Luxury Expedition
L'Austral - 264 Guests
Emblematic Antarctica
Ushuaia Roundtrip

If there is one place on the globe that fires the imagination of travellers and arouses in them an instant thirst for adventure, it is the immaculate and faraway lands of the White Continent. Inhabited by a surprising endemic fauna, the Antarctic will welcome you during an 11-day expedition cruise.
At the border between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, you will enter Drake Passage. At the roaring fifties and the screaming sixties, the wind blows and the waves beat against the stern of the ship. In the sky, cape petrels lead you toward their realm until you reach the first of the continent’s lands.
Ice is there in all its forms. The mountainous landscapes open up to give way to huge calving glaciers, tabular icebergs drift in the middle of the Southern Ocean, and the sea ice shimmers in the distance. On board, the naturalists share with you the secrets of this unique ecosystem. As you near the shores, the first penguins appear. Gentoo, Adélie, chinstrap: these surprising birds, emblematic of the Antarctic, share their beaches with leopard, crabeater and Weddell seals. During an outing on land or at sea, in a zodiac dinghy or a kayak, you will move through a stunning scenery bathed in polar light.


 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • An expedition cruise to discover the Antarctic Peninsula and its most beautiful secrets surrounded by stunning natural scenery.
  • Outings and shore visits in zodiac inflatables with a team of experienced naturalist guides.
  • Explore the magic of Antarctica with a sea kayak adventure. Lead by experienced, State-Certified kayak guides, you will skim the water’s surface amid the ice. For more information about your kayak tour, please go to the section ‘PONANT activities’ and to book your kayak tour, contact your cruise advisor.
  • Hiking opportunity.
  • Visit research stations and former whaling stations, if conditions allow.
  • Lectures and information sessions hosted by our naturalist guides, covering wildlife, history, geopolitics, the great explorers, climate, environmental protection and educational discovery in the respect of environment.
  • Landscapes: a multitude of drifting icebergs, ice floes, imposing glaciers and tall, snow-covered mountains.
  • Wildlife: humpback whales; Gentoo, Adélie and chinstrap penguins; leopard, crabeater and Weddell seals; and numerous seabirds.
  • For your comfort, your cruise package includes an overnight in Buenos Aires the day before embarkation and the flights to/from Ushuaia (for details, see the “Included in your cruise” tab).

DATES / RATES

Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
Start DateEnd DateSuperior StateroomDeluxe StateroomPrestige Deck 4Prestige Deck 5Prestige Deck 6Deluxe SuitePrestige Deck 5 SuitePrestige Deck 6 SuiteOwner's Suite
Jan 29, 2025Feb 09, 202515,69016,70017,43017,72018,15025,38026,390N/AN/A
Feb 09, 2025Feb 19, 2025N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A35,370
Jan 18, 2026Jan 29, 202614,51015,42016,09016,35016,74023,30024,22025,39038,750
Jan 28, 2026Feb 08, 202613,820N/A15,30015,55015,91022,06022,93024,02038,750
Feb 07, 2026Feb 18, 2026N/A14,68015,30015,55015,910N/A22,93024,02038,750
Nov 17, 2026Nov 28, 202613,41014,24014,82015,05015,41021,26022,07023,14039,550
Nov 27, 2026Dec 08, 202613,41014,24014,82015,05015,41021,26022,07023,14039,550
Dec 07, 2026Dec 18, 202613,62014,46015,05015,29015,65021,61022,44023,52040,270
Dec 17, 2026Dec 28, 202613,41014,24014,82015,05015,41021,26022,07023,14039,550
Dec 27, 2026Jan 07, 202715,23016,19016,88017,16017,57024,46025,42026,660N/A
Jan 06, 2027Jan 17, 202713,41014,24014,82015,05015,41021,26022,07023,14039,550
Jan 26, 2027Feb 06, 202713,41014,24014,82015,05015,41021,26022,07023,14039,550
Feb 05, 2027Feb 16, 202713,41014,24014,82015,05015,41021,26022,07023,14039,550
Feb 15, 2027Feb 26, 202713,41014,24014,82015,05015,41021,26022,07023,14039,550
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
Start DateEnd Date(Starting from)
Superior Stateroom		(Mid-range)
Prestige Deck 6		(High-end)
Owner's Suite
Jan 29, 2025Feb 09, 202515,69018,150N/A
Feb 09, 2025Feb 19, 2025N/AN/A35,370
Jan 18, 2026Jan 29, 202614,51016,74038,750
Jan 28, 2026Feb 08, 202613,82015,91038,750
Feb 07, 2026Feb 18, 2026N/A15,91038,750
Nov 17, 2026Nov 28, 202613,41015,41039,550
Nov 27, 2026Dec 08, 202613,41015,41039,550
Dec 07, 2026Dec 18, 202613,62015,65040,270
Dec 17, 2026Dec 28, 202613,41015,41039,550
Dec 27, 2026Jan 07, 202715,23017,570N/A
Jan 06, 2027Jan 17, 202713,41015,41039,550
Jan 26, 2027Feb 06, 202713,41015,41039,550
Feb 05, 2027Feb 16, 202713,41015,41039,550
Feb 15, 2027Feb 26, 202713,41015,41039,550


