Due to challenges involved in flying to the southernmost city on the planet during a North American winter, and the inability to catch up the ship after she sets sail, travelers are strongly advised to arrive into Ushuaia at least 1 night early (January 20 or 21).

I series of optional services to maximize this “bottom of the world” opportunity are listed above under Optional Activities.

The epic Adventure departs late this afternoon, January 22, on the M/V Ortelius from Ushuaia, southernmost city on the planet. Embarkation is from 4 to 5 p.m. Shortly thereafter, we weigh anchor and your voyage begins where the world drops off!

This evening, we sail through the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel en route to Antarctica, the “7th continent”, a shadowy myth throughout human history until just a couple hundred years ago.

Leaving the Beagle Channel, we head south into the Drake Passage, crossing the Antarctic Convergence where warmer currents meet colder Antarctic waters and encountering some of the same conditions experienced by great polar explorers who first charted these regions.

This rite of passage can be a challenge. At this latitude, no land masses provide obstacles to ocean currents and the U.S. Navy has classified this as one of the world’s most forbidding bodies of water.

Fortunately, our crossing takes place in the relatively placid period of Antarctica’s summer. Still, travelers need to be mentally and physically prepared for rough waters with seasickness remedies and an informed strategy for moving about the ship if conditions are rough.

This time onboard allows us to prepare for the exciting days ahead with lectures and other presentations by the ship naturalists and expedition team. We will likely encounter a changing variety of bird life including four different species of albatross, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, and three different species of petrel.

As we continue south, we sail between gray stone peaks streaked with snow and towers of broken blue-white ice. Initially, we pass the snow-capped Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel, sailing between Brabant and Anvers Islands.

We plan two shore excursions each day. Zodiac cruising is a regular feature of our landings, often zipping us amongst mountains of floating ice. Chances are good for encountering Humpback, Minke, and Fin whales, either from the ship, or even close up from our zodiacs!

Following are some of the sites we may visit:

Danco Island – Activities here may focus on the gentoo penguins nesting on the island, in addition to the Weddell and crabeater seals that can be found nearby.

Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and endless wind-carved snow, Neko Harbour offers opportunities for a Zodiac cruise and landing that afford the closest views of the surrounding alpine peaks. In windless conditions the sea acts like a massive, magnificent mirror.

Paradise Bay – You may be able to take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where there’s a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales.

Port Lockroy – After sailing through the Neumayer Channel, you may get a chance to visit the former British research station – now a museum and post office – of Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. You may also be able to partake in activities around Jougla Point, meeting gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags.

Late mornings and afternoons are often spent in the lecture room, advancing our understanding of this environment through naturalist presentations on various aspects of the natural and historical wonders of this fascinating region at the bottom of the globe.

The volcanic islands of the South Shetland Islands are wind-swept, often cloaked in mist, and well known for their prolific wildlife!

Expect to see Chinstrap penguin rookeries, a variety of seabird species with likely closeup sightings of Fur seals, and perhaps Elephant seals.

At Deception Island, the ship plunges through Neptune’s Bellows, a narrow opening that leads to a sea-filled caldera, creating a natural harbor for our ship! Ashore we’ll find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, and thousands of cape petrels, kelp gulls, brown and south polar skuas, and Antarctic terns.

Half Moon Island is an alternative stop. Here chinstrap penguins and Weddell seals often haul out onto the beach near Cámara Base, an Argentine scientific research station. Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure for our return to reality.

On our return voyage across the Drake Passage, we are again followed by a plethora of seabirds we became acquainted with during our southern passage. Intriguing lectures are made on the return voyage by the ship’s illustrious expedition staff.

Disembark at Ushuaia this morning and catch flights home at the close of the most unforgettable adventure of your life!

January 23, 2024

During the week-long Priority Booking phase which ends January 29, pre-registered travelers have priority access to full registration, which requires an additional $900 ($1,000 total registration). Deposits are non-refundable after this time.

MODIFIED PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICIES FOR ANTARCTICA
Because of the high demand for cruising through Antarctica and the short supply of the more attractive small ship experiences, cruise companies are somewhat aggressive in their cancellation policies. Normal WAI cancellation policies (see the General Tour Conditions) are therefore superseded by those of the ship.

We will use the following tour payment schedule that synchronizes with non-refundable payments due the ship. All payments received from travelers are therefore non-refundable after the due date.

March 15, 2024: $1000 per person
May 14, 2024: $1000 per person
July 15, 2024: $2000 per person
September 15, 2024: $2000 per person
November 15, 2024: final balance

Once a tour has a viable number of participants, an “Adventure Advice” email will be sent with critical information on flight arrangements as well as important steps to take in the months before your trip. Please do not buy your airline tickets until you review this Adventure Advice email.

Please follow this link to read our full General Tour Conditions.

