French cruise line PONANT has just opened bookings for its Antarctica 2016-2017 itineraries.

Travellers may choose from four voyages, each of which permits them to traverse one of world’s most extreme regions in five-star luxury.

PONANT’s yachts, equipped with 122-132 suites, are specially designed for polar cruises and can access protected sites.

Highlights include polar safaris and excursions aboard Zodiacs to get you as close to the continent’s unique wildlife as possible. Also present on board are South Pole specialists, who will enrich your experience with their knowledge of and passion for these polar lands.

EMBLEMATIC ANTARCTICA

Immerse yourself in the vast white world of the Antarctic Peninsula and behold the tabular icebergs and drifting pack ice, home to fur seals and penguin colonies.

Route: Ushuaia-Ushuaia

Duration: 11 days, 10 nights

Price: From AU$8430 per person, incl. Buenos Aires-Ushuaia-Buenos Aires transfers

THE GREAT ADVENTURE

Marvel at the white landscapes of the Antarctic Peninsula with stops at either South Georgia or the Falkland Islands and the South Shetland Islands.

Route: Montevideo-Ushuaia

Duration: 16 days, 15 nights

Price: From AU$8510 per person, incl. Ushuaia-Buenos Aires transfer

THE GREAT AUSTRAL LOOP

Experience the whole gamut of what Antarctica has to offer with highlights of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Route: Ushuaia-Ushuaia

Duration: 16 days, 15 nights

Price: From AU$10 740 per person, incl. Buenos Aires-Ushuaia-Buenos Aires transfers

JOURNEY IN SOUTHERN LANDS

Revel in a voyage that covers the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and three of the most isolated islands in the world: Tristan da Cunha, a volcanic and mountainous land; Gough Island, home to one of the world’s largest seabird colonies and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site; and Nightingale Island, a refuge for many penguins.

Route: Ushuaia-Cape Town

Duration: 22 days, 21 nights

Price: From AU$9520 per person

All four cruises benefit from the PONANT BONUS (up to 30% savings on brochure prices) for a limited period, and may be extended with a host of pre- and post-cruise programmes.