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Book Incredible Cruises to Antarctica and the Arctic

May 01, 2024 - 
May 08, 2024
This program is designed for experienced ski mountaineers who have mastered techniques both for ascent and descent in challenging snow-covered alpine terrain. A typical day involves climbs on mountaintops averaging heights of 700 - 850 meters (2,300 - 2,800 feet) and downhill skiing fro...
May 08, 2024 - 
May 15, 2024
This program is designed for experienced ski mountaineers who have mastered techniques both for ascent and descent in challenging snow-covered alpine terrain. A typical day involves climbs on mountaintops averaging heights of 700 - 850 meters (2,300 - 2,800 feet) and downhill skiing fro...
May 15, 2024 - 
May 22, 2024
Cruise along the pack-ice of North Spitsbergen for a great chance of spotting Polar Bears. You’ll sail into beautiful fjords found on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a fantastically beautiful fjord crested with spectacular glaciers and home to Ringed and Bearded Seals. The sh...
May 22, 2024 - 
May 29, 2024
Cruise along the pack-ice of North Spitsbergen for a great chance of spotting Polar Bears. You’ll sail into beautiful fjords found on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a fantastically beautiful fjord crested with spectacular glaciers and home to Ringed and Bearded Seals. The sh...
May 26, 2024 - 
Jun 06, 2024
Sailing between our home port of Vlissingen and our most cherished Arctic archipelago, Svalbard, this expedition adventure visits the Scottish port of Aberdeen, the islands of Fair Isle and Jan Mayen, and the amazing Spitsbergen ice edge, giving you the chance to search for whales, and ...
May 01, 2024 - 
May 08, 2024
This program is designed for experienced ski mountaineers who have mastered techniques both for ascent and descent in challenging snow-covered alpine terrain. A typical day involves climbs on mountaintops averaging heights of 700 - 850 meters (2,300 - 2,800 feet) and downhill skiing fro...
May 28, 2024 - 
Jun 06, 2024
Sailing between the Scottish port of Aberdeen and our most cherished Arctic archipelago, Svalbard, this expedition adventure explores the islands of Fair Isle and Jan Mayen as well as the amazing Spitsbergen ice edge, giving you the chance to search for whales, and other animals of the ...
Jun 06, 2024 - 
Jun 13, 2024
Sailing along the pack-ice of North Spitsbergen, will give us the best opportunities to spot the King of the Arctic. We sail to Raudfjord on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a beautiful fjord dominated by spectacular glaciers and favoured by Ringed and Bearded Seal. The cliffs and s...
May 08, 2024 - 
May 15, 2024
This program is designed for experienced ski mountaineers who have mastered techniques both for ascent and descent in challenging snow-covered alpine terrain. A typical day involves climbs on mountaintops averaging heights of 700 - 850 meters (2,300 - 2,800 feet) and downhill skiing fro...
May 15, 2024 - 
May 22, 2024
Cruise along the pack-ice of North Spitsbergen for a great chance of spotting Polar Bears. You’ll sail into beautiful fjords found on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a fantastically beautiful fjord crested with spectacular glaciers and home to Ringed and Bearded Seals. The sh...
Jun 08, 2024 - 
Jun 18, 2024
The North Spitsbergen cruise sails to some of the remotest locations of northern Europe. The expedition gives you the opportunity to spot historic whaling remains, glaciers, a variety of Arctic birds including the Little Auk, and polar bears....
Jun 10, 2024 - 
Jun 17, 2024
Join our adventurous expedition to the north of Svalbard’s largest island, taking in the area’s fantastically beautiful landscapes, thousands of seabirds, and possibly even polar bears. While searching for whales, seals, and other exotic wildlife among the sea ice, we’...

Antarctica – Weddell Sea Explorer Basecamp – free polar activities (kayaking, hiking, photo workshop)

The Weddell Sea Explorer Basecamp voyage offers you a myriad of ways to explore and enjoy the wildlife-rich Weddell Sea. During this expedition in one of the most remote regions of the world, we will do all kinds of activities such as kayaking and a photography workshop. We also hope to hike and even mountaineering or camping if possible. Given the location and time of year, all these activities depend on weather, ice and wildlife conditions. If some activities prove impossible, they will be replaced by other activities and landings. This trip is a true expedition for the real adventurers.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1

Our 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

Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, we 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 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 petrels, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels are a few of the birds you might see.

Day 4-10

The great Weddell Sea features massive tabular icebergs, wildly dramatic landscapes, and fascinating historical sites. It is also one of the best places in Antarctica for viewing iconic wildlife like whales, seals, and rarely seen seabirds.

We may visit the following locations, depending on local conditions:

Antarctic Sound – Antarctic Sound is nicknamed “Iceberg Alley,” as we often see enormous tabular icebergs here.

Brown Bluff – Possibly the most scenic location in the northern Antarctic Continent, Brown Bluff is characterized by sheer canyon walls, fallen boulders, and beautiful volcanic creations capped with ice.

Herbert Sound – We will focus our attention on the visually impressive areas of Naze Peninsula and Comb Ridge.

Devil Island – This island offers a magnificent vantage point for hikers willing to foot it to the top of the hill. Melting ice sometimes forms a waterfall dropping from the cliffs close to Cape Well-met.

Erebus and Terror Gulf – Here we look for new activity opportunities and may visit Vega Island, experiencing the wilderness of Antarctica in its most remote places.

Day 11-12

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

Day 13

Even great adventures must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia with memories that will accompany you wherever your next journey 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.

Cabin Information

Ship name Cabin Name Price Sale Price Departs on Returns on
m/v Ortelius Quadruple Porthole $9,700 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026
m/v Ortelius Triple Porthole $11,950 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026
m/v Ortelius Twin Porthole $11,950 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026
m/v Ortelius Twin Window $12,600 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026
m/v Ortelius Twin Deluxe $13,500 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026
m/v Ortelius Superior $14,400 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026
m/v Ortelius Quadruple Porthole $9,700 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026
m/v Ortelius Triple Porthole $11,950 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026
m/v Ortelius Twin Porthole $11,950 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026
m/v Ortelius Twin Window $12,600 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026
m/v Ortelius Twin Deluxe $13,500 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026
m/v Ortelius Superior $14,400 NA Mar 17th, 2026 Mar 29th, 2026

Inquire about this trip