Polar Voyages Brochure 2024/25 - AU

Welcome

A warm welcome to our world of icy expeditions. Leave behind the cacophony of email alerts, phones and car horns and enter worlds of wildlife-filled white silence in Earth’s last true wildernesses.

Each year a short window of clement weather allows us to explore these remote realms. From the labyrinthine Northwest Passage, polar bears of Svalbard and remote indigenous communities of Greenland, to following in Shackleton’s footsteps to the Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula – all aboard low-impact state-of-the-art ships.

In the pages that follow, read about the trials and tribulations of the early explorers, join the search for the colossal squid, catch the ‘Polar Bug’ with customer Peter Thompson, learn little-known facts about the comedians of Earth’s coldest places (penguins) and discover our exciting line-up of new trips.

Our polar experts are on hand to help you plan your perfect once-in-a-lifetime polar adventure.

Vanessa Fowler Polar Programme Manager

Contents

4 Why Explore?

6 News

7 The Explore loyalty club

8 Polar stories

8 From the archives

12 Meet your experts

14 Polar playground

15 Greenland: picture perfect

18 Cool cooking

20 In search of the colossal squid

22 Spotlight on penguins

26 Wildlife calendar

28 The Arctic

30 Choose your Arctic voyage

32 What to expect from an Arctic expedition

35 Arctic trips

54 The Antarctic

56 Choose your Antarctic voyage

58 What to expect from an Antarctic expedition

61 Antarctic trips

71 Antarctic trip extensions

72 Our ships explained

72 All aboard

74 What sets our ships apart?

76 M/S Ocean Endeavour

78 M/V Greg Mortimer

80 Choosing your ship

83 General information

87

More from Explore

Don’t just travel, Explore!

We offer a whole range of Polar voyages and, whether you choose the Arctic or Antarctica,

it’s sure to be one

of the most awe-inspiring and rewarding journeys you’ll

ever

make. Travelling on small ships accompanied by an expert team, you’ll find yourself totally immersed in the wildlife and wilderness of these extraordinary destinations.

Unforgettable experiences

Our aim is to maximise your time immersed in these amazing landscapes and seeing wildlife up close. Excellent Zodiac boat operations make it as quick and easy as possible to get on and off the ship. Most of our trips offer a choice of walks on the landings and a few have extra hiking options. Optional activities like kayaking and camping are also available on some voyages and can be organised in advance. Any specialist equipment you’ll need –such as a waterproof jacket and wellies –are provided onboard.

By travelling with us, you will also be contributing to vital projects to aid polar conservation.

Expert knowledge

All of our polar ships have an on-board team of highly experienced expedition crew and naturalist guides. There to share their knowledge and enthusiasm, they help create lifelong memories that stand the test of time, whether that’s waking you at the crack of dawn to see a whale breach, or trying out a new landing spot.

Small ships

Most of our ships carry between 65–200 passengers, who are usually a mix of solos, couples, family and friends, all united by an adventurous spirit and a sense of fun.

Travelling on a small ship means you’ll spend less time waiting to embark or disembark and can get much closer to the shoreline. Life on board is relaxed and informal; you’ll receive a more personalised service from expert guides and get to know your fellow like-minded passengers. Solo travellers benefit from some ships having single cabins and occasionally scrapping single supplements on special sailings –keep your eyes peeled!

Our aim is to maximise your time spent off the ship, seeing amazing landscapes and wildlife up-close.

Responsible at heart

We’re committed to reducing our impact on the planet and working towards a sustainable future. Not only do we support local communities, with a donation from every booking going to the Explore Foundation, but every single one of our trips also has a carbon label. We select partners who subscribe to the highest environmental and safety guidelines. So by travelling with us, you will be contributing to vital projects to aid polar conservation. We’ve always had flexible booking conditions for your peace of mind, so you can book your polar voyage with confidence. To find out more, visit exploreworldwide.com.au/ flex

Michael Baynes

Scott Portelli

Hot off the press!!

A revolutionary new ship with a host of new trips – you heard it here first

Introducing Le Commandant Charcot

We’re thrilled to share the news that a new exploration vessel has made her maiden voyage, a hybrid electric ship that can venture further into the polar circles than ever before.

Le Commandant Charcot is a liquefied natural gas-powered icebreaker, one of the most advanced vessels at sea today, designed to ensure minimal impact on the environment as it cuts through the freeze. It’s luxurious too, with a conservatory, spa, suites and staterooms with terraces, jacuzzis and panoramic views. Aboard, you can join brand new trips led by an expedition team of experts, including biologists, naturalists, engineers, glaciologists and geologists.

Le Commandant Charcot is one of the most advanced vessels at sea today.

Quest for the Two North Poles

On this trip, the luxury icebreaker sets sail along a never-before travelled transpolar maritime route from the Bering Strait to Svalbard, through ice floes to the Beaufort Sea. Like the great explorers, you’ll make an attempt to reach both the magnetic and geographic North Poles.

exploreworldwide.com.au/CCQN

Journey to the Geographical North Pole

Like Frederick Cook, Robert Peary and Roald Amundsen, you’ll go in search of the geographic North Pole on this adventure, aboard one of the few tourist ships that can cut through this frozen icescape. Sail onward along the coast of Greenland, to majestic fjords and the isolated town of Ittoqqortoormiit.

exploreworldwide.com.au/CCNP

Northern Lights to the Polar Night

The polar night is long and steeped in mythology. Above, the Northern Lights captivate, but the geological wonders of Norway are just as magical. Visit Lapland’s geological marvels, meet the Sami reindeer farmers and head onward to the ancient glaciers and alpine peaks in Spitsbergen.

exploreworldwide.com.au/CCNL

Lofoten to the Norwegian Fjords

As winter approaches, Norway is bathed in half-light. On this adventure, you’ll sail along its coast, from the Lofoten archipelago, with sandy shores, lush plains and breathtaking fjords to beautiful fishing villages and old Viking cities. Islands, islets, reefs and moorland are a nature-lovers dream.

exploreworldwide.com.au/CCLF

© PONANT / Gilles Trillard

© PONANT / Julien Fabro

The Explore loyalty club

You to us are everything

We’ve created the Explore Loyalty Club because it only seems right that the more you travel with us, the more benefits you should get:

save 5%* on your third and subsequent trips, save 7%* on your fifth and subsequent trips, and save 10%* on your tenth and subsequent trips.

You’ll also get an early heads-up on new trips, access to exclusive offers and partner discounts, plus big savings when you recommend a friend to Explore. Speaking of which...

Matchmaker

If you know someone that you think would like Explore and our trips, please introduce us! For every friend who books a trip with us, we’ll give you both a £100** credit as a thank you. Win-win.

The old switcheroo!

We’re so sure you’ll love our trips that we REALLY want you to try them. Book your next trip with Explore and we’ll reward your previous loyalty... even if it wasn’t to us!

Find out more at exploreworldwide.com.au/ loyalty-switch

Pass it on

Now you can share your loyalty benefits with up to five members of your family so whatever discount you get on our trips, they’ll get too! Find out more at exploreworldwide.com.au/ pass-it-on

From the Archives

It’s extraordinary to imagine how things were for the early polar explorers who first journeyed to these extreme environments. Their stories are brought to life by our knowledgeable historians when you’re there, walking in their footsteps. Here are just a few of the most exceptional tales from the poles.

Northwest Passage: What really happened to Erebus and Terror?

It was May 1845 when two ships sailed from Britain to chart the final part of the Northwest Passage, the link between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Teams aboard HMS Erebus and HMS Terror set off with explorer John Franklin towards what is now Nunavut in Northern Canada. Franklin was on his third shot at making the breakthrough, determined to cement his name in the history books. The two ships were powerful, comfortable and with enough food on board for all. There was heating too, keeping the crew safe as temperatures plummeted to as low as -48°C overnight and -35°C by day, freezing the mercury inside the thermometers solid.

But that would be the last time that any of the 129 crew were seen alive.

In theory, the trip should have been a success. A whaler saw the two vessels in Baffin Bay, waiting for the ice to thaw so they could continue their route to the Bering Strait. But that would be the last time that any of the 129 crew were seen alive.

Two years passed with no communication and so search parties were sent out to find the explorers. Unfortunately noone was able to find any answers. It wasn’t until 1859 that a sole piece of paper gave some insight into the tragedy. The Victory Point Note is a hand-written message in the margins of a standard Admiralty form, stating that the ships had been deserted on April 22, 1848 after they’d become stuck in the ice in September of 1846. John Franklin had perished in June of 1847, the note revealed, and Captain F R M Crozier had taken leave with 105 officers and crew, making their way on foot towards the Back River. Inuit stories gathered by Dr John Rae back in 1854 indicate that some of the ill-fated crew had resorted to cannibalism to stay alive. It wasn’t until the 1980s that researchers were able to retrieve bodies and test them, determining that the remains of the crewmen showed high levels of lead in the bones, likely from the lead that had been used to seal the tins of food on board.

The shipwrecks of the Erebus and Terror were finally discovered in 2014 and 2016. There’s still so much to be learnt about the fate of the men who lost their lives in search of the Northwest Passage.

Opposite Photograph of Captain R.F. Scott in full polar clothing, April 13th 1911. ©National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Duff Collection.

Left Detail H.M.S. Erebus in the ice, 1846, by artist Francois Etienne Musin. ©National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.

First to the North Pole: A debated mystery

Unlike the South Pole which sits on solid ground, the northernmost point of the planet is on the sea floor beneath swiftly-shifting sheet ice. As such, staking a claim is much harder. Who arrived first is subject to debate.

In 1909, American Robert Peary insisted it was he. While the claim received much fanfare, it was dampened when his former friend Frederick Cook declared it was in fact him that had discovered it first, a whole year earlier. The pair had travelled to the Arctic together in 1891–92 and things had turned sour. Known for his hunger for fame, Peary must have been furious when Cook sought to undermine his achievement. Though it was widely accepted that Peary’s was the better claim (Cook’s was disputed by the men who travelled with him), it remains, to this day, clouded by questions and doubt.

In the 1980s, experts studying Peary’s expedition diary indicated that mistakes in navigation and keeping records may have led him to a point 30 to 60 miles short of the pole. And, even if he had made it, Peary was stepping in another’s footsteps. His companion, Matthew Henson, would tell of seeing his own prints in the snow. History wouldn’t remember his name in the same way it would remember Peary’s, perhaps because he was a black man, returning to America with his story at a time of Jim Crow hostility. But with all of his expertise in mushing, sledge-building and the crafting of igloos, it’s unlikely that Peary would have made it to the North Pole at all without him.

Scott v Amundsen: The race to the South Pole

It was 1910 when British explorer Robert Falcon Scott (pictured on p8) embarked on a mission to reach one of the last frontiers of exploration. Facing the threat of frostbite and blizzards, the “incredibly trying time” was made all the more desperate by competition. Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen sent a telegram to his rival in 1910. “Beg inform you Fram proceeding Antarctic,” it said, declaring his ship was sailing. The race was on.

Amundsen’s base camp was closer to their goal than Scott’s but the harsh Antarctic winter was against them both. By October 20, 1911, Amundsen made a dash for it. Scott relied on sled dogs, ponies and even tractors. Meanwhile, Amundsen was clocking up 20 miles a day on skis and dogs, winding through mountains and glaciers to finally plant the Norwegian flag on December 14.

As Amundsen smoked cigars, Scott was a month away. Arriving on January 17 in 1912, reality set in. “This is an awful place”, the defeated adventurer wrote in his diary. “And terrible enough for us to have laboured to it without the reward of priority.” Amundsen’s group returned home safely but Scott’s team, every one, were lost to hunger and frost.

Below ‘The Five Flags at the Pole’ colourised photograph taken by American explorer Robert Peary (1856-1920) at what he believed to be the North Pole on 6 April 1909. Featuring Peary’s 5 assistants American Matthew Henson, and Inuits Ootah, Egigingwah, Seegloo and Ooqueah.

Shackleton’s Trans-Antarctic Endurance: A story of survival

In August 1914, Ernest Shackleton set out for Antarctica aboard HMS Endurance. He took 27 men with him to complete the ‘last great polar journey’: crossing the continent on foot. In the years after the North and South Poles had flags planted firmly in them, this was Shackleton’s last chance of getting his name into the history books. And it certainly would be remembered, even if not for the reason he’d intended. The Endurance expedition was Shackleton’s third trip to the region and his experience of these harsh conditions would prove crucial once the ship reached the Weddell Sea.

The ship became trapped in ice a number of times during the trip, with hard-working crew managing to steer the ship through danger and onward on their mission. However, on 27 October 1915, it could take no more. The wooden ship began to groan under pressure, its stern lifted and the keel and rudder were torn away; Endurance was sinking into the freezing water and Shackleton’s men were in grave danger.

For a year and a half they survived on the ice with blizzards and cutting temperatures.

The explorer acted quickly, safely guiding his men off the ship on to the ice floe where they’d have to fight to survive. His fast actions meant they were able to get into the ship and collect as much as they could to survive before it was lost – lifeboats were their only hope and they took bibles, clothes and tools to help strengthen their chances.

The experience was harrowing. For a year and a half they survived on the ice with blizzards and cutting temperatures threatening to destroy their hope of survival. Once the ice floe they were on began to crack, the men had no choice but to take to the water in a desperate attempt to reach Elephant Island. Weakened by dysentery and seasickness, the crew ploughed forward under Shackleton’s command. While the Endurance sank to the bottom of the Weddell Sea, not to be rediscovered until March 2022, the crew made it to safety, with every one of them returning home to tell the tale. It’s a story that secured Ernest Shackleton’s place in the history books and one that our historians will expand on further as we sail the Weddell Sea on our own polar expeditions.