Why is Antarctica considered “high adventure”?
A number of factors contributed to Antarctica being considered one of the highest adventure experiences offered by WAI.

DRAKE PASSAGE—THE RITE OF PASSAGE!
The Drake Passage is the body of water that circles the globe between South America and Antarctica. Partly because there are no significant land masses to block the currents, and due to convergence of seas from all directions, it’s a rough body of water, not to be taken lightly. When aboard, the sea often does not look as rough as the boat feels. Though we are traveling in Antarctica’s summer, and seas are calm relative to winter conditions, the Drake is notoriously fickle, and it can truly be a rite of passage en route to the glories of Antarctica.

If we have a rough crossing, it is essential that you be alert whenever you are not securely seated or lying down. Moving about the ship is a skill you will develop in a few hours, but you need to take this aspect of the trip very seriously while we are in the passage!! Injuries have been sustained by WAI travelers on previous Drake Passage crossings.

The crossing lasts about 36 hours each direction. Seasickness meds are important, and you need to be prepared in this regard, but staying safe while moving about the ship is the bigger issue. Once we arrive in the waters around the Antarctic Peninsula, sailing is calm, and most people are quite comfortable without seasickness meds. More advice will follow in the Travel Tips document.

ZODIAC LANDINGS
Once you have been in a Zodiac rubber boat, you will never forget the feeling of being whisked ashore!! Ship staff members are always available at every landing to give you a helping hand as you get into Zodiacs from our steel gangway and then again to disembark once you arrive ashore. You need to be confident, however, that you can walk down a fairly steep gang-way and command enough leg strength to step down into the Zodiac, which can bob up and down a bit depending upon sea conditions. The crew is extremely efficient about helping us into and out of the Zodiac, so even though it is a unique way to reach land, it may be easier than it sounds!

WET LANDINGS
In nearly all cases, jetties or docks are not available for unloading. In these instances, rubber Zodiac rafts will bring you ashore and unload on beaches or shorelines. This may require wading through shallow water to reach dry land, but the water is always very shallow and the ship provides rubber boots onboard so you will not get your feet wet! Expedition staff are always on hand to assist.

EXTREME REMOTENESS
Once our vessel enters the Drake Passage we will be in the most remote parts of the planet with a complete lack of services, especially medical facilities (though the ship does have a doctor onboard). As a result, travel insurance is required by all ships sailing into Antarctic waters (see Travel Insurance paragraph below).

DOCTOR’S RELEASE FORM
Due to the remote destination to which we are sailing, the ship requires that all passengers be fit and physically prepared for the Adventure. As mentioned, no hospitals or services of any kind are available in Antarctica. A doctor is aboard the ship, but serious medical conditions en route could jeopardize the cruise for everyone if the ship is forced to return to Argentina pre-maturely.

After you register for this trip, you will receive an online link to the ship’s Personal Information Form requiring information about your health. Upon their review of this information, the ship is entitled to request a medical release from your doctor. If you are concerned that you may have a medical condition that may disqualify you from participation, it is best to have your check-up before you fully register (but not before pre-registration).

Short answer—“between piles of penguin poop”! Okay, here’s the serious answer. Offering walks from a cruise ship through one of the most remote corners on the globe, with unpredictable weather, can be tricky. See the section below entitled WALK DESCRIPTIONS for information about specific walks. Following are general aspects unique to walking on Antarctica.

• We are subject to the ship’s schedule, which is itself subject to a sailing itinerary tightly controlled by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.
• We will participate in multiple shore excursions via Zodiac boats (usually two per day) and walk various distances at each location. Those who’ve participated in our Galapagos Island walks will be familiar with the pattern used in Antarctica.
• Though there is no possibility for walks of a normal distance (3 to 6 miles), we will package various walks together to add up to at least two official walks for those tracking their walks and collecting walk stamps.
• IVV walk stamps (2) will be applied for from the International Federation of Popular Sports.
• Terrain will be uneven, sometimes icy, often rocky, and there are no roads or fixed trails. The ship will provide rubber boots to take the “wet” out of wet landings. These boots have proven to be adequate for the limited distances we will be walking ashore.
• Walking sticks are strongly recommended.

Your experience will be significantly affected by your level of physical fitness. If not walking regularly at home, we strongly recommend that you make a priority of “training” beforehand in order to both enjoy the trip and avoid medical issues due to overexertion. If you have questions about your ability to participate, please call our office at 1.360.260.9393.

We have adopted a walk difficulty rating system which contains a numeric indicator for trail incline and an alpha indicator for trail terrain. The explanation for this system is presented on the table below:

INCLINE

1. Minimal hills or stair climbing. Cumulative elevation gain: <200 feet.
2. Some moderate hills and stair climbing. Cumulative elevation gain: 200-1000 feet.
3. Some significant hill or stair climbing. Cumulative elevation gain: 1000-2000 feet.

