Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters
Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters

Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters

Searching for the Elusive Emperor Penguins
Description
Highlights
Prices
Price start from :
$
12,900
Contact Us
calendar-img11 November 2025 - 21 Nov 2025
clock-img11 Days/10 Nights
route-imgUshuaia - Ushuaia
m/v Ortelius
Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters - gallery 0
Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters - gallery 1
Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters - gallery 2
Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters - gallery 3
Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters - gallery 4
A true expedition, our Weddell Sea cruise sets out to explore the range of the Emperor Penguins near Snow Hill Island. We will visit the area via helicopter and see a variety of other birds and penguins including Adélies and Gentoos.
Description

Note: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations.

Experience the bird’s-eye-view of Antarctica! Our helicopter capability on m/v Ortelius gives you the rare chance to see the famed emperor penguin rookery south of Snow Hill Island, numbering around 4,000 breeding pairs. Heavy ice may prevent entrance to this area from the Weddell Sea, and ice at the rookery itself might break up and start to melt earlier than expected. With this in mind, the aim is to stop the vessel between the Antarctic Sound and James Clark Ross Island, close to the ice edge, and find emperor penguins on their way to open water. The thrilling helicopter flights make this search possible, enabling you to land in locations otherwise inaccessible this early in the season.

If ice conditions are favorable and the route to Snow Hill Island is free of multi-year pack ice, you have the chance for ship-to-shore helicopter transfers to Snow Hill Island (roughly 45 minutes walking distance from the emperor penguin rookery). If successful, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But please remember that nature writes the final itinerary out here: Attempts to reach Snow Hill Island during the voyages of 2012 – 19 did not always succeed. However, in 2013, 2017 until 2019 and 2022 conditions were favorable to land by helicopter on Snow Hill Island and to visit the emperor penguin rookery.

End of the world, start of a journey

Your expedition begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you depart from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.

Path of the polar explorers

Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too. 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 are a few of the birds you might see.

Entering Antarctica

You may sail into the Weddell Sea via the Antarctic Sound. Here huge tabular icebergs herald your arrival to the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. During this part of the cruise, the search is on for emperor penguins. Using both the vessel and helicopters, there’s a good chance you’ll find them. You might also enjoy scenic flights, and if conditions allow, helicopter landings in locations otherwise out of reach this time of year.

Helicopter flights are a true trip changer, and may include:

  • The west slopes of the Antarctic Sound – The western side of this area is only rarely seen from the air, though the landscape is truly worth the flight: Layered sandstones, lava flows, glaciers, icebergs, and pack-ice extend as far as the eye can see. There are often individual emperor penguins and Adélie penguins on the ice floes, as well as kelp gulls, skuas, and various breeds of petrel. Jagged mountain peaks stab through the snow, and enormous walls of ice lie shattered on the slopes below.
  • Duse Bay – A soaring helicopter flight may deposit you on a rocky hillock close to an old refuge hut overlooking this bay. There’s still a lot of snow and ice this time of year, but much of the walk in this location is over frost-shattered rock covered with lichen of all shapes and colors.
  • Seymour Island – This is where the Swedish Antarctic Expedition of 1901 – 4 wintered under harrowing polar conditions. Sedimentary rock, fossils, and expansive views define this location.

If conditions allow for deeper ventures into the Weddell Sea, Zodiac trips may include:

  • Devil Island – Home to a large colony of Adélie penguins, this island offers a magnificent vantage point for hikers willing to foot it to the top of the hill. Melting ice sometimes forms a waterfall dropping from the cliffs close to Cape Well-met.
  • Brown Bluff – Maybe the most scenic location in the entire northern tip of the Antarctic Continent: sheer canyon walls, fallen boulders, beautiful volcanic creations capped with ice. A large Adélie penguin rookery lives here, with gentoo penguins and nesting snow petrels also to be found.
  • Gourdin Island – Chinstrap, gentoo, and Adélie penguins love this island, which is yet another landing option for your continuing Antarctic adventure.
  • Esperanza Base – This Argentine research station, which operates year-round and is one of only two civilian settlements in Antarctica, could serve as an alternative landing site.

Drake via Deception Island

In the morning, you sail to Deception Island for the last landing of the cruise, either at Pendulum Cove or Whalers Bay. Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.

Familiar seas, familiar friends

Your return journey is far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.

There and back again

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.

(Alternate program if the route to Snow Hill Island is free of multi-year pack ice – less than 50 % probability)

Helicopters provide an advantage in reaching the emperor penguin colony, but our ability to use them depends entirely on ice, sea, and weather conditions.