Want to know more?

These are just a handful of key moments in polar history. You’ll find lots more information on our polar history timeline.

Visit exploreworldwide.com.au/ polar-history

Left Endurance, Sun Dog, 1915

Above Imperial TransAntarctic Expedition castaways, 1915.

Meet your experts

Expedition ships, like the Sylvia Earle and Greg Mortimer, can venture further into the polar wilderness than ever before, but it’s our experts that take you to the very heart of them. With years of experience in their fields, our expedition crew of scientists and specialists really bring the polar regions to life. Meet just a few of them here...

Dr Annette Scheffer –Naturalist

For 15 years, Annette was a whalewatching guide and advisor and now she works to educate the world about the fragility of the sea and its inhabitants. With a PhD in behavioural ecology of king penguins, the marine biologist and lecturer’s special interest in the bird, as well as whales and the open ocean, give guests brilliant insight into the ecosystems beneath the waves. Her on-board talks give excellent context for what we see when we’re out on the Zodiacs.

Sigurd Davidsen –Lead Kayak Guide

Lead kayak guide Sigurd Davidsen is a passionate traveller, having worked on every continent. His passion lies in sharing life-changing experiences with polar explorers from sea kayaks, especially in his native Faroe Islands. By travelling this way, guests can get closer to nature, cruising alongside the wildlife that Sigurd can share so much about. While he has plenty of stories to tell, the kayak guide factors in precious time to quietly soak in the scenery – it’s his favourite thing about travelling!

Nina Gallo – Historian

It’s the illustrious history of the polar regions that Nina brings to life. A natural-born storyteller, she brings colour to even the most stark white corners of our planet. Adept at canyoning and climbing, Nina’s a seasoned traveller that loves to share stories of great adventurers with our guests.

Matt Horspool –Photography Guide

As a child, Matt Horspool would stare in wonder at his parents’ National Geographic magazines, captivated by images of mountains and remote destinations. As soon as he completed his university studies, he left New South Wales and took a little point-and-shoot camera with him on multiple trekking expeditions across South America. It was there that he fell in love, not only with exploring but in capturing those moments on camera. Now with an impressive catalogue of stunning images, Matt shares his photography expertise with Explore travellers who intend on doing the same, drawing on what he has learnt from snapping some of the world’s most spectacular scenes. For Matt, the ‘wow’ moments you share with other travellers is what makes a trip truly memorable, and he helps travellers capture those moments forever.

The ‘wow’ moments you share with other travellers is what makes a trip truly memorable.

Piotr Damski –Expedition Medic

Since the age of 18, Piotr has been exploring the world, getting hands-on in some of the most challenging conditions. In the Arctic Circle, he’s worked as a musher, caring for 100 polar dogs with no running water. His lived experience means he’s able to guide people through the raw Arctic landscapes while ensuring their safety. Personally, he enjoys the slow Arctic life, observing unique wildlife and learning about the people that call the region home.

Tarn Pilkington –Ski Touring Guide

Tarn Pilkington first visited Antarctica

30 years ago and was so enamoured, he kept returning! The qualified mountain and ski guide not only has a love of exploration but he’s also crew chief for his local Air Ambulance service and is on the Alpine Cliff Rescue Team too.

Florence Kuyper –Expedition Leader

Every year, Florence returns to Antarctica and she’s been working in both polar regions since 2012. It’s their history that really captivates the expedition leader and she loves sharing what she’s learnt from her time exploring. While the great white desert of Antarctica is one of her favourite places (and she sails aboard yachts in the Arctic too), it’s not only cold places that she’s explored – she crossed the Mongolian Gobi desert on foot, traversing some 1,200km alongside a team and a Bactrian camel! As such, she has a great understanding of what it means to go to the extreme in pursuit of adventure! When it comes to how to spend your time in Antarctica, Florence advises “disconnect from the internet while you are on board, It’s the perfect excuse to be out of reach!”

Polar playground

Antarctica’s unparalleled landscapes are an adventure playground we help you to explore respectfully. From sleeping on ice beneath the midnight-sun to kayaking between bergs, onboard experts are on hand to help you try something new.

1

Lean into ‘Floe’ yoga

Practice your downward dog and sun salutations surrounded by glinting icebergs and glaciers. Dependent on weather conditions and swell – we can’t have you rolling around the deck (!) – the MS Ocean Endeavour offers complimentary and regular one-hour yoga classes combined with meditation, either in the morning or evening. It’s the ideal way to limber up for your landings and for jumping in and out of Zodiacs.

2

Wild camp on the ice

Sign up for an experience like no other: wild camping on the Antarctic ice. Forget tents, you don’t want anything separating you and the great arc of the unpolluted southern skies. You’ll carve a little niche in the snow, roll out your sleeping mat, and snuggle down inside your sleeping bag. Watch the midnight sun cast a palette of colours, while listening to the chatter of penguins and the distant crack and crackle of ice. A major bucket list experience.

3

Master the art of snowshoeing

Some places are hard to reach in just boots, so strap on some snowshoes, clutch a pair of ski poles and follow your guide to the summit of some of Antarctica’s best viewpoints, from Neko Harbour to

Port Lockeroy. No experience is required and it’s an energetic, yet peaceful, way to explore the White Continent’s snowscapes – all you’ll hear is the soft ‘pat pat’ of snowshoe on powder and your icy intakes of breath.

4

Improve your snapshots

There’s no match for seeing a wildlife spectacle with your own eyes, but it’s wonderful to be able to relive the experience through a good photograph –especially when you return home and want to share what you saw with friends and family. Up your game with free advice from onboard photography guides. Whether you’re travelling with a proper DSLR or just want to improve your smartphone photography, they’ll help you with everything, from composition to exposure levels.

Sign up for wild camping on the Antarctic ice. Forget tents, you don’t want anything separating you and the great arc of the unpolluted southern skies.

5

Explore icebergs aboard a sea kayak

Seeing the scenery from the ship is awe-inspiring, but those with some experience and stamina should strap themselves into a hard-shell two-person kayak. Launching from the ship and exploring further afield (compared to paddling), you’ll weave between ice floes, bergs and brash ice with good chances of seeing penguins and seals fishing and perhaps even a curious leopard seal.

6

Copy the penguins and paddle

Guests with no kayaking experience and seeking a shorter and gentler experience, can opt for paddling in inflatable expedition kayaks. Launching from land and travelling in small groups, you’ll explore at a more relaxed pace, soaking up the stillness of this remote wilderness.

Picture Perfect

The sun rose over Greenland just as Peter Thompson’s ship sailed in.

The fog burned, lifting to reveal blue icebergs and misty mountains. It was a welcome he’ll always treasure.

It had been seven years since photographer and adventurer Peter had last been on a Polar adventure. And yet as he stepped foot on Greenland, protected from the freeze by his many layers, he felt a familiar rush. “’Ahh’, I thought. ‘I just love this, I know it!’”

It’s something he refers to as the ‘Polar Bug’, a flame fuelled by his sense of adventure and the inexplicable joy that many who join Polar expeditions insist you have to feel to truly understand.

In the last 12 years alone, Peter has visited and photographed 40 different countries. He’s snapped polar bears in Svalbard, one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas, and he’s seen the gentoo, Adelie and chinstrap penguins of Antarctica.

Greenland, with its promise of snow-covered mountains, icebergs both blue and white, colourful villages and breathtaking glaciers calving off the ice cap, became his 15th trip with Explore as he continued his discovery of the furthest reaches of the planet.

“I absolutely love the scenery, the wildlife, the icebergs and the sunrises. Everything! It’s why I keep going back,” Peter explains. “It’s partly the feeling of adventure... but there’s also something about being

in cold temperatures with all your layers on that feels just marvellous.” As an award-winning snapper, the dramatic landscapes and ever-changing skies of Greenland proved to be a photographer’s dream. The adventure began as soon as Peter and his fellow travellers boarded the Greg Mortimer, a modern ship made for expeditions like this one. While it’s modern, with good food and comfortable rooms, it’s small enough to keep you in the heart of things, with 76 cosy cabins, most with balconies, as well as a number of observation areas and Zodiac launching platforms. To warm up, there are jacuzzis too. Even when you retire to your cabin you have a vantage point from which to view the landscape as you sail – every one has a view of the ocean.

“Antarctica is very special,” Peter says. “It has a raw beauty about it. But as a photographer, Greenland just has so much colour! The villages are filled with colourful houses and friendly people going about their day. You can see sheep herds and wonderful scenery from your cabin or the top deck of the ship.” Mountainous and with undulating terrain, the country is quite different from the white plains of the South Pole.

Some elements were a little familiar, however. “The icebergs in Greenland have more in common with Antarctica than Svalbard in the north,” Peter recalls. “There’s a purity about them, some of which are a hundred feet high! When you take a Zodiac cruise among them, you can’t get too close in case they topple over. But even at a respectful distance, you’re pretty close! We travelled between small icebergs and among the slush that has been ground away from them. It’s so wonderful to be so close that you can reach out and touch it. Everyone should experience that!”

Peter’s group planned for one or two Zodiac landings a day, visiting remote parts of the coast to embark on nature hikes, exploring villages and the museums that tell their stories. Shedding light on the past, The National Museum in Nuuk is home to 545-year-old Quilakitsoq mummies helping visitors understand what life was like for Inuit people centuries ago.

One of the most extraordinary moments for Peter came during a stop on the west coast, when his group visited a UNESCO World Heritage-listed fjord at Disko Bay. He remembers: “We visited the Ilulissat Icefjord, where icebergs calve off the glacier and drift out into the sea. We were down on the water in the Zodiacs; you can touch the ice as you’re so in among it all. I love the adventure, so that was a magical moment that I’ll always remember. There were just so many to capture on this trip!”

As the group travelled from destination to destination around Greenland, there were experts aboard to enhance their understanding of the country, which made each Zodiac landing so much more exciting. The expert’s knowledge helped to anchor and enrich everything the guests were seeing from learning how the nutrient-rich waters the ship sails through feed humpback and minke whales to being told about the behaviour of Arctic foxes and reindeer before they were spotted on land.

There’s something about being in cold temperatures with all your layers on that feels just marvellous!

“As well as the ship’s crew, there’s an expedition crew which lead the Zodiac trips,” Peter says. “Each of them is a specialist in their field, from flora and fauna to geology, ice conditions, climate change and more. As you step foot on land, you get to see what was talked about in the lectures first hand. You see where a glacier has retreated by half a kilometre due to climate change, or the wild flowers that bloom in bursts on the tundra during summer.”

As the weather changed from blue skies to cloudy, atmospheric weather, Peter snapped dramatic images that he’ll treasure in his photo book forever. Other things, like the thrill of adventure, are less easy to capture. That’s why he’s got another trip booked; to visit elephant seals and king penguins in Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands.

“A Polar voyage isn’t a relaxing holidays, it’s adventurous and exciting and you’re seeing such awe-inspiring things all the time,” Peter says as he remembers back to a journey of discovery in an otherworldly landscape. “There are moments when you may feel out of your comfort zone but, wow, is it worth it. A year on, I look at the photos I took and remember just how varied and special it all was.”

Find out more

Join an Explore voyage to Greenland, see p48 for more information or visit exploreworldwide.com.au/SEGO

All photos featured on p16–17 by Peter Thomson (peterthomsonimages.com)

Cool Cooking

In the early days of polar exploration the likes of Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen survived on rations of oatmeal and pemmican – an indigenous Canadian product made of beef, dried fruit and suet. When those ran out, they subsisted on seal, penguin and seaweed. Happily, Explore Worldwide customers have no such hardships.

Aboard the cocooning warmth of the Sylvia Earle – a new climate-neutral expedition ship named after the pioneering ocean conservationist –travellers’ palates are pampered with a tastebud-tempting array of inventive menus using local and sustainably sourced ingredients. Onboard, food isn’t an afterthought, it’s the social focal point where everyone gathers to recount their Antarctic adventures.

Fuel up

As the bow of the ship cuts through the waves, the eating action centres around the main dining room ‘Gentoo’ and the softly lit ‘Rockhopper’ steakhouse. With only 132 passengers on board, the atmosphere is intimate enough to mingle at mealtimes, unlike on larger ships. To start the day, expect oven-warm rolls, fruit and healthy mueslis, as well as more filling options like a full English and then later, a smorgasbord of delicious dinner options where everyone is catered for.

Snack time

Being out in the cold burns calories, so as a pre-dinner warm up, a casual high tea featuring small cakes, finger foods and sandwiches is served in the bar between 4–5pm as guests start returning from their afternoon outings. And available 24 hours day are tea, coffee, fruit and glass-jars of homemade biscuits and savoury snacks.

Sumptuous suppers

And then comes the highlight – the evening meal. The menu changes every day. You might start with a white bean and grilled duck salad, or leek and potato soup, followed by osso bucco braised veal shank with polenta or togarashi seared red fish with wasabi mashed potatoes and bok choy. Another night, you could be tucking into roasted Cornish game hen with asparagus or pan-seared sole with roasted new potatoes and aquavit cream. All of this is paired with complimentary wines, usually sourced locally from Chile or Argentina. Drooling yet? ‘Off menu’ staples such as Caesar salad, burgers and grilled chicken are always available as well. For a different, slightly smarter, dining experience reserve a table at the Rockhopper. Its unchanging a la carte menu includes dishes like seafood chowder, New York sirloin steak with Madagascan peppercorn sauce, and Tahitian vanilla crème brûlée. For guests preferring an earlier bite, their lunch menu stars foot-long hot dogs, spicy shrimp tacos, and a vegan plant-based burger to name a few.

