Step 1. Decide to go to Antarctica.

Step 2: Decide when to go to Antarctica.

Step 3: Decide which vessel will take you to Antarctica.

Step 4: Go to Antarctica.

For most travelers, deciding to go to Antarctica is the easy part. Narrowing down the options – which part of the season best suits what you want to experience, which ship offers …

The ocean has always seemed a charismatic character in my mind - gentle some days and volatile the next. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been fascinated with the vast, open horizons and unfathomable depths. I admire the way the Earth curves in the distance and the smell of salt in the air. Whether I’ve been walking in the surf of …

For the past 5 years, Antarctica has been a dream on a very distant horizon - a one day, some day dream that I never actually thought would come true. Even after I booked my trip on the Ortelius, Antarctica was a dream I couldn’t quite bring myself to believe – not when I purchased my flights, not when I packed (and repacked) my bags, …

One of many variables from which to choose when booking a trip to Antarctica is the ship which will take you there. For some people, the ship is one of the most important parts of the trip. Though they vary in size, in luxury level and passenger numbers, they all share one very important detail: they’re all well-suited for the Polar …

I pride myself on being a kayaker. Whether I’m paddling Montana’s rivers, New Zealand’s Queen Charlotte Sound, Hawaii’s big island or Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, I can’t get enough of my favorite water sport. That being said, kayaking off the shores of Antarctica’s icy peninsula was a definite must and one of …

Despite living in a state named after mountains, mountaineering was an activity I had never tried. Even though I found stories about mountaineering expeditions to be fascinating, reading about them never inspired me to strap on a pair of crampons myself.

Basecamp Ortelius changed that.

Presented with the opportunity, I nervously checked the box …

Despite what I learned as a child, it's really not a small world, after all. The world is large. Seeing it takes significant time and effort. I’m not a stranger to the long hauls involved with continent-hopping, but getting to Antarctica was truly a feat. A feat that was every bit worthwhile, but a feat nonetheless.

Perhaps it was …

Fact: there are 17 species of penguins in the world but, despite the common belief that all live in Antarctica, only six species permanently reside in Antarctic waters. Of those 6, only two can be classified as true Antarcticans. The large, colorful Emperor and small, playful Adelie live and breed on the continent itself. Three other species - …

When it came to packing, my biggest struggle wasn’t what to bring to Antarctica, it was how to make it all fit. It’s one thing to preach the age old mantra “take half as much clothing and twice as much money.” It’s another thing entirely to follow said mantra.

By nature, I tend to over-pack. In my opinion, it’s …