Sailing Antarctica: A Polar Wildlife Expedition

Watch this Antarctica video and get a glimpse of the one-of-a-kind experience of sailing Antarctica. Whales, seals and penguins greet you throughout the journey as you sail through sea ice and past enormous glaciers.

In Antarctica, sea ice isn’t just part of the scenery—it’s the foundation for survival. Join Expedition Leader Lianne Thompson for a closer look at crabeater, Weddell and leopard seals. You’ll learn how these remarkable marine mammals depend on ice for breeding, hunting and shelter, and how climate change is reshaping this crucial habitat. Lianne also shares tips on storytelling through image composition, using the ice to frame powerful wildlife photos, and explains how your images can support conservation science through seal identification efforts.

What’s it like to explore Antarctica by sailboat with just a handful of travelers? Expedition Leader Marlo Shaw offers an in-depth look at our Sailing Antarctica: A Polar Wildlife Expedition, an intimate adventure through the Southern Ocean’s remote waters. Learn what makes this small-group sailing experience so unique—from navigating the legendary Drake Passage to exploring ice-laced coves giant cruise ships can’t reach. Marlo also shares insights on Antarctica’s ecology, its unique governance system, and how stepping out of your comfort zone can be transformational.

Whale researcher Ari Friedlaender, Ph.D., has taken more than 40 trips to Antarctica to study whale behavior—including traveling with Nat Hab guests on the Hanse Explorer! Brooke Mitchell talks with Dr. Friedlaender about his research on whale biology and behavior and how these cetaceans adapt to changes in their environments. Learn what whale pregnancy rates can tell us about climate change, find out how scientists get close enough to these colossal creatures to study them, and discover the effects of ecotourism on whale conservation.