All in the detail

“It’s the attention to detail that really stays with you,” said passenger Karen Hollands, who joined the Classic Antarctica expedition. “The staff get to know what you like so quickly and will have your favourite drink memorised within a day or two and have it ready before you even sit down. They really take care of you. When I was feeling coldy they made me my very own garlic tea, and another customer was given tea with herbs for some seasickness.” It’s the little things that make a big difference to your experience.

Planet conscious

The Sylvia Earle has invested in new technology and eco-friendly practices, and this extends to food too. They partner with local producers, purchasing free-range eggs and beef from Argentinean farmers that use sustainable practices. They only buy

line-caught fish, so no unwanted bycatch is scooped up in nets that also damage the sea floor as they’re dragged along. They refuse to serve tuna or fish eggs, so that delicate food chains are not disrupted. Individual condiment sachets have been scrapped and guests are encouraged to refill their water bottles at stations dotted throughout the ship. They also have two reverse-osmosis plants that turn seawater into freshwater on the vessel when needed. Above all, absolutely nothing is dumped overboard. Everything is accounted for. Even wet food waste is frozen and stored until it can be safely discarded in Ushuaia.

The staff get to know what you like so quickly and will have your favourite drink memorized within a day or two.

Party time

Along the way there are moments to celebrate. Crossing the Antarctic Circle is toasted with Baileys-spiked hot chocolates and other cocklewarming tipples. Cakes are baked for anniversaries or birthdays accompanied by an embarrassing-butwe-secretly-love-it chorus of ‘happy birthday’. And coats and silly hats – provided courtesy of the staff (bagsy the Viking horns) – are adorned for the weekly outdoor barbecue. If the weather is clement, tables and grills are assembled to dish out juicy burgers, steaks and sausages which you can munch while spotting whales and watching the sun slip down the side of snow-crusted mountains.

Au revoir

It all culminates at the Captain’s Farewell Drinks. Forget bow ties and gowns, this is a relaxed affair that begins with mimosas in the glass-fronted lecture theatre while watching a specially created film that recaps your whole trip. The night is crowned with a final three-course meal with the captain table hopping to speak to all. Dining really is an integral part of any voyage, and you can now see why it deserves its very own spread. After all, in the words of Virginia Woolf, ‘one cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.’

© Jamie Lafferty

In search of the

Colossal Squid

Matthew, tell us about your relationship with the colossal squid – how did you get here?

I’ve always been an environmentalist and I studied marine science in school. I heard of the colossal squid for the first time back in 2007 when they bought a huge one back to New Zealand after pulling it on to a fishing boat. I was still in college and I became so intrigued by what’s left to discover. The majority of our world is deep sea and it’s fascinating that whenever you get underwater, or put cameras down there, you enter a whole other planet.

Every scientist is just a grown-up child! We either tap that curiosity or we let it fade. I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania so I had a long-distance relationship with the ocean. I’d go fishing with my family every year to Cape May in New Jersey. Those kinds of experiences when you’re young, and exposure to the ocean in general, is really important. Some people live their whole lives without ever getting to enjoy it.

How is the search for the colossal squid different from other research you’ve undertaken?

As marine scientist Matthew Mulrennan settled in for a night of searching the Antarctic Ocean floor for signs of the mysterious colossal squid, travellers aboard the Ocean Endeavour brought cookies down from cosy cabins to the research lab to scan the screens for signs of the world’s largest invertebrate.

By day, guests joining trips to the southernmost part of our planet take Zodiac landings to search for fur, Weddell and crabeater seals, minke and humpback whales and Adelie and chinstrap penguins. While seeing a fluke breaking the water might stir wonder of what life is like beneath the waves, those joining an expedition with the Colossal team had the chance to engage, first-hand, in research that took them to the very bottom of the cold, inhospitable waters via advanced camera technology. Here, researcher and environmentalist Matthew explains how travellers are helping to bring the secrets of this largely unknown deep seascape to the surface as they search for the bioluminescent glow of a creature yet to be seen in its natural habitat.

The mission to find the colossal squid represents something fun and inspiring. It’s not just about studying the problems with our oceans. I’ve never worked on a project where people have been rooting for me to accomplish the goal like this – children all around the world write me letters about it. When I’ve studied ocean certification or climate change, it doesn’t inspire the same intrigue. While the ocean is changing, we need to see it as a source of inspiration. It’s still a place that’s huge and wonderful and there’s so much we don’t understand. We’re creating a lot of problems for animals we don’t know a whole lot about and this project allows us to shed light on that.

How does teaming up with a tourism expedition ship help your search?

It’s really hard to get to Antarctica and having the opportunity to go with a tourism vessel is a great new option to explore really remote regions. The Ocean Endeavour has been very good at encouraging science and conservation on their trips. It’s lower carbon, lower costs and you can still do it with the right techniques to do some incredible science.

We had to hook-up an entire deep sea research station on this ship! It’s not meant for that so it took a lot of work to build a crane and a system that could get out of the door. We were also able to get young students down to Antarctica who wouldn’t have had that opportunity otherwise. Most are next generation scientists, diverse, mostly female researchers which was great to see. The biggest upside though is for the guests. They get to see deep sea science happening in real time!

Tell us what that experience is like for our guests?

They get to be like little kids, asking a million questions and peeking over our shoulders while they’re going out on the Zodiacs to see what I call the ‘air-breathing cuties’; the penguins, the whales and seals! They’re a lot easier to see but most of it is under the water. Antarctica in itself is like an iceberg and we’re trying to reveal that to them. Some will stay up late with us if we’re doing an all-night deployment, bringing us cookies and we all hang out watching the screen. They’re with us as we’re finding things!

You see the guests eyes light up when I talk about the colossal squid or other Antarctic marine life and the incredible animals they’ve cruised over during the day. It’s also the exploration factor of not knowing what we’re

KOLOSSAL

going to find on any given day. Guests are there when we’re freaking out, excited and yelling at the screen!

What kind of things get you really excited?

The giant volcano sponges were really cool, we saw them pretty often and they’re the oldest animals on the planet. They stay in one place their entire life, developing a whole system to repel bacteria. They live for thousands of years and have animals living inside them, creating a 3D environment that really doesn’t exist anywhere else. They grow as tall as two metres high. I got really into sponges; they’re more likely to save your life than any other animal as they’re so important to biomedical research into Alzheimer’s and cancer. We’re just scratching the surface of what they can do for people.

I also got really into the death star, which is the best nickname for the Antarctic sun star. We recorded one of the first times it was ever seen capturing fish! It was grabbing them out of the water column. The only time we know they’ve been observed doing this was a mention in a 1977 publication about Jacques Cousteau!

When you go to the Antarctic, almost every species is endemic, you’ll never find them anywhere else. It’s a very different ecosystem to explore and that’s a marine scientist’s dream.

Tell us a bit more about the colossal squid?

How close have you gotten to finding it?

We did see a small one that’s definitely from the same family, the glass squid, so since the cruise we’re going back and forth with experts around the world to determine what exactly it is. It’s one of three options; an undescribed species, a Galiteuthis glacialis, or a baby colossal squid. We’re just figuring out its features, such as the shape of its lance, the length of its tentacles and how far out its eyes are from its head. It’s like birding! It’s an unknown squid which just adds to the 100 year mystery! In 1925 it was first discovered in the stomach of a sperm whale. You find them in albatross stomachs and in the stomachs of seals. They’re being eaten, so they’re definitely down there, but it’s like a very high tech game of hide and seek. The colossal squid is winning!

They get to see deep sea science happening in real time!

The colossal squid can grow 10 to 12 metres long with the biggest eye in the animal kingdom. It has hooked tentacles, hooked arms and potentially glows in the dark! It’s the largest invertebrate on the planet. There are quite a few of them down there in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, we believe. It’s never been viewed in its natural habitat that we know of and it was only in the 1990s when people started fishing down there we learnt the most about it. Fishermen reported colossal squid grabbing on to toothfish, taking big chunks out of them!

We understand you’ll keep returning until you find it –what would be the dream for you as a researcher?

My big dream is that the colossal squid’s eye, in its natural environment, will be on the front pages of all the magazines, with David Attenborough talking about it! A Jacques Cousteau moment. We don’t have the attention of the whole world like he did, but it’d be wonderful to have it for a moment, to talk about Antarctica, about adventure and exploration and the things we’re doing to try and save the ocean. I spent 60 days at sea in one of the most beautiful places on the planet that’s relatively unexplored so the journey is just as incredible as the destination. There are so many benefits outside of the squid, for guests on board and for myself. If finding a giant squid is like landing on the moon, finding a colossal squid is like landing on Mars!

Get involved

Citizen Science programmes aboard expedition ships have given our guests the opportunity to learn from experts as they make invaluable contributions to the scientific community that protect our precious and fragile natural world. As well as the squid search, the Happy Whale Project asks for help in photographing humpback whales, with technology playing its part in identifying markings to give an understanding of their migratory and home-range movements as well as survival rates and population. Meanwhile, The Big Microplastic Survey involves heading ashore to take samples for analysis, tackling one of the biggest problems facing our oceans. Marine animals, ecosystems and humans are at risk from microplastics, and your involvement in this scientific study allows scientists to face it head on.

KOLOSSAL

Spotlight on Penguins

Apsley Cherry-Garrard – part of Captain Scott’s Terra Nova expedition – wrote the following about penguins: “They are extraordinarily like children, these little people of the Antarctic – or like old men, full of their own importance and late for dinner in their black tail-coats and white shirt fronts.” Here’s the lowdown on these Charlie-Chaplin-esque characters.

Penguins

Tuxedoed torpedoes

They may look cute, but penguins have grit and some seriously awe-inspiring adaptations.

These feather-clad missiles have flippers, not wings, so while they may not be able to fly, they’re capable of diving really deep – the deepest recorded is 563 metres – stay underwater for nearly 20 minutes and, thanks to their streamlined shape, reach speeds of up to 15 miles per hour. Unlike other birds they have dense, not hollow, bones to help them dive and that endearing little hop into the air before plunging in is done deliberately to release air bubbles from their feathers to cut down on drag underwater.

The black-and-white ‘tuxedo’ they wear is a form of countershading camouflage that gives them an added advantage when hunting the frigid waters for fish, krill and squid, while also disguising them from toothy leopard seals. They can even sip seawater thanks to a gland above the eye that removes the salt from their bloodstream and is later expelled by sneezing. And, amusingly, they also have one of the healthiest guts in the animal kingdom, pooping, on average, every 20 minutes. The amount of guano is so vast, scientists can see its dark mass from space to help them identify the location of large colonies.

Where in the world

Penguins are naturally found waddling around twelve countries and in 2006 the total number of species rose from 17 to 18 when the Rockhopper – famous for their spiky rock-n-roll crests of yellow hair – was recognised as two different species, the southern and the northern.

All but one species – the endemic Galapagos penguin – congregate in the southern hemisphere and you’ll find tiny little blue penguins in Australia, yellow-eyed penguins in New Zealand, the jackass in South Africa, and the Magellanic penguins in Chile and Argentina. But it’s at the bottom of the world that they really thrive.

...penguins have grit and some seriously awe-inspiring adaptations.

Of the 18 species, eight are found in Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands. The emperor and Adélie live exclusively on mainland Antarctica and on some parts of the Peninsula; rockhoppers, Magellanic and kings in sub Antarctica, which includes islands such as South Georgia; and the chinstrap, gentoo and macaroni on sub Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula.

They live in colonies – known as rookeries –sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

Love on the rocks

It’s a common misconception that all penguins mate for life. Gentoos, rockhoppers and chinstraps do, but others are ‘seasonal’ rather than ‘serial’ monogamists – staying together for the breeding season and likely to find a new mate the following year. Still, romance abounds. Gentoo and Adélie males woo females by seeking out the smoothest pebble and presenting it to her as a gift. If accepted, it goes toward building the nest for their eggs. Some males will try to cheat by stealing rocks from other males and pawning them off as their own. King penguins, in particular, impress their ladies by ‘skypointing’, whereby they spread their wings wide, crane their heads back and emit a long continuous whistle. Some species even do a dance of joy on reuniting with their partner. But the prize for true selflessness has to be awarded to

metre-tall emperor males. Unlike other penguins, the female emperor lays a single egg in the thick of the long dark southern winter months (May–July) and shuffles it over to the male who tenderly balances it on his feet for nine long weeks to incubate it while she is away feeding, enduring temperatures as low as -500 and wind speeds of 124 mph. During this time, he loses nearly half his body weight.

The nestlings, or chicks, of other species begin to hatch in December. By January they’ve fluffed up and started chasing their parents for food and it’s the perfect time to photograph them. By March they’ve grown strong and are venturing into the water for their first swimming lessons.

