OVERVIEW
A short, comfortable flight from Punta Arenas, Chile, to King George Island in Antarctica has you with boots on the ground in no time, overtaken by the sheer magnitude of the 7th Continent. Fully immersed in the Antarctic environment, you’ll experience a roller coaster of emotions, from excitement to exquisite solitude to incredible gratitude for the wonder of it all.
You may go in search of whales and find yourself bearing witness to a glacier calving. Or you may plan to climb one more peak for a better vantage point and find yourself in a rookery of curious penguins. Antarctica will leave you in awe, but it won’t leave you unchanged.
Note: Antarctic Circle crossings in the early part of the season are heavily dependent on ice conditions.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Experience the fastest, most direct way to Antarctica.
• Fly over the Drake Passage.
• Marvel at all the Antarctic Peninsula highlights.
• Enjoy on-board lectures and educational presentations from polar specialists.
ITINERARY IN BRIEF
Day 1: Arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile.
Day 2: Fly to King George Island and Embarkation.
Days 3 -4 & 5: Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.
Day 6 & 7: Antarctic Circle
Day 8 & 9: Northbound Along the Peninsula.
Day 10: Disembarkation and Fly to Punta Arenas.
Day 8: Depart Punta Arenas.
NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. The on-board expedition leader will determine the final itinerary. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.
Contact us for more details.
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ARRIVE IN PUNTA ARENAS, CHILE.
Your adventure begins in Punta Arenas, Chile, the most populated city in southern Patagonia. If you arrive early, there are many museums, restaurants and shops to keep you busy for days. By early afternoon, a Quark Expeditions® representative will meet you at the official starting point hotel, where you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner and be briefed about preparing for your embarkation day.
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FLY TO KING GEORGE ISLAND AND EMBARKATION.
Your charter flight from Punta Arenas to Antarctica will have you crossing the legendary Drake Passage in only a few hours. Far below, the ship will approach King George Island for your arrival. Your first glimpse of dramatic Antarctic landscapes will be from a unique perspective, as your plane descends for landing in the South Shetland Islands. After landing, stretch your legs with a one-mile (1.6 km) walk to the shore, before being transferred by Zodiac to your ship to set sail for the Antarctic Peninsula!
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ANTARCTIC PENINSULA AND SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS.
There are few places in the world as evocative as Antarctica. As your ship approaches the White Continent, you may be overcome by feelings of excitement and awe. Much of Antarctica is indescribable and can only be fully appreciated through your own eyes.
As your captain and Expedition Team keep a lookout for whales and seabirds, you’ll be alerted to any new sightings. Our team of expert lecturers will also provide in-depth explanations of the glaciology, history and wildlife of the region.
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ANTARCTIC PENINSULA AND SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS.
Even more exciting are your land excursions. Your first Zodiac landing is something you’ll never forget! Walking on a beach dotted with penguins is the most intimate way to experience the unique wildlife of Antarctica.
Each landing is different and dependent on weather, but every day presents new sightings and photo opportunities, and it won’t be long before you can tell the difference between an Adélie, gentoo and chinstrap penguin.
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ANTARCTIC PENINSULA AND SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS.
You may take a Zodiac cruise in search of whales and icebergs one day, followed by a hike to a penguin rookery the next day. From the booming sound of a calving glacier to the thrill of spotting apex predators like leopard seals and killer whales in action, you’ll wake up early and welcome each day with a sense of adventure and a desire to explore this unrivaled travel experience.
Your Expedition Team will accompany you along the way, ensuring safety and providing insights into the places you visit.
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ANTARCTIC CIRCLE.
Crossing the Antarctic Circle is an impressive achievement, as most expeditions to the Antarctic Peninsula do not reach 66°33´ S. If conditions allow us to cross this famed line at 66°33´ S, you and your shipmates will celebrate in style with a well-earned glass of sparkling wine!
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ANTARCTIC CIRCLE.
As you toast the first explorers who ventured this far south, you can take pride in knowing you’ve made it to a part of the world visited by very few people. This is raw Antarctica, home of the midnight sun, Weddell seals and some of the most peculiar, yet magical ice formations you’ll see anywhere on the continent.
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NORTHBOUND ALONG THE PENINSULA.
