THIS PAGE, FROM TOP A CLUSTER OF PENGUINS RETURNING TO THEIR COLONY IN ANTARCTICA ©DAVID MERRON; ONEOCEAN EXPEDITION GUESTS HIKING IN ANTARCTICA ©BOOMER JERRITT; A POLAR BEAR ON ICE ©ROGER PIMENTA;
ANTARCTICA There are few areas on earth more inhospitable than Antarctica. There may be no native population within 500 miles of Antarctica’s coasts, but its sea abounds with life. Toothed, Baleen and Humpback whales, seals, birds on the wing, and Gentoo, Adélie and chinstrap penguins flourish here. Creating a seamless link between boat, sea and shore, OneOcean Expeditions runs a kayaking and camping excursion that takes up to six passengers paddling across ice cold waters before setting foot on the Antarctic mainland to camp for two nights. Strict Antarctic safety guidelines ensure the ship is never too far away, but being at one with towering glaciers and monolithic icebergs brings ‘getting away from it all’ to a whole new level.
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“It’s simply an incredible experience to go ashore and sit amongst 20,000 penguins,” says Ben Lyons, co-founder of Expedition Voyage Consultants, “deafened by the raucous noise of the colony, watching them on their penguin highways.” In addition to kayaking, Quark Expeditions offers standup paddleboard excursions on its newest ship, the Ocean Endeavour; it’s not uncommon to find clusters of penguins popping up around you as they return to their colonies. For the more daring, OneOcean Expeditions’ Off the Beaten Track offers guided backcountry skiing and camping excursions, while its Marine Wildlife voyage enables guests to travel alongside experts in geology, polar history and marine wildlife.