Fantastic trip of a lifetime

by Melanie Phipps

Departure in December 2024

Region: Antarctica

Destinations: Antarctic Peninsula, Falkland Islands, South Georgia

Ship: m/v Ortelius

Highlights: Antarctic Fur Seal, Adelie Penguin, Arctic Tern, Blue Whale, Chinstrap Penguin, Southern Elephant Seal, Gentoo Penguin, Humpback Whale, Killer Whale, King Penguin, Leopard Seal, Macaroni Penguin, Magellanic Penguin, Minke Whale, Rockhopper Penguin, Wandering Albatross, Weddell Seal, Snow Petrel, Giant Petrel, Antarctic Shag, Grey-headed Albatross, Blue Petrel, Prion, South Polar Skua, Wilson's Storm Petrel, Antarctic Petrel, Striated Caracara, Snowy Sheathbill, Falkland Steamer Duck

Highly recommend! I liked this company’s emphasis on “expedition.” We went out on the Zodiac inflatable boats often (usually twice a day every day, whenever possible, which was frequently). We saw many amazing creatures in their natural environment, including lots of whales and seven different types of penguins, while maintaining a safe and respectful distance. Every landing was very different from the others and amazingly beautiful. The ship was very comfortable, and the crew was fantastic. The other passengers were an international group of people who were very open and interesting to talk to. There were lots of informative optional lectures every day on all aspects of the different kinds of wildlife we saw (whales, penguins, many types of birds, seals), environment, weather, geology, ocean currents, history of Antarctic exploration, as well as on the critical issues of ocean ecology and sustainability. Seeing penguins swimming in the water beside our ship and jumping up onto icebergs was awesome! So were all the sites we visited on South Georgia Island, including Grytvikan and Shackleton’s final resting spot. The Captain, expedition leader, and crew succeeded in doing everything they could to make this a truly memorable trip. p.s. Our room was very comfortable, and the meals were delicious, too :)

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