Antarctica 13 Day Base Camp

What's Included?

• Voyage
• All meals onboard includes snack and hot drinks
• Zodiac excursions to shore
• Naturalist lectures by educated/trained staff
• Use of waterproof boots and snowshoes
• Luggage transfer from pickup point to vessel when you embark
• Pre-scheduled group transfer from cruise ship to airport in Ushuaia after you disembark
• Miscellaneous taxes and port charges
• Pre-departure materials
• All Basecamp activities (including camping, kayaking, snowshoe/hiking, mountaineering, photo workshop)

This BaseCamp cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula gives you an immersive experience like you've never had. This 13 day cruise starts from Ushuaia, crosses the Drake Passage and heads south along the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula offering a full week to explore Antarctica. For explorers who enjoy camping, this is your chance to sleep out under the stars at the bottom of the globe. If you love outdoor activities such as hiking or kayaking, this is your opportunity to experience these adventures in the unmatched environment of Antarctica. Join us this season as we partner with Oceanwide Expeditions on the m/v Ortelius. This 13 day/12 night cruise will give you unbelievable memories and photographs for a lifetime.

Day 1: Journey to the Bottom of the World

Embark your cruise from Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city on Earth at the tip of South America. You'll sail for the Beagle Channel for the rest of the day.

Day 2 - 3: Following the Footsteps of Explorers

Through the Drake Passage, you'll see some of the things early explorers to this area experienced such as the active sea and fin whales. This area abounds in endless varieties of bird life.

Day 4 - 10: Approaching Antarctica

Here you will be exposed to glaciers of blue and white ice and snow covered peaks. We will pass several islands including the Melchior, Brabant and Anvers as well as the Schollaert Channel.

Depending on weather and ice conditions activities could include:

Neumayer Channel - We could stop here and begin some basecamp activities around Wiencke Island. Zodiac and kayaking trips, or snowshoe hikes and soft-climb mountaineering options could be possible farther inland.

Port Lockroy - The Neumayer Channel may allow an opportunity to visit a former British research station at Port Lockroy. You may also be able to meet gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags. At Damoy Point, a favorite campsite, there may be the opportunity for snowshoeing.

Pleneau & Petermann Islands - We can sail through the Lemaire Channel to view penguins and blue-eyed shags, if ice conditions allow. This is where we may encounter humpback and minke whales or leopard seals. More mountaineering trips, snowshoeing and kayaking are the possible activities at this location.

Neko Harbour - Snow and enormous glaciers here may allow a Zodiac excursion and landing.

Paradise Bay - We could make camp here for an Antarctic starry night.

Errera Channel - Islands such as Danco, Cuverville, and Orne Island as well as Georges Point on Ronge Island.

This is the last day of near-shore activities until we head toward the open sea. Dallmann Bay may give you glimpses of whales.

Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.

Day 11 - 12: Return Voyage

We will return to pass through the Drake passage and seabird abundance.

Day 13: End of Your Adventure

We know you will love the memories of the experiences you had with us as you disembark in Ushuaia.

Exclusions

• Any airfare, including chartered flights
• Arrival and departure government taxes
• Visa
• Land arrangements before/after cruise
• Meals off vessel
• Tips
• Excess baggage and telecommunication charges