Journey to Austral Lands and Valdes Peninsula

<p>With featured guest Cindy Miller Hopkins, American Photo Ambassador.<p></p>Discover the Southern Ocean as you have never seen it before! Discover the Southern Ocean as you have never seen it before! Embark on a 19-day polar expedition cruise in the highest latitudes, from the Valdes Peninsula to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the immaculate lands of Antarctica.<p></p>Your expedition into the heart of the South Atlantic begins before the barren landscapes of the Chubut province, in Patagonia. Welcome to the Valdes Peninsula! This wildlife sanctuary, where the beauty of the underwater world is unmatched, also reveals numerous treasures on land. The scenery is composed of arid steppes, a rich and varied flora, and distinctive haciendas. In these unspoiled lands home to more than 180 bird species, orcas hunt young maned seals on the beaches under the watchful eye of the Magellanic penguins, as guanacos gallop across the arid plains and dusky dolphins swim around peacefully. Here, the majestic beauty of nature offers a gateway to a whole new world.Welcome to the Valdes Peninsula! This wildlife sanctuary, where the beauty of the underwater world is unmatched, also reveals numerous treasures on land. The scenery is composed of arid steppes, a rich and varied flora, and distinctive haciendas. In these unspoiled lands home to more than 180 bird species, orcas hunt young maned seals on the beaches under the watchful eye of the Magellanic penguins, as guanacos gallop across the arid plains and dusky dolphins swim around peacefully. Here, the majestic beauty of nature offers a gateway to a whole new world.<p></p>You will continue your austral exploration further south, with the discovery of the Falkland Islands. As you sail in this archipelago of 200 islands, you will be escorted by sei whales. Composing the wild beauty of the shorelines are beaches of white sand, jagged cliffs, windswept moors and tall grass swaying with the wind.<p></p>Your ship will soon take to the seas once again, to reach the mountainous island of South Georgia. It is there, in the midst of gigantic glaciers, that Sir Ernest Shackleton miraculously ran aground during the famous Endurance Odyssey in 1916. Today, king penguins, elephant and fur seals that have taken over the black-sand beaches dominated by the tall peaks that reveal the Scotia Arc.<p></p>You will ultimately land on the frozen shores of the nearly inaccessible White Continent, Antarctica. White shades take on a thousand nuances as it covers the icebergs, glaciers, mountains and frozen sea all around you. You will be one of the rare few travellers to have laid eyes on this legendary land, the theatre of the greatest expeditions and the witness of the most extraordinary adventures. Above all, you are in the realm of the penguins – Adelie, Gentoo, chinstrap – seals, whales and seabirds that accompany you on this unforgettable trip.<p></p>We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Landings on certain sites and the observation of certain wildlife cannot be guaranteed. They vary from day to day, making each PONANT cruise a unique experience. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while complying with the safety rules and instructions imposed by the IAATO.</p>