Explore the Weddell Sea as part of an expeditionary cruise to Antarctica. Steppes Travel has been specialising in expeditionary cruises to the Southern Ocean for over 15 years. We offer a selection of voyages down into the Weddell Sea aboard small expeditionary boats, ice strengthened to travel into the most challenging regions.
- Find huge tabular icebergs and pack ice. This area inaccessible for much of the year, only a handful of ships venture here each season
- Home to emperor penguin colonies including Snow Hill, the world’s most northerly rookery
- Synonymous with Shackleton and his men who battled north to Elephant Island after the Endurance became trapped in ice
- Possible to combine with the Antarctic Peninsula and Falkland Islands. It also makes an ideal choice for second time visitors
First discovered by James Weddell in 1823 The Weddell Sea is home to vast tabular icebergs, pack ice, a barren landscape, grand vistas and some of Antarctica’s greatest penguin rookeries. The south-western and southern borders of the sea are formed by the Larsen and the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelves which produce the huge tabular icebergs that are so abundant in the Weddell Sea.
The Snow Hill penguin colony; only recently discovered, offers a chance to see emperor penguins which you would normally have to travel to the Ross Sea to experience. Cruises with onboard helicopters will give the best chance of getting close to the colony. Epic stories of endurance and survival, such as Shackleton’s and Nordenskjold’s, will be fresh in the mind, but you will have the comfort of a well equipped expedition ship to return to each day.