Remote Antarctica
on the M/V Ortelius

28 days -27 nights

Day 1 to 3 - Depart from Ushuaia to South Georgia

Your journey begins where the world ends. Ushuaia, Argentina, considered the southernmost city on the planet, is located at the southern tip of South America. In the afternoon, you'll embark from this small resort town in Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed "The End of the World," and sail through the mountain-lined Beagle Channel for the rest of the night. On the way to South Georgia, you'll cross the Antarctic Convergence. The temperature drops considerably in just a few hours, and nourishing water rises to the sea surface due to the collision of water columns. This phenomenon attracts a multitude of seabirds to the boat, including several species of albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels, prions, and skuas.

Day 4 to 6 - South Georgia

Entering the South Georgia Maritime Zone, one of the largest protected waters in the world, we sail alongside Shag Rocks. These impressive rocks are located 240 km (150 miles) west of South Georgia and are home to thousands of cormorants. The area surrounding the rocks is known for its abundance of larger marine mammals, which feed in this relatively shallow area of ​​the South Georgia Range.

Weather conditions will determine which areas of South Georgia we can visit and where we can engage in activities. Destinations to visit include:

• Fortuna Bay This bay is 5,000 meters long and 1,600 meters wide, located between Cape Best and Point Robertson, very close to Mount Atherton on the north coast of San Pedro Island. Its name honors the Argentine whaling ship, El Fortuna, which was one of the architects of the Grytviken whaling station on South Georgia Island in 1905. Nearby is Ocean Harbour (New Fortuna Harbour). Its beaches are teeming with penguins and seals. We can even follow the final route Ernest Shackleton took to the Stromness whaling station.
• Salisbury Plain, St. Andrew's Bay, Gold Harbour These areas are not only home to the three largest king penguin colonies on South Georgia, but also three of the largest breeding beaches for Antarctic fur seals in the world. Literally millions of Antarctic fur seals breed on South Georgia during December and January. Only during the shoulder season do they reach the peak of their breeding cycle. Watch the large seals constantly monitor (and occasionally fight) over territories where dozens of females have just given birth or are about to give birth. Watch your step and stay cool when walking along the beaches during this time.
• Grytviken At this abandoned whaling station, king penguins roam the streets and elephant seals roam the grounds as if they own the place – basically because they do. Here, you can visit the South Georgia Museum and Shackleton's grave.

On the afternoon of the 6th, and depending on conditions, we will begin sailing south towards the South Sandwich Islands.

Day 7 to 8 - At sea to the South Sandwich Islands and the Weddell Sea

Like Shackleton in December 1914, during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, also known as the Endurance Expedition, we leave South Georgia and head for the South Sandwich Islands and the Weddell Sea. Sea ice is possible along this route, and at the ice edge, some polar skuas and snow petrels might join the other seabirds following the vessel south.

Day 9 - South Sandwich Islands

Although we can't land here, we might be able to take a Zodiac cruise through the stunning scenery of this active volcanic area. The passage between Thule and the Cook Islands will be one of the highlights of the trip and will leave a lasting impression. There's a good chance of encountering humpback and minke whales in this area. On and around the islands, we'll also have the opportunity to spot brown skuas, chinstrap or Adélie penguins, and several species of albatrosses: grey-headed, black-browed, and wandering.

The subantarctic archipelago of the South Sandwich Islands has no native population; it has an estimated area of ​​300 km². Its islands were discovered by James Cook in the late 18th century, and then the Russian expedition led by Von Bellingshausen completed the discovery of the remaining islands further south in the early 19th century. The first population of the islands were Argentine scientists in the mid-20th century. The Argentine Republic once had 50 scientists at the Corvette Uruguay base, the only base built in the South Sandwich Islands.

Day 10 to 12 - Towards the Northeast of the Weddell Sea: New Swabia

Next, we will sail towards the Antarctic continent, heading for Queen Maud Land and Neuschwabenland (New Swabia) on the northeast side of the Weddell Sea. Neuschwabenland, or New Swabia, is home to five scientific stations from different countries; not all of them are operational year-round; the vast majority are open during the summer. New Swabia covers approximately 600,000 km² and is part of Queen Maud Land, an area claimed by Norway since 1939 but never defined.

Day 13 to 14 - Neuschwabenland / New Swabia

Our first destination in Antarctica is New Swabia, between 20° E and 10° W in Queen Maud Land. This area was explored by Germany during the Third German Antarctic Expedition of 1938–1939, led by Alfred Ritscher. The goal was to find an area in Antarctica for a German whaling station and to explore a possible location for a naval base. In an attempt to claim the region, Nazi flags were planted on the sea ice along the coastal areas. Reconnaissance flights also launched aluminum arrows bearing swastikas from the air.