ITINERARY

Day 2 : Ushuaia
Capital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed “El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely and the inaccessible…

Day 3-4 : Crossing the Drake Passage
Use your days spent in the Drake Passage to familiarise yourself with your ship and deepen your knowledge of the Antarctic. The Expedition Leader will first present the IAATO rules of conduct that must be observed during landings in the region and will explain everything you need to know about the zodiac outings. Lectures about the history and wildlife of the Antarctic will be an opportunity for you to learn more about this magical region, where every cruise is a unique experience.  You will experience exceptional sailing moments on board and join the naturalist-guides on your ship’s exterior decks to look out for albatrosses, cape petrels, and other seabirds flying over the Drake Passage.

Day 5-9 : Antarctic Peninsula
Succumb to the magic of a place unlike any other. To this day, the mythical Antarctic Peninsula still holds real fascination and promises its visitors unforgettable moments. Throughout your adventure in this icy realm, you will find yourself in the heart of a spectacular decor in subtle shades of blue and white, surrounded by exceptional wildlife. Penguins, humpback whales, seals and giant petrels are at home here, as are elephant seals, fur seals, Antarctic minke whales, and orcas. Depending on which sites you will be lucky enough to visit, you may get the chance to observe them and share with them the beauty of these extreme parts.

Each day, based on ice conditions, the Captain and the Expedition Leader will suggest zodiac outings or landings to discover the infinite riches of the Antarctic Peninsula.  Glaciers, ice floe, tabletop icebergs, mountain peaks that plunge straight into the sea, volcanic beaches, research stations, enchanting bays, and vestiges of the whaling industry: these are the faces of the Antarctic that will likely reveal themselves to you, in a hushed and surreal atmosphere. You will sail in the wake of Jean-Baptiste Charcot, Adrien de Gerlache and Sir Ernest Shackleton, great Antarctic explorers who, from the 19th century, set out to conquer these remote and uninhabited lands.

Day 10-11 : Crossing the Drake Passage
If there is one place, one sea, one waterway dreaded by tourists, researchers and hardened seafarers alike, it is undoubtedly Drake Passage. Situated at the latitude of the infamous Furious Fifties winds, between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, it is the shortest route to connect Antarctica to South America. Seasoned navigators will tell you that you must earn your visit to the White Continent! As the Antarctic convergence zone where cold currents rising up from the South Pole meet warmer equatorial water masses, Drake Passage harbours a very diverse marine fauna. Don't forget to look to the sky to catch a glimpse of elegant albatross and Cape petrels, playfully floating about in the wind around your ship.

Day 12 : Ushuaia
Capital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed “El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely and the inaccessible…

L'Austral (Luxury Expedition, 264-guests)

This superb mega-yacht with 132 staterooms is the result of the expertise of the Italian Fincantieri shipyard and French sophistication, as interpreted by designer Jean-Philippe Nuel. L'Austral remains faithful to our philosophy - to create a unique atmosphere, a subtle blend of luxury, intimacy and well-being.

(Click image to view Ship details)

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • Transfer to your hotel, the day before embarkation.
  • 1-night accommodation in 5* hotel Sofitel Recoleta in superior room, the night before embarkation.
  • Early check-in available from late morning.
  • Hospitality desk at the hotel in Buenos Aires.
  • Return flight Buenos Aires/Ushuaia/Buenos Aires selected by PONANT, in economy class.
  • Services of local guides, in Ushuaia.
  • Meals as mentioned in the programme and beverage package.
  • Transfers as mentioned in the programme.
Excluded from this voyage:
  • Tips for the local guide.
  • Personal expenses.
  • Other meals and services not mentioned in the programme.

ADVENTURE OPTIONS :
  • Kayak Discovery


 

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DISCLAIMER: Rates are per person and subject to change.
   





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