Conservation

Of the 18 species of penguin, eleven are on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. The Antarctic Treaty signed in 1959, which makes it illegal to hunt penguins or collect their eggs, goes some way to protecting them. But it’s a two-pronged pinch from humans that poses the largest danger: commercial fishing depletes fish stocks, and many drown from getting caught in the vast nets, and climate change. Species such as the emperor and Adélie depend on sea ice for access to their fishing grounds and global warming is causing it to shrink significantly. A 2008 World Wildlife Fund study estimated that ‘50 per cent of emperor penguins and 75 per cent of Adélie penguins will decline or disappear if global average temperatures rise by 20 – a scenario that could be reached in less than 40 years.’ A sobering thought that should spur us into action in order to protect these feather-clad ‘children’ of the ice.

Want to see penguins in Antarctica?

Speak to one of our experts on 1300 924 935.

Wildlife calendar

January

Penguin chicks in Antarctica

In January most gentoo, Adélie and chinstrap chicks have hatched and are enthusiastically chasing their parents around for food as they grow stronger. Visit the Antarctic Peninsula in January for sightings of the cute and fluffy penguin chicks as you walk among their bustling colonies.

Whether in the Arctic or Antarctic, you’re sure to be wowed by the wildlife. But what you’ll see can vary considerably at different times in the season.

March

Whales in Antarctica

March is peak time for whales in Antarctica, with humpback, minke and southern right whales all in the area for feeding. You’re likely to spot whales from your ship and if you’re lucky, get up close to them in your Zodiac or kayak. Watch in awe as the whale dives deep, offering a glimpse of its trademark fluke, before it disappears.

February

Birds in Antarctica

The skies are full in Antarctica and the Drake Passage in February as most seabird chicks have fledged. Watch skua skipping around among the penguins during your landings ashore, and spot albatross and petrel soaring just above the water from your ship as you cruise the Peninsula.

April

In between seasons

With the last trips to the Antarctic finishing earlier in the month most of April is off season for polar voyaging. There is too much sea ice in the Arctic still and it’s the start of winter in Antarctica, signalling the end of the tourist season.

May

Puffins off the UK coastline

There are chances to see polar wildlife in other parts of the world. Join our Wild Scotland expedition and spot puffin in abundance around the coastline, as well as cliffs at Hermaness National Nature Reserve alive with kittiwake, shag, snipe, dunlin, golden plover and Arctic Skua –making it one of Europe’s most diverse colonies.

June

Polar bears in the Arctic

Head to Svalbard in June for some of the best chances to see the polar bear, the ‘King of the Arctic’. The polar bears are on the hunt, and your expert guides will do their best to track them and get you safely in place to watch these majestic creatures from your ship or Zodiac.

August

Humpback and beluga whales in the Northwest Passage, Arctic

Cruise the fabled Northwest Passage and you’re in for a chance of seeing some of the most unique and unusual ocean mammals. Beluga whales can be seen in pods in inlets and shallow bays and if you’re really lucky, you may even spot the unicorns of the sea, the narwhal, at the edge of an ice floe.

July

Walrus in Svalbard, Arctic

July in Svalbard sees huge groups of walrus gather together in ‘haul-outs’ for safety during the polar bear feeding season and can be easily spotted along the coastline. Hundreds of these enormous mammals together, each with long tusks and weighing up to two tonnes, is a sight to behold.

September

Arctic fox in Greenland

In summer the Arctic fox has a brown coat but in September, as winter approaches, it starts to turn into its luxurious and thick white coat. Look out for these curious furballs scurrying around the rocks and rubble of the Arctic tundra.

October

In between seasons

There are few trips running to the polar regions during October. Ships start to arrive in Antarctica at the very end of the month or in early November as the season starts. In the Arctic, the sea ice is too thick and the daylight hours too few to operate tours.

November

Elephant seals in South Georgia

The breeding season for elephant seals peaks in mid-November in South Georgia, meaning the beaches are busy with bulls loudly fighting for their harems of females, much smaller in size in comparison to the colossal males. You may also see some pups from those that bred early in the season.

December

Seals in Antarctica

Take a trip out by Zodiac from your ship in Antarctica in December and you’ll likely come across seals. Groups of crabeater or Weddell seals can often be spotted lazing on ice floes and fur seals play along the coastline. The more solitary leopard seal can sometimes be spotted in the water or on the ice.

Arctic The

The ice-covered Arctic ocean offers unrivalled wildlife encounters and ethereal landscapes. It’s time to board a life-changing expedition to the top of the world.

Covering around a sixth of the globe, this vast tundra fringed by glistening icebergs and ocassionally crowned by the emerald streak of the northern lights, is a safari-like experience like no other. From the comfort of a purpose-built expedition ship, you’ll keep your eyes peeled for the tail flick of whales, toothy walrus and snatched sightings of rare seabirds – with shore landings whenever possible to get up close to the flora and fauna of the Arctic. You’ll also have the chance to search for the largest land carnivore in the world – the polar bear. Aboard a Zodiac and accompanied by a team of expert crew and naturalists, you’ll weave your way around drifting pack ice, looking for these apex predators in their natural habitat and hopefully ticking off one of the Earth’s top wildlife encounters.

Arctic voyage Choose your

With a plethora of polar adventures, we couldn’t squeeze them all in. You can find more of our voyages online at exploreworldwide.com.au/polar

The Northwest Passage

Page 47

Sail the Northwest Passage, carving through the labyrinthine maze of waterways that hug the islands of Arctic Canada.

Polar Bears in Churchill (photography-focused itineraries available)

Page 50–51

Board a Polar Rover, a speciallydesigned vehicle to watch the bear in their natural habitat. On photographic departures you’ll be accompanied by an expert photographer.

Canada

Baf f in Bay

Greenland

NEW Wild Landscapes of Western Greenland

Visit the isolated settlements of the far north, pushing through sea ice to where few tourists venture. Icebergs glitter in hidden bays where whales shelter.

exploreworldwide.com.au/SEWG

Davis Strait

LABRADOR SEA

NEW Southern Greenland –On the Trail of the Vikings

As Vikings did, we’ll sail to the green pastures of the south, visiting their ruins and wilds and weaving through fjords and channels.

exploreworldwide.com.au/SESG

Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland

Page 52–53

Explore the “jewels of the Arctic” on this in-depth expedition featuring unique wildlife, remote communities and stunning scenery.

NEW Realm of the Polar Bear

A voyage into the kingdom of the polar bear; set amongst Svalbard’s striking glaciers, tundra and fjords. exploreworldwide.com.au/ GMPB

GREENLAND SEA

Arctic Complete

Page 42

Embark on an all-encompassing 24-day Arctic voyage, from Iceland to Greenland to Svalbard.

BARENTS SEA

Greenland Odyssey

Explore Greenland’s Arctic tundra, ice-filled sounds and fjords on a journey of discovery. Wildlifespotting hikes and whale-watching are a few of many highlights. exploreworldwide.com.au/SEGO

NORWEGIAN SEA

Denmark Strait

Iceland

NEW Iceland’s Westfjords and North Coast

The Westfjords are among Iceland’s most pristine regions. We search for whales and birds, drinking in the majesty of waterfalls, valleys and lava fields. exploreworldwide. com.au/SEIW

Norway

Svalbard Sweden

Across the Arctic Circle

Page 40–41

Venture across the Arctic Circle. Discover Stone Age structures in the Orkneys, spot sea otter off the Norwegian Coast and then sail up to the frozen region of Svalbard, famous for polar bear.

Finland

NORTH SEA BALTIC SEA

United Kingdom

NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN

Northern Lights Explorer

Page 44–45

By day explore remote islands, discover spectacular icebergs, and walk through breathtaking scenery. As night falls, look skywards hoping to catch the magic of the Northern Lights.

What to expect from an

Arctic expedition

Explore the Arctic and you’ll discover a vast history, rich cultures and unforgettable wildlife experiences that you won’t see anywhere else. Find out what to expect from your Arctic voyage.

Locally-sourced food

Inspired by local and European dishes, there will be plenty of options on board to suit all palates. For those looking to extend their trip, you’ll have the opportunity to try locally-sourced food such as snow crab, a hearty traditional Norwegian stew, and seifilet fersks (fresh fillets of fish that are steamed, grilled or poached). Quench your thirst with beer brewed in Spitsbergen’s remote and icy capital, Longyearbyen.

Ever-changing weather

The Arctic covers a large distance, with temperature and weather changing dramatically depending on where you are. In early summer the Arctic is awash with long periods of sunlight, bringing flocks of seabirds to the cliffs. By mid-summer you may see dramatic glaciers collapsing so keep your camera close by. The tundra will also flourish with pastel-coloured wildflowers, making it a fantastic time of year for hiking. But don’t forget to stay wrapped up – weather patterns shift hour to hour, from sunshine to snow.

Chris Van Hove

Al Bakker

Abundant wildlife

The Arctic is renowned for unrivalled wildlife experiences, and you can expect to spot mammal and marine life that you won’t find anywhere else. Keep your eyes peeled for the largest land predators on Earth –polar bears – who are only found in the Arctic. You may also spot solitary seals lazing on pack ice, and a variety of whales such as orca and humpback, especially during the summer.

Specialist ships

Polar vessels are unlike any other ship you’ll have seen before. Small enough to work their way around ice but strengthened to withstand extreme conditions, these ships boast cutting edge technology. You’ll find launching platforms from which you’ll board a Zodiac to explore ashore, or take part in additional activities such as kayaking. While on-board, there’s no shortage of lounge space to simply relax and watch the icy landscape pass by.

Expect the unexpected

Arctic expeditions are guided by ever-changing weather, wildlife opportunities and ice conditions. Like a safari, itineraries can be flexible to ensure you get the most out of your trip. Wherever possible your captain will steer you towards a pod of whales, or a scenic fjord, highlighting the best photo opportunities. Because of the unpredictable nature of wildlife, every Arctic voyage is unique and certainly unforgettable.

Arctic expeditions are guided by ever-changing weather, wildlife opportunities and ice conditions.

Ash Christopher

Arctic trips

36 Realm of the Polar Bear in Depth

38 Wild Scotland

39 Svalbard In Depth

40 Across the Arctic Circle

42 Arctic Complete

43 Iceland Circumnavigation

44 Northern Lights Explorer

46 NEW Wild Landscapes of Western Greenland

47 Northwest Passage

48 Greenland Odyssey

50 Polar Bears in Churchill

51 Polar Bears in Churchill Photo Adventure

52 Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland

These are just some of our Arctic trips, to see them all go to exploreworldwide.com.au/ arctic

Realm of the Polar Bear in Depth

Embark on a voyage into the kingdom of the polar bear, exploring the striking glaciers, tundra and fjords of the Svalbard archipelago. Keep your eyes peeled for beluga whales breaking the surface and walrus lazing on the pack ice, as migratory birds call overhead.

Before Constantine John Phipps sailed towards the North Pole in 1773, no scientific descriptions of a polar bear had ever been logged. The explorers didn’t know that the spectacular beasts could weigh as much as ten men, or that the marine mammals could swim, without a break, for days at a time. While the Royal Navy expedition was scuppered by ice in Svalbard, putting an end

to plans to make it to the pole, it must have been extraordinary for the sailors to glimpse a precious polar bear for the very first time. While we might know much more about them today, allowing us to do more to protect them, the feeling of seeing one in a frosty landscape that is also home to walrus, whales, puffins and Arctic terns, is as awe-inspiring as ever.

It must have been extraordinary for the sailors to glimpse a precious polar bear for the very first time.

Duration: 12 days

Ship: M/V Greg Mortimer

Depart: June – August

Prices from: $19,240pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 3,671kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Longyearbyen

Day 2 Embark the M/V Greg Mortimer

Day 3 Visit Magdalenefjorden

Days 4-7 Explore Spitsbergen’s Northwest Coast

Days 8-9 Discover Hinlopen Strait and Alkefjellt

Day 10 Cruising around South Cape

Day 11 Sail towards Hornsund and Bellsund Fjords

Day 12 Trip ends in Longyearbyen

Optional activities

Kayaking

Polar plunge

Add on experiences in Longyearbyen (pre/post trip):

Dogsledding on wheels

Electric bike sightseeing

Wilderness evening

Kayak tours

Wild Scotland

By ship and Zodiac you’ll navigate the towering sea cliffs, caves and remote rugged islands of Scotland on this wild adventure to a birdwatcher’s paradise.

Some of the world’s largest seabird colonies call the Scottish islands home and you’ll explore them with our team of naturalists aboard the Greg Mortimer, spotting Arctic tern, fulmar, kittiwake, guillemot and shag. The soaring sea cliffs of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed volcanic archipelago St Kilda are breathtaking in their vastness and beauty and you’ll delight in spotting endangered puffins and gannets as they take refuge on

Duration: 12 days

Ship: M/V Greg Mortimer

Depart: May

the island. Cruising around craggy nooks on Zodiacs, seals, whales and dolphins may join you at the surface while basking sharks swim through the spectacular lochs. The remote islands may not have many people occupying them today, but you’ll learn more about its past at ancient sites, monoliths and picturesque villages in the Hebrides, Shetlands, Orkneys and the lesser visited isles off the Scottish mainland.

Prices from: $15,795pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 3,321kg CO2e (average pp)

Cruising around craggy nooks on Zodiacs, seals, whales and dolphins may join you at the surface while basking sharks swim through the spectacular lochs.

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Edinburgh

Day 2 Embark the M/V Greg Mortimer

Days 3-4 Explore the Inner Hebrides

Days 5-7 Explore the Outer Hebrides

Days 8-9 Discover the Shetland Islands

Days 10-11 Visit the Orkney Islands

Day 12 Trip ends in Aberdeen

Trip

Svalbard in Depth

Dive into the magical region of the Svalbard Archipelago in depth, with extended exploration time in wild and remote places. From an abundance of wildflowers across the tundra to bearded seals breaking the surface of the water and towering cliffs noisy with nesting guillemots, Svalbard provides unforgettable Arctic experiences.

