Night in Santiago + flight Santiago/Ushuaia + transfers + flight Ushuaia/Santiago
With the exceptional presence of Cindy Miller Hopkins, American photo ambassador.
Theater of the greatest expeditions, refuge for extremely rare fauna and infinite frozen desert, the Weddell Sea promises you intense emotions during a voyage of exploration aboard the Commandant Charcot , an enveloping cocoon but widely open to the exterior polar setting. In this place live the emperor penguins , these majestic birds endemic to Antarctica, rarely observed and only in the highest southern latitudes. An ultimate quest and the promise of new, unforgettable encounters .
From the Drake Passage , as the wind blows and the waves crash against the bow of your ship, you penetrate the southern seas to the extreme and captivating Weddell Sea . Pack ice as far as the eye can see and titanic tabular icebergs form the horizon of the Adélie penguin colonies that populate the immensity. Curious and comical, contemplating them is a true privilege and the guarantee of a spectacle as fascinating as it is touching. But the ultimate challenge of this exploration is the search and encounter with His Majesty the Emperor Penguin . In this season, as winter gradually gives way to austral spring, you may witness a magical spectacle , that of the largest penguins in the world, wandering on the ice floe or juveniles learning to swim . Their elegance is rarely discovered and the moment of meeting proves priceless.
During your exploration of the Weddell Sea you follow in the footsteps of the great polar epics like that of Sir Ernest Shackleton . Our passionate naturalists also share with you the history of the gigantic tabular icebergs until their birth in the heart of the immense Larsen ice shelf . Here, the ice is adorned with all its nuances and white appears on the reliefs that surround you. Let yourself be guided and embark on the adventure, in the heart of nature as incredible as it is unexpected. Your commander and the naturalist experts seize these moments, in all humility , to offer you an experience, always unique.
Sailing in the Weddell Sea is a challenge and a privilege, welcome to a prodigious universe, with an irresistible force of attraction.
A port city built on the southwest bank of the Rio de la Plata, between the Atlantic Ocean and the vast Argentine Pampas, Buenos Aires appears to be a unique city in Latin America. Nicknamed “the Little Paris of South America”, the Argentine capital is a clever mix of architecture with European influences and a joyful Latin American atmosphere. Designed on an orthogonal plan, it has 48 districts, all as charming as they are contrasted by their Belle Époque, Gothic and even Baroque styles. With its markets full of treasures, its legendary cultural and architectural heritage, and a tango tune in the background, the Argentine capital will amaze you at every street corner.
Take advantage of your days in the Drake Passage to familiarize yourself with your ship and expand your knowledge of Antarctica. The expedition leader will first present to you the IAATO code of conduct governing land landings and will explain how zodiac trips take place. Lectures on the history and wildlife of Antarctica will allow you to learn more about this magical land where any cruise is a unique experience . You will experience exceptional sailing moments on board and join the naturalist guides on the exterior decks of your ship, discovering albatrosses, Cape checkerspots and other seabirds flying over the Drake Passage.
Throughout your stopover in the north of the Antarctic Peninsula , you will evolve in the heart of a spectacular setting with subtle shades of blue and white, surrounded by exceptional wildlife. You will sail through the Antarctic Strait , named in honor of the ship of the Swedish explorer Otto Nordenskjöld, who found himself trapped in the ice during a major scientific expedition carried out in 1902. Gateway to the Weddell Sea, in this strait , between the gigantic tabular icebergs and the patches of pack ice that drift north from the coasts of this vast sea, Adélie penguins and numerous leopard seals live .
Impassable, extreme, captivating, this is how we could describe the Weddell Sea , frozen in large part by thick and compressed ice floes. Navigating it is a challenge and a privilege. Polar exploration takes on its full meaning here. The advance towards the South is a real quest and the promise of emotions rich in encounters with the endemic fauna of the continent. This is where the emperor penguin lives, the largest penguin in the world, known for its elegance. Unlike other penguins which live on rocks, he nests on the ice floe which he needs for his reproduction cycle. It is therefore on the latter that you will be able to observe him strolling with his characteristic step. In this southern sea, monotony never comes as the ice is constantly changing and transforming. New reliefs, new colors, the wonder is continuous. You are sailing in the heart of the pristine ice floe, dislocated or compressed, in the middle of an avenue of icebergs. Among them, immense blocks of ice, tabular icebergs, drift, lighting the ocean with their cerulean blue halo. On board, on land, on the ice, you will find yourself close to colonies of Adélie penguins, Weddell seals, Minke whales, orcas, snow petrels… If you are lucky, you will spot a rare seal of Ross with silver coat or emperor penguins, wandering on the edge of the ice floe. A spectacle as fascinating as it is moving.
If there is a place, a sea, a passage feared by visitors, scientists and other seasoned sailors, it is the Drake Passage . Located at the height of the famous Howling 50s , between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, it is the shortest way to connect Antarctica and South America . Travel regulars will tell you that the White Continent must be earned… Zone of the Antarctic convergence, where cold currents rise from the pole towards the north and meet warmer equatorial water masses, this passage is home to very diverse marine fauna. Be sure to look up to catch a glimpse of the elegant Cape albatrosses and checkerspots , playing with the buoyant winds around your ship.
Capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego , Ushuaia is considered the gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed by the Argentine people “El fin del mundo” , this city at the end of the world is nestled in the hollow of mountains and fertile plains that wildlife seems to have chosen as their ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site which sees the Andes plunge into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating places in the world, whose evocative name suggests a journey towards the improbable, the inaccessible…
Inclusions
¹Excluding premium à la carte drinks.
²Butler service is available for the following suites: Le Boréal, L’Austral, Le Soléal and Le Lyrial: all suites on deck 6; PONANT Explorers: Shipowner Suites, Grand Deluxe Suites, Privilege Suites and Prestige Suites on deck 6; Le Commandant Charcot : Shipowner’s Suite, Duplex Suites, Privilege Suites and Prestige Suites; The Paul Gauguin : Shipowner’s Suites, Grand Suites, Veranda Suites A and Veranda Cabins B.
Exclusions
