Emblematic Antarctica

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enquire now 12 Days From NZD $13,250 pp twinshare
 Cruise
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SPECIAL! UPTO 30% OFF*

 

PONANT invites you on a polar expedition cruise to the heart of the icy realm that is the Antarctic Peninsula. Embark on an unforgettable 11-day voyage and succumb to the enchantment of the breathtaking landscapes inhabited by astonishing wildlife.

The start of your cruise will be marked by the crossing of the mythical Drake Passage, during which you will probably be escorted by several albatrosses and Cape petrels, the sentinels of these often-choppy waters.

Your ship will then reach the White Continent, realm of the unexpected. Weather and ice conditions permitting, this extreme environment where nature reigns supreme will reveal to you its most beautiful secrets through numerous discoveries.

On this uninhabited land, which wasn’t explored until the 19th century, your encounters with the wildlife will no doubt be one of the highlights of your experience. The Gentoo, Adelie and chinstrap penguins, humpback whales, seals and seabirds will provide you with cherished lifelong memories.

Each day, whether on land, aboard your ship or during a Zodiac® outing, you will be surrounded by a grandiose decor ranging from icebergs to ice floe and ancient glaciers.

 

  • Explore the magic of Antarctica with a sea kayak adventure. Led by experienced, State-Certified kayak guides, you will skim the water’s surface amid the ice. Full professional equipment is provided, including tamdem kayak, carbon paddle, full-body drysuit, lifejacket, AIS beacon. For more information about your kayak tour, please go to the section “PONANT activities” and to book your kayak tour, contact your cruise advisor.
  • Outings and shore visits in zodiac inflatables with a team of experienced naturalist guides.
  • Lectures and information sessions hosted by our naturalist-guides, covering wildlife, history, geopolitics, the great explorers, climate, environmental protection…
  • Hiking opportunity.
  • Visiting research stations and former whaling stations.
  • Landscapes: a multitude of drifting icebergs, ice floes, imposing glaciers and tall, snow-covered mountains.
  • Wildlife: humpback whales, Gentoo penguins, Adelie penguins, chinstrap penguins, leopard seals, crabeater seals, Weddell seals and numerous sea birds.
  • Educational discovery in the respect of environment.
  • For your comfort, your cruise package includes an overnight in Buenos Aires the day before embarkation and the flights to/from Ushuaia.

Itinerary 

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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…

CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE

Use your days spent in the Drake Passage to familiarise yourself with your ship and deepen your knowledge of the Antarctic. The Expedition Leader will first present the IAATO rules of conduct that must be observed during landings in the region and will explain everything you need to know about the zodiac outings. Lectures about the history and wildlife of the Antarctic will be an opportunity for you to learn more about this magical region, where every cruise is a unique experience. From the ship’s bridge, you will experience exceptional sailing moments before joining the naturalist-guides on your ship’s exterior decks to look out for albatrosses, cape petrels, and other seabirds flying over the Drake Passage.

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.

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.

 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…

 

Ship Information

Le Boreal

Le Boréal, like its Sisterships L’Austral, Le Soléal and Le Lyrial, epitomises the unique feel and atmosphere of the ships of the PONANT fleet. Subtly combining luxury, intimacy and serene well-being, the ship has been designed to offer passengers both moments of conviviality and spaces conducive to peaceful tranquillity and a sense of escape and getting away from it all. Its exterior and interior lines testify to the ingeniousness and refinement with which the Sisterships have been designed.

Up to 264 Guests
132 staterooms & suites
145 crew members
Spa
2 restaurants

 

Included in your cruise 

For your serenity, PONANT has organised the following included programme for you, which starts the day prior to embarkation

The day before embarkation – Buenos Aires

Meet and greet at the hotel by our local representative. Check-in from late morning.
Lunch on your own and time at leisure in the afternoon.
Dinner.
Overnight at the hotel.

Embarkation Day – Buenos Aires/Ushuaia

An early morning breakfast will be served before leaving to the airport for you flight Buenos Aires – Ushuaia.
Transfer to the airport.
Flight Buenos Aires/Ushuaia selected by PONANT in economy class. Approximate flight duration: 3 hours, 30 min.
Meet and greet at the airport (English-speaking assistance).

Depending on your choice made when booking your cruise (options not combinable):
You will be transferred to a restaurant for lunch.

OR

When booking the cruise, guests willing to visit the Tierra del Fuego National Park will be able to sign up for an optional group excursion, with extra cost. If you decide to do so, please note that immediately upon arrival at Ushuaia airport, you will leave towards the Park where you will have lunch before starting the tour.
Created in 1960, the park which covers 63 000 hectares (155 670 acres) is located in the south west of the Tierra del Fuego Province on the Beagle Canal. One of his entries stands slightly over 6 miles from Ushuaia.
Mountainous landscapes, lagoons, bogs, and rivers draw a picturesque scenery reinforced by the southern position of the park itself. The Darwin Mountains, which represent the southern part of the Andes Mountains are mainly responsible for such landscape. The Park is only partly accessible to the public and this tour will provide you with the opportunity to discover the local flora and sub-Antarctic landscapes. If you get lucky, you may encounter beavers, dams, birds, wild orchids, etc… This is a true paradise for Nature Lovers!
Lunch will be served in a local restaurant within the Park.
(Please note that the Tierra del Fuego excursion is subject to a minimum of participants: if this number is not reached, our operator will not be able to guarantee the departure – In this case, you will be given the option to join the “Lunch in Ushuaia” programme.)
At the end of your visit, you will return to Ushuaia and the port, for embarkation on your vessel.

– Cruise on board your ship –

Disembarkation Day – Ushuaia/Buenos Aires

Disembarkation.

Meet and greet at the port (English-speaking assistance).
Transfer to the airport in time for check-in of the flight Ushuaia/Buenos Aires selected by PONANT in economy class.
Approximate flight duration: 3 hours, 30 min.

Your programme includes :

  • 1-night accommodation in a 4* hotel 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.

For your optional Tierra del Fuego National Park excursion, your programme includes:

Please note if you choose this excursion, it is not combinable with “Lunch in Ushuaia” programme and therefore replaces it.

  • The excursion by local bus and the entrance fees to the National Park
  • The lunch including beverage package.
  • Transfers and visit as mentioned in the programme
  • The services of a local English speaking guide

Your programme does not include:

  • Transfer between airport and hotel in Buenos Aires, the day before embarkation.
  • Tips for the local guide.
  • Personal expenses.
  • Other meals and services not mentioned in the programme.

Please note:

  • The local currency is the Argentinian Peso. You will be able to make most of your purchases in USD (in small denominations) or by credit card, accepted in most hotels, shopping centres and boutiques. You will also be able to retrieve Pesos from the ATM’s.
  • Summer season in Buenos Aires: temperatures may be very hot, but often between 68 °F (20 °C) and 95 °F (35 °C).
  • Summer season in Ushuaia: temperatures vary between 41 °F (5 °C) and 65 °F (15 °C)
  • We recommend you wear warm clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
  • Duration and order may vary.

To know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel agent; it is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents. 

 

 

*T&C’s apply to all discounts and promotions. Please contact us for full details.

Images courtesy of Ponant Cruises 

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