Duration: 15 days

Ship: M/V Sylvia Earle

Depart: June-July

Prices from: $28,660pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 4,599kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Longyearbyen

Day 2 Embark the M/V Sylvia Earle

Days 3-14 Explore Svalbard

Day 15 Trip ends in Longyearbyen

Optional activities

Kayaking

Polar plunge

Add on experiences in Longyearbyen (pre/post trip): Dogsledding on wheels Electric bike sightseeing Wilderness evening Kayak tours

Find out more exploreworldwide.com. au/SESI

The Arctic Circle... with a distinct cultural identity and sites telling the fascinating history of life at the edge of the world.

Across the Arctic Circle

Experience the highlights of three epic worlds as you venture across the Arctic Circle. Step back in time to Stone Age structures on the Orkney and Shetland Islands, while the Norwegian coastline is home to reclusive sea otters, kittiwake and even blue whales. The frozen region of Svalbard is the perfect way to round up this Arctic adventure.

Within the 7.7 million square miles of the Arctic Circle are eight countries, each with a distinct cultural identity and sites telling the fascinating history of life at the edge of the world. In the Orkney Islands, 5,000-year-old World Heritage Neolithic sites and Viking relics transport you on a journey through human history. In the Shetlands, prehistoric stone brochs tower into the sky, their original

purpose a mystery lost in time. In Norway, we learn more of how the landscape has sparked lore, troll-hunting near Torghatten, a granite mountain pierced with a hole that locals say was made by a flying arrow. Crossing the Arctic Circle to Svalbard, you’ll discover a landscape of towering cliffs alive with breeding birds; a frozen wonderland of gleaming glaciers where the mighty polar bear reigns supreme.

Duration: 15 days

Ship: M/V Greg Mortimer

Depart: June

Prices from: $19,085pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 4,578 kg CO2e (average pp)

Optional activities Kayaking Polar plunge

Itinerary

on experiences in Longyearbyen (pre/post trip): Dogsledding on wheels Electric bike sightseeing Wilderness evening Kayak tours

Day 1 Trip starts in Aberdeen

Day 2 Board the M/V Greg Mortimer

Days 3-4 Orkney Islands

Day 5 Shetland Islands

Day 6 At sea

Days 7-10 Norwegian Coast

Day 11 Bear Island and Svalbard

Days 12-14 Svalbard

Day 15 Trip ends in Longyearbyen

Trip

Arctic Complete

Embark on an all-encompassing Arctic voyage, from Iceland to Greenland to Svalbard. As seabirds trail the ship keep your eyes peeled for whale blows on the way to the stunning fjords and glaciers of East Greenland. On hikes across the tundra you might spot musk ox, Arctic hare and reindeer grazing on this vast landscape. You’ll visit towering cliffs noisy with nesting guillemots and puffins, and scree slopes that hold Svalbard’s largest little auk colonies.

Duration: 24 days

Ship: M/V Greg Mortimer

Depart: July

Prices from: $36,520pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 7,605kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Reykjavik

Day 2 Embark the M/V Greg Mortimer

Day 3 Denmark Strait

Days 4-10 Explore Eastern Greenland

Days 11-12

Cross the Greenland Sea

Days 13-23 Explore Spitsbergen

Day 24 Trip ends in Longyearbyen

Iceland Circumnavigation

From the glittering black sand beaches to the explosively exciting geysers, explore the best of the Land of Fire and Ice on an Iceland Circumnavigation. Spot whales breaching the waves in Húsavík, hear birds calling from the cliffs of Látrabjarg, and marvel at the beloved Mjóifjördur fjord.

Duration: 11 days

Ship: M/V Sylvia Earle

Depart: May – June

Prices from: $15,635pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 3,186kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Reykjavik

Day 2 Embark the M/V Sylvia Earle and sail to Hvalfjordur

Day 3 Stykkisholmur and Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Days 4-6 Westfjords

Day 7 Grimsey Island

Day 8 Hjalteyri

Day 9 Seydisfjordur

Day 10 Westman Islands

Day 11 Trip ends in Reykjavik

Optional activities

Kayaking Scuba diving Polar plunge

Find out more exploreworldwide.com. au/SEIC

Trip

Northern Lights Explorer

Witness the spectacular performance of the Northern Lights as you follow the coastlines of the Arctic Circle. Hop aboard a Zodiac to cruise through the narrow passages of Trollfjord, before strolling around scenic villages in the Lofoten Islands. Look to the skies at night and keep your fingers crossed for sightings of blue, green and pink.

You can’t set your watch by the elusive Aurora Borealis, which makes the hunt for a good view of it even more thrilling. We’ve been seeking out the natural phenomenon for so long that we know how to improve our chances of catching it; as night falls in high latitude destinations. On this trip, we don’t just sit and wait for it to appear; we’re heading out by boat and scanning

the sky for signs. We know that the cascading colours are caused by electrically-charged particles from the sun reacting with the gases in our upper atmosphere, but it’s hard to accept that it’s anything less than magic when it’s shimmering above you. It’s the only thing that can make the incredible beauty of the surrounding landscapes fall into momentary insignificance!

It’s hard to accept that it’s anything less than magic when it’s shimmering above you.

Duration: 19 days

Ship: M/V Greg Mortimer

Depart: September

Prices from: $27,440pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 5,979kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Join trip in Kirkenes

Day 2 Embark the M/V Greg Mortimer

Days 3-6 Norwegian Coast

Day 7 At sea

Day 8 Jan Mayen, Norway

Day 9 At sea

Days 10-13 East Greenland

Day 14 At sea

Days 15-18 Iceland

Day 19 Trip ends in Reykjavik

Optional activities

Kayaking

Polar plunge

Trip

NEW Wild Landscapes of Western Greenland

Sail far north along Greenland’s western coastline. Enter a region where few tourists venture to explore hidden bays with glistening icebergs and where the night sky may surprise you with a dazzling display you’ll never forget.

Duration: 15 days

Ship: M/V Sylvia Earle

Depart: August

Prices from: $30,240pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 4,613kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Toronto

Day 2 Fly to Nuuk and embark the M/V Sylvia Earle

Day 3 Sisimiut

Day 4 Qeqertarsuaq, Disko Island

Days 5-7 West Coast of Greenland

Day 8 At sea

Day 9 Qeqertarsuaq, Disko Island

Days 10-11 Ataa Sund, Ilulissat

Day 12 Aasivissuit-Nipisat UNESCO World Heritage Site

Day 13 Eternity Fjord

Day 14 Disembark in Nuuk. Fly to Toronto

Day 15 Trip ends in Toronto

Optional activities

Kayaking

Polar plunge

Michael Baynes

Northwest Passage

Learn of the fascinating, rich history of the Northwest Passage as your sturdy ship weaves through its icy labyrinth of channels. Meet the indigenous people who call this remote region home and watch for wildlife like walrus, whale and polar bear.

If you’re filled with the spirit of adventure and you wish to sail through pack ice in a place which has been luring pioneers for centuries, then the legendary Northwest Passage is calling. This is an expedition in the truest sense, taking you along the treacherous passage that has for centuries caused hopeful travellers to come unstuck.

To this day, it challenges our ship’s captain, due to unpredictable

Duration: 17 days

Ship: M/V Sylvia Earle

Depart: July – September

weather conditions. Add your name to the list of explorers that have travelled it, including Franklin, Amundsen and Larsen. Franklin’s ship was lost with 120 people aboard and others got into difficulty trying to find them. Ice still threatens to halt our progress through the frozen labyrinthine channels, but it wouldn’t be a true polar journey without the thrill of adventure!

Prices from: $31,615pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 5,906kg CO2e (average pp)

This is an expedition in the truest sense.

Optional activities

Kayaking Polar plunge

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Toronto

Day 2 Embark the M/V Sylvia Earle in Kangerlussuaq

Day 3 Sisimiut

Day 4 Ilulissat

Day 5 Qeqertarsuaq (Disko Island)

Day 6 At sea and Baffin Island

Days 7-9 Baffin Island

Days 10-11 Devon Island, Lancaster Sound

Days 12-15 The Northwest Passage

Day 16 Disembark in Cambridge Bay. Fly to Calgary.

Day 17 Trip ends in Calgary

Tyson

Mayr

Listen out for calving glaciers and the blows of humpback and minke whales as you explore.

Greenland Odyssey

With jagged peaks, countless glaciers, enormous ice sheets and Arctic tundra, the dramatic vistas of Greenland form the backdrop of an extraordinary adventure.

A country largely covered by an ice cap and surrounded by whale-rich waters, it’s easy to overlook the fascinating history and culture of Greenland when you’re enchanted by its giant glaciers and ice floes, where ringed seals rest and Arctic foxes hunt. On this trip, we delve into it all, from cruising beside the icebergs of Prins Christian Sund by Zodiac to visiting Nanortalik

where the community welcomes you with a choir performance before opening their town to you to explore. The best-preserved Norse ruin in Greenland, Hvalsey Church, is on our itinerary too and we head there after Tasermiut Fjord, surrounded by three giant mountains grazing the azure sky. Listen out for calving glaciers and the blows of humpback and minke whales as you explore.

Duration: 17 days

Ship: M/V Sylvia Earle

Depart: July

Prices from: $25,820pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 5,566kg CO2e (average pp)

Optional activities

Kayaking Polar plunge

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Reykjavik

Day 2 Reykjavik, Golden Circle tour. Embark the M/V Sylvia Earle

Day 3 At sea

Day 4 Kangertitivatsiaq Fjord

Day 5 Tasiilaq, Sermilik Fjord

Day 6 Skjoldungen Island

Day 7 At sea

Day 8 Prins Christian Sund

Day 9 Hvalsey, Qaqortoq

Day 10 At sea

Day 11 Nuuk

Day 12 Eternity Fjord

Day 13 Ilulissat

Day 14 Eqip Sermia

Day 15 Sisimiut

Day 16 Disembark in Kangerlussuaq. Fly to Toronto.

Day 17 Trip ends in Toronto

Polar Bears in Churchill

Go in search of the majestic polar bear in Churchill, home to the world’s greatest concentration of polar bears. Board a Polar Rover, a specially-designed vehicle to watch the bears in their natural habitat and safely watch them interact, and learn of their behaviour from the expert guides.

Duration: 6 days

Trip Find out more exploreworldwide.com.au/CHPB

Transport: Polar Rover

Depart: October – November

Prices from: $16,965pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 490kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Winnipeg

Day 2 Winnipeg to Churchill –evening on the tundra

Days 3-4 Polar bear viewing

Day 5 Explore Churchill. Fly to Winnipeg.

Day 6 Trip ends in Winnipeg

Polar Bears in Churchill Photo Adventure

Join an expert photographer-naturalist on this exciting trip designed to capture the magnificent polar bears in their Arctic tundra habitat. Spend three full days photographing the bears and other Arctic wildlife from the bespoke Polar Rover vehicle that allows you to safely get up close.

Duration: 7 days

Transport: Polar Rover

Depart: October – November

Prices from: $20,500pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 512kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Winnipeg

Day 2 Winnipeg to Churchill

Days 3-5 Polar bear photography

Day 6 Churchill to Winnipeg

Day 7 Trip ends in Winnipeg

Trip

Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland

Explore all of the ‘jewels of the Arctic’ on this in-depth expedition featuring unique wildlife, remote communities and stunning scenery. Spot walrus, puffins and, if you’re lucky, polar bears in Svalbard before sailing towards Greenland and the massive glaciers and icebergs of Scoresbysund.

On the east coast of Greenland, the 500-strong Inuit community of Ittoqqortoormiit live alongside polar bears, millions of nesting seabirds, seal and musk oxen, using ancient traditions to hunt. We visit their colourful home on this tour of three islands, learning more about those who thrive on the tundra. Meet trappers and playful children who come to peek at us from beneath their

fur jackets. Taking the time to explore ancient grave sites and villages that were occupied by pre-Inuit 3,000 years ago allows us to better understand the people who live in this beautiful corner of the world, and the balance they’ve struck with the extraordinary wildlife they share their home with. Extend your stay in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik for an entirely different cultural experience.

Duration: 15 days

Ship: M/V Greg Mortimer

Depart: June – August

Prices from: $23,065pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 4,701kg CO2e (average pp)

This journey allows you to better understand the people who live in this beautiful corner of the world, and the balance they’ve struck with the extraordinary wildlife they share their home with.

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Longyearbyen

Day 2 Embark the M/V Greg Mortimer

Days 3-5 Explore Spitsbergen

Days 6-7 Cross the Greenland Sea

Days 8-13 East Coast of Greenland

Day 14 Sail the Denmark Strait towards Iceland

Day 15 Trip ends in Reykjavik

Optional activities

Kayaking

plunge

Dogsledding on wheels

Electric bike sightseeing

Wilderness evening

Kayak tours

Antarctic The

Undertake the ultimate once-in-a lifetime expedition to the icy Narnia-esque landscapes of ‘The Great White Continent’.

