Antarctica

Antarctica – perfect beauty clothed in snow and ice. The coldest continent on earth may not be hospitable to people, yet it is home to the most fascinating of animals. Sailing the Falkland Islands, South Georgia or the Northern Peninsula, you will enjoy the sight of great colonies of king and emperor penguins, of orcas, whales and elephant seals. The experience of wandering this singular region more than makes up for the discomfort of its harsh climate.

The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean made up of two main islands and more than 700 smaller ones. Their coastline is covered in rugged cliffs, but also in beautiful sandy beaches. Walking the white sand, visitors can watch colonies of king, gentoo and rockhopper penguins, elephant seals, sea lions and dolphins. Equally irresistible are walks in nature, birdwatching, fishing and diving among shipwrecks. And with no light pollution, the star-strewn night sky lies within arm's reach.

Patagonia stretches across a great part of Chile and Argentina, between the Andes to the west, the Colorado River to the north and Tierra del Fuego to the south. The whole region belongs to UNESCO's natural heritage thanks to magnificent national parks with their many glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, fjords, astonishing mountains and volcanoes. Torres del Paine, the most visited of the parks and known as a hiker's paradise, offers superb views of the ranges and of a landscape full of intriguing animals such as Magellanic penguins, elephant seals, whales, sea lions, armadillos, maras and pumas.

The greatest draw for visitors to the island of South Georgia is its unbridled wilderness – and its history. The island, also called the “Galapagos of the Poles”, is home to hundreds of thousands of king penguins, and to smaller numbers of other penguins. Besides these endearing creatures, South Georgia is inhabited by elephant seals, albatrosses and whales. Its marine ecosystem is among the most remarkable examples of biodiversity in the world.

The name of Snow Hill Island captures its appearance almost literally: rising out of the Weddell Sea, it is covered in snow almost entirely, all year round. Sailing towards the island, visitors are met with unforgettable views of ice formations of every kind. Despite its small area, Snow Hill Island is home to an immense colony of emperor penguins, the greatest wildlife attraction in the Antarctic region. Emperors are the only species that mate and incubate their eggs on the ice.