Small ship expedition company Ponant has unveiled a totally new range of voyages to the ends of the earth for the 2023 Antarctic season including two exciting new itineraries from and to New Zealand.
With these unprecedented polar odysseys aboard the first LNG-powered hybrid electric luxury polar exploration vessel, Le Commandant Charcot, Ponant invites travellers in search of meaning to weigh anchor for new adventures in the wake of the famous navigator after whom the ship is named.
A mythical territory that proved a magnet for the great explorers of the past, the White Continent continues to fascinate cruisers on every level. As a polar expert for over 20 years, Ponant combines its ice navigation experience with the passion of its naturalist guides to ensure truly immersive experiences. Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, guests can take their pick from a range of new activities from citizen science, kayaking, hiking, and snowshoeing, to polar diving without a wetsuit and polar swimming in a drysuit. More than 20 naturalist guides will be supervising the activities and taking guests to meet a fascinating array of wildlife during Zodiac and hovercraft outings.
For its second season in the Antarctic with Le Commandant Charcot, Ponant has expanded its offer to include two itineraries providing unforgettable semi-circumnavigations of the Antarctic. These include Unexplored Antarctic between Two Continents, during which Le Commandant Charcot will invite guests for the first time to follow in the footsteps of the great Antarctic explorers during a truly exceptional semi-circumnavigation, a voyage of exploration linking the southern end of the American continent to New Zealand. Departing Ushuaia on January 15, 2023, this exclusive 30-day expedition into the heart of the icefields explores the Bellingshausen, Amundsen, and Ross seas, the world’s largest marine sanctuary, where whales, orcas, seals and penguins can be seen, as well as Marie Byrd Land, the last Terra Nullius (unclaimed land) on our planet.
Alternatively, the 28-day From Dumont d’Urville to Mawson: Retracing Heroic Age Expeditions, departing Dunedin February 13, 2023, retraces the steps of early explorers to the White Continent, sharpening the senses during a voyage on which all the nuances of the ice come into their own. From the shores of New Zealand to those of Ushuaia, a city at the end of the world, this semi-circumnavigation of Antarctica will include Adélie Land, Victoria Land, and Marie Byrd Land, as well as Macquarie Island, a sub-Antarctic Australian island, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its extraordinary biodiversity.
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