Antarctica’s otherworldly landscapes have captured traveller’s imaginations since American explorer John Davis first stepped foot on this ice-capped land mass just over 200 years ago. Here is a slice of the Earth untouched by civilisation, where it’s not brick buildings that tower above you, but icebergs. Where soul-healing silence reigns and you can glimpse whale flukes slipping quietly beneath the water’s surface. Seals glide between the ice and penguins shuffle up and down their penguin highways. Read on to discover the voyages to Antarctica for 2024/25. Opt for an expedition to take in the Antarctic Peninsula in all its magic, or expand your bucketlist trip to include the wildlife-filled islands of South Georgia or the Falklands. Whichever you choose, you’re guaranteed a trip unlike any other.

Antarctic

Falkland Islands

Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica

Page 67

Follow in Shackleton’s footsteps and voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula and the Subantarctic Islands on this epic voyage.

South Georgia

In Shackleton’s Footsteps

Page 70

King George Island

Classic Antarctica Fly & Cruise

Avoid the Drake Passage by flying into King George Island before embarking on an epic journey along the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula. exploreworldwide.com.au/ SEAX

Antarctic Peninsula And Weddell Sea

Page 68–69

Year-round sea ice and tabular icebergs dominate the waters of the Arctic Peninsula. Cut through and head deep into the circle on this adventurous expedition.

Follow the path of the greats as you sail from where Shackleton’s ship sank in the Weddell Sea to his safe haven in South Georgia.

WEDDELL SEA

What to expect from an

Antarctic expedition

An expedition to Antarctica is a trip unlike any other, with remote scenery, distinctive wildlife and gourmet food on board your small ship. Find out what to expect from your Antarctic voyage.

Unique wildlife

Visit early in the season to see penguins building their nests, or if you want to see chicks, time your visit for around December and January. Later in the season the fluffy chicks are starting to walk, adding much more noise to the bustling rookeries. You’ll likely see many types of seals and seabirds no matter when you visit. Go later in the season to spot whales, as they’ll be in the area for feeding.

Ever-changing weather

The weather in Antarctica is changeable and at times unpredictable, often quickly changing between grey skies and blue. Earlier in the season it’s colder and you’re more likely to experience snow and be rewarded with snowy landscapes and large icebergs. Later in the season the snow is melting off, making it a little easier underfoot at landing sites, and as temperatures increase, elegant ice-shapes emerge in the water and penguin chicks become even more playful.

Visitors are treated to a true remote wilderness with no civilisation in sight.

True Remoteness

Unlike pretty much anywhere else in the world, Antarctica has no local people or communities. As a result, visitors are treated to a true remote wilderness with no civilisation in sight, other than the occasional hut used for research by scientists, or shipwrecks from historic whaling times. To go as south as you can go for real remoteness, join a voyage to cross the Antarctic Circle later in the season when sea ice allows.

Delicious food

No matter which Antarctica trip you join you’re guaranteed delicious and nourishing food on board. Substantial breakfasts and lunches set you up for a day exploring, while sit-down dinners offer a sophisticated treat as evening arrives. And with freshly-made biscuits and cakes when you return from landings, you’ll never go hungry. Gourmet chefs use ingredients that are sourced as locally as possible and can cater for any dietary requirements, just let us know in advance.

Scott Portelli

Tom Arban

Antarctic trips

62 Antarctic Circle

64 Classic Antarctica

65 Classic Antarctica and Chilean Fjords – Fly and Cruise

66 Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica

68 Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea

70 In Shackleton’s Footsteps

71 Antarctic Extensions

These are just some of our Antarctic trips, to see them all go to exploreworldwide.com.au/ antarctica

Antarctic Circle

Take a voyage to the southernmost region on Earth, deep into the Antarctic Peninsula and across the Antarctic Circle. Join wildlife experts on board the Ocean Endeavour in search of penguins, seals and whales, and celebrate with your fellow passengers as you reach 66°33’ S.

Participatory Citizen Science programmes are available on every departure aboard the Ocean Endeavour. By taking part, you’ll be helping to collect and contribute vital data to a variety of scientific research projects. One of these projects is “Happywhale”. Every passenger on board is encouraged to take photos of whale sightings and

upload them online; scientists can identify the whales by their unique markings and are then able to track them around the globe. There are approximately 43,000 individual humpback whales known globally and, once you’ve submitted your photo, you’ll find out whether you’ve spotted a known whale or even identified a new whale.

Trip

...celebrate with your fellow passengers as you reach 66°33’ S.

Duration: 14 days

Ship: M/S Ocean Endeavour

Depart: February

Prices from: $16,455pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 4,001kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Join trip in Ushuaia

Day 2 Embark on the M/S Ocean Endeavour

Days 3-4 Drake Passage

Days 5-6 South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula

Days 7-8 Antarctic Peninsula

Days 9-10 The Antarctic Circle

Day 11 Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands

Days 12-13 Drake Passage

Day 14 Trip ends in Ushuaia

Optional activities

Classic Antarctica

Voyage to Antarctica aboard the Ocean Endeavour, accompanied by expert naturalist guides. Set foot on the Antarctic Peninsula and visit vast penguin colonies and learn the history of early explorers. During trips out by Zodiac boat, spot seals lazing on ice floes and the flukes of humpback whales.

Duration: 11 days

Ship: M/S Ocean

Endeavour

Depart: November –March

Prices from: $11,070pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 3,096kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Join trip in Ushuaia

Day 2 Embark on the M/S Ocean Endeavour

Days 3-4 Drake Passage

Days 5-6 Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands

Days 7-8 Antarctic Peninsula

Days 9-10 Drake Passage

Day 11 Trip ends in Ushuaia

Set foot on the Antarctic Peninsula and visit vast penguin colonies...

Optional activities

Kayaking

Day kayak

Camping

Photography programme

Snowshoeing

Stand Up Paddle Boarding

Trip

Classic Antarctica and Chilean Fjords –Fly and Cruise

In the Chilean fjords, sea birds, dolphins, sea lions and orcas dine on krill as they prepare to migrate to Antarctica. We journey there too, past Cape Horn and along the Drake Passage to the glacial wilderness of the Antarctic peninsula.

Duration: 13 days

Ship: M/V Sylvia Earle

Depart: March

Prices from: $23,915

Carbon footprint: 4,242kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Join trip in Punta Arenas

Day 2 Embark on the M/V Sylvia Earle

Day 3 Chilean Fjords

Days 4-5 Drake Passage

Days 6-10 Antarctic Peninsula

Days 11-12 Drake Passage

Day 13 Trip ends in Ushuaia

Optional activities

Polar plunge

Visit one of the largest king penguin colonies on Earth.

Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica

Take an epic voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula and the Subantarctic Islands. Follow in Shackleton’s footsteps in South Georgia, visiting one of the largest king penguin colonies on Earth, watching fur and elephant seals on the beaches and learning the history of the whaling stations.

Like Roald Amundsen and other great men of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, Sir Ernest Shackleton spent much of his life in pursuit of answers to the mysteries of the South Pole. His passion was ignited in 1901 when he sailed aboard the ship of Captain Robert Falcon Scott. By 1907, Shackleton was leading his own expeditions, first on the Nimrod and then, in 1914, aboard the ill-fated Endurance

The mission to cross from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea proved impossible. Endurance became locked in ice in January 1915 and over nine months, the elements crushed it. Camping on an ice drift, the 28 men were soon forced to take their boats into dangerous conditions. We follow their path, first journeying to Elephant Island and then the 715 nautical miles to South Georgia.

Duration: 21 days

Ship: M/V Sylvia Earle

Depart: October – January

Prices from: $39,595pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 5,019kg CO2e (average pp)

Optional activities

Itinerary

Day 1 Join trip in Ushuaia

Day 2 Embark on the M/V Sylvia Earle

Day 3 Drake Passage

Day 4 Drake Passage and South Shetland Islands

Days 5-8 Antarctic Peninsula

Days 9-10 Scotia Sea

Days 11-15 South Georgia

Days 16-17 At sea

Days 18-19 Falklands

Day 20 At sea

Day 21 Trip ends in Ushuaia

Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea

Search for feeding whales and hunting seals as you journey from the Antarctic Peninsula to the Weddell Sea, known for its remarkable tabular icebergs and fossils.

Giant petrels and albatrosses follow our ship as we head across the Drake Passage to the South Shetland Islands and onward to the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The moment of seeing your first, soaring iceberg will stay with you forever and the floating ice sculptures will mark your arrival below the Antarctic Convergence. Each day, we’ll take landings or Zodiac excursions to ice cliffs, among grounded icebergs and to

penguin rookeries and pebbly beaches. Keep your eyes peeled for whales as they feed and learn more about them from on-board naturalists, with lectures on sailing days to enrich your knowledge of the region. History fans will relish learning about the bold explorers who ventured here, including Ernest Shackleton whose ship Endurance still lies beneath the waves of the Weddell Sea.

Duration: 12 days

Ship: M/V Sylvia Earle

Depart: March

Prices from: $21,825pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 3,191kg CO2e (average pp)

The moment of seeing your first, soaring iceberg will stay with you forever.

Itinerary

Day 1 Join trip in Ushuaia

Day 2 Embark on the M/V Sylvia Earle

Days 3-4 Drake Passage

Days 5-9 Weddell Sea and Antarctic Peninsula

Days 10-11 Drake Passage

Day 12 Trip ends in Ushuaia

Optional activities

Kayaking Day kayak Polar plunge

In Shackleton’s Footsteps

Follow in the footsteps of Shackleton on this quintessential polar voyage, from the serene ice of the deep south to the subantarctic wildlife paradise of South Georgia. Experience the Antarctic Peninsula before making your way to the spectacular Weddell Sea. Follow the course of the James Caird from Elephant Island to South Georgia, where Shackleton’s voyage reached its remarkable conclusion.

Duration: 20 days

Ship: M/V Greg Mortimer

Depart: March

Prices from: $34,675pp (trip only)

Carbon footprint: 6,356kg CO2e (average pp)

Itinerary

Day 1 Join trip in Ushuaia

Day 2 Embark the M/V Greg Mortimer

Days 3-4 Drake Passage

Days 5-7 Antarctic Peninsula

Day 8 Weddell Sea

Day 9 Elephant Island

Days 10-11 Scotia Sea

Days 12-16 South Georgia

Days 17-19 At sea

Day 20 Trip ends in Ushuaia

Have you decided on your Antarctica trip but would like to make the most of travelling via Latin America? Why not add a couple of days at the start or end of your polar voyage and extend your adventure to the Southern Cone. The south of Latin America offers a wide range of unique experiences; discover breathtaking wonders of nature, immerse yourself in the diverse cultures, their history and spice up your trip by discovering the countries culinary treats.

Iguazu Falls

Cascading down the Iguazu River, the Iguazu Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World, are situated on the border of Brazil and Argentina. The river emerges from thick jungle only for its wealth of water to crash down in one of the most dramatic displays of nature’s beauty and power. The sheer height and thundering noise of the water will take your breath away.

Easter Island

Easter Island is the most remote inhabited island in the world. Isolated in the Pacific Ocean, much of the island is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for its archaeological sites. Visit the island to learn more about its unique history and discover the moai, almost 900 mysterious monoliths carved by the Rapa Nui people. Look up at the massive heads and marvel at the creative and physical feat of the inhabitants who built them.

Antarctic Extensions

Santiago & Valparaiso

Slip beneath the skin of Chile’s two main cities, the museum-rich capital of Santiago and the rainbowcoloured port city of Valparaiso, home to beloved poet Pablo Neruda. This deep dive will have you sipping pisco sours on the best rooftop bars, marvelling at the Pre-Columbian Museum’s 7,000-year-old Chinchorro mummies, quaffing wine in a boutique vineyard of the Casablanca Valley, and riding the old elevators and trolleybuses of ‘The Jewel of the Pacific.’

Mendoza

In the eastern foothills of the Andes, Mendoza is at the heart of South America’s largest wine-producing area. The famous Malbec wines originate from Mendoza’s high-altitude wine regions Lujan de Cuyo and the Uco Valley. Enjoy a fine food tour around the region’s many wineries (bodegas) and clink glasses while staying at a traditional estancia (a working cattle ranch) with the majestic Andes Mountains as a backdrop.

All Aboard

Like the great explorers of the past, the only real way to discover the polar regions is by expedition ship – with the added bonus of far more comfort and sumptuous suppers. Ours also use state-of-the-art hybrid technology to reduce the ecological footprint.

A chance occurrence can turn an already extraordinary adventure into something words simply cannot describe, a precious personal moment between you and nature.

The polar summer welcomes new boats, including the luxurious and revolutionary Le Commandant Charcot –the world’s first hybrid passenger ship to run on liquified natural gas and be fitted with a special hull that allows it to sail between the sheets of drift ice and into the most remote regions (see page 80 for more). Indeed, all of our ships host fewer passengers, so there’s no waiting for the Zodiacs that zip you to and from the onshore action quickly. Meaning, you’ll never miss the puff of mist from a surfacing whale, the waddling antics of penguins and perhaps even a glance of a silvery leopard seal.

Each element stacks on the last to create an informed and enriching adventure. A team of expert biologists, glaciologists, geologists and naturalists offer lectures and insights into the wildlife and landscapes – from the way ice calves from glaciers to the feeding habits of blue whales – so passengers can interact with both

on a deeper level. And on our ships, you don’t just hear about their research and conservation efforts, you’re invited to join in with their important work – whether it’s tracking the speed of a whale, assessing beach litter to identify its origin, or combating ocean pollution, hands-on.

A huge amount of heart and skill also goes into the onboard culinary experience (see page 18), which so often provides the social icing on this ship-shaped cake for guests, as you gather for top-notch meals to reflect on the day with other adventurers.

