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17 Feb 26, from £47,060
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Unexplored East Antarctica & French Southern Lands

Unexplored East Antarctica & French Southern Lands

  • Itinerary
    Hobart, Tasmania to Cape Town
    Duration
    29 days
  • Dates
    17 Feb 26 to 17 Mar 26
    Prices from
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Come aboard Le Commandant Charcot for an unforgettable voyage.

With the presence of Ian Dawson, Scottish Photo Ambassador.

The theatre of mythical expeditions and a refuge for fascinating wildlife that is among the wildest on the planet, East Antarctica is still home to unexplored regions. Enjoy many moments of intense emotions on this 29-day half-circumnavigation of Antarctica, connecting Tasmania to the south of Africa, from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, aboard Le Commandant Charcot, an enveloping cocoon shaped for the highest polar latitudes.

In these preserved lands, the icebergs drift majestically in sparkling waters, while the glaciers slowly flow, revealing the millennia-old secrets they have long kept. An ultimate quest and the promise of unforgettable and novel encounters in the footsteps of the greatest explorers, like Jules Dumont d’Urville, Erich von Drygalski or Douglas Mawson, the Australian legend of polar expedition who wintered at Cape Denison. Throughout your journey, our team of passionate experts will go over all the details of these historic exploits with you while sharing their knowledge of the wildlife and landscapes.

From Hobart, the departure point of many an emblematic polar expedition, set off on a unique polar odyssey, at the boundaries of the world, to admire all this singular territory’s natural treasures. During this unforgettable exploration, paced by the ice conditions between coastal ice floe, drifting icebergs and the largest polar icecap in the world - the Inlandsis in East Antarctica -, you will journey into this isolated region and make your way past the Australian research stations, Casey and Davis. Fascinating, bewitching, dizzying... there is no shortage of superlatives to describe Antarctica! In the icy depths of the Southern Ocean, mountains of ice rise like eternal sentinels, and Adelie penguins watch over the ice floe while humpback whales and orcas seem to guide the spirits towards unexplored horizons.

As you sail on to explore the eastern side of the White Continent, the ice floe and the ice disappear to make way for open-water navigation. Le Commandant Charcot will leave the Southern Ocean behind and you will perhaps have the chance to reach the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, in the wake of the great explorers who came from Europe in search of Terra Australis Incognita, such as Julien Crozet, Marc Marion Dufresne, Yves de Kerguelen or James Cook. During this all-new cruise in Antarctica, your senses will sharpen and you will be magnetised by the spectacle of the sparkling ice floe, the majestic tabular icebergs, the monumental ice shelves and the spectacular polar icecap. A unique moment, suspended in time, where the beauty of the White Continent is revealed in its full splendour.

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Our navigation will be determined by the type of ice we come across; as the fast ice must be preserved, we will take this factor into account from day to day in our itineraries. The sailing schedule and any landings, activities and wildlife encounters are subject to weather and ice conditions. These experiences are unique and vary with each departure. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while respecting safety instructions and regulations imposed by the IAATO.

Overview

Your voyage

All-inclusive

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Destination

Destination

Antarctica

Hobart, Tasmania to Cape Town

Duration

29 days, 28 nights on board

Expeditions

Ian Dawson

Ian Dawson

Hiking or snowshoeing

Hiking or snowshoeing, Kayaking - Le Commandant Charcot

Ref: CC170226

Journey

Your daily itinerary

  • A voyage infused with the spirit of discovery, accompanied by special guests from The Explorers Club to share onboard lectures, exploration stories, and scientific research.
  • Discover the frozen landscapes of the continent, the French sub-Antarctic islands and the local wildlife (opportunities to spot or observe whales, orcas, seals, penguins and other seabirds).
  • Activities: outings and shore visits in a rubber dinghy with a team including naturalist guides; kayaking; polar hiking on foot or snowshoes; polar plunge without a wetsuit.
Unexplored East Antarctica & French Southern Lands null

Customize your journey:

Guest

Sharing your journey with

Ian Dawson null

Ian Dawson

Staterooms and suites

Elegance and refinement

*Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.

