Antarctica is a continent of superlatives. It is the
coldest, windiest, driest, iciest and highest of all the major landmasses in the world.
It is the continent with the longest nights and the longest days and it is home to the world's
greatest concentration of wildlife. It is also one of the last true wilderness areas
left on earth - largely unchanged since the early explorers and whalers first landed on its
inhospitable shores less than two centuries ago. 
Considerably larger than
either the United States or Europe, and twice the size of Australia, the continent is
surrounded by a frozen sea that varies in area from one million square miles in summer to 7.3
million square miles in winter. Beyond the ice are the waters of the vast Southern Ocean
which encircles Antarctica in a continuous ring several hundred miles wide. The Southern
Ocean isolates the continent from the warmer waters of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans
to the north and this meeting point, called the Antarctic Convergence, is the
ecologically-defined northern boundary of the region. Our journeys occur at the peak of
the summer wildlife season. Bathed in long hours of daylight, the area will be erupting
with wildlife activity. Millions of penguins gather to tend their fast-growing chicks;
whales are seen in great numbers, seals haul out onto ice floes and beaches, and numerous
albatrosses and other seabirds trail in our wake. We explore historic sites from the
Heroic Age of early Antarctic exploration and visit scientists working in modern research
bases. And there is plenty of time to enjoy the sheer beauty and the breathtaking
scenery of ice-choked waterways, blue and white icebergs, impressive glaciers and rugged
snow-capped mountains. We have a fantastic range of comfortable and safe expedition
cruises to choose from onboard both our powerful icebreaker and also our adventure fleet of
ice-strengthened ships. | Emperor Penguins Our ‘safari’ is a rare opportunity for photographers, artists, and nature lovers to observe Emperors early in the breeding season and to take the time you need to appreciate these extraordinary creatures.  |
| Semi-Circumnavigation of Antarctica Sail to the other side of the world, from southern South America to New Zealand, on this once-in-a-lifetime expedition. |
| The Great Antarctic Explorers - Ernest
Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott An unusual and fascinating expedition focusing on the historic huts and celebrated sites from the Heroic Age of early Antarctic exploration. |
More about the Kapitan Khlebnikov
