Some voyages by ship, more than any other, are considered the greatest routes of our time, and this expedition is one of them. From Tierra del Fuego to South Africa, you can expect more than a normal Antarctic cruise. It is a meeting of different animal worlds–- from penguins to the “big five”. The power and sensitivity of nature changes from polar ice and glacial panoramas to South African summer. As with historic Antarctic expeditions, this route from cape to cape and past spectacular islands far from civilisation involves time at sea. A welcome opportunity to deepen your knowledge on board the HANSEATIC spirit with exciting expert presentations and to enjoy relaxing comfort and wellness with an ocean view. Southbound: from the tip of Latin America, you will reach the archaic beauty of the South Shetland Islands after sailing through the Drake Passage. Here, the small HANSEATIC spirit can prove its expedition capability when it sails into the flooded caldera of the extinct volcano that forms Deception Island. Will Paradise Bay be the place where you first set foot on the Antarctic mainland? Snow-covered peaks, imposing icebergs and towering glaciers welcome you in style. Unbelievable views will also await you in the bay of Neko Harbor, surrounded by icebergs floating in the water with a backdrop of rocky massifs. The monumental dimensions of the Antarctic Peninsula are emphasised by Brown Bluff, its tuff cliffs towering up to 700 m (2,296 ft) between two mighty glaciers. History surrounds you on Elephant Island: polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew spent the winter here after abandoning their ship in the ice. Who would guess there are around 1,200 animals species on the South Orkney Islands? Scientists found that there are more species here than on the Galapagos Islands. The islands are home to numerous varieties of penguin, whale and seal as well as leopard seals.

In South Gorgia live Hundreds of thousands of king penguins side by side with elephant seals and fur seals on the coasts and cliffs – overwhelming natural spectacles that you can observe from a respectful distance after landing on one of the black shores. In addition, trace the footsteps of the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, who found his final resting place here in 1922.

Around 2,400 km (1,491 mi.) from the nearest settlement, the island Tristan da Cunha rises out of the South Atlantic – perhaps the most remote place on earth. If the weather is good, you will land in the Zodiacs to learn more about the lives of the around 230 people who live here, far from civilisation. The small island of Nightingale, the breeding ground for more than a million seabirds, provides good opportunities for wildlife sightings. Things might get lively in the water where, with a little luck, you’ll spot some humpback and sperm whales. But one thing’s for sure – when you arrive in South Africa, you can proudly boast that you have travelled from cape to cape. How many other people can say that?