Transaction sees Nasdaq-listed Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. acquire a 60% stake in the luxury Antarctic operator and its newly launched aviation brand, in the largest deal in Lindblad’s history

Bristows is pleased to announce that it acted for White Desert on the sale of a 60% majority stake in White Desert and Echo Charlie to Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: LIND), the New York-listed pioneer of expedition cruising and experiential travel.

This $60m+ deal is the largest acquisition in Lindblad’s history and marks a significant strategic milestone for both businesses as they enter their next phase of growth as part of a listed global expedition group.

White Desert is the world’s leading luxury Antarctic expedition company. Founded in 2005, they offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences including journeys to the South Pole, visits to an Emperor penguin colony of some 20,000 birds, ice cave exploration and glacier rappelling, all paired with elegant private suites and fine dining.

Echo Charlie is a newly launched aviation-led adventure brand operating a fully restored vintage DC-3 aircraft, carrying a maximum of 12 guests on small-group expeditions to some of the world’s most remote and rarely visited destinations, including Colombia, Patagonia, the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

The Bristows team advising White Desert was led by partners David Horner and Julia Cockroft, supported by senior associates Molly Whitehall and Oliver Alsop and Associate Sean Hess. Bristows co-counselled with US-firm Kilpatrick Townsend on this transaction.

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For more information, please contact:

katherine.farrell@bristows.com | +44 20 7400 8000