If conditions are favorable, we will visit the colony. If conditions are exceptionally favorable, we will attempt to visit more than once. Helicopter operations take a full day, and flight duration depends on local conditions.

Each helicopter can accommodate 4 – 5 passengers per flight. The landing site is carefully chosen so that the penguins are not disturbed.

Upon arrival to the site, we will walk to the colony. This may take up to 45 minutes and can be challenging in places. Please keep in mind that you are in the world’s most remote region, so there are no guarantees: conditions may change rapidly, which can impact on helicopter operations. It is important to understand and respect this fact. Safety is our greatest concern, so no compromises can be made.

We aim for all groups to spend an equal amount of time at the colony. The time at the colony (and the time to get there from landing site) will often vary, however, due to local conditions and flight times.

Cabins and Pricing
Ship Information
Quadruple Porthole
More Details
Quadruple Porthole
2 upper / lower berths
Shower
Shower
Tv
Tv
Hair Dryer
Hair Dryer
Deposit Box
Deposit Box
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Storage
Storage
Complete Cabin
person-fill person-fill person-fill person-fill
USD
51600
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sold out!
Sharing Cabin
person-fill person-fill person-fill person-fill
USD
12900
Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Request
Triple Porthole
More Details
Triple Porthole
1 upper / lower berth + 1 single lower berth
Shower
Shower
Tv
Tv
Desk
Desk
Complete Cabin
person-fill person-fill person-fill
USD
44250
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sold out!
Sharing Cabin
person-fill person-fill person-fill
USD
14750
Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Sold out!
Twin Porthole
More Details
Twin Porthole
2 lower berths
Shower
Shower
Tv
Tv
Hair Dryer
Hair Dryer
Deposit Box
Deposit Box
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Storage
Storage
Complete Cabin
person-fill person-fill
USD
29500
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Request
Single Cabin
person-fillperson-white
USD
25075
Price for the complete cabin occupied by 1 person (1.7x the shared rate).
Request
Sharing Cabin
person-fill person-fill
USD
14750
Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Request
Twin Window
More Details
Twin Window
2 lower berths
Shower
Shower
Tv
Tv
Hair Dryer
Hair Dryer
Deposit Box
Deposit Box
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Storage
Storage
Complete Cabin
person-fill person-fill
USD
30600
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sold out!
Single Cabin
person-fillperson-white
USD
26010
Price for the complete cabin occupied by 1 person (1.7x the shared rate).
Sold out!
Sharing Cabin
person-fill person-fill
USD
15300
Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Sold out!
Twin Deluxe
More Details
Twin Deluxe
2 lower berths
Shower
Shower
Tv
Tv
Hair Dryer
Hair Dryer
Deposit Box
Deposit Box
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Storage
Storage
Refrigerator
Refrigator
Coffee & Tea Maker
Coffee & Tea Maker
Complete Cabin
person-fill person-fill
USD
32700
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Sold out!
Single Cabin
person-fillperson-white
USD
27795
Price for the complete cabin occupied by 1 person (1.7x the shared rate).
Sold out!
Sharing Cabin
person-fill person-fill
USD
16350
Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Sold out!
Superior
More Details
Superior
1 double bed, 1 single (sofa) bed
Shower
Shower
Tv
Tv
Desk
Desk
Hair Dryer
Hair Dryer
Deposit Box
Deposit Box
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Storage
Storage
Refrigerator
Refrigator
Coffee & Tea Maker
Coffee & Tea Maker
Complete Cabin
person-fill person-fill
USD
34300
Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.
Request
Sharing Cabin
person-fill person-fill
USD
17150
Share your cabin with others for the best price.
Request

m/v Ortelius

The ice-strengthened Ortelius is fully equipped for polar exploration and can accommodate helicopter flights when necessary.

Specifications

Passengers: 108 passengers in 50 cabins
Staff & crew: Crew 44 | Guides 8 | Doctor 1
Length: 90.95 meters
Breadth: 17.20 meters
Draft: 5.4 meters
Ice class: UL1 (Equivalent to 1A)
Displacement: 4090 tonnes
Propulsion: 6 ZL 40/48 SULZER
Speed: 10.5 knots average cruising speed

Cabins Gallery

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Ship Interior Gallery

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Ship Exterior Gallery

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Ortelius was originally the Marina Svetaeva. Built in Gdynia, Poland in 1989, it served as a special-purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science. Later it was re-flagged and renamed after the Dutch/Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius (1527 – 1598), who in 1570 published the first modern world atlas: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum or Theater of the World. At that time his atlas was the most expensive book ever printed. Ortelius is classed by Lloyd’s Register in London and flies the Dutch flag.

