After a successful season in the tropics, this true go-anywhere expedition vessel and EYOS look forward to another successful Antarctic season in 2024-25. The Austral summer runs November through March and brings mild temperatures and 24 hours of sunlight, which make for optimal conditions for excursions and viewing wildlife. And Hanse Explorer, with her ice class and expedition team, is the perfect platform from which to explore.
Hanse Explorer is one of just a handful of expedition superyachts that continuously cruises Antarctica, and despite the other superyacht offerings here, Hanse Explorer remains one of the most popular.. Her high commercial ice classification, refined interiors, and onboard expedition team offer the ultimate combination for an ultimate Antarctic adventure.
But more than anything, Hanse Explorer has a true expedition spirit built into her DNA. There is a sense from everyone onboard, from the Captain on down, to go the extra mile to deliver a great experience on shore even through difficult navigation conditions. The crew of 15 is composed not only of experienced seafarers, but also photographers, ice specialists, and wildlife experts hailing from all over the world including Ukraine, Austria, and South Africa. Together, they help to push the boundaries with Hanse Explorer , sailing through difficult conditions into uncharted territory.
There is another reason she remains one of the most popular expedition superyachts in Antarctica. Experiences offered onboard Hanse Explorer are created consciously and in line with a passion for the environment. That’s why she has a set of tools onboard for mindful exploration. The yacht offers a kayaking experience onboard, her state-of-the-art dive center provides unparalleled access to the underwater world, and nimble Zodiacs allow for exploration in narrow inlets and among porpoising penguins.
Getting to Antarctica on Hanse Explorer is part of the experience. Most voyages depart from Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. Known as the gateway to the Antarctic, from Ushuaia, it takes two days to cross the Drake Passage before reaching the Antarctic Peninsula. The Drake Passage is known to be unpredictable and crossing the legendary body of water is part of the adventure, but Hanse Explorer’s stabilizers help make for a smoother experience in these waters. Once south of 60°S, past what is called the Antarctic convergence, an array of wild scenery begins to emerge. Massive icebergs, stunning mountain scenery, magnificent ice shelves, and century-old glaciers welcome you to a landscape of true wonder.
Antarctica’s personality changes with the passing of each summer month as the area comes alive with activity after a dark winter. Depending on the time of your visit, a landing at a penguin colony can offer a glimpse of courting rituals, the birth of baby chicks, or an encounter with adolescent penguins curious to meet new visitors. Antarctica is home to a variety of other wildlife you can see nowhere else in the world, including albatrosses, fur and leopard seals, sea elephants, and several species of whales like the humpback, blue, and minke whales.
It has been said that spending time in Antarctica leaves one forever changed. None of the books you read nor photographs you see can prepare you for an encounter with the most mystical landscape in the world. Come discover for yourself the last vast wilderness on earth.
