From heli-skiing in North Kamchatka to scuba diving in the Red Sea, the possibilities are endless when chartering an explorer yacht. Equipped with ice-breaking hulls, transoceanic cruising ranges and toy boxes fit for adrenaline-pumping activities, explorers are designed to travel to the farthest corners of the globe and offer guests the adventure of a lifetime. To mark the launch of the 2025 Explorer Yachts Summit, BOAT International takes a look at the best explorer yachts on the charter market, starting with the legendary 126.2-metre Octopus...
Octopus
Stats: 126.2 metres, Lürssen, 2003, 12 guests, 45 crew
Expedition capabilities: With an ice-class hull and cruising range of 12,500 nautical miles, the iconic Octopus is more than capable of reaching the earth’s most remote corners. She’s got just the right kit for off-the-grid adventures too, offering two helipads, an ROV, Triton submarines, a fully-equipped dive centre, seven tenders and her own float-in tender garage.
Home comforts: With an interior volume of 9,932GT there’s more than enough space on this superyacht for luxury amenities. Highlights include a private cinema, a wellness centre complete with a spa, gym and treatment rooms, a swimming pool and an aquarium.
Octopus is available to charter with Big Blue Expeditions, starting from $2,200,000 per week.
Arctic
Stats: 1994, Schichau-Unterweser, 87.6m, 12 guests, 28 crew
Expedition capabilities: Due to her original 1969 ice-class steel hull, the 87.6-metre Arctic has been able to circumnavigate the globe several times and has achieved a Guinness World Record in reaching the southernmost point ever navigated by a motor yacht, showcasing her ability to reach remote locations and letting her guests go where others cannot.
Home comforts: Arctic features all the state-of-the-art charter amenities guests would expect, from a 4D private cinema to an adjustable depth pool and Jacuzzi. Each deck has endless possibilities, offering the chance to unwind in the massage and wellness suite, or entertain with the multifunctional helipad, which also serves as a starlit dance floor and elaborate outdoor dining facility. The yacht for charter can sleep up to 12 guests in seven suites, plus 28 crew. Alongside dining and relaxation spaces, she has a beach club, a gym and a cinema. Arctic can also carry a wealth of toys, including a 14-metre Endeavour tender, a 10-metre Riva tender, plus Jet Skis, water skis, Seabobs, kayaks, scuba diving equipment and more.
Arctic is available for charter with Ahoy Club, starting from €590,000 per week.
Bold
Stats: 85.3 metres, Silver Yachts, 2019, 12 guests, 20 crew
Expedition capabilities: Technically classed as a "sports activity vessel" (SAV), the SOLAS-compliant explorer yacht Bold can carry several toys perfect for expeditions. The helipad can host an AW109S Grand helicopter, while the other 400 square metres of deck space accommodates a 15-metre tender and crane. A cruising range of 5,000 nautical miles and provisions storage for up to five months means that Bold can certainly handle going off the grid – and she also has scuba diving equipment for enjoying those remote destinations to their fullest.
Home comforts: Ideal for exploring warmer climes, Bold features vast outdoor entertaining areas complete with a bar and Teppanyaki grill, an outdoor cinema, an eight-person hot tub and a lounge surrounding a firepit for balmy cocktail hour(s).
Bold is available to charter with Hill Robinson, starting from €875,000 per week.
Aqua Lares
Stats: 77.4 metres, IHC Verschure, 1974, 30 guests, 28 crew
Expedition capabilities: Soviet icebreaker turned ultra-luxe explorer, Aqua Lares is primed for polar expeditions with her commercial-standard helideck, state-of-the-art fire extinguishing systems and eight-tonne helifuel storage tank and bunker systems. This year she is being converted into a luxury cruise ship, offering up to 30 guests a "superyacht experience", including personalised service, a 1:1 crew to guest ratio, cuisine by "world-renowned chefs" and expert-led excursions in small groups. With a volume of 2,400GT, cabins range from 13 to 66 square metres, including three generous owner's suites.
Home comforts: Don't be fooled by her Cold War aesthetic – Aqua Lares has all the leisure hallmarks of a successful charter yacht. In particular, her 2016 refit saw the stern extended by 3.6 metres, allowing for both a new swim platform and a 16-person superyacht spa pool with a waterfall. An ultra-heated hot tub, Balinese spa, well-equipped gym and private cinema room provide ample entertainment for icy, long-term expeditions.
Aqua Lares is still available to exclusively charter with Y.CO, starting from €625,000 per week.
La Datcha
Stats: 76.9m, Damen Yachting, 2020, 12 guests, 25 crew
Expedition capabilities: The ice-classed La Datcha is an intrepid explorer built for adventures in the world’s wildest regions and is equipped with toys for every climate. A pair of helicopters – twin Airbus H125s – can whisk guests off for an afternoon of heli-skiing, while the three-person Triton submersible was made to match the mothership.
Home comforts: Spanning six decks, she comfortably accommodates up to 12 guests across six cabins, including two master cabins and one VIP. La Datcha's interiors are luxuriously timeless with calm, muted shades, to make anyone and everyone feel at home.
La Datcha is available for charter with TWW Yachts, starting from $630,000 per week.
Bleu De Nîmes
Stats: 72.3m, Clelands, 1980, 28 guests, 23 crew
Expedition credentials: Life began for Bleu de Nîmes in 1980 as a British Royal Navy degaussing vessel, but in 2005 she was converted into an explorer with an enormous range of 20,000 nautical miles. Built in steel, the yacht today (having undergone another transformation, completed in 2020) is as exciting as ever for the charter market with exceptional credentials such as huge deck space, a wellness area and a dive centre.
Home comforts: Perfect for larger groups or extended families, the yacht has 13 cabins across her Pier Vittorio Cerruti-designed interiors. The large sundeck is another crowdpleaser with its two large Jacuzzis, drinks bar and ample sunloungers.
Bleu de Nîmes is available to charter with SuperYachts Monaco, starting from €490,000 per week.
Pink Shadow
Stats: 58.3m, Damen Yachting, 2023, 12 guests, 17 crew
Expedition capabilities: Delivered in 2023, Pink Shadow is certainly a head-turner of an expedition yacht with her striking green hull and gunmetal superstructure. She also has many exploration credentials that make her an epic adventurer. The 58.3-metre yacht has a range of 5,000 nautical miles at 11.5 knots, an ice-class hull, and 30 days of autonomy, which fares well for those who want to visit remote locations. Pink Shadow also has an impressive toy box brimming with inflatables, Jet Skis and tenders.
Home comforts: Pink Shadow’s magnificent interior design celebrates the spirit of exploration and features a Tiki Plage and a cabana-style bar, among much else. In keeping with her exploration credentials, Pink Shadow’s interiors were inspired by the 1982 Amazonian adventure film Fitzcarraldo.
Pink Shadow is available for charter with Y.CO, starting from $510,000 per week.
Galileo
Stats: 55,7m, Picchiotti, 2011, 12 guests, 11 crew
Expedition capabilities: Defined by a well-balanced, deep-blue hull, the 55.7-metre Galileo is as elegant as they come and looks like she should be cruising the Riviera’s stylish ports. However, this is not what she was designed for. Galileo has an extensive globetrotting résumé, thanks to her ice-classed steel hull with extra-thick plating. This is complemented by some impressive hardware, from an iceberg radar, rudders with ice knives and super-tough propellers to heated deck gear.
Home comforts: Despite her hardy exterior, Galileo cocoons her guests in comfort and luxury with a warm and welcoming interior. She can accommodate up to 12 guests sleeping on board and embodies a traditional-meets-contemporary aesthetic with neutral tones, wooden finishes and bursts of colour. In a nod to her expedition credentials, there is a narwhal tusk in pride of place in the main saloon.
Galileo is available for charter with IYC, starting from €280,000 per week.
JeMaSa
Sats: 52m, HMA Naval Dockyard, 1973 (2025), 12 guests, 16 crew
Expedition capabilities: This 52-metre explorer is freshly back on the market following a complete rebuild on Australia’s Gold Coast which finished in Spring 2025. JeMaSa now has huge decks, a helipad and a long list of water toys. The yacht is a top choice for diving expeditions in the South Pacific.
Home comforts: The interiors of JeMaSa have been redesigned by Misha Merzliakov Yacht Design to offer a modern, light aesthetic that embraces organic materials. There is also a glasshouse, which is an enclosed, climate-controlled space that serves as the main dining area.
JeMaSa is available for charter with Y.CO, starting from $355,000 per week.
Hanse Explorer
Stats: 47.8 metres, Fassmer, 2006, 12 guests, 18 crew
Expedition capabilities: Hanse Explorer has all the requirements of a hardy expedition yacht. Her steel hull boasts the highest level of commercial ice classification, plus she also has a cruising range of 8,000 nautical miles and six-week autonomy capabilities. Her toybox is well-equipped for expeditions with two Zodiac tenders on board, scuba diving equipment, and cold weather gear for polar expeditions.
Home comforts: Equipped for both warm and cold climes, the refurbished top deck boasts a hot tub, al fresco cocktail lounge and Bali beds for sunbathing and sleeping under the stars.
Hanse Explorer is available for charter with EYOS Expeditions.