Destination : Antartica
Program Type : Crossings on Sale

Duration : 15 Days / 14 Nights
Price : $6,995 / €5.316
33% OFF cost of the program (based on triple occupancy) Taxes included

33% OFF
Ushuaia – Beagle Channel – Drake Passage – Antarctic Peninsula – Margarita Bay – Northern Antarctic Peninsula – Antarctic Circle -Crossing The Polar Circle Is A Magical Experience. Treat Yourself And Enjoy This Experience, Camping And Kayaking Available

A 15-day expedition to the Antarctic Polar Circle. This fantastic journey allows you various daily activities outside the ship. Enjoy an extensive expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula that crosses the Antarctic Circle, south of the midnight sun land. Available options, you can enjoy kayaking and camping in the Antarctic ice.

Day 1: Ushuaia, Argentina

We start this adventure in Ushuaia, picturesque and very attractive destination of great diversity, with an excellent infrastructure, good restaurants and museums. Here we will prepare the boat to sail on our adventure to Antarctica. For some travellers, an expedition to the southern continent is not complete unless the Antarctic Circle is crossed. South of that invisible border, daylight lasts 24 hours from mid-December to late February. You will be crossing it on this adventure. Overnight in Ushuaia.

Day 2: Beagle Channel

Crossing the Antarctic Polar Circle is the main goal of this expedition, so our ship will sail at full speed towards the south of Ushuaia along the Beagle Channel. Its waters are rich in birds and mammals, fish and various invertebrates. From the deck, you can enjoy watching sea birds and, with luck, you might see penguins and a rainbow at sunset.

Day 3 – 4: Drake Passage

Drake passage is the shortest route between Antarctica and any other point on land in the world. The passage has a reputation as a rough sea. These conditions allow free movement of the Antarctic circumpolar current. This stretch of sea carries an enormous volume of water (about 600 times the flow of the Amazon River). Drake Passage is legendary for its strong winds and choppy seas, although we might sail on a calm sea this all depends on the weather conditions. On board you will be trained to board the Zodiacs, small boats that will allow us to land on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Day 5 To 8: Antarctic Peninsula

There are several factors that play an important role in the activities we can perform at this stage of the expedition. Our team will invite you to leave the vessel at least twice a day. On these trips in our Zodiac we will approach icebergs, feeling the salty sea breeze on your face. We will reach our destination on the coast, where you can trek to the top of a steep hill that will give you an unforgettable view into an abyss of ice. Another option is to sit quietly on a beach and wait for a curious penguin to get close to you, and for the more adventurous, there is the opportunity to dive in these cold, clear waters. During our stay in the Antarctic Peninsula, we invite you to try some of the awesome activities we have available: camping, kayaking amongst icebergs and fauna, skiing on frozen plains, or perhaps admiring unique landscapes which can only be accessed if you are willing to climb a mountain with our guides. In austral spring and summer, the days are long with more sun producing the slow melting of snow and ice. Wildlife is in abundance here: the offspring of birds and penguins, groups of whales arrive into the bay attracted by the emergence of tons of krill, the local specialty that attracts them each year. The natural cycle of life in Antarctica assures you that each expedition is different you will always find adventures and many surprises. In Antarctica, silence is so complete that interruptions become indelible memories: the sound of the games among penguins, or the thrilling sound of pieces of ice breaking off and falling into the sea… memories that will be with you for the rest of your journey.

Day 9 – 10: Antarctic Circle

Our goal should be achieved, to cross the Antarctic Circle beyond 66 ° 33 ‘S, an impressive achievement, something that some expeditions fail to do. It is time to celebrate with a well-deserved glass of champagne. Travellers toast to the intrepid explorers who preceded us.

Day 11 – 12: Northern Antarctic Peninsula

Behind every name on the map of Antarctica there is a story of brave explorers and epic adventures. Many French names that appear on the map north of the Antarctic Peninsula are the legacy of Jean-Baptiste Charcot, physician, French navigator and explorer who, like you, lived for adventure. During these days we will explore some of these places, and feel part of the history of this distant kingdom of ice.

Day 13 To 15: Drake Passage – Ushuaia

As we cross back through Drake Passage, we have time again to adjust ourselves to a world where day and night are different. On our return to Ushuaia, the ship will be accompanied by albatrosses and petrels. It is highly recommended that we spend time on deck identifying different birds, and try to spot dolphins and whales. There are other activities for our return trip, which once again depend on the conditions in which we find ourselves on the enigmatic Drake Passage. Our journey ends in Ushuaia.

• Rates valid during season 2013 and 2014
• Rates subject to the variations of the market

Important reminder: Venturing into the unexpected is part of the legacy and excitement of expedition travel. Through on this note we ask you to consider that there is no guarantee that we can perform all the activities that we intend to perform. A reasonable degree of flexibility is something that we ask of all who undertake this journey.

Additional Information

Note: For flights reservations related to these expeditions, make sure you have enough time to transfer from the airport to the starting point of the trip, and from the landing site of the trip to the airport for your flight back home. Please take into account the possibility of delays. For example, on trips that end in Ushuaia, passengers should not book flights back home with time of departure before noon if the landing takes place the same day in the morning.
Language on board: English

Prices include

•    One night hotel accommodation with breakfast before the expedition, as indicated in the itinerary. (The number of guests per room is the same as the occupation in the cabin of the boat. Due to limited availability, travellers who book a suite on board will be accommodated in standard rooms at the hotel.)
•    On board accommodation with daily housekeeping.
•    Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board during the trip. (Please inform us if you require any special diet as early as possible. Unfortunately, the kitchens of the boats can not prepare kosher meals.)
•    All landings described in the program.
•    Guidance throughout the journey undertaken by our experienced Expedition Leader, including shore landings and other activities.
•    All transfers by Zodiac included in the daily program.
•    Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers.
•    Photographic Journal on DVD, documenting the journey.
•    A pair of waterproof expedition boots, on loan, for shore landings.
•    An expedition official parka, (gift).
•    Coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock.
•    Hair dryer and robes in every cabin.
•    Plenty of information material before the ship departure, including a map and a section dedicated to the Antarctic reader.
•    Group transportation from the boat to the local airport, at landing.
•    All taxes and port charges throughout the program.
•    All baggage handling aboard ship.
•    Emergency Evacuation Insurance for all passengers, with a maximum coverage or maximum benefit per person, of $ 100,000.
•    Guarantee of “no fuel surcharge”.  Prices will not increase, regardless of fluctuations in the price of marine fuel.
•    5% savings for passengers on their next trip with Quark Expeditions.

Also included in the expeditions that embark from Ushuaia:
•    Group transportation in Ushuaia, from the airport to any hotel in the town, and then transfer to the boat the day of embankment.
•    Group transportation from a designated place in Ushuaia to the ship the day of embankment.

Prices do not include

•    Any airfare.
•    Passport and visa costs.
•    Departure and arrival Government Taxes.
•    Meals ashore, with the exception of breakfast at the host hotel before embarkation.
•    Doorman, health insurance and trip cancellation.
•    Charges for baggage excess.
•    Laundry service, bar, beverages and other personal expenses.
•    Telecommunications charges.
•    Volunteer tip for the staff and crew aboard, once the trip has ended.
•    In icebreaker boats, should be the possibility of overtime for private flights by helicopter, they can be purchased at an hourly rate to be informed on board.