In search of Emperor Penguins : a breathtaking journey imagined by Oceanwide

Are there any more mysterious and more enchanting places than Antartica ? These white lands fed the imaginary of past sailors. Still today, Antartica fascinates by its sheer hostility and its dense fauna.

It’s at the start of the end of the world, Ushuaia, that Oceanwide delivers an unmatched expedition. Similar to cruises, this circuit pierces through the Weddell sea, a part of the Austral Ocean, to skim Snow Hill island. Only accessible by helicopter, this piece of land is the home of the Emperor Penguins : the very goal of the journey. An odyssey like no other, outside of time, in the middle of the infinite white desert of Antarctica…

An extraordinary 10-days journey

Somewhere at the rim of the world, it’s a unique journey that awaits… By embarking on the Ortelius, a former ship from the Russian Academy of Science, you’ll leave the Tierra de Fuego to navigate the Beage canal which links Argentina to the Atlantic Ocean.

Still going south, you’ll go through, one by one, the main steps of a regular polar expedition like the Drake Passage, the Antarctic Convergence, to penetrate, finally, into the Weddell sea. From here, and during three days, you’ll visit surrounding islands while searching for Emperor Penguins. The fossiliferous Seymour Island, to Devil Island and its Adélie penguin colonies, while discovering the Esperanza research station… every island draws strength from its uniqueness.

However, note that a silly weather may change drastically the destinations as some of them may be completely unreachable. Whatever happens, you still end your journey with Deception Island before returning to Ushuaia.

Between discovery and change of scenery, an unforgettable experience

Besides its aforementioned penguins, a wide bestiary may delight the most curious. Kelp gulls, killer whales, skuas, Leopard seals… the Austral waters are filled with uncommon and majestic animals. You may encounter those creatures by Zodiac or on foot, two main activities of the journey.

Conceived to accommodate up to 123 travelers and 52 employees, the Ortelius has more than 50 cabins. Oceanwide made a particular effort to deliver highly intimate and comfortable rooms while not loosing in authenticity. The most expensive, the “Superior” with its king size sofa/bed, is almost 24 500 €. As the cruise was thought out to be educational, a large committee of guides and scientists will organize many conferences about key themes like Austral life or even glaciology.

Excluding this expedition, Oceanwide has been proposing for more than 25 years a plethora of diverse journeys. Kayak on freezing waters, rock climbing, photo class, polar diving… adventurers and curious alike will be satisfied.

For other breathtaking journeys, check our ESCAPE section.