Our Team
Our Tour Experts
Heroes and Heroines
Ship-to-Shore Flights
Fly between the vessel and land, taking in views of the snow-covered landscape.
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![Amy Waters snow biking]()
Our Team
Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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![William Dalrymple]()
Our Tour Experts
We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
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![Liz Bonnin]()
Heroes and Heroines
The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Cruise & Helicopter: In Search of the Emperor Penguin
An extraordinary expedition cruise to the ice-chocked Weddell Sea and the far side of the Antarctic Peninsula, this is an adventure-filled trip that is synonymous with British polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men. Focusing on exploring the range of the emperor penguins near Snow Hill Island, board helicopters to fly inland and land at their remote rookeries.
Key Highlights of this Itinerary
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Remote Weddell Sea
Navigate the lesser-visited Weddell Sea, where Shackleton’s lost ship was trapped.
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Emperor Pengiuns
Search for emperor penguin colonies from the air in a 4-6 passenger helicopter.
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Tabular Icebergs
Sail past colossal bodies of thick ice that have calved off of ice shelves and glaciers.
Why we like it
Designed to appeal to those who wish to experience unimaginable remoteness, this is a true expedition voyage that navigates into an area that is defined by colossal tabular icebergs and remarkable wildlife. In joining a boat journey set to sail the Weddell Sea and Antarctic Peninsula, intrepid voyagers sign up for an exhilarating and adventuresome passage that uniquely utilises helicopters to explore emperor penguin habitats. Owing to the expeditionary nature of this trip, on-board experts will determine the daily route and goings-on based on local ice, weather, and wildlife conditions – the thrill lies in snubbing prescriptive daily itineraries in favour of embracing the elements of the remote Southern Sea and Antarctica.
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Embark
Ushuaia
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10 Nights Sailing
Weddell Sea & Antarctic Peninsula
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Disembark
Ushuaia
Embark
Ushuaia
Explore Ushuaia, the town at “the end of the world”.
10 Nights Sailing
Weddell Sea & Antarctic Peninsula
Navigate through the lesser-visited Weddell Sea, where Shackleton’s lost ship Endurance was trapped in ice.
Disembark
Ushuaia
Fly above the Continent
Exclusive Helicopter Flights
Soar high above the surreal ecosystem of the Weddell Sea and observe the Antarctic wilderness from above, a unique opportunity that few vessels have the capability for. In helicopters that carry small expeditionary groups of 4-6 people, travel from an on-deck landing pad to the heart of untouched wilderness. In a landscape comprised of pristine snow and a thousand shades of blue and white, take birds’-eye-view photographs or simply contemplate the historic significance of the area.
Snow Island Colony
Walk with Emperors
In this remotest of environments, characterised by high altitude and bitter cold, it is easy to embrace the spirit of exploration. Against a backdrop of pristine white wilderness, attempt to rendezvous with majestic emperor penguins at their remote inland rookery. Snow Hill Island, only reachable by helicopter flight if the ice-conditions are favourable, is home to a rookery of 4,000 breeding pairs of emperor penguins. Aside from the ultimate goal of seeing the species from a short distance away, there are also opportunities to spot individual emperor penguins on ice floes.
The Antarctic Sound
Adelies of the Sound
Perhaps visit the western slopes of the Antarctic Sound, a place that is rarely viewed from the above, during a scenic flight that travels above little-seen lava flows, glaciers and icebergs. Huge colonies of Adelie penguins congregate on the ice floes, backed by shattered walls of ice and jagged mountain peaks. Other remarkable flights soar over Duse Bay, with its rocky terrain and old refuge hut, and Seymour Island, known for the Swedish Antarctic Expedition of 1901.
Zodiac Trips
Step Foot on Brown Bluff
Depending on the specific departure, you might find yourself hiking to a vantage point on Devil Island or walking past chinstrap penguins on Gourdin Island. With each day comes another unique disembarkation, from traversing the fallen boulders and sheer canyon walls of Brown Bluff to landing at the Esperanza Base research station. Throughout the voyage, hear the stories of endurance synonymous with this region during lectures by naturalists and guides.
Start planning your trip
A note on price
Prices will vary depending on the time of year you are travelling. Prices do not include international flights. Please ask one of our Travel Experts for an accurate quote. Flights purchased through Steppes Travel departing from the UK are ATOL protected.
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?
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