Expedition Antarctica - Crossing the Arctic Circle

On this Antarctic expedition with Oceanwide Expeditions, you can expect an extraordinary and untouched natural environment that few people get to see. In the realm of the penguins, you will experience an extraordinary sea voyage to the Antarctic Peninsulas and explore a breathtaking landscape strewn with icebergs and snow. A highlight of this trip is the crossing of the Antarctic Circle - an experience you will not soon forget. The price per person refers to accommodation in a double cabin for two people, other categories on request. Please note that this is an exemplary route description, as it is adapted to the weather and ice conditions as well as animal observation opportunities. A high degree of flexibility promises a unique and unforgettable experience.

Expedition Antarctica: Crossing the Arctic Circle - The itinerary:

Day 1: Start of the expedition to Antarctica
Your journey begins in Ushuaia, the southernmost city on the planet. Embarkation takes place in the afternoon and you move into your cabin for the next few days. From here, the ship heads south through the mountain-lined Beagle Channel. Relax at the end of this first day and look forward to the unforgettable days ahead of you over dinner.

Day 2 - 3: Sea creatures of the Drake Passage
Take your time over breakfast and start the day in a relaxed manner. On the first two days of your trip, you will cross the Drake Passage on your way to Antarctica. Keep an eye out for sea creatures: seabirds and perhaps even the odd whale or two will accompany you on your way to Antarctica. You can observe how the birdlife changes the further south you go. You will be greeted by wandering albatrosses, gray-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, sooty albatrosses, cape petrels, southern fulmars, black-legged petrels, blue petrels and Antarctic petrels. It can get a bit stormy and rough on this passage. There is a good chance of high waves here. But if you are lucky, the sea can also be as smooth as glass.

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Day 4 - 9: Underway in the Antarctic
The conditions in the Drake Passage will determine when you arrive at the Antarctic Peninsulas and when you leave again. Antarctica welcomes you in late summer with its breathtaking beauty and abundant wildlife. At this time, many bowhead whales are active, eating vast quantities of krill before heading further north. The cute penguin chicks have now fledged - a colorful hustle and bustle awaits you on the beaches. We are sure that you will be amazed by this remote place and quickly fall in love with Antarctica. Your expedition is rounded off by breathtaking sunsets at this time of year. The route is determined by ice and weather conditions, but also by animal observation opportunities. There is an incredible amount to discover and wherever you go, the nature and landscapes will exceed all your expectations. Some examples of places you could visit are as follows:
Livingston Island: With a variety of gentoo and chinstrap penguins at Hannah Point, as well as southern giant petrels and elephant seals.
Deception Island: A crater that creates a natural harbor for ships with an abandoned whaling station. Many bird species can be seen here, such as Cape Petrels, Dominican Gulls, Brown and Southern Skuas, Antarctic Terns, Varied-footed Storm Petrels and Black-bellied Sandpipers.
Cuverville Island: A small rocky island between the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula and Rongé Island. Home to a large gentoo penguin colony and several breeding pairs of brown skuas.
Neko Harbour: Impressive landscape of huge glaciers and fascinating snowfields. A Zodiac excursion offers you a very special view of the mountain peaks and possibly the opportunity to set foot on the Antarctic continent.
Paradise Bay: An expansive bay covered in ice that offers good chances of spotting humpback and minke whales on a Zodiac trip.
Pléneau & Petermann Islands: Depending on the ice conditions, the Lemaire Channel can be crossed. Look out for Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags as well as humpback and minke whales and leopard seals.
Crystal Sound: Continue south past the Argentine Islands on an ice-strewn expanse of water. You are close to the Arctic Circle, which you will cross in the morning.
Detaille-Island: In an area with high mountains and impressive glaciers and an abandoned British research station.
Fish Islands: Further north with good chances of seeing Adelie penguin and blue-eyed shag colonies.
Melchior Islands: Fantastic landscape with countless icebergs and good conditions for kayaking and diving. You also have a very good chance of spotting leopard seals, crabeater seals and whales here.

Day 10 - 11: Back to civilization
You return via the well-known Drake Passage, again accompanied by countless seabirds and sea creatures. Keep an eye out and review the impressions of the last few days. The crossing gives you time to return to civilization in peace and quiet with incredible memories of your expedition in the Antarctic.

Day 12: End of your expedition
Your journey ends in Ushuaia, where you disembark. You will certainly not forget your time in Antarctica in a hurry.

Arrival
The transfer to the ship on the day of arrival is not included, but there is a luggage transfer on day 1 from the hotel. For the day of departure, a transfer to Ushuaia airport is included directly after disembarkation.

Expedition ship:
MS Ortelius (Date 10.03.-21.03.2025)
The ship has the highest ice class (UL1, equivalent to 1A) and is therefore suitable for sailing in both solid one-year sea ice and loose multi-year pack ice. The Ortelius offers space for up to 108 passengers and has a large number of open deck spaces. Please note that a small number of cabins may have partially obstructed views due to the size of the windows and the design requirements of the ship. For example, some windows in the lower half may be partially obscured by a gangway. The best view is always on the outside deck or the bridge. Although our voyages are primarily aimed at providing our passengers with a wildlife exploration program with as much time ashore as possible, the Ortelius has all the amenities of a standard hotel - including a bar and lecture room. Flexibility guarantees maximum opportunities to explore the wildlife. Ortelius therefore has 10 Zodiacs with 60 hp Yamaha engines. The ship has room for 108 guests.
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