Macquarie Island
Over 100,000 King Penguins herald the approach to Macquarie, a remote island sanctuary recently classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Large groups of elephant seals slumber on sandy beaches along with a multitude of King Penguins - and the entire world's estimated population (3 million) of royal penguins. Macquarie Island is certainly the most varied single wildlife area on this voyage. Landings depend on permissions, as well as local weather and sea conditions.

Southern Ocean
Soaring albatrosses and petrels fly around the ship as the vessel sails in the wake of Scott, Mawson, Shackleton and others south toward the Antarctic Circle and the Ross Sea. Encounter a dramatic drop in water temperature when you cross the Antarctic Convergence. This is the area where icebergs are portents of the frozen splendor of Antarctica ahead. Shipboard naturalists help you spot and identify seabirds and marine mammals that are indigenous to these waters. The ship's historian recounts the heroic tales of the Ross Sea and Antarctica.

Pack Ice and the Balleny Islands
At this time of the year, expect a broad band of very heavy pack ice to guard the entrance to the Ross Sea. Experience firsthand the expert abilities and the power of the Kapitan Khlebnikov in ice-choked waters. Learn how the ship breaks and navigates through ice while watching for Weddell, leopard, crabeater, or the elusive Ross seals.

Should conditions permit, you board a helicopter for a thrilling view of the icebreaker battling the pack ice of this remote world. A special celebration marks the crossing of the Antarctic Circle, en route to Victoria Land and the Antarctic's 24-hour daylight.

Victoria Land & Transantarctic Mountains
Spend six days exploring the coast along Victoria Land. Flexibility is the hallmark of any successful polar expedition, so be prepared to find that the day-by-day schedule of activities evolves in response to weather and ice conditions. The Captain and Expedition Leader take full advantage of every opportunity to make landings with Zodiacs or helicopters, using the extended daylight to maximize your time ashore. The program will emphasize visits to several rookeries of Emperor and Adélie Penguins. Weddell and crabeater seals are often abundant. All the while, the backdrop is breathtaking scenery, glaciers and tabular icebergs. The following is a selection of possible landing sites:

Cape Adare: Views of the 4,000-meter Admiralty Range herald your arrival at Cape Adare, discovered in 1841 by Captain James Ross. Behind the broad open beach, you see the 1899 hut where Carsten Borchgrevink was the leader of the first expedition to over-winter on the Antarctic Continent. Cape Adare is home to 260,000 pairs of Adélie Penguins, the largest rookery anywhere of this species - an absolutely staggering sight.

Cape Hallett: Dense pack ice will challenge the icebreaker at Cape Hallett, once the site of a research base established by the United States and New Zealand, during the 1957-58 International Geophysical Year. The scenery here is wild and spectacular. One intended landing site is near the former base, which is surrounded by over 55,000 pairs of Adélie Penguins. Weather permitting, board a helicopter for flight-seeing around Edisto Inlet, an amphitheater of glaciers and mountains.

Possession Islands: Visit an Adélie Penguin rookery on Foyn Island, one of the Possession Islands, first discovered by James Clark Ross and Francis Crozier in 1841, on their first attempt to locate the South Magnetic Pole.

Terra Nova Bay & Campbell Glacier Ice Tongue: Located between Cape Washington and the Drygalski Ice Tongue, Terra Nova Bay is the site of the Mario Zuchelli Station, an Italian summer research station. The Kapitan Khlebnikov navigates the spectacular Campbell Glacier Ice Tongue.

The Emperor Penguin breeds in the shelter of stunningly sculptured icebergs - an extraordinary feat of endurance begun during the dark, extremely cold winter months. From the closest approach by ship, you walk over the ice to the rookeries, or if weather permits, you may land by helicopter at a safe distance. Great care is taken not to disturb the penguins.

Cape Roget: A steep rock cape at the southern tip of the Adare Peninsula, Cape Roget marks the north entrance to Moubray Bay, the site of an Emperor Penguin rookery.

Coulman Island: This is an unusually scenic island, with impressive mountains and cliffs thickly capped by ice. Nearby, if weather conditions permit, you visit large groups of Emperor Penguins nesting on the fast ice of Glacier Strait.

Cape Washington: Here at this frozen cape, Emperor Penguins and their chicks congregate in a stunning setting of glaciers and icebergs. The farcarrying trumpeting vocalizations and loud chick whistles are symbolic of the Antarctic.

Pack Ice
During this portion of the voyage, the Captain and Expedition Leader search for a large ice floe suitable to moor alongside for a Farewell-to- Antarctica barbecue on ice.

Southern Ocean
Continuing northward, marine mammals and seabirds lure you to the decks. Onboard naturalists introduce you to the rich wildlife of the subantarctic islands of New Zealand, nature reserves protected and managed by the New Zealand Department of Conservation. Permissions, weather, and landing conditions will determine specific landing sites.

Campbell Island
From the deck, watch as the Kapitan Khlebnikov sails into Perseverance Harbor, a sunken volcanic caldera that cuts across the island. On shore, follow a boardwalk from a small, unstaffed meteorological station over tussock grass to hilltop lookouts. From here, you may observe the courtship and nesting behavior of the Royal Albatross. Every southern summer, 15,000 of these birds nest among clusters of brightlycolored megaherbs - indigenous plants, first described by Joseph Hooker on the epic voyage of the Terror and Erebus.