Antarctica

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Title

Antarctica - Polar Circle - Deep South Discovery voyage - Aurora Australis / Southern Lights

Start – End

Tripcode

OTL29-27

Language

English

Ship

m/v Ortelius

Embarkation / Disembarkation

Ushuaia - Ushuaia

Nights / Days

12 nights

Important

Diving is an optional activity. Experience with cold-water diving and dry-suit dives (at least 30) is a must!

More about

Antarctica cruises

Antarctic Circle cruises

Antarctic Peninsula cruises

Cabins & Prices

Group request For reservations with more than 15 guests you can contact us directly

Itinerary

2025_OEX_Site_All_Antarctic_TripPage-Headers_OTL29-27 © Tim Charody - Oceanwide Expeditions.jpg

Voyage overview

This Polar Circle and Antarctic Peninsula cruise passes through waters travelled by Humpback, Minke and Fin whales. Anchoring in various spots around the region, the expedition offers the chance to hike and dive in the iceberg-heavy waters.

Aurora Australis / Southern Lights: -

During this voyage, there is a good chance of witnessing the spectacular aurora australis (southern lights). While sightings can never be guaranteed, the combination of long nights, potential clear skies, and limited moonlight during this period creates favorable conditions for this rare and magical phenomenon.

Day 1: End of the world, start of a journey

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.

Day 2 - 3: Path of the polar explorers

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.

Day 4 - 10: Sights of late summer Antarctica

Options for Antarctic Peninsula activities are many, and no less great during the late summer. Humpback whales are prolific in this region, gorging themselves on krill before their migration north. The penguin chicks are also fledging, stirring up activity on the beaches while sleek leopard seals lie in wait, poised to attack the less fortunate ones.

Sites for your Antarctic adventures may include:

Livingston Island – Here you find a wide variety of gentoo and chinstrap penguins on Hannah Point, as well as southern giant petrels and elephant seals hauling out onto the beach.

Deception Island – Actually a subducted crater, this island opens into the sea and creates a natural harbor for the ship. An abandoned whaling station, and multiple bird species – cape petrels, kelp gulls, brown and south polar skuas, and Antarctic terns – can be seen here. Wilson’s storm petrels and black-bellied storm petrels also nest in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay.

Cuverville Island – A small precipitous island nestled between the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula and Rongé Island, Cuverville houses a large colony of gentoo penguins and breeding pairs of brown skuas.

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. You might also be able to set foot on the continent here.

Paradise Bay – You could take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where you have a good chance of seeing humpback and minke whales.

Pléneau & Petermann Islands – If the ice allows it, you may sail through the Lemaire Channel in search of Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags. There’s also a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales as well as leopard seals.

Crystal Sound – Your journey takes you south along the Argentine Islands to this ice-packed body of water, and from here across the Polar Circle in the morning.

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

Fish Islands – Further north you encounter one of the southernmost Adélie penguin and blue-eyed shag colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula.

Melchior Islands – These islands offer a beautiful landscape rich with icebergs. Leopard seals, crabeater seals, and whales are found here, and there are excellent opportunities for diving.

Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.

Day 11 - 12: Familiar seas, familiar friends

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.

Day 13: There and back again

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.

PLEASE NOTE:

All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per IAATO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with IAATO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed of our vessel is 10.5 knots.

Included in this voyage

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 programme.
Comprehensive pre-departure material.

Excluded from this voyage

Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights
Pre- and post- land arrangements.
Passport and visa expenses.
Government arrival and departure taxes.
Meals ashore.
Baggage, 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.
The customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).

Highlights you might experience

Polar Diving

Visiting the polar regions is a fantastic adventure, but just below the waves waits an extraordinary other world for you to experience and explore.

Zodiac Cruising & Shore Program

By Zodiac you will explore the polar world, getting up close to icebergs, glaciers, and iconic wildlife

Shore-Based Walking

Explore the last true wilderness of our planet on foot, and absorb the beauty of the polar regions at your own pace

Bird Watching

Enjoy birding together with fellow birders and visit remote places with rare bird-species.

Deception Island

A volcanic island in the South Shetlands, north of the Antarctic Peninsula

Cuverville Island

Home to thousands of gentoo penguins, this island lies just off the Antarctic mainland

Detaille Island

Small and almost completely covered in snow, Detaille Island can only be visited on voyages that cross south of the Antarctic Circle

Limited-Edition Collectible Southern Lights Merchandise

Snap up some unique merchandise with a bespoke design by Dr. Tyler Nordgren!

