Antarctica In Search of the Emperor Penguin Adventure Cruising Tour

Your Guides

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The best people to immerse you in a destination are the ones who live there, which is why we feature local Adventure Guides on our trips. Here are a few that you might meet on this adventure.

Martin Berg

Martin's passion for birds and mammals has taken him all over the world in his search for rare species. He has always been drawn to adventure, and has participated in many bird conservation projects in the Amazon, Arctic, Caucasus, and Himalayas. He has also spent several seasons studying seabirds in the North Atlantic Ocean and Antarctica. Martin holds a degree in Biology and an MA in Marine Biology, and he currently lives in Stockholm, Sweden. But most of his time is currently spent either in the Arctic or Antarctica, where he guides and gives lectures on a wide range of topics related to natural history. 

Marijke de Boer

Marijke grew up in the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany before completing an MSc in Marine Ecology and a PhD in Marine Mammal Ecology. Marijke is fascinated by cetaceans and has worked with a variety of whales, from Minkes in Scotland to Belugas in Canada. She has also participated in various ocean-crossing surveys, including the Davis Strait, Indian Ocean, South China Sea, Southern Ocean and Antarctica. Whilst she very much enjoys the academic side of her career, her first love is sharing her knowledge in the field. She has worked as a wildlife guide during multiple oceanic expeditions and is always happy to return to the ocean. 

Celine Clement

Celine was born in southwest France, in the vineyard region of Bordeaux. She grew up with a passion for travel, the natural world, ocean wildlife...and wine! Celine started out as a Research Manager at the Department of Geography of the University of Bergen, before various contracts for France's national scientific research center led her to participate as a cartographer for scientific missions in the Arctic and Antarctic Peninsula. This work was primarily conducted as part of research programs funded by the French Polar Institute and focused on the adaptations of polar seabirds to changes in their environment. It was during this time that Celine got a taste for sharing her knowledge through science outreach programs, which led her to becoming a Polar guide. 

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                    [Headline] => Embark from the \"End of the World\"
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Begin the journey on Tierra del Fuego in the small resort town of Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city on the planet, nicknamed "The End of the World." Board your ship, settle into your cabin, and then sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening. 
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                    [Headline] => Sail Drakes Passage, Path of the Polar Explorers
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Begin a two-day voyage across the 600 mile gateway to the white continent of Antarctic: the Drakes Passage. Experience sights encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions. The Drake is considered by many polar travelers as a rite of passage everyone must experience before enjoying the boundless natural wonders of Antarctica. Layers of cold seawater from the south and relatively warm seawater from the north collide to form powerful eddies. When paired with strong winds, common to this area, the Drake Passage has earned its reputation as one of Earth\'s roughest waterways and greatest adventures.
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                    [Headline] => Continue on Drakes Passage
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Pass the Antarctic Convergence - Antarctica\'s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas - into the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. En route, enjoy a program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff. The wealth of Drake Passage wildlife will give you no shortage of animals to gaze at. Keep an eye out for albatrosses like the wandering, grey-headed, black-browed, and light-mantled sooty albatrosses. Thick with plankton, the seas support populations of humpback, orca, minkie, and fin whales. 
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Sail into the Weddell Sea via the iceberg-dotted Antarctic Sound toward the eastern Antarctic Peninsula. Search for emperor penguins from vantage points on the vessel and from helicopters. Expert guides lead all excursions and decide where to go and what to do each day depending on conditions.
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Continue into the Weddell Sea. Leave the ship for helicopter flights, weather permitting. Enjoy breath-taking views of the layered sandstones, lava flows, glaciers, icebergs, and pack-ice extending as far as the eye can see. Zodiac to Devil Island, home to a large colony of Adélie penguins, and a magnificent vantage point for hikers at the top of the hill. 
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                    [Headline] => Journey to the Land of the Emperors
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Watch for Emperor Penguins on a sail further south, ice and weather permitting. Visit Seymour Island, where the Swedish Antarctic Expedition of 1901 wintered, and home to sedimentary rock formations, fossils, and expansive views. Take a zodiac ride to Gourdin Island, where Chinstrap, gentoo, and Adélie penguins can be found.
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                    [Headline] => Travel North through the Antarctic Sound
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Continue north, watching for whales, penguins, and sea birds. Zodiac to Brown Bluff, perhaps the most scenic location in the northern tip of the Antarctic Continent, with its sheer canyon walls, fallen boulders, and beautiful volcanic creations capped with ice. Enjoy viewing the large Adélie penguin rookery, also home to gentoo penguins and nesting snow petrels. Make way toward Deception Island. 
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                    [Headline] => Explore Deception Island
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Awake in the South Shetland Islands archipelago and sail into the volcanic caldera of the crescent-shaped Deception Island through its narrow entrance, Neptune\'s Bellows. Admire the surrounding cliffs and spectacular mountain peaks towering above. Landing at either Pendulum Cove or Whalers Bay, explore abandoned whaling station ruins including bleached whalebones, wooden barrels and other artefacts from 20th century whale hunters. Although the wildlife inside the caldera is not that abundant, several bird species breed on the caldera cliffs. Deception Island is not totally covered by ice, offering many walking opportunities. If conditions are right, hike to "Neptune\'s Window" and high up onto the rim of the crater, and experience what it\'s like to be "at the top" of the bottom of the world.
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                    [Headline] => Return Journey across the Drake Passage
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Begin the 2-day journey back to Ushuaia across Drakes Passage. En route, watch for migratory sea birds Antarctic Petrels, Southern Giant Petrel, shags, skuas, and gulls. Expert ornithologists and keen birders are there to point out the different species on on-board lectures will help you with birdlife knowledge.
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Cross the Drake, greeted by a vast array of seabirds and whales. Take advantage of the day to rest and reflect on the extraordinary journey of the days past. Cap off the trip with a sail past Cape Horn on the way into Ushuaia, weather permitting.
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This morning disembark and transfer to the airport. We strongly recommend booking flights no earlier than 12:00 pm to account for possible delays getting back to port.
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    [ActivityHighlight] => You can expect 1 or 2 half-day excursions for each day in Antarctica depending on weather conditions. During guided shore excursions, guests break up into smaller special interest groups with several options ranging from an easy shoreline walk to a strenuous hike (1-3 hours.) Excursions may include a Zodiac cruise to observe icebergs and wildlife (1-1.5 hours.)
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Accommodations

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Ortelius is an ice-strengthened and well-appointed polar expedition ship that offers a comfortable and safe way to explore Antarctica.

M/V Ortelius

The Ortelius has the highest ice-class rating and a broad, heavy design. It offers a choice of recently refurbished and spacious 190 square-foot cabins, all with en-suite bathrooms. Extensive open-deck space maximizes wildlife viewing, It offers a wide range of adventure activities, including diving. It also offers a helicopter pad used on select Weddell & Ross Seas voyages.

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Inspiration to Explore

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