Perfect for Any Expedition

The vessel has the highest ice-class notation (UL1, equivalent to 1A) and is therefore suitable to navigate in solid one-year sea ice as well as loose multi-year pack ice. Ortelius can accommodate up to 108 passengers and has an abundance of open-deck spaces. It is manned by 24 highly experienced nautical crew members, 20 hotel staff, eight expedition specialists (one expedition leader, one assistant, and six lecturer-guides), and one doctor.

Ortelius: a Vessel with Comfort and Character

Please be aware that a small number of cabins may have a partially obstructed view due to the size of the windows and the design requirements of the ship. For example, some windows may be partly obstructed in the lower half by a gangway. The best view is always on the outer deck or the bridge. Though our voyages are primarily meant to offer our passengers an exploratory wildlife program with as much time ashore as possible, Ortelius offers all the comforts of a standard hotel ― along with a bar and lecture room. Flexibility assures maximum wildlife opportunities. As such, Ortelius carries 10 Zodiacs with 60hp Yamaha engines.

Age & Nationality

Passengers on a typical voyage range from in their 30s to their 80s, with the majority usually between 45 ― 65. Our expeditions attract independent travelers from around the globe who are characterized by a strong interest in exploring remote regions. 

What to Wear

In keeping with the spirit of expedition, dress on board is informal. Bring casual and comfortable clothing for all activities, and keep in mind that much of the scenery can be appreciated from deck ― which can be slippery. Bring sturdy shoes with no-slip soles, and make sure your parka is never far away in case one of our crew shouts “Whales!” over the loudspeaker and you have to dash outside in a moment’s notice. Opt for layers, as it is comfortably warm aboard the ship though often cold on deck.

How to Pay

Refreshments and souvenirs will be charged to your cabin. The day before departure you can settle your bill with the hotel manager, paying by credit card (Visa or MasterCard) or cash (euro, or in some cases dollar). We cannot, however, accept checks. Though the prices and standard currency on board is in the euro, other currencies may be accepted at the discretion of the hotel manager, at prevailing rates.

Electric Current

The electrical supply aboard ship is 220v, 60Hz. Electrical outlets are standard European with two thick round pins, so some passengers may need a 220v/110v converter.

Gratuities

The customary gratuity to the ship’s service personnel is made as a blanket contribution at the end of the voyage and is divided among the crew. Tipping is a personal matter, and the amount you wish to give is at your sole discretion. As a generally accepted guideline, we suggest 8 ― 10 euros per passenger per day. It is better for the crew if you give cash.

Non-Smoking Policy

We have a non-smoking policy inside all our vessels, though you can smoke in certain designated areas. We ask that you please respect the wishes of non-smokers.

Your Physical Condition

You must be in good overall health and be able to walk several hours per day. The expedition is ship-based and physically not very demanding, but we spend as much time as possible on shore. You are, however, welcome to remain aboard the ship if you prefer. To join most excursions you must be able to get up and down the steep gangway ― from the ship to the water level ― to board the Zodiacs. Staff will assist you in and out of the boats, and boarding will become progressively easier with practice, but conditions on shore can be slippery and rocky. Remember, you will be traveling in remote areas without access to sophisticated medical facilities, so you must not join this expedition if you have a life-threatening condition or need daily medical treatment.



Map
Route of Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters
Important
Included
Excluded

The average price for flights (round trip) to Ushuaia

From Jakarta: $2,848
From Singapore: $3,500
From Kuala Lumpur: $3,600

Insurance Requirements:

  • Mandatory Insurance: All travelers must have insurance covering medical expenses, accidents, and repatriation/evacuation.
  • Recommended Insurance: It is strongly recommended to include cancellation insurance for added protection.

Drone Usage Policy:

  • Prohibited: The use of drones is strictly prohibited during the expedition.

Clothing and Gear Recommendations:

  • Water-Resistant Coat and Pants: Essential for protection against the wet and windy conditions.
  • Layered Underwear: To ensure warmth and comfort in extreme weather.
  • Sunglasses: Necessary to protect against the strong UV rays and glare from the snow.
  • Gloves: Insulated and water-resistant gloves to keep your hands warm and dry.
  • Additional Items: Consider packing a warm hat, thermal socks, and sturdy waterproof boots.
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