Days 15 to 23 - Deep in the Weddell Sea: Filchner, Ronne, and Larsen Ice Shelves

Sailing through the depths of the Weddell Sea, we're likely to spot crabeater, leopard, or Weddell seals. With luck, we might even see emperor penguins. Humpback, orca, and minke whales are also present in this area, along with various birds. Ice conditions in the Weddell Sea vary seasonally. We'll discover a vast expanse of sea, and by heading to high latitudes (far south), we'll enjoy the beauty and power that make Antarctica so special. It will become clear why it took so long to discover the Great White Continent and how difficult it must have been for Shackleton's expedition.

We will follow a circular route to the Brunt Ice Shelf and along the Luitpold Coast, discovered and named during Wilhelm Filchner's Second German Antarctic Expedition (1911-1912). Conditions permitting, we will have the opportunity to take a Zodiac cruise and possibly an ice floe landing. We now head west toward the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf before changing course north, following the coastline along the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the Larsen Ice Shelf. This brings us close to the spot where Shackleton's ship Endurance became trapped in the ice during his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917), drifting toward the Antarctic Peninsula before sinking. In an exciting finale to this story, the wreck was discovered on March 5, 2022, the centenary of Shackleton's burial, after 107 years beneath the waves of the Weddell Sea. While we can't get close to the discovery site due to ice, we will be in the area where the ship was trapped and abandoned. There are colonies of 6,500 emperor penguins nearby, so we hope to see one or more in this area.

As we reach the northern section of the Antarctic Peninsula, we enter the Erebus and Terror Gulfs. Long-distance emperor penguins often roost on the many ice floes on Snow Hill Island, which could offer another chance to spot these iconic creatures. Conditions permitting, we may attempt a landing on James Ross Island.

Day 24 - Brown Bluff & Kinnes Cove

This morning we hope to disembark at one of the most picturesque locations in the northern Antarctic continent, where you will also find a large colony of Adélie penguins, gentoo penguins, and nesting snow petrels. Steep canyon walls, tumbled rocks, and beautiful ice-covered volcanic formations make Brown Bluff a truly unforgettable place. Across the Antarctic Sound is Kinnes Cove, where you can observe the nearby Madder Bluff with its subtle red coloration, as well as possible gentoo penguins.

Brown Bluff is a basaltic tuya located on the Tabarin Peninsula in North Antarctica. It is the product of subglacial eruptions within an englacial lake. A tuya is a type of volcano with a flat top and steep sides. The volcano is estimated to have been about 15 kilometers across and is believed to have been formed by a single vent. Brown Bluff gets its name from its steep slopes and brown to black hyaloclastite.

Kinnes Inlet is a magnificent landing site due to the beautiful cliffs that can be seen. The cliffs are about 300 meters (1,000 feet) above sea level and are named after the plant pigment madder, due to the reddish color of the rocks. The inlet is located west of Joinville Island, northeast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The inlet was discovered during the Dundee Whaling Expedition of 1892-1893 and is named after the leader of that voyage, Robert Kinnes.

Day 25 - The legendary Elephant Island

This is the starting point from which Shackleton set out in search of help for his stranded crew. Using only a small lifeboat, the James Caird, he and five of his men sailed to South Georgia and then walked 36 hours to Stromness. It's hard not to marvel at how they accomplished such a Herculean feat. Twenty-two members of his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, also known as the Endurance Expedition, were stranded on Elephant Island after their ship, the Endurance, sank in the Weddell Sea. The legendary rescue took four and a half months./p>

Conditions on Elephant Island are harsh. The coastline consists mostly of vertical rocks and ice cliffs that are highly exposed to the elements. If possible, take the Zodiacs to Point Wild, where the stranded members of Shackleton's expedition miraculously managed to survive.

Day 26 to 27 - Return to the South American continent

Your return journey will not be lonely at all. As you cross the Drake Passage, you might spot some of the same animals you encountered at the beginning of your voyage: albatrosses, petrels, maybe even a minke whale sputtering up sea spray.

Day 28 - Disembarkation in Ushuaia

Every adventure, no matter how sublime, must eventually come to an end. It's time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure takes you.

Note: The detailed itinerary is only a guide, as all programs are subject to prevailing ice and weather conditions in the area, as well as ease of landing and the best wildlife viewing conditions. The final itinerary is set by the expedition leader on board, keeping in mind that flexibility is a priority on this type of expedition.