HIGHLIGHTS
- A
polar expedition cruise in the Southern Ocean, between the Falkland
Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula, to discover a
dazzling natural environment.
- Outings
and shore visits in zodiac inflatables with a team of experienced
naturalist guides.
- Enjoy
a magical experience as you are introduced to sea kayaking. 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.
- South
Georgia and the Falkland Islands, two subantarctic archipelagos of
singular beauty, where the great variety of fauna and flora is
astonishing.
- 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.
- Hiking
opportunity.
- Landscapes:
moors scattered with moss and lichen, white-sand beaches and turquoise
waters in the Falkland Islands; black-sand beaches, alpine landscapes,
lush green plains and suspended glaciers in South Georgia; drifting
icebergs, ice floe, glaciers and snow-capped mountains in the Antarctic
Peninsula.
- Wildlife:
black-browed and light-mantled albatrosses; Magellanic, Gentoo and
southern rockhopper penguins in the Falkland Islands; king and macaroni
penguins, elephant and fur seals in South Georgia; leopard seals,
chinstrap penguins in the South Orkney Islands; humpback whales,
Gentoo, Adelie, chinstrap penguins, leopard, crabeater and Weddell
seals in the Antarctic Peninsula.
- 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).
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | Superior Stateroom | Deluxe Stateroom | Prestige Stateroom-I | Prestige Stateroom-II | Prestige Stateroom-III | Deluxe Suite | Prestige Suite-I | Prestige Suite-II | Owner's Suite |
|---|
| Jan 11, 2025 | Jan 30, 2025 | 23,260 | 25,240 | 26,400 | 26,860 | 27,550 | N/A | 40,740 | 42,820 | N/A |
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Superior Stateroom | (Mid-range)
Prestige Stateroom-III | (High-end)
Owner's Suite |
|---|
| Jan 11, 2025 | Jan 30, 2025 | 23,260 | 27,550 | N/A |
ITINERARY
Day
2 : USHUAIA
Capital
of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the
gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed
“El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this
city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains
surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as
the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes
plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating
places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely
and the inaccessible…
Day
3 : AT SEA
During
your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities
on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay
in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself
be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey
without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the
conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities
offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT
photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea,
they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire
the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe
marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest
and entertainment.
Day
4 : GRAVE COVE
Make
your way through the turbulent Woolly Gut strait and emerge in the
stillness of Grave Cove. Located in the northern edge of the Falkland
Islands, this bay owes its name to the vestiges of whalers’
graves that overlook the beach. As you step off the boat and onto the
white-sand beach, you might find yourself escorted by a few hospitable
Commerson's dolphins, elegantly adorned in black and white. A
stroll along the grassy dunes will lead you to a vast plain of lush
green grass, tended by a few sheep. On the other side of the island
you'll find one of the largest gentoo penguin colonies in the area.
With some luck, you'll also glimpse a sea lion scouring the waves for
his next meal.
Day
5 : NEW ISLAND
This
island with its distinctive jagged relief is located on the western
edge of the Falkland Islands and is home to a tiny village of two
families. Step onto the golden sand of its flower-lined beaches, beside
which an old stone house still stands, and you'll feel like you've
entered a natural paradise. A narrow pathway weaves around typical
Falkland moorlands. Follow it and in under 20 minutes you'll find
yourself at the heart of a colony of southern rockhopper penguins,
black-browed albatross and imperial shags. It's the perfect opportunity
to watch the albatross swoop down from the cliffs and skim the waves
that crash against the rocks on the exposed side of the island.
Day
6-8 : AT SEA
During
your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities
on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay
in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself
be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey
without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the
conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities
offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT
photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea,
they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire
the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe
marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest
and entertainment.
Day
9-11 : SOUTH GEORGIA
Aboard
your ship, discover South Georgia, a region formed by an underwater
mountain chain that extends from the Andes to the Antarctic Peninsula.
All the wildlife of the Far South can be found there: king and Gentoo
penguins, elephant seals, fur seals… You might get the
chance to discover the majestic glaciers of Gold Harbour and the vast
plains of Fortuna Bay. If you are fortunate enough to land at Salisbury
Plain, you can expect a wonderful spectacle: more than 300,000 king
penguins, which you will recognise by the bright orange mark on their
head and neck, have taken up residence there.
Day
12-13 : AT SEA
During
your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities
on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay
in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself
be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey
without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the
conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities
offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT
photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea,
they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire
the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe
marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest
and entertainment.
Day
14-17 : ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
Succumb
to the magic of a place unlike any other. To this day, the mythical
Antarctic Peninsula still holds real fascination and promises its
visitors unforgettable moments. Throughout your adventure in this icy
realm, you will find yourself in the heart of a spectacular decor in
subtle shades of blue and white, surrounded by exceptional wildlife.
Penguins, humpback whales, seals and giant petrels are at home here, as
are elephant seals, fur seals, Antarctic minke whales, and orcas.
Depending on which sites you will be lucky enough to visit, you may get
the chance to observe them and share with them the beauty of these
extreme parts.
Each
day, based on ice conditions, the Captain and the Expedition Leader
will suggest zodiac outings or landings to discover the infinite riches
of the Antarctic Peninsula. Glaciers, ice floe, tabletop
icebergs, mountain peaks that plunge straight into the sea, volcanic
beaches, research stations, enchanting bays, and vestiges of the
whaling industry: these are the faces of the Antarctic that will likely
reveal themselves to you, in a hushed and surreal atmosphere. You will
sail in the wake of Jean-Baptiste Charcot, Adrien de Gerlache and Sir
Ernest Shackleton, great Antarctic explorers who, from the 19th
century, set out to conquer these remote and uninhabited lands.
Day
18-19 : CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE
If
there is one place, one sea, one waterway dreaded by tourists,
researchers and hardened seafarers alike, it is undoubtedly Drake
Passage. Situated at the latitude of the infamous Furious Fifties
winds, between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, it is the
shortest route to connect Antarctica to South America. Seasoned
navigators will tell you that you must earn your visit to the White
Continent! As the Antarctic convergence zone where cold currents rising
up from the South Pole meet warmer equatorial water masses, Drake
Passage harbours a very diverse marine fauna. Don't forget to look to
the sky to catch a glimpse of elegant albatross and Cape petrels,
playfully floating about in the wind around your ship.
Day 20 : USHUAIA
Capital
of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the
gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed
“El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this
city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains
surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as
the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes
plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating
places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely
and the inaccessible…
L'Austral (Luxury Expedition, 264-guests)
This superb mega-yacht with 132 staterooms is the result of the expertise of the Italian Fincantieri shipyard and French sophistication, as interpreted by designer Jean-Philippe Nuel. L'Austral remains faithful to our philosophy - to create a unique atmosphere, a subtle blend of luxury, intimacy and well-being.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Transfer to your hotel, the day before embarkation.
- 1-night accommodation in 5* hotel Sofitel Recoleta in
superior room, the night before embarkation.
- Early check-in available from late morning.
- Hospitality desk at the hotel in Buenos Aires.
- Return flight Buenos Aires/Ushuaia/Buenos Aires selected by
PONANT, in economy class.
- Services of local guides, in Ushuaia.
- Meals as mentioned in the programme and beverage package.
- Transfers as mentioned in the programme.
Excluded
from this voyage:
- Tips for the local guide.
- Personal expenses.
- Other meals and services not mentioned in the programme.