Details

More information

What's Included

Important travel details

In your luggage

Unexplored East Antarctica & French Southern Lands

Itinerary

Embarkation 17/02/26 from 16:00 to 17:00 Departure 17/02/26 at 18:00

17 Feb 26 - Hobart, Tasmania
17 Feb 26 - Hobart, Tasmania

Arrival 18/02/26 Departure 21/02/26

18 Feb 26 > 21 Feb 26 - At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot
18 Feb 26 > 21 Feb 26 - At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot

Arrival 22/02/26 Departure 23/02/26

22 Feb 26 > 23 Feb 26 - Adélie Land
22 Feb 26 > 23 Feb 26 - Adélie Land

Arrival 24/02/26 Departure 24/02/26

24 Feb 26 - Magnetic South Pole
24 Feb 26 - Magnetic South Pole

Arrival 25/02/26 Departure 26/02/26

25 Feb 26 > 26 Feb 26 - Adélie Land
25 Feb 26 > 26 Feb 26 - Adélie Land

Arrival 27/02/26 Departure 28/02/26

27 Feb 26 > 28 Feb 26 - Wilkes Land
27 Feb 26 > 28 Feb 26 - Wilkes Land

Arrival 01/03/26 Departure 01/03/26

1 Mar 26 - Sailing along Shackleton Ice Shelf
1 Mar 26 - Sailing along Shackleton Ice Shelf

Arrival 02/03/26 Departure 04/03/26

2 Mar 26 > 4 Mar 26 - Queen Mary Land
2 Mar 26 > 4 Mar 26 - Queen Mary Land

Arrival 05/03/26 Departure 07/03/26

5 Mar 26 > 7 Mar 26 - At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot
5 Mar 26 > 7 Mar 26 - At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot

Arrival 08/03/26 Departure 09/03/26

8 Mar 26 > 9 Mar 26 - French Southern and Antarctic Lands
8 Mar 26 > 9 Mar 26 - French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Arrival 10/03/26 Departure 10/03/26

10 Mar 26 - At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot
10 Mar 26 - At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot

Arrival 11/03/26 Departure 11/03/26

11 Mar 26 - French Southern and Antarctic Lands
11 Mar 26 - French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Arrival 12/03/26 Departure 16/03/26

12 Mar 26 > 16 Mar 26 - At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot
12 Mar 26 > 16 Mar 26 - At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot

Arrival 17/03/26 Disembarkation 17/03/26 at 8:00

17 Mar 26 - Cape Town
17 Mar 26 - Cape Town

Unexplored East Antarctica & French Southern Lands

Customize your journey

Relaxing stay in hobart

RELAXING STAY IN HOBART
Details

Enhance your cruise and extend your trip with a carefully designed programme, which will be a perfect prelude to your cruise.

Day 1 – Hobart

Meet at the airport in the arrival hall. Look for PONANT sign. You will be greeted by our local representative off the flight selected by PONANT or any other flight (provided that you have previously communicated your flight schedule to your travel agent).

You will be transferred to the hotel MACq 01 5*.

Day and meals at leisure.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2 – Hobart

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning at leisure and check out.

Meals at leisure.

You will be transferred to the pier to embark on board your ship.

Your hotel:

Nestled in the heart of Hobart’s historic wharf, the MACq 01 hotel names itself a “storytelling hotel”. Each of the 114 rooms reflects one of the five Tasmanian character traits through its design. The lounge with its open fire, is trimmed with artefacts representative of the traditional Tasmanian Aboriginal toolkit. The hotel features a restaurant, a bar and a fitness centre.

Upgraded rooms are also available depending on availability and on a supplement basis. Contact your travel professional for further detail.

Your programme includes:

·        1-night accommodation in Superior Waterfront room at the hotel MACq 01 5* (local standard) or similar, breakfast included.

·        Meals as mentioned in the programme.

·        Beverage package during meals (bottled water + 1 soft drink or 1 glass of wine and 1 coffee or tea).

·        Transfers and visits as mentioned in the programme.

·        The services of a local English-speaking guide.

Your programme does not include:

·        Early check-in on day 1.

·        Dinner on day 1.

·        Personal expenses.

·        Tips for the driver and local guide.

·        Other services not mentioned in the programme.

Please note:

·        It is imperative that the details of your departure flight are provided to your travel agent, no later than 30 days before the start date of your cruise, to secure the proper private transfer.

·        The official check-in time at the hotel is at 2.00p.m, the official check-out time is at 11:00a.m.

·        The early check-in is not included at your arrival at the hotel. If you would like to have access to your room before 2.00p.m. please contact your travel agent for further detail.

·        The late check-out is not included. If you would like to check out after 11:00a.m, please contact your travel agent for further detail.

·        Kindly note that a minimum number of participants is required for this trip to proceed. As a result, both the price and itinerary may be adjusted based on the final number of participants. Should the minimum number not be met, we will offer you an alternative arrangement.

Contact of your hotel:

MACq 01
18 Hunter Street,
Hobart, TAS, 7000 Australia
Telephone: +61 3 6210 7600

Duration and order of the visits 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.


Total

£300/person*

Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability.