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• The ultimate journeys, literally to the ends of the earth

• Magnificent pristine landscapes with the greatest wildlife spectacles in the world

At the ends of the earth and far from meddlesome humanity, the Polar Regions are perhaps the last pristine wildernesses left on the planet. They're harsh, merciless environments of savage, eye-watering beauty, but the experience of these icy Edens depends entirely on the ship chosen to take you there. If shopping, two sittings at dinner, bingo and cocktails, scheduled in rigorous timetables, are how you gauge your holiday, read no further. If maximising your precious time in the poles on any one of seven small, quiet, sensitively run ships is your desire, jump aboard.

These specially designed ships are more than capable of coping with the worst conditions the Poles can throw, but solid technical reliability and the experience of an accomplished, seasoned crew don't come cheap - you'll find our expeditions a touch more expensive than an inside cabin on one of those 400 berth floating gin palaces, but it's worth paying the extra.

Fluctuating oil prices as well as a weak pound also have an effect but the critical currencies of staff, ethos and ethics place small (around 100 passengers) ships like the Vavilov, Ocean Nova and Khlebnikov in a category unmatched in Polar Travel. With ice-strengthened hulls and captains possessed of the intuition that only comes after years of navigating these notoriously tricky waters, these ships carry awestruck passengers into areas of the icecaps the big cruise ships can only dream of. Once there they offer the most precious commodity of all: time, time to enjoy the many exhilarating activities and bounteous wildlife but also time to stand and stare.

If you've read the works of polar explorers like Shackleton, Mawson and Amundsen you'll be some way towards understanding the mesmerising effect of the black waters, blue ice and cerulean skies at the ends of the world, and although comfort levels on board ship have changed since the days of the James Caird, the active, small ship experience remains largely the same.

No-one arrives in the Poles by accident, and those intrepid enough to cross the Drake Passage or stay up till the early hours in 24 hour Arctic daylight are never short-changed. Our Polar team looks forward to discussing these exciting voyages with you.

Welcome on board!

Paul Goldstein

The Polar section of our website for 2010 onwards has a new look and menu list, why not check out our Polar homepage!