Brian Berkman says a luxury icebreaker expedition offers South Africans an extraordinary alternative to their traditional June holidays.
Whilst May/June is typically the holiday period for hunting or travelling abroad, doing so year in and year out can become monotonous.
An alternative – a once-in-a-lifetime exploration in May/June 2027 – is to do something very few get to experience: an Arctic hunt, but for something entirely different.
The French-flagged Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot is the world’s only luxury icebreaker, and whilst the extreme and faraway locations it can take you to are legendary, the ship is a destination in itself.
Able to operate without returning to shore for three months thanks to its two tanks of liquefied natural gas and vast battery capacity, this hybrid electric ship not only goes to places others can’t, but does so quietly.
You may be giving up the solitude and silence of the game hunt, but Arctic solitude screams in its human absence.
Even the ship, which at full capacity accommodates 245 guests and 215 crew, feels sparsely populated. Each stateroom has its own balcony and sitting area, so silence comes easily on board too.
Journey to the Top of the World
Charcot is acclaimed for its exploration of the Earth’s poles, and a recently offered itinerary takes guests to the North Pole in less time than previously possible.
The vastness of the Earth’s extremities can never be appreciated when looking at a Mercator projection, so two or more weeks away is typically always required.
The writer was an extremely privileged guest of Ponant Explorations, invited aboard Charcot to experience the unexplored sea ice of Greenland’s north-eastern coast.
The 14-day round trip from Iceland’s Reykjavík into the far north doesn’t quite reach the North Pole, but sails as far north as the ice, weather, and time allow.
Practically impassable during winter, in summer the mostly frozen Arctic Sea ice thaws. Bright daylight is available for most of the 24 hours, so when guests are woken by Captain Charbel Daher at 1.30am to experience a polar bear very close to the ship, there’s no shortage of visibility.
Cost of the Extraordinary
This exploration comes at an extremely reading the best adventure stories. One, passenger, a former French army sniper and later hunter, was among them. Another home-built a catamaran that he solo sailed across an ocean.
Guests have near-constant access to the bridge, and the captain, who often dines with his crew and guests, is open to corridor chats and questions.
French Elegance Meets Polar Adventure
As a French line, most of the guests are French-speaking, but all announcements are bilingual and conferences and presentations are held either bilingually or repeated in English.
The French influence is most deliciously palpable in the cuisine. She is the only ship to have an Alain Ducasse restaurant, Nuna, at sea.
Dining, either in the refined elegance of Michelin-star service or in the more casual buffet-style top-deck restaurant, is a highlight of the experience. Everything, from interiors and linens to Diptyque bathroom amenities, is French at its best.
Adventures for the Bold
For the fit and adventurous, polar hikes are offered, accompanied by the type of experts and survivalists that strength-train Britain’s soldiers. In the case of the writer’s journey, when climate conditions changed quickly, the ship’s helicopter and crew were dispatched to collect hikers no longer able to use the inflatable Zodiac skiffs to return to the ship.
One could, arguably, arrive aboard in shorts and vellies – all necessary equipment is offered and an Arctic parka is provided as a keepsake – but do bring your own high-quality protective sunglasses against the polar glare.
These, and plenty more, are available to purchase aboard, but may make the flight fare seem like small change.
Stories to Tell
The thrill of the hunt, the frigid early mornings stalking, the many great stories to share of the adventure are almost nothing compared to saying you plunged into icy -1,6°C waters near the very top of the world. Or about the pod of Orca whales that raced alongside the ship. Or that you went kayaking (something invented by the Inuits) and saw a glacier up close. Or that you trekked on the tundra, snow-shoed over the ocean, or felt the ice wind blasting in your face as 10 Greenlandic Huskies whisked you to shore.
Some level of fitness is required for most of the excursions, but not being fit isn’t a reason to skip this trip.
Whilst you will replace the rifle for a camera, the shoot will be as spectacular. During the writer’s experience,acclaimed wildlife photographer Cindy Miller Hopkins was aboard and even had very useful tips for using a mobile phone to capture the wilderness.
South Africans require visas for Iceland and for Greenland. Flights are typically via London or Amsterdam.
Departing on 25 May 2027 fees from £20 030 (R450 500) for a Prestige Stateroom at the 30% Ponant bonus. See shorturl.at/e4Ohq.
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