Plus, with private balconies, a panoramic viewing deck and glass-filled lounges, all our ships provide multiple windows onto these wintery wonderlands, so you can be sipping a cocktail while migrating seabirds fly by or spying a pod of orcas while studying in the library. Each moment a chance occurrence that can turn an already extraordinary adventure into a precious personal moment between you and nature.

What sets our ships apart?

It’s important that you choose the right expedition vessel for your journey to the Arctic or Antarctica. Explore has done the work for you and hand-picked a selection of ships that will take you to see the very best of the polar regions.

All our ships are small

Most of our ships carry between 65–135 passengers and none of our vessels are over 200 in capacity. This means you can join every excursion and more shore landings are possible. You’ll spend less time waiting to board Zodiacs, so you spend more time off the ship discovering the landscapes and wildlife. Smaller ships are more manoeuvrable, getting you much closer to the shoreline. You can also enjoy extra kayaking and camping activities with a small group of people. A low staff-to-passenger ratio means more one-on-one time with your expert expedition team.

You spend more time off the ship discovering the landscapes and wildlife.

Flexibility and Freedom

All itineraries are designed to be adaptable to changing weather or sea ice or unexpected wildlife encounters! No matter where you are, the ships encourage a true sense of exploration. The crew are always looking for new places to explore by Zodiac and will adjust the schedule to make sure you get the most out of your expedition.

The crew are always looking for new places to explore.

Safe and steady

Built to world-class polar standards, all ships have been designed in close consultation with expedition specialists and are capable of negotiating the strongest winds and waves (even the notoriously famous Drake Passage). All the ships also have ice-strengthened hulls, enabling them to manoeuvre safely in the ice.

Expedition setup

All of the ships are comfortable and sensibly kitted out for expedition voyages in polar conditions. Whichever ship you choose, you will enjoy a warm, friendly atmosphere on board –and the chance to witness some of nature’s most extraordinary sights up-close, thanks to plenty of dedicated observation spaces.

Life on board is relaxed and informal; which means you’ll receive a more personalised service.

An expert crew

The ships are captained and crewed by some of the top experts in their field. They love sharing tales of adventure with fellow like-minded people who love to connect with the natural world. Life on board is relaxed and informal; which means you’ll receive a more personalised service from the expert guides and they will ensure your time spent with them is interesting and educational.

M/S Ocean Endeavour

Boasting plenty of contemporary space for just 200 passengers, the M/S Ocean Endeavour brings you to the heart of Antarctica in maximum comfort.

Length: 137m

Breadth: 11m

Draught: 5.6m

Ice Class: 1B

Passengers: 200

Staff and crew: 124m

Cruising speed: 15 knots

Step on-board the M/S Ocean Endeavour and you’ll find the perfect setting to voyage the Antarctic. In addition to an ice-strengthened hull and advanced navigation system, this vessel boasts fantastic stability and comfort in the polar regions while operating to the highest environmental standards. With an 8:1 passenger to expedition crew ratio, dedicated expedition teams will spend quality time with you, ensuring you get the most out of the destinations along the way. The large expedition team and 22 Zodiacs allow the Ocean Endeavour to have some of the fastest operations in Antarctica, so more time can be spent off the ship and exploring on land and by Zodiac. Whether you’re cruising past sparkling icebergs on-board a Zodiac or participating in a Citizen Science programme, you’ll come away with unforgettable memories as well as hands-on knowledge.

In between embracing this icy wonderland, focus on your wellness through a range of facilities and activities on-board M/S Ocean Endeavour. Take advantage of the fitness centre before soaking in the heated salt water pool, or warming up in the ‘his and hers’ saunas. Relax in a lounge as you pore over your photos from an exciting day on the ice. In addition, the open-seating dining room with large windows means you’ll never miss a minute of the wildlife action, even while enjoying a fresh chef-prepared meal. From the flydeck, enjoy a front row seat with 360 degree views of the Antarctic. And, for solo passengers who would prefer not to share, the Ocean Endeavour offers three single occupancy cabin categories with low single supplements.

You’ll never miss a minute of the wildlife action, even while enjoying a fresh chef-prepared meal.

 TWIN, DOUBLE OR SINGLE CABIN: Two lower berths, picture window (some with partial view), en suite facilities.

 SUPERIOR CABIN: Two lower berths or double, picture window (some with partial view), en suite facilities.

 OWNERS’ SUITE: One double bed, sitting area, fridge, picture window, en suite facilities (with bath).

 JUNIOR SUITE: One double

M/V Greg Mortimer

From the remote historical islands of Antarctica to the far north of the Arctic, the Greg Mortimer is the perfect vessel to voyage the polar regions.

Length: 104.4m

Breadth: 18.2m

Draught: 5.3m

Ice Class: 1A

Featuring revolutionary design and technology, the Greg Mortimer is purpose-built to voyage some of the most remote and rugged destinations on Earth. The unique streamlined bow slices smoothly through swell, meaning you’ll feel fewer vibrations from the icy waves. The cutting-edge dynamic stabilisers also provide fantastic stability as you cross the ocean, while also reducing fuel consumption. Your greatest adventures will launch from four dedicated Zodiac launching platforms, sending you right to the heart of the polar regions safely and efficiently. You’ll also find an activity platform for thrilling add-ons, such as kayaking, diving and ski touring. Whether you’re paddling past majestic glaciers or simply admiring unrivalled views from dedicated vantage points, you’ll remember every moment on board the Greg Mortimer

Through Citizen Science projects you’ll be immersed in the biodiversity of the region both on and off the ship. Take part in surveys and listen to lectures by experts, naturalists and expedition leaders. From climate change to biology, these presentations will educate and entertain you throughout the journey. During your downtime, head to the on-board library to read up on the history of the Antarctic and Arctic regions, or simply watch the landscape pass by. For a healthy dose of wellness visit the on-board Wellness Centre, featuring a gym, sauna and spa, all with serene views out to sea. Meanwhile, for avid photographers, the multimedia room provides a space to admire and edit your photos after an unforgettable day of exploration.

Passengers: 132

Staff and crew: 61

Cruising speed: 12 knots

Choosing your ship

Whether you’re looking for the best viewing opportunities with the utmost comfort, or would like to get hands-on science experiences, discover the best ships for a polar voyage.

Le Commandant Charcot

The world’s only luxury icebreaker

Arctic and Antarctica

As the very first luxury hybrid electric polar exploration ship to be powered by liquefied natural gas, Le Commandant Charcot prioritises responsible and sustainable sailing. The new vessel is designed to get further into the polar wilderness than any other ship. Its 123 suites and staterooms all have private balconies or terraces so every guest has a vantage point from which to spot wildlife and enjoy the frozen scenery.

M/V Ushuaia

Small traditional expedition ship Antarctica

Having been constantly modernised over eight years, the M/V Ushuaia is a fantastic small traditional expedition ship for up to 90 passengers per sailing. Due to the intimate size of this ship, all passengers can disembark at the same time, meaning you’ll enjoy longer landings on shore. From the ice-strengthened exterior to the ample deck space for witnessing unforgettable wildlife moments, this vessel boasts everything you need to explore Antarctica. Thanks to a knowledgeable team of naturalists, historians and geologists on board you’ll get to know the heart of this region while also learning how to protect it.

© PONANT

/ Gilles Trillard

M/V Ocean Nova

Exclusive Fly and Cruise format + dedicated single cabins

Antarctica

Having been completely refurbished in 2006, the M/V Ocean Nova is a fantastic expedition ship, renowned for her exclusive Fly and Cruise combination format, as well as dedicated single cabins. With capacity for up to 67 passengers, solo travellers will enjoy their own staterooms throughout their Antarctic voyage, complete with a sea view and private facilities. In addition, elsewhere on board you’ll find spacious observation decks, as well as a panoramic lounge complete with stunning views. Wherever you are on board the M/V Ocean Nova you’ll have the opportunity to witness unforgettable wildlife moments.

M/V Sylvia Earle

Glass-fronted atrium offering excellent viewing opportunities from inside the ship

Arctic and Antarctica

Launched in 2022, the M/V Sylvia Earle has been purpose-built for expedition travel, meeting world-class polar standards in the Arctic and Antarctica. With spacious stateroom cabins for up to 132 passengers, this ship boasts plenty of space to unwind during your time on board. A particular favourite of the Sylvia Earle is the glass-fronted atrium, offering unparalleled viewing opportunities from the comfort of the ship. Thanks to the unique bow design, space is created for windows close to the water, meaning you’ll get closer to the action than ever before. From whales breaching the surface of the water to spectacular glaciers passing by, the atrium offers endless views.

Get to know the heart of the region while also learning how to protect it.

M/S Expedition Observation deck offering 360 degree views

Arctic and Antarctica

Every spacious cabin aboard the Expedition offers views from windows and portholes to the sea, so all 140 passengers will be able to enjoy the breathtaking polar scenery. They’re all en suite too. The ship has stabilisers and bow thrusters for ultimate comfort as it manoeuvres through the ice and there’s a heated mud room for when you return from chilly landings on one of its 14 Zodiacs before heading to the on-board gym, sauna, library or lounge and bar. There’s an open bridge policy if you want to learn more about your expedition from an experienced crew of polar experts.

M/V Magellan Explorer Minimised fuel consumption due to recycling technology

Antarctica

A modern ship, the Magellan Explorer started service in the 2019 Antarctic season. It cleverly minimises its fuel consumption by recycling the heat produced by the engines to power the heating and hot water! Each cabin (there’s room for 76 guests) has its own individually-controlled heating as well as heated floors in private bathrooms. In the communal areas, there’s state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment for onboard learning, as well as a glassenclosed observation lounge and a forward-facing observation deck leading to the ship’s bow, so you’re as close as possible to the action when you’re wildlife watching. There’s a fitness centre, too.

Essential Information about Explore Polar trips

Please carefully read through the following information about booking an Explore Polar voyage.

When you book (whether by phone, travel agent or online), you will be asked to confirm that you have read and understood these pages, as well as our Trip Notes and Booking Conditions (exploreworldwide.com.au/booking-conditions).

Travelling on an Explore Polar voyage

Your fellow passengers could be from anywhere in the world. Voyages are conducted in English, so most passengers tend to be from the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the US. These polar ships are not operated by Explore and are not exclusive to Explore customers. Everyone joining a polar trip arrives with slightly different expectations. The crew aim to ensure everyone’s expectations are met. Voyage itineraries may vary from the published itinerary due to weather and ice conditions. Where possible, the crew will stick to a schedule to ensure that it all works logistically. It gets us off to a great start if everyone arrives on time, so please be prompt when joining your trip.

Age limits

The recommended minimum age on all of our expedition ships is 10 years old. Some ship operators will accept younger children, however 5 years old would be the absolute minimum and would depend on the individual ship operator. For our Churchill bears trips, the age is limited to a minimum of 12 years old. Under 18 year olds must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for all trips. We do not have a maximum age, however, we do recognise that at some point during our customers’ journey with us they will reach an age where we will have to review their fitness and ability to participate in the trips they’ve chosen to book. Should you be 80 or older at the time of travel, we will discuss the itinerary with you before booking you on the trip and may ask you additional questions about your health and fitness.

Fitness and trip participation

Although high levels of fitness are not necessary for most activities on our polar trips, some physical participation from passengers is required, for example climbing into and out of the Zodiacs and short walks ashore. If in doubt, please discuss with one of our polar team. It is your responsibility to let us know if you have any concerns about your ability to participate. If you have any medical condition or disability which may affect your trip arrangements in any way, you must provide us with full details at the time of booking. Each passenger must fill in a medical questionnaire before the booking can be fully accepted by the ship operator.

On our Polar trips there will be water-based activities. For your personal safety and enjoyment, an ability to swim is therefore strongly recommended.

Travel insurance and pre-existing medical conditions

Travel insurance is mandatory for all voyages. You must carry your insurance policy documents with you on the trip. Please ensure that your documentation shows you as the named policyholder and that the cover is valid for the entire period of travel. It must include cover for visiting polar regions as well as indicate that you have cover for (at least) medical expenses and emergency repatriation in the event of illness or injury. Please ensure that a 24 hour contact telephone number for your insurance company is written on your documentation in case of an emergency. If you are unable to provide this

information at the start of the trip you will not be able to continue with us unless you purchase a suitable insurance policy. If you, your travelling companions, or anyone upon whom your travel depends (such as a friend or family member) has a pre-existing medical condition, you must disclose this to your travel insurer’s medical screening helpline when you purchase your insurance policy. Failure to do so may result in your claim being declined. Please ensure that you receive written confirmation from your insurance provider that the medical condition is covered. You must take this written confirmation with you on the trip in addition to the insurance policy itself. If you don’t, you may not have appropriate cover. We reserve the right to cancel your booking at any point if you do not fully insure your pre-existing medical condition.

Itineraries

Polar voyage itineraries are best kept flexible: the weather or the ice conditions may require the captain to make itinerary changes. Itineraries can also be adjusted to take advantage of opportunities such as wildlife sightings. The maps provided are indicative only; each ship tends to follow its own preferred route, which may vary from one voyage to the next, depending on conditions. From time to time, some elements of the voyage may change from those that have been published. This could be the result of inclement weather, a change in the local political situation or other circumstances beyond our control. We will keep you as well informed as possible about these changes. Significant changes to your holidays

David Stock

will be notified as soon as we feasibly can. Minor amendments to your trip will be detailed on your final trip documentation, although our website will be regularly updated should you wish to check the information at any time.

