Antarctic Peninsula - Basecamp Ortelius

In the afternoon, embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located in the shadow of the Andes and right at the Beagle Channel shore. Sail through this scenic waterway during the afternoon and begin your upcoming Antarctic adventure.

During these two days sail across the Drake Passage. When crossing the Antarctic Convergence, arrive in the circum-Antarctic up welling zone. In this area you may see 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. Near the South Shetland Islands, spot your first icebergs of the voyage.

Sail directly to “High Antarctica”, passing the Melchior islands and the Schollaert Channel between Brabant and Anvers Island. Sail to the Neumayer Channel, where your captain positions your polar expedition ship for the multi-activity base camp. The protected waters around Wiencke Island become your playground for all activities. In this alpine environment there are great opportunities to scout the region on foot, per zodiac and during kayak trips. Walkers find opportunities to use snowshoes on hikes near the shore lines and the mountaineers find their challenge by climbing hills and view points further inland, i.e. Jabet Peak (540 m). All climbs and excursions can only be conducted in good weather conditions.

Plan to stay two overnights at anchor in order to implement two camp nights and two full activity days. Visit the British research station and the post office Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. Close to Port Lockroy, embark on a landing on Jougla Point with gentoo penguins and imperial shags. Your polar exploration continues as you sail through the spectacular Lemaire Channel to Booth Island, Pleneau, and Petermann Island where you can find Adelie penguins and blue-eyed shags. In this area there are good chances to encounter humpback whales, minke whales, and fin whales.

The second Basecamp night is near the Continent where your crew chooses a camp site which is suitable and close to next day’s activity. The mountaineers hope to reach the summit of Mt. Demaria (640 m) at Waddington Bay. A visit to one of the scientific stations in Antarctica gives you insight to the life of modern Antarcticans working on the White Continent. Further south you may have time to visit the Ukrainian Vernadsky Station, where you receive a warm welcome from the station crew.

In the afternoon at Neko Harbour you have the opportunity to set foot on the Antarctic Continent in the magnificent landscape of a huge glacier. Enjoy the landscape during zodiac cruises, hikes, and kayak excursions. A small group of mountaineers may climb up on higher grounds of the glacier. Spend the night at Neko or near Paradise Bay with a camp erected ashore. Leave Neko Harbour in the early morning after breaking the last camp. Sail via Melchior Islands towards the open sea of the Drake Passage. 

On your way north, you are again followed by a great selection of seabirds while crossing the Drake Passage.

Arrive in the morning and disembark in Ushuaia.