Antarctica, a land of infinite mysteries and possibilities, will plunge you into the heart of an extraordinary adventure, where time is suspended and memories become eternal, where the silence transforms into loud noises, into surprise cracks and curious growls. What inevitably comes to mind when we think about the sixth continent are expanses of ice stretching as far as the eye can see and an arid polar desert. What is less well known is the huge diversity of its ice forms and their shape-shifting existences. Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, a real jewel of technology and comfort, you will set off
...read more on a 12-day exploration of the White Continent and journey towards the immense and fascinating Larsen Ice Shelf.
Crossing the Drake Passage will bring you into the turbulence of the Southern Ocean until the much anticipated appearance of the lands of the Antarctic Peninsula. The sight of this territory will be enough to generate a deep respect for this wild nature as it unfolds before you. With the insight of passionate experts, observe Adelie, Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins and allow yourself to be swept away by the naked beauty of the world. Gradually, as you sail on towards the Larsen Ice Shelf, the conditions will become increasingly extreme, and the limitless power of the Weddell Sea will captivate you. The ice floe which stretches to the horizon and the tabular icebergs - among the largest ever observed - drift around you.
They come from the calving of this famous ice shelf, real walls of ice along the eastern coast of the Antarctic Peninsula that extend the inlandsis (ice sheet) into the sea. Although their size is impressive, this journey will also make us aware of their fragile existence and the need to protect them. The Antarctic is a land without an indigenous people, entirely dedicated to science, research and peace. Here, you will be seized by humility and conquered by calm. If you are lucky, you will even glimpse the kings of the ice, the rare and majestic emperor penguins. The emotion here is pure and powerful, just like these immaculate landscapes that unfold endlessly.
In the heart of this universe, as magnificent as it is hostile, the exploits of the legendary expeditions of the past take on a whole other meaning. They suddenly come to life before your eyes: imagine Shackleton's Endurance sailing through this frozen sea. Its wreck was miraculously found very close to here in 2022, almost a century after this mythical expedition, evidence that the polar adventure continues... Find out more about the world of Le Commandant Charcot here! 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.