The Emperor Penguins Of The Weddell Sea
Highlights
- With featured guest Mikaa Mered, geopolitologist, award-winning author, university lecturer and seasoned public speaker specialized in the Polar-Climate-Hydrogen nexus.
- An all-new exploration into the almost inaccessible Weddell Sea, in search of majestic emperor penguins, amidst immaculate and dreamlike landscapes.
- Outings and shore visits in a zodiac inflatable with a reinforced team of naturalist guides.
Overnight in Santiago + flight Santiago/Punta Arenas + transfers + flight Ushuaia/Santiago
With featured guest Mikaa Mered, geopolitologist, award-winning author, university lecturer and seasoned public speaker specialized in the Polar-Climate-Hydrogen nexus.
The theatre of the greatest expeditions, a refuge for the rarest wildlife and an endless ice desert, the Weddell Sea promises you intense emotions during a voyage of exploration aboard Le Commandant Charcot, an enveloping cocoon that is wide open onto the exterior polar setting. This place is home to emperor penguins, majestic birds endemic to the Antarctic, rarely observed and only in the most southern latitudes. The ultimate quest and the promise of all-new, unforgettable encounters.
From Drake Passage, as the wind blows and the waves crash against the stern of your ship, you will enter the southern seas, to the extreme and captivating Weddell Sea. Ice floe as far as the eye can see and gigantic tabular icebergs form the horizon of the colonies of Adelie penguins that populate this expanse. Contemplating these curious and quirky birds is a real privilege and the guarantee of an equally fascinating and touching show. Yet the ultimate challenge of this exploration is the search for and the encounter with their majesties, the emperor penguins. In this season, as the winter gradually makes way for the southern spring, you will perhaps witness a magical show – that of the largest penguins in the world waddling along the ice floe or the younger penguins learning to swim. It is rare to discover their elegance, so the encounter will be priceless.
During your exploration of the Weddell Sea, you will follow in the footsteps of the great polar epics like that of Sir Ernest Shackleton. Our passionate naturalists will also share the history of the gigantic tabular icebergs with you, including their birth in the heart of the immense Larsen Ice Shelf. The ice here boasts all possible sha...
Standard Activities
About the The Emperor Penguins Of The Weddell Sea
Overnight in Santiago + flight Santiago/Punta Arenas + transfers + flight Ushuaia/Santiago
With featured guest Mikaa Mered, geopolitologist, award-winning author, university lecturer and seasoned public speaker specialized in the Polar-Climate-Hydrogen nexus.
The theatre of the greatest expeditions, a refuge for the rarest wildlife and an endless ice desert, the Weddell Sea promises you intense emotions during a voyage of exploration aboard Le Commandant Charcot, an enveloping cocoon that is wide open onto the exterior polar setting. This place is home to emperor penguins, majestic birds endemic to the Antarctic, rarely observed and only in the most southern latitudes. The ultimate quest and the promise of all-new, unforgettable encounters.
From Drake Passage, as the wind blows and the waves crash against the stern of your ship, you will enter the southern seas, to the extreme and captivating Weddell Sea. Ice floe as far as the eye can see and gigantic tabular icebergs form the horizon of the colonies of Adelie penguins that populate this expanse. Contemplating these curious and quirky birds is a real privilege and the guarantee of an equally fascinating and touching show. Yet the ultimate challenge of this exploration is the search for and the encounter with their majesties, the emperor penguins. In this season, as the winter gradually makes way for the southern spring, you will perhaps witness a magical show – that of the largest penguins in the world waddling along the ice floe or the younger penguins learning to swim. It is rare to discover their elegance, so the encounter will be priceless.
During your exploration of the Weddell Sea, you will follow in the footsteps of the great polar epics like that of Sir Ernest Shackleton. Our passionate naturalists will also share the history of the gigantic tabular icebergs with you, including their birth in the heart of the immense Larsen Ice Shelf. The ice here boasts all possible shades and the white takes different forms in the surrounding reliefs. Let yourself be guided and set off on an adventure into the heart of incredible and unexpected nature. Your Captain and the expert naturalists humbly seize these opportunities to give you an experience that will remain unique.
It is a challenge and a privilege to sail upon the Weddell Sea; welcome to an extraordinary universe with compelling appeal.
Itinerary Day to Day
Santiago de Chile
Transfer from airport to selected hotel.
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.
Punta Arenas
Crossing the Drake Passage
The Weddell Sea Exploration
North Antarctic Peninsula
Crossing the Drake Passage
Ushuaia & Santiago de Chile
Route Map
After graduating from art school in Brussels and completing his military service as a reserve officer with the search-and-rescue helicopters, Mike decided to become a freelance marine photographer.
His talent has earned him an enviable reputation among cruise lines, ferries and North Sea ports. For almost a d...
Join Photo Ambassador and full-time professional travel and wildlife photographer with 25 years’ experience and over six thousand publications to her credit Cindy Miller Hopkins aboard L’Austral.
Her images can be seen on the pages of thousands of textbooks, travel brochures, calendars, fine art print...
Nicolas Vincent is an underwater engineer and specialist in underwater robotics. With 30 years experience, he is now the Operations Director of Deep Ocean Search Ltd and leads all the unusual special underwater projects in ultra deep waters. Nicolas and his team have been involved in many famous projects from the di...
After graduating from art school in Brussels and completing his military service as a reserve officer with the search-and-rescue helicopters, Mike decided to become a freelance marine photographer.
His talent has earned him an enviable reputation among cruise lines, ferries and North Sea ports. For almost a decade, he was editor-in-chief of a professional maritime magazine. This enabled him to travel the oceans on board hundreds of passenger vessels.
His specialisation in expedition cruises led him to explore Antarctica in 2007, reconnecting with his true passion for the sea. Since then, he has made numerous voyages to the polar regions, with a preference for the ship Le Commandant Charcot.
Join Photo Ambassador and full-time professional travel and wildlife photographer with 25 years’ experience and over six thousand publications to her credit Cindy Miller Hopkins aboard L’Austral.
Her images can be seen on the pages of thousands of textbooks, travel brochures, calendars, fine art prints, consumer products, U.S. and international magazines, and newspapers. Her freelance, assignment and workshop career has taken her to all seven continents and to over 150 countries. Her 2018 shot of 5-species of penguins in one frame is thought to be the only one like it in the world and is currently the lead image in a campaign to fully protect South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
Along with her stock photography business, Cindy teaches digital photography classes, works as a professional photographer & guest lecturer on expedition ships and leads photo safaris around the world. She is past president of the NANPA (North American Photography Association) Foundation Board and is an active Foundation Board member for over 20 years.
On average, Cindy is out of the country over 200 days a year. When not traveling, she lives at home with her husband in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.
Nicolas Vincent is an underwater engineer and specialist in underwater robotics. With 30 years experience, he is now the Operations Director of Deep Ocean Search Ltd and leads all the unusual special underwater projects in ultra deep waters. Nicolas and his team have been involved in many famous projects from the discovery of Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s plane to the ship Endurance.
They have also covered since 2001 all the aerial incidents in deep water, but also, located famous wrecks like the AJA San Juan and Minerve submarines. They also hold some world records, such as the world’s deepest rescue at 5,200m of the SS City of Cairo, where 100T of silver coins belonging to the British government were recovered, and the discovery of the USS Samuel B Roberts at a depth of 6,800m on board the submarine Victor Vescovo, Limiting Factor.
For Endurance22, he is the Subsea Project Manager for the expedition. It took him three years of preparation to invent and deploy the technological and operational solutions to reach the iconic Endurance wreck.
What's Included
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Transfer from airport upon flight arrival.
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1-night accommodation in a 5* hotel the night before embarkation (your hotel will be confirmed few weeks before your cruise).
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Early check-in available from late morning.
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Hospitality desk at the hotel in Santiago.
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Return flight Santiago/Punta Arenas and Ushuaia/Santiago in economy class.
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Meals as mentioned in the programme and beverage package.
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Transfers as mentioned in the programme.
What's Excluded
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Mandatory travel insurance
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Tips for the local guide.
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Personal expenses.
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Other meals and services not mentioned in the programme.
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In-Depth Antarctica, Falklands & South Georgia Expedition
South Shetland Islands & Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctica - Basecamp
Antarctic Circle Expedition
Spirit of Antarctica
Highlights of Antarctica
South Georgia & Antarctic Peninsula: Penguin Safari (18D)
Whale Season in Antarctica