TERRAIN

A. Almost entirely on pavement.
B. A significant part of the route is on well-groomed trails with very few obstacles.
C. A significant part of the route is on somewhat difficult terrain (rocky / rooted paths or soft sand).

Below are descriptions of walks we have enjoyed on previous Antarctica tours.

Some of these walks will almost certainly be part of our itinerary, but because landfalls depend largely upon weather and navigation factors, these descriptions are given only as examples of the kind of walking we will do during shore excursions along the Antarctic Peninsula and in the South Shetland Islands.

WHALER’S BAY, DECEPTION ISLAND ~ 5 KM, RATED 2B
Whaler’s Bay in the caldera of Deception Island offers a few options for discovery. One direction takes us along a sandy beach for a short climb over lava flows to the viewpoint at Neptune’s Window. A second spur trail climbs Ronald Hill, with an elevation gain of just over 300 feet, providing outstanding views, in good weather, of the island and sea-filled caldera.

HANNAH POINT ~ 3.5 KM, RATED 2B
Hannah Point offers a marvelous out and back hike from the landing beach around penguin rookeries, past blubbery piles of elephant seals, cutting across the sloped hill of cinder and gravel back down to a beach where we have the chance to discover fossils.

CUVERVILLE ISLAND ~ 2 KM, RATED 2B
Cuverville Island is a stone’s throw from the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula and is home to one of the largest Gentoo penguin colonies in Antarctica. Walking here generally takes place along the shore, with the option to climb a hill that gains us close proximity to the penguin rookeries and provides stunning views out over the iceberg-strewn water (where our ship awaits us) and over to the mainland.

NEKO HARBOUR ~ 1 KM, RATED 2B
The hike here passes penguin rookeries and ascends a snow field to a rock outcrop with commanding views of the bay. Glaciers feed into the bay here, often calving while we are in the area. When conditions are right, some of our best photography takes place on this hike!

JOUGLA POINT ~ 1.5 KM, RATED 2C
This walk is normally paired with a visit to Port Lockroy, the British scientific station boasting the only post office on our journey. The route begins with a detour of 100 meters to a blue-eyed shag rookery. Retracing our steps, we climb to a high point on the island, with awesome views of the Neumayer Channel. This involves crossing a snow patch and tricky footing, at times, over loose stone, sometimes stepping from stone to stone.

PETERMANN ISLAND ~ 2.5 KM, RATED 2B
A hike on Petermann Island leads to Petermann’s southernmost point. The route has two spur trails. The first spur takes us to a small rock promontory past the world’s southernmost Gentoo penguin colony. Crossing a rocky stream, snow patches, and rocky areas takes us to a viewpoint with a nice view of the colonies. We return to the start point and go left on the longer spur, (twice the distance of the first) that passes colonies of Gentoo and traverses partially melted snow fields to a rock outcrop with views of the other side of the island.

PLÉNEAU ISLAND ~ 1.5 – 2 KM, RATED 2C
The visit here generally goes first to see a Gentoo penguin colony where Elephant seals are also known to lounge. Retracing our steps, we climb through rock outcroppings, used earlier in the year as penguin rookeries, to the summit of this small island. Breathtaking views can be had here of the iceberg-bejeweled bay on the opposite side of Pléneau. This hike has tricky footing in several places, and the rock surfaces can be slippery. The second half of our visit to Pléneau typically involves a Zodiac iceberg cruise where we’ve had encounters with leopard seals in the past.

The ice-strengthened vessel M/V Ortelius is an excellent vessel for Polar expedition cruises in Antarctica. The ship was built in Gdynia, Poland in 1989, was named “Marina Svetaeva”, and served as a special purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science. The vessel has since been re-flagged and renamed “Ortelius”.

The ship’s namesake, Dutch/Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius (1527 –1598), published the first modern world atlas, the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum or Theatre of the World in 1570. At that time, the atlas was the most expensive book ever printed.

The vessel has the highest ice-class notation (UL1 equivalent to 1A) and is therefore capable of navigating in solid one-year sea ice and loose multi-year pack ice. M/V Ortelius is an exceptional expedition vessel for 108 passengers with lots of open-deck spaces.

The vessel is manned by 20 highly experienced international nautical crew, 19 international hotel crew, 7 expedition staff in Antarctica (1 expedition leader and 6 guides/lecturers), and 1 doctor.

M/V Ortelius offers a comfortable hotel standard, with two restaurants and a bar/lecture room. Voyages are primarily developed to offer passengers a quality exploratory wildlife program, trying to spend as much time ashore as possible. As the number of passengers is limited to approximately 108 on the “Ortelius”, flexibility assures maximum wildlife opportunities.

To see the the deck plan for the M/V Ortelius, click here.

