Exclusive expedition to Antarctica: 28-day intensive trip to the Weddell Sea

Discover a region renowned for its wildlife, icebergs, and dramatic history. Our Antarctic expedition programs are packed with fantastic expeditions, including a new itinerary that explores key locations in South Georgia, the Weddell Sea, and the easternmost areas of the Antarctic Peninsula, all the way to Neuschwabenland.

This impressive expedition on a unique route takes you not only close to the site where explorer Ernest Shackleton's legendary ship Endurance sank (and was only found in 2022, as we discuss below), but also to an area known for its chilling connection to Nazi Germany.

On this 28-day voyage exploring one of the least visited seas on Earth, you will encounter exotic wildlife and table icebergs as we visit iconic locations such as the South Sandwich Islands, Vahsel Bay, Elephant Island, the Larsen Ice Shelf, and Paulet and Devil Islands. Orcas, humpback whales, and minke whales are just as likely to be seen as leopard seals, crabeater seals, and Weddell seals.

King penguins in South Georgia and, with a little luck, the emperor penguin colony with over 4,000 breeding pairs on Snow Hill Island, as well as chinstrap, gentoo, and Adélie penguins, albatrosses, storm petrels, fulmars, prions, and skuas.

Breathtaking sights in South Georgia

We begin our journey to South Georgia, where you’ll explore many of the places Shackleton visited over a century ago. One of the first stops on your itinerary is Shag Rocks. This impressive area lies 240 km (150 miles) west of South Georgia and is home to several thousand South Georgia cormorants. The waters around the rocks are known for their abundance of marine mammals, which forage in this relatively shallow area of the South Georgia Ridge.

Depending on local conditions, we will visit several locations in South Georgia: Prion Island, Fortuna Bay, Grytviken, and the huge penguin colonies around Salisbury Plain, St. Andrews Bay, and Gold Harbor. Few places on Earth offer such breathtaking terrain and such rich wildlife.

Whales and birds of the South Sandwich Islands

Afterward, just as Shackleton did in 1914, you’ll leave South Georgia and head toward the South Sandwich Islands and the Weddell Sea. South Polar skuas and other seabirds may accompany our ship at this time. Landings on the islands are not possible, but depending on conditions, you may be able to take a Zodiac cruise through the magnificent landscape of this active volcanic region. We also plan to sail between the Thule and Cook Islands, which will be one of the many highlights of the voyage.

Humpback and minke whales are often sighted around the South Sandwich Islands, along with other seabirds: brown skuas, chinstrap or Adelie penguins, and gray-headed, black-browed, and wandering albatrosses. As with all our voyages, wildlife viewing plays a central role.

Link to the trip: https://www.inventia.de/antarktis-suedpol/weddellmeer-entdecker-intensiv-ms-ortelius/

The Nazi history of Neuschwabenland

Their first destination in Antarctica is Neuschwabenland, located between 20°E and 10°W in Queen Maud Land. This area was secretly explored by Nazi Germany during the third German Antarctic expedition in 1938–1939, led by Alfred Ritscher, with the aim of establishing a German whaling and naval base in Antarctica. To claim Neuschwabenland, the expedition placed Nazi flags on the coastal ice. Survey flights also dropped aluminum arrows decorated with swastikas. The expedition named the area after their ship, the MS Schwabenland, which in turn was named after the southern German region of Swabia. Norway later learned of the expedition through whalers, and Germany relinquished all claims to the area in 1945.

Wildlife and ice shelves of the Weddell Sea

The journey continues in the Weddell Sea, whose continental boundaries consist of huge floating ice shelves. These ice shelves produce the massive tabular icebergs that are characteristic of the Weddell Sea and offer fantastic photo opportunities.

Although opportunities for landings in the eastern Weddell Sea are limited due to these ice formations, we hope to offer Zodiac cruises and possibly ice landings. The Weddell Sea is home to many whales, seals, and penguins. Animal lovers, be on the lookout! A structured educational program awaits you on board, complementing the outdoor activities and teaching you all about the region's wildlife, landscape, history, and much more. You will also have the opportunity to participate in citizen science projects.

Your time in the Weddell Sea will not only bring you closer to the raw beauty of Antarctica, but also show you how tough Shackleton's expedition must have been. We will take a circular route towards the Brunt Ice Shelf and along the Luitpold Coast, where, conditions permitting, we will be able to take a Zodiac cruise and possibly make an ice landing.

Other ice shelves (and Shackleton's ship)

Next on the itinerary is the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, followed by the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the Larsen Ice Shelf. This will bring you close to the spot where Shackleton's ship Endurance was trapped in pack ice during his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914–17) and drifted towards the Antarctic Peninsula before sinking. You may have heard that this wreck was discovered on March 5, 2022, the 100th anniversary of Shackleton's funeral, after 107 years beneath the waves of the Weddell Sea.

Although we cannot approach the site of the discovery due to pack ice, we will be in the area where the ship was trapped and abandoned. There are colonies of 6,500 emperor penguins nearby, so we hope to see one or more of these penguins here.

When you reach the northern Antarctic Peninsula, you will enter the Erebus and Terror Gulfs. Long-distance migrating emperor penguins often sit on the ice floes of Snow Hill Island, offering you another opportunity to spot these iconic creatures. We may also land on James Ross Island.

Brown Bluff, Elephant Island, and beyond

The remaining days of this comprehensive expedition are dedicated to iconic locations such as Brown Bluff, with its large Adelie penguin colony, nesting snow petrels, and breathtaking landscapes; Elephant Island, the starting point for Shackleton's miraculous rescue voyage; and other magnificent places, which you can see in detail in our JNS30-24 Remote Weddell Sea Explorer itinerary.

Whether you are embarking on your first Antarctic cruise or are a seasoned veteran, this journey is sure to satisfy your love of exotic wildlife, surreal landscapes, and invigorating activities. Few other trips will immerse you so deeply in the awe-inspiring polar world.

Link to the trip: https://www.inventia.de/antarktis-suedpol/weddellmeer-entdecker-intensiv-ms-ortelius/