland in 1989 and worked as a special purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science.

The vessel has the highest ice-class notation (UL1 equivalent to 1A) and is therefore very suitable to navigate in solid one-year sea ice and loose multi-year pack ice. Ortelius is a great expedition vessel for 100 passengers with lots of open-deck spaces and a very large bridge which is accessible to the passengers. Ortelius offers a comfortable hotel standard, with two restaurants, a bar, lecture room and a sauna.

Though our voyages are primarily meant to offer our passengers an exploratory wildlife program with as much time ashore as possible, Ortelius offers all the comforts of a standard hotel ― along with a bar and lecture room. Flexibility assures maximum wildlife opportunities. As such, Ortelius carries 10 Zodiacs with 60hp Yamaha engines.

Technical Specs
Though our voyages are primarily meant to offer our passengers an exploratory wildlife program with as much time ashore as possible, Ortelius offers all the comforts of a standard hotel ― along with a bar and lecture room. Flexibility assures maximum wildlife opportunities. As such, Ortelius carries 10 Zodiacs with 60hp Yamaha engines.

Cabins & Amenities

  • Large observation lounge
  • Fully provisioned bar
  • Library room
  • Includes:
    • Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary.
    • 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.
    • Luggage transfer from pick-up point to the vessel on the day of embarkation, in Ushuaia.
    • Pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation).
    • All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.
    • AECO fees and governmental taxes.
    • Comprehensive pre-departure material.

    Excludes: 

    • Any airfare whether on scheduled or charter flights; 
    • Pre- and post-land arrangements; 
    • Transfers to the vessel in Ushuaia and Ascension and from the vessel in Ascension and Praia;
      Passport and visa expenses; 
    • Government arrival and departure taxes; 
    • Meals ashore; 
    • Cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended); 
    • Excess baggage
      Charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges; 
    • Customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).

    Extra Adventure Activities:  Depending on departure.

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