Overview
NIGHT IN BUENOS AIRES + FLIGHT BUENOS AIRES/USHUAIA + TRANSFER
An 18-day trip in the southernmost waters of our planet, between is what PONANT is offering you with this extraordinary expedition cruise. The stunning icy landscapes, the iconic and abundant fauna of the Far South, and the history of the great polar expeditions combine to create a thrilling experience.
At the border between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, you will enter Drake Passage. At the roaring fifties and the screaming sixties, the wind blows and the waves beat against the ship’s stern. In the sky, cape petrels lead you toward their realm until you reach the first of the continent’s lands.
Ice is there in all its forms. The mountainous landscapes open up to give way to huge calving glaciers, tabular icebergs drift in the middle of the Southern Ocean, and the sea ice shimmers in the distance. On board, the naturalists share with you the secrets of this unique ecosystem. As you near the shores, the first penguins appear. Gentoo, Adélie, chinstrap, these surprising birds, emblematic of the Antarctic, share their beaches with leopard, crabeater and Weddell seals. Further south, your ship will reach the remote waters of the Weddell Sea. You will travel back in time in the wake of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s expedition. Not far from there, his crew remained on Elephant Island for four months to await rescue after their ship, the Endurance, sank.
More than a century after this mythical adventure, you will follow the same route to reach Falkland islands. As you sail in this archipelago of 200 islands, you will be escorted by sei whales. Composing the wild beauty of the shorelines are beaches of white sand, jagged cliffs, windswept moors and tall grass swaying with the wind. This is the perfect setting for the black-browed albatrosses watching from above, the Gentoo and king penguins, elephant and fur seals, and sea lions. On board, admire the spectacle of endless moors interspersed by the bays and coves punctuating the coastline.
Itinerary
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Trip Highlights
- An expedition cruise in the southern seas, between the shores of the White Continent, the Weddell Sea and the South Georgia archipelago, to discover a splendid fauna and legendary polar expeditions that took place in the 20th century.
- Outings and shore visits in zodiac inflatables with a team of experienced naturalist guides.
- Explore the magic of Antarctica with a sea kayak adventure. Lead by experienced, State-Certified kayak guides, you will skim the water’s surface amid the ice. For more information about your kayak tour, please go to the section ‘PONANT activities’ and to book your kayak tour, contact your cruise advisor.
- Hiking opportunity.
- Lectures and information sessions hosted by our naturalist-guides, covering wildlife, history, geopolitics, the great explorers, climate, environmental protection and educational discovery in the respect of environment.
- Wildlife: humpback whales ; Gentoo, Adélie and chinstrap penguins; leopard, crabeater and Weddell seals ; and numerous seabirds in the Antarctic Peninsula.
- Landscapes: drifting icebergs, ice floe, glaciers and snow-capped mountains in the Antarctic Peninsula; table top icebergs in the Weddell Sea.
- For your comfort, your cruise package includes an overnight in Buenos Aires the day before embarkation and the outbound flight Buenos Aires/Ushuaia (for details, see the ‘Included in your cruise’ tab).
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