Ship accommodation

Most cabins are based on two people sharing, however triples and quads are also available; some ships have a limited number of single cabins (see individual ship details). Double beds are available in some cabins, while most other cabins have twin beds. If you are travelling on your own you can choose to share a cabin with another solo traveller of the same sex (except on M/S Fram and M/S Spitsbergen) or pay a supplement for sole occupancy of a cabin, if single cabins are unavailable. Single rooms are available on our Churchill Bears trips, but due to the limited accommodation in Churchill, availability is also limited. If you are booking onto our Churchill trips as a single traveller, our operator will try to match you in a twin share. If they are unable to match you with the same gender, you will be obliged to pay half of the single supplement fee. We recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.

Onboard meals

All meals are included while on board and all the ships can cater for specific diets: please tell us about any dietary requirements when you make your booking.

Connecting flights and additional accommodation

You may require international flights or hotel accommodation before or after your voyage. This can be organised through Explore: when you make your enquiry your polar specialist will be happy to look at options with you. If you are planning on making your own connecting flight arrangements we strongly recommend you book flights that are flexible and refundable. Due to the nature of our polar trips, days of operation and itineraries can change. It is important that you are able to amend your connecting travel arrangements, should the need arise. Also, in the event of a trip being cancelled (for whatever reason), it is important that you are able to get your flight cost refunded. We regret we cannot accept liability for any connecting travel arrangements you make (including any cancellation or amendment charges) in the event of changes to or cancellation of our polar trip.

Changes to flight information

When you book a flight-inclusive trip with Explore, your holidays confirmation will contain provisional flight details. The timings, flight numbers or route could change several times before departure. We will confirm final timings with your final documents. We will notify you immediately of any significant airline schedule change which occurs after your tickets have been issued. We recommend that you defer booking any connecting travel to the airport or arrangements such as car parking or overnight hotels until you have received your final documents, with confirmed travel times. Where Explore is arranging domestic regional flights, these will be automatically rebooked to connect with your international flights.

We strongly recommend that you do not purchase non-flexible, non-refundable connecting rail, air or bus tickets, as they usually incur cancellation or penalty charges in the event of a change to the departure time or date.

Aircraft weight restrictions

For the purposes of flight safety, it is essential that you adhere to the luggage weight restrictions imposed by the airline you are flying with, particularly when flying on internal flights on smaller aircraft.

Preparing for your holidays

Travelling to far-flung corners of the earth involves adapting to living conditions that are often very different from your own. Please be prepared for unusual situations, local differences and unpredictable events. The very nature of adventure holidayss means your most enjoyable moments are likely to come from the unexpected. You need to be sure you are happy to swap luxury for experience when joining an Explore trip. If you are someone who prefers things to go as planned and enjoys some pampering along the way, then maybe think twice about an adventure holidays. You should also be aware that some countries around the world have security problems. Unsavoury characters are likely to be active in big cities and street markets and certain areas may be considered ‘out-of-bounds’ for tourists. However, most crime is opportunistic. Using your common sense will reduce the risks. Unfortunately, no destination can be guaranteed to be safe from terrorism. We constantly monitor the political situation in the regions we visit and will re-route or cancel a trip if we feel it is necessary. While we endeavour to provide as much information as possible in our brochure and individual Trip Notes regarding the areas our trips travel to, we would always recommend that you undertake some background research about the places you will be visiting and the type of climate and local conditions you can expect in order to get the most from your holidays.

Travel Advice

TThe Australian and New Zealand Governments both provide information about overseas destinations. We strongly recommend that you read their comments about the country you are planning to visit, both when you book and again just before you leave. The information can be found here: Australian citizens: https://www.smartraveller.gov. au/destinations New Zealand citizens: https://www. safetravel.govt.nz/travel-advisories

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Travel Advice Unit provides detailed information about your destination. We strongly recommend that you read their comments about the country you are planning to visit, both when you book and again just before you leave, and that you sign up to the government travel alert service. For the UK, the FCDO alert service can be found here: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/emailsignup. We monitor FCDO travel warnings and advice, and based on them, may cancel trips before departure, or re-route or make other changes to trips operating in or throughout the country concerned. Any decision we take about whether to operate or cancel a trip or make other changes will always be in the interests of your safety and security. We will make these decisions at least four weeks before departure, unless we believe that local conditions will improve before the start of the trip.

Consumer peace of mind

We’ve been named a Platinum Trusted Service Award Winner. These awards are based purely on independently moderated feedback from customers via Feefo. It shows that we’re delivering time and again for our customers, placing customer service at the heart of what we do.

Explore has met ethy’s standards for verified sustainability claims. By achieving ethy certification, Explore is demonstrating contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and helping consumers make informed decisions.

See our ethy ecolabels here: exploreworldwide.com.au/ethy

The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection for Explore Worldwide Ltd, Member 5207 and in the event of their insolvency, protection is provided for: Non-flight packages

ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if transportation was included in your package. Please note that bookings made outside the UK are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Explore Worldwide Ltd. In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call our 24/7 helpline on 011 44 1702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT protected travel company.

Trip prices

Prices shown in this brochure are for guidance only. They represent the basic per person cost of the trip at the time of publication of this brochure. Prices may increase or decrease at any time during the life of the brochure. The price you pay may vary depending on when you book, as our operators occasionally run price promotions. The most current price for each polar trip can be found at exploreworldwide.com.au/polar. The lead-in prices for our ship-based trips are usually based on quad or triple share. For our Churchill Bears trips, the lead-in price is based on twin share. Please contact our Polar Sales team to discuss cabin and room options.

What’s included in the price?

See individual Trip Notes for detail on what is included in each trip. Normally all meals, Zodiac and Polar Rover excursions, and on-shore walks and hikes are included, but other activities must be pre-arranged and an extra charge will be made. Drinks and items of a personal nature such as laundry are not included in the voyage price. Tips for the crew are not included and are usually expected. Please note, all trips aboard the M/V Greg Mortimer and M/V Sylvia Earle, include gratuity payments in the voyage cost.

What’s not included?

The price of the trip does not include: flights, visa fees, vaccination charges, travel insurance premiums, passport costs, international departure taxes, excess baggage charges, optional tours and excursions, hotel porters or meals (other than those we list as included). We also do not include items of a personal nature; such as laundry, room service charges, drinks or phone calls. Tips for personal service are not included and are usually expected.

NO SURCHARGE PRICE GUARANTEE

Once we have confirmed your booking we guarantee the price of your confirmed services won’t change: we will not pass on surcharges of any kind. Unlike most other tour operators we will not pass on unexpected additional costs like fuel surcharges and tax increases.

Brochure / Website / Advertising material accuracy

The information contained in our brochure and website is believed to be correct at the time of printing or publication. However, errors may occasionally occur and information may subsequently change. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen vacations (including the price) with us at the time of booking. Thank you to all our Polar partners for supplying their images for use in this brochure.

Explore Worldwide Ltd.

Registered Office: Nelson House, 55 Victoria Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7PA, UK. VAT No. 358 7552 13.

Passport, Visa and Entry Requirements

Passport information

Please note it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct, current information in good time before departure and that you act on it. Please ensure that you are in possession of a full passport, with the correct validity and appropriate number of blank pages for your chosen destination. Please note that passport information is subject to change at any time.

Visas

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visas required for all countries that you will enter or pass thorough on your trip. Many countries require a visa to be obtained before travel or on arrival. A summary of requirements for British passport holders can be found on the individual Trip Notes but please note that visa and passport information is subject to change at any time. If required, visas can be obtained through a Visa Service or the relevant Embassy or Consular Office.

General Note

Some countries refuse admission to travellers not meeting their accepted standards of dress or appearance (even if they hold a visa). Entry may also be refused to some countries if your passport bears stamps or visas (valid or expired) from certain countries. Please bear this in mind when booking/ travelling to these destinations as it can negatively affect your future travel plans. Further information can be found on our Trip Notes where applicable.

Visas

Many countries require a visa to be obtained before travel or on arrival. If required, visas can be obtained through a Visa Service or the relevant Embassy or Consular Office.

Vaccinations

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct vaccinations required for all countries that you will visit on your trip. Explore Trip Notes detail the recommended vaccinations for each trip but you must consult with your doctor or a travel health clinic to ensure you have the most up to date advice. Please note that some inoculation programmes require two injections, administered four weeks apart. You should leave plenty of time for this. As a general rule, please note that health requirements and recommendations may change and you must check the current requirements in good time before departure. Further information can be found at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/ destinations/list

Please note that some inoculation programmes require two injections, administered four weeks apart. You should leave plenty of time for this. As a general rule, please note that health requirements and recommendations may change and you must check the current requirements in good time before departure.

Further information can be found at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk. For country-specific advice http://nathnac.net is an excellent source of information on health risks.

Under 18 immigration guidance

Please note that some countries require proof of parental consent when travelling overseas with under 18s. Please check requirements with the relevant embassy or consular office well in advance of travel if this applies to your party.

Lone parents travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the consulate of your destination country.

Your Privacy

Explore takes your privacy extremely seriously. We are committed to doing everything we can to protect any personal information provided to us when you enquire about or book a tour or another travel service with us, when you visit our website, or when you engage with us by other means. This equally applies if someone else makes arrangements on your behalf.

For full details of what, why and how we collect and use your personal information, how we protect it and how you can contact us, see our online Privacy Centre at www.exploreworldwide.com.au/privacy or call us on 011 44 1252 379438 so that we can send the details to you.

If you handle the arrangements for other travellers, please ensure they are aware of the information contained within our Privacy Centre and they consent to you acting on their behalf in your dealings with us.

To enable us to make tour arrangements for you, we may ask you to provide information such as:

• your name, gender, date of birth, contact details;

• your preferred rooming arrangements and other special requests (including special categories of personal data such as dietary requirements, which may disclose health matters or your religious or philosophical beliefs, and information about any disability or medical condition which may affect the chosen trip arrangements.);

• the name and telephone number of an emergency contact person (whom we will only contact in urgent circumstances while you are away);

• your passport and travel insurance details;

• details of your payment card or your bank account (this information is processed using a third party payment services provider and is not stored by us).

When you call us or correspond with us about your booking, we may record the call for training and quality control purposes and/ or keep information on why you contacted us, and the advice we gave you.

On your return from your trip we email or post a satisfaction questionnaire to you. This gives us specific feedback on any issue you may have experienced, and statistical data we can amalgamate in order to monitor the quality of our trips.

We will need to share your data with third party service providers, used in the delivery of your purchased trip arrangements, some of which may be based outside the EEA. These providers include accommodation, restaurants and transport providers; local ground partners and agents, where we use them; equipment hire operators, including our cycling partners and guides, tutors and local attractions where booked on your behalf.

We keep the information related to your booking for a period which enables us to handle or respond to any complaints or queries and to fulfil our obligations to our third party suppliers who provided your trip arrangements. The information may also be retained so that we can continue to improve your experience with us while you engage with and purchase from us. By law we have to keep basic information about our customers for legal and tax purposes for up to 7 years after they cease being customers.

If you fail to provide personal information

Should you fail to provide data required either by law, or necessary to provide your chosen travel arrangements, we will not be able to provide the services you have booked or are attempting to book. This may result in Explore being unable to process your booking and being forced to cancel the booking. In this case, we will treat this as a ‘cancellation by you’ in accordance with the relevant Booking Terms & Conditions and notify you accordingly.

Marketing communications

We may use your information to provide you with brochures, newsletters and other communications if you have provided your prior consent or we are permitted under an identified and assessed legitimate interest.

We sell our trips directly to customers and so sending out brochures and other marketing communications by post from time-to-time is very important to the way we do business. We use data we have collected from bookings, brochure requests and other forms of engagement to decide what marketing information our customers may like to receive, and we have identified this as in our legitimate interest.

We do provide an opportunity to opt-out of this direct marketing during the booking or enquiry process and in subsequent communications, or you may contact us at any time to do so.

We have found over the years that the majority of people welcome these communications and, those who do not are happy to let us know so we can ensure no more are sent.

If you ask us to stop sending marketing information, you may continue to receive communications for up to 4 weeks after your requested change while our systems are fully updated.

Images

From time-to-time, our staff, customers and suppliers may take photographs and video footage of trips in progress, including photos and video footage of our customers. You will be invited to sign a model release form to consent to this. These images may be used in future marketing materials and stored physically and digitally. If you do not wish to be filmed or for your pictures to be taken or used in this manner, please advise your Explore Leader and/or the photographer at the start of your trip.

Website use

In order for us to provide you with the optimum service, we use ‘Cookies’ on our website. Cookies are small text files sent to your computer when you access our site. Cookies used on our site are anonymous and contain no personal information, but do identify your computer so that you can navigate our site more easily and our website can remember your preferences. For more information about what cookies we use and how to manage them please refer to our Cookie Policy at www. exploreworldwide.com.au/privacy/cookies.

Contact us

It is important that the personal data we hold about you is accurate and current. Please keep us informed if any of the details you provide to us should change during the course of your relationship with us.

If you need further assistance, would like to make a comment or update your marketing preferences, you can contact us:

• By telephone on 011 44 1252 379438

• By email: Dataprivacy@explore.co.uk

• By mail to Data Privacy Manager, Explore, Nelson House, 55 Victoria Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7PA, UK.

You also have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Find out more and contact them via www.ico.org. uk/concerns.

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