Adelie Penguin

These gallant-fighting, deep-diving namesakes of the French-claimed Antarctic Adélie Land are among the four penguin species on mainland Antarctica

Gentoo Penguin

These hygienic divers are the only penguin species whose population is currently increasing along the Antarctic Peninsula

Humpback Whale

Also known as "great-winged newfoundlanders" for their wing-like flippers, these cetaceans earned their more contemporary name by the way they bow their backs before a dive

Killer Whale

Technically a kind of dolphin, orcas were once thought to appear as whales in the summer and wolves in the winter

Leopard Seal

These "slender-clawed water workers" spend much of their lives submerged, though it's known they are the only member of their family to consume other seals

What Our Travelers Say

Since we curate unique itineraries for every sailing, these reviews reflect similar past cruises. They illustrate the general atmosphere and quality standards, though specific activities and wildlife encounters will vary.

My Antarctica Dream Come True! Encountering Emperor Penguins Twice!

by Karry Kwok

Antarctica

Expedition Crew from Oceanwide has tried their very best to bring everyone on board to Snow Hill and meet the Emperor Penguins twice! That was really a memorable and touching moment. Thanks for the great effort you have made!

Experience of a lifetime

by Dušan Bajana

Antarctica

Thanks to a great expedition plan, luck in the weather, and an absolutely incredible expedition team, we had the experience of a lifetime. Every day was a unique experience, and every single day was absolutely fantastic. I saw a lot of amazing places, but this expedition surpassed them all.

A Glorius Expedition

by Alec Hardiman

Antarctica

I can't say, just how amazing this trip was. It was truly incredible. The ship, the captain, the expedion staff, the expedition leader, the crew, the restaurant staff, the locations, the ice bergs and all the penguins, seals, birds and whales. I loved every minute of this expedition and it never disappointed. Sending a bunch of ordinary passengers down south to experience an environment so unique and rare that many years ago cost many people their lives to get here, is wild. I feel so lucky and blessed to have had this adventure, within the comfort of a warm remarkable vessel. The highlight, was an area called red rock Ridge, a place swarming with manic Adelie penguins and a rough zodiac trip, this felt like proper adventure. Many thanks, and I advise anyone who's thinking about going with oceanwide, to do it 😀

An indescribable experience (Polar Circle - Wilkins Ice Shelf - Aurora Australis Discovery)

by Laurens Trenning

Antarctica

Since this was my second visit to Antarctica, I thought I knew what to expect. However this expedition far succeeded every expectation I had before I boarded Ortelius. Crossing the polar circle, seeing the Southern lights, visiting the Wilkins ice shelf, spotting Emperor/Gentoo/Adélie/Chinstrap penguins, having the most amazing encounters with humpback whales next to (and under) the zodiac boat.. There are just too many highlights to only pick one. Antarctica, the wonderful crew, the great fellow passengers. This was something extremely special which I'll never forget. Highly recommended to anyone ready to explore the most magical place, in a way that can be considered a true polar expedition. I'll absolutely visit again, and I will surely choose Oceanwide for that next adventure.

One of the best trip or expedition of my life

by Amit Rawat

Antarctica

Words will not do enough justice or explain how content and excited I am, even after the expedition ends. Everything from boarding the ship to the crew staff, the expedition team, and the activities worked perfectly, and the weather was just amazing throughout the trip. A huge thanks to Sara, our expedition leader, and her team for ensuring everyone gets to do all activities safely. Also, the lectures were so informative and interesting that even the long sailing days felt exciting. Highly Recommended!

by Ann Dewey

Antarctica

Superlatives are thrown sound in society today, greatest, biggest, richest,coldest, highest, applied often to things that do not merit them This trip however deserves the use of every single one that comes to mind and many that don’t A breathtaking and likely life changing holiday location and means of journey decision this seasoned traveler will never regret Do not hesitate to visit whilst its pristine beauty and terrifying extremes remain accessible

Show more reviews

m/v Ortelius

The ice-strengthened Ortelius is thoroughly outfitted for polar exploration and, when necessary, helicopter flights.

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Activities you can participate in

Diving

on request

You must be advanced and experienced in dry suit and cold water diving. Diving is subject to local ice and weather conditions. Group size: minimum 8 divers.