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.