Expedition in the footsteps of Scott and Shackleton

Located on the east coast of the South Island, Dunedin is the oldest city in New Zealand, nicknamed the Edinburgh of the South because of its Scottish origins. The very name Dunedin is the Gaelic name for the capital of Scotland. The city willingly highlights this heritage dating from its foundation in 1848; its landmarks of Victorian and Edwardian architecture are among the best preserved in the southern hemisphere, set against a backdrop of the picturesque Silverpeaks Mountains. Just outside the city, the nature reserves of the Otago Peninsula are home to a wealth of wildlife, such as the world’s only terrestrial colony of royal albatrosses, as well as the rare antipodean penguins, or “yellow-eyed penguins”. .

During your sea crossing, take advantage of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation at the spa or keep in shape at the gym. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or sunbathing. This non-stop crossing will also be an opportunity to attend conferences or shows offered on board, depending on the activities offered, or to make some purchases at the boutique or to meet PONANT photographers in the space dedicated to them. Lovers of the open sea, for their part, will go to the upper deck of the ship to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps have the chance to observe marine species. A truly enchanted parenthesis, between comfort, rest and entertainment.

Completely south of New Zealand’s Unesco-listed Subantarctic Islands is Campbell Island . It displays unparalleled flora and arouses the interest of botanists, particularly for its megaherbs . These large wild and perennial herbaceous plants, with impressive leaves and flowers in multiple colors, have been able to adapt to particularly harsh climatic conditions. Campbell Island is also home to six species of albatross and several endangered endemic bird species such as the Campbell’s teal or Campbell’s snipe . You may have the opportunity to observe them during a walk on the slopes of Col Lyall Saddle or during a zodiac trip to Perseverance Harbour.

During your sea crossing, take advantage of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation at the spa or keep in shape at the gym. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or sunbathing. This non-stop crossing will also be an opportunity to attend conferences or shows offered on board, depending on the activities offered, or to make some purchases at the boutique or to meet PONANT photographers in the space dedicated to them. Lovers of the open sea, for their part, will go to the upper deck of the ship to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps have the chance to observe marine species. A truly enchanted parenthesis, between comfort, rest and entertainment.

The Ross Sea , the southernmost in the world, owes its name to Sir James Clark Ross, naturalist and Royal Navy officer, who first explored the region in 1841 with the ships Erebus and Terror . It is bounded to the east by Roosevelt Island and the Edward VII Peninsula in Marie Byrd Land, to the west by Ross Island and the coastal mountains of Victoria Land and to the south by the Ross Barrier. , the largest ice shelf in Antarctica located some 320 km from the geographic South Pole. The history and riches of the ultimate marine sanctuary in the world will be revealed during this formidable expedition.

You can, if the weather and ice conditions permit, discover several emblematic sites of the region. Possible stops include Cape Adare, at the northern end of the Borchgrevink Coast , home to the world’s largest colony of Adélie penguins . We will try to reach Terra Nova Bay where, to the north, the Italian and South Korean scientific stations are located and, to the south, the Drygalski glacial tongue . Dating back at least 4,000 years, it extends 70 km out to sea from the David Glacier and measures 24 km at its widest point. On Inexpressible Island, you will discover the exceptional survival conditions of a group of six men from the Terra Nova expedition , led by Robert Falcon Scott (1910-1913), forced to winter in a cave dug in the ice, now classified as a historic Antarctic monument. On Ross Island , you will follow in the footsteps of polar explorers Sir James Clark Ross and discover Sir Ernest Shackleton’s cabin, a listed Antarctic monument. Built at Cape Royds during the British Nimrod expedition (1907-1909), it stands proudly at the foot of Mount Erebus. Sixty years earlier, while Captain James Ross was seeking to reach the magnetic South Pole, he discovered Franklin Island, located 130 km east of Cape Hickey on Victoria Land. He named it after Sir John Franklin, Arctic explorer and governor of what is now Tasmania. This island will offer you a privileged position to observe Adélie penguins in their daily ballet as well as Weddell seals, languid on the shore.

During your sea crossing, take advantage of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation at the spa or keep in shape at the gym. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or sunbathing. This non-stop crossing will also be an opportunity to attend conferences or shows offered on board, depending on the activities offered, or to make some purchases at the boutique or to meet PONANT photographers in the space dedicated to them. Lovers of the open sea, for their part, will go to the upper deck of the ship to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps have the chance to observe marine species. A truly enchanted parenthesis, between comfort, rest and entertainment.

Considered one of the greatest wonders of the world,  Macquarie Island  is an island of great beauty and exceptional natural diversity. It is also a breeding ground for more than 3.5 million seabirds, most of which are penguins. Four species breed on Macquarie Island: king penguins, Schlegel’s penguins, gentoo penguins and rockhopper penguins . Three species of fur seals and one-seventh of the world’s elephant seal population also nest on the island. In 1948, the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) established its expedition headquarters on Macquarie Island. If time and weather permit, you will have the opportunity to go ashore and observe the abundant wildlife that resides on the island.

During your sea crossing, take advantage of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation at the spa or keep in shape at the gym. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or sunbathing. This non-stop crossing will also be an opportunity to attend conferences or shows offered on board, depending on the activities offered, or to make some purchases at the boutique or to meet PONANT photographers in the space dedicated to them. Lovers of the open sea, for their part, will go to the upper deck of the ship to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps have the chance to observe marine species. A truly enchanted parenthesis, between comfort, rest and entertainment.

The Snares Archipelago belongs to the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand , classified UNESCO. On the Snares, unlike other forested islands in the Southern Ocean, no mammals have been introduced. This archipelago therefore constitutes a true paradise for wildlife. It is home to an impressive number of nesting seabirds. There are sooty shearwaters which breed there during the summer, Snares penguins and 4 species of albatross. New Zealand fur seals and sea lions also live there. It is forbidden to disembark there, but if conditions permit, you will have the opportunity to explore the coasts of the archipelago and observe the wildlife during zodiac outings.

Located on the east coast of the South Island, Dunedin is the oldest city in New Zealand, nicknamed the Edinburgh of the South because of its Scottish origins. The very name Dunedin is the Gaelic name for the capital of Scotland. The city willingly highlights this heritage dating from its foundation in 1848; its landmarks of Victorian and Edwardian architecture are among the best preserved in the southern hemisphere, set against a backdrop of the picturesque Silverpeaks Mountains. Just outside the city, the nature reserves of the Otago Peninsula are home to a wealth of wildlife, such as the world’s only terrestrial colony of royal albatrosses, as well as the rare antipodean penguins, or “yellow-eyed penguins”. .