All cabins are spacious outside cabins with a minimum of two portholes or windows per cabin and all cabins have a private shower and toilet.

The vessel offers simple but comfortable cabins:

• 4 quadruple cabins with bunk beds (these can also be used as triple or twin cabins)
• 26 twin porthole cabin with 2 single lower berths
• 12 twin cabins with windows and 2 single lower berths
• 2 twin deluxe cabins with windows and 2 single lower berths
• 6 superior cabins with double beds

Twin Porthole: The tour price is based upon twin porthole cabins with 2 single lower berths (twin beds). These cabins are mostly located on deck 4 (2 are on deck 3) and are approximately 145 square feet in size.

Twin Window: A limited number of upgrades are available to twin window cabins for an upgrade fee of $450 per person. These cabins are on deck 5 and are approximately 180 square feet in size.

A limited number of other cabin options may be available upon request as follows:

Quadruple Porthole: 4 people in bunks. Savings credit is approximately $2000 per person. These cabins are on deck 3 and are 143 square feet in size. Inquire about availability before registering.

Twin Deluxe: Two of these cabins are currently available for an upgrade fee of $890 per person. These cabins located on deck 5 and are approximately 191 square feet in size.

Superior: These are the only cabin with double beds. A limited number are available for an upgrade fee is $1600 per person. These cabins are located on deck 5 and are 199 sq feet in size.

It is possible that a fuel surcharge may be assessed if world fuel prices (Brent barrel) exceed a price of USD $90 (current price is $78). In this case, a net fuel surcharge will apply of USD $25 per passenger per night to be billed 90 days prior to departure. If fuel world prices (Brent barrel) exceed a price of US $120, a total fuel surcharge of USD $50 per passenger per night, may be billed 60 days prior to departure.

The official starting point for Voyage to Antarctica is at the dock for our ship, the M/V Ortelius, in Ushuaia, Argentina. Embarkation begins on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 22, 2025.

Because of the urgent need to board the ship on time, and because of the ship’s mandate that luggage needs to be delivered to the ship the morning of departure, it is necessary that you arrive one day early (January 21).

In addition, our friends on the M/V Ortelius have warned us that flights arriving into Ushuaia are notorious for delays, not to mention late snow storms and air traffic snarls that are common in North American in January. Because there is no way to catch up with the ship once it sails for Antarctica, investing in an extra night in an Ushuaia hotel to cushion your window of time between arrival in Ushuaia and embarkation on the ship is essential. Therefore, please plan to arrive into Malvinas Argentinas International Airport (airport code USH) on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

Hotel lodging in Ushuaia for the night of January 21 will be offered by WAI. In addition, optional pre-day activities in Ushuaia and nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park will likely be offered once we have a finalized schedule and a better idea of flight schedules.

Details about necessary flight arrangements will be provided by email after you register for the Adventure. Please do not book your airfare prior to receiving these flight details from us!

When you receive these flight details, we recommend that you contact Laura Pfahler, the travel agent we work with, to help book your flight arrangements.

• Laura Pfahler: 503.434.6401 or [email protected]

Be aware that some travel insurance policies contain time-sensitive provisions (i.e. some benefits, such as coverage of pre-existing conditions, are available only if the policy is purchased within a certain number of days of the purchase of the travel package). In addition, remember that airfare is not covered by any travel insurance policy you may have purchased for the tour.

• Focus on health before the tour so you start healthy.
• Pace yourself while on tour; travel is inherently stimulating and can produce adrenalin boosts that mask energy drain. Guard your energy reserves and consider the length of the trip and whether to opt out of some activities and/or walks.
• Be self-aware. If you feel yourself tiring or feel a bug coming on, take precautions to block it (e.g. extra rest, extra doses of vitamin C, etc).
• If you feel a bug coming on or if you take ill, distance yourself from others when possible.
• If you feel ill, isolate yourself in your cabin and away from others. In fact, because of our isolation from medical services once aboard ship, strict quarantine measures on those with illness symptoms are enforced by ship staff.

Click WAI Wellness on Tour Policy to view the WAI policy on Wellness on Tour.

After registration, an “Adventure Advice” email will be sent with critical information on flight arrangements as well as important steps required by our ship. Other general advice is also included to help you prepared in the months before your trip. Please do not buy airline tickets until you review this Adventure Advice email.

A second document of Travel Tips will be published in the months leading up to departure to further aid your preparation.

The interim deposit payments required, along with the final payment, will be preceded by reminders from WAI 2-3 weeks before each due date. All payments are non-refundable after the due date. Please see our General Tour Conditions for the full terms and conditions for participation in this Adventure.

Around 2 weeks before departure, you will receive a final email packet with details of the program, including hotel names and contact information, a list of fellow travelers, and a more detailed daily schedule.

We look forward to sharing with you this expedition to Antarctica, the 7th continent!