Peregrine Adventures this week unveiled new expeditions to Antarctica that will benefit both travellers and the environment.
Peregrine Adventures’ Antarctica Expeditions aboard the Ocean Endeavour will continue the company’s focus on a sustainable and experiential style of cruising.
“We want the journey to Antarctica to be life-changing, not earth-changing,” says Brett Mitchell, Regional Director of Asia Pacific for Peregrine Adventures.
Peregrine has a strong focus on sustainability, serving only sustainably sourced seafood, avoiding single-use plastics and using biodegradable and phosphate-free cleaning products on board. Peregrine carbon-offsets all land trips, adventure cruises and polar expeditions, and these new voyages will see Peregrine double the carbon offsets on behalf of all customers.
“Antarctica reminds its visitors of just how small our planet is and how interconnected we are. Our travellers leave inspired to do more to protect the environment and we want to play our part by doubling our carbon offsets on each voyage,” said Mitchell, who has just returned from Antarctica himself.
The Ocean Endeavour carries 199 travellers and has a range of accommodation options, including single cabins.
With an impressive ratio of one crew member to eight travellers to reflect the Peregrine small-group style of travel, travellers will have the chance to explore the White Continent on a range of optional activities with specialised guides such as sea kayaking, snowshoeing, photography tours and even ice-camping. But it’s the opportunity to completely switch off that’s attracting a new type of traveller to the world’s last frontier.
Nature as a prescription has been a growing trend and Antarctica may be the ultimate medication for travellers who need to reset in the most pristine environment on Earth.
“We want to ensure that not only do we protect the environment, [but we also] inspire travellers as well, and these trips will emphasise personal reflection and offer yoga on the ship, where travellers can completely switch off in this pristine destination.”
Mitchell said yoga in Antarctica will turn Bikram yoga on its head by offering the popular wellness movement as the ship sails through below-zero temperatures.
He went on to say, starting October 2020, the Peregrine charters will make the polar experience more accessible than ever with a lead-in price of AU$7,090.
“Experiencing Antarctica is one of the greatest travel experiences and it shouldn’t be exclusively for the wealthy,” said Mitchell.
To celebrate the launch, Peregrine held a panellist event where travel and polar experts come together to discuss whether Antarctica is the ‘ultimate last frontier’. Geoff Manchester, Co-founder of Intrepid Group, was joined on the panel by adventurer Paul Hameister, writer and photographer Liz Carlson, Rachael Robertson (who led a year-long journey in the region) and David ‘Dutch’ Willmott, a polar expedition leader in the region.
The five panel members shared their travel stories from a personal perspective with Rachael Robertson, speaker, author and Antarctic expedition leader, saying: “Antarctica is life-changing. The honour of visiting a place so pristine, untouched and precious – a place that remains exactly as it should be – opens you up to a world of possibilities. The sheer scale of the continent is endless and absolutely inspiring.”
“It will take your breath away at every turn, and forever hold a piece of your heart. It did for me,” Robertson added.
Robertson also added that the physical and mental challenges taught her to become more aware of her thoughts and surroundings in addition to honing her leadership and team-building skills.