Ponant, Le Commandant Charcot and the Emperor Penguins of Bellingshausen

Ponant Commandant Charcot cruise

Country

Croisières et Yachting Antarctique

Suggested duration

16 days / 14 nights

Ideal periods

December

Written request

01 77 37 03 10

The spirit of the journey

This exceptional cruise aboard Le Commandant Charcot takes you into the heart of the Bellingshausen Sea, beyond Peter I and Charcot Islands. Names that sound like extreme adventure. The promise of deeply moving encounters.

Emperor penguins live here, a species found nowhere else, endemic to Antarctica and rarely observed, as their colonies are difficult to “access”. This elegant, majestic animal is the king of Antarctic wildlife. In this season, as winter gradually gives way to the austral spring, you will likely have the privilege of glimpsing on the horizon a remarkable sight: the largest birds in the world striding across the pack ice, or fledgling juveniles learning to swim as the austral summer approaches.

Day by day

Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, is the starting point of your cruise. After crossing the Drake Passage, the ship heads towards the polar circle. You cross this invisible line and approach Charcot Island. Few have ever set foot on this almost untouched island, whose waters attract numerous seabirds, such as Antarctic petrels, terns and skuas.
You will then head towards the legendary Peter I Island, located 450 km off the coast of Antarctica. Surrounded by pack ice and 95% covered in ice, this volcanic island, whose unclimbed summit rises to 1,640 metres, is protected by ice cliffs over 40 metres high, making any approach difficult. Along the English Coast, set out in search of emperor penguins. Venture into this magnificent, largely unexplored ice desert and be among the few privileged to observe these majestic penguins.
You then progress towards Marguerite Bay, arguably one of the most beautiful regions of Antarctica. It is home to numerous cetaceans, and you may have the chance to spot leopard seals or Adélie penguins.
Heading north along Graham Land, discover the small Stonington Island. The island once housed a British scientific base. Today it is an important breeding ground for Antarctic terns and McCormick’s skuas.
Nearby, you land by zodiac on Pourquoi-Pas Island, where you may have the chance to observe Adélie penguins. You will then pass through the narrow channel between Adelaide Island and Graham Land, a true palace of ice, before arriving at Detaille Island, a former British scientific base surrounded by snow-capped peaks.
Crossing of the Drake Passage back to Ushuaia.

Numerous unique activities: kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing, the polar plunge without a wetsuit, polar swimming in a drysuit, citizen science.

Ponant - Le Commandant Charcot

Avec Le Commandant Charcot, Ponant imagine le voyage de demain. Le dernier-né de la flotte vous emmènera sur les traces des grands explorateurs polaires, dans un écrin raffiné aux prestations de luxe encore jamais proposées dans les zones extrêmes des hémisphères Nord et Sud.

La piscine intérieure, le jardin d’hiver, le restaurant panoramique, le restaurant extérieur Blue Lagoon, le Grand Salon, le Salon Observatoire, le lobby… Chaque espace commun a été conçu pour véhiculer le luxe discret à la française tout en voulant susciter l’émerveillement. Le fil conducteur de ces réalisations : faire entrer la lumière et offrir une ouverture sur les paysages polaires extraordinaires.

Ce premier navire d’exploration polaire hybride électrique propulsé au GNL a été pensé avec la plus grande attention en matière de sécurité et de respect de l’environnement.