If you haven’t had your fill of Antarctic wildlife and icebergs by now, you’ll surely be satisfied by the time you return to King George Island. You will continue to explore by Zodiac or on land as you travel north along the western Antarctic Peninsula.
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NORTHBOUND ALONG THE PENINSULA.
Your Expedition Team will always be on the lookout for species of seabirds, seals and whales that may have eluded you on your journey south.
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DISEMBARKATION AND FLY TO PUNTA ARENAS.
After your week of exploration, you’ll say goodbye to your Expedition Team and disembark at King George Island. Your two-and-a-half-hour flight across the Drake Passage to Punta Arenas, Chile, brings your adventure to an end. After your group transfer to the hotel, you are free to explore and enjoy an evening on your own, in the city or at the hotel to reminisce about the sights and sounds of Antarctica.
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DEPART PUNTA ARENAS.
After breakfast, you are welcome to continue on your own travels or make your way to the Punta Arenas airport for your homeward flights.
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Staff and Crew 87.
- Guests 128.
- Length 101.1 meters.
- Breadth (Beam) 16.2 meters.
- Draft 4.5 meters.
- Propulsion Diesel Twin Engines – 5,400 horsepower.
- Ice Class 1A.
- Cruising Speed 12 knots, in open water.
- Registration Bahamas.
- Lifeboats 4 partially-enclosed.
- Year Built 1975.
- Year Refurbished 2017.
- Voltage 220V, European plugs.
- Gross Tonnage 4614 tons.
- Zodiacs 14 (Mark V type).
- Stabilizers 2 x Sperry Gyrofin (1998).
- Engine Rolls Royce Diesel Twin Engines, 6 cylinder, 5400 horsepower.
SHIP AMENITIES:
- Chef-prepared meals (all meals and daily snack included).
- One dining room with unreserved seating.
- Bar staffed by a professional bartender.
- Polar Boutique.
- Multi-purpose lounge and presentation room.
- Exercise Room.
- Ship-to-shore satellite communications with email, and wireless, Internet access.
- Polar Library with a large collection of polar books.
COMMON AREAS ABOARD OCEAN ADVENTURER
A theater-style lounge accommodates everyone on board and serves as the main briefing and lecture hall with presentations, films and slideshows for education and enjoyment. Seating here is varied to offer booths, comfortable swivel chairs and stools at the bar. Enjoy a library with books and games, as well as a small onboard gym and staffed medical clinic. Shop for souvenirs in the Polar Boutique or spend time on the observation decks to view wildlife and enjoy the open ocean. Be sure to take advantage of the multi-leveled viewing on the bow when the captain opens up this sometimes-off-limits space. An open bridge policy allows you to sail with a captain’s-eye view and see the operations of the captain and his crew; a few binoculars are available to use in this space for spotting wildlife and landing sites. Ship-to-shore satellite communications with email and wireless Internet access are available for purchase. Free intranet is available to access daily schedules and expedition staff bios on board.
DINNING ABOARD OCEAN ADVENTURER
Ocean Adventurer’s window-lined dining room has unreserved seating so you can sit with and make new friends throughout the voyage. Tables can accommodate groups of four up to eight. The staff and crew, numbering in the eighties for a high crew-to-passenger ratio, provide gracious hospitality throughout each voyage. There is a 24-hour beverage station in the lounge as well as two bars, one adjacent to the dining room and one in the lounge. If weather allows, a barbecue buffet can be served alfresco on the Captain’s Deck for a unique polar dining experience.
ACTIVITES ABOARD OCEAN ADVENTURER
An onboard fleet of Zodiac landing crafts allow all passengers easy exploration and landings anywhere nature or curiosity dictates, accompanied by destination experts hand-chosen for their intimate knowledge of each locale. Kayaks are carried aboard, with special guides present as well for this optional (added-cost) adventure activity. Snowshoes are available on select departures when needed. Walking sticks are provided for shore landings to assist travelers in navigating rocky, uneven polar terrain. And for the more adventurous, a polar plunge is offered when conditions permit.
CABINS DETAILS:
Triple
A Triple Cabin has two lower berths and one upper berth, private facilities, and a porthole with exterior views. Please note that porthole covers may be closed during sea days or during inclement weather as a safety precaution.
Lower Deck Twin
A Lower Deck Twin cabin has two lower berths, private facilities, and a porthole with exterior views. Please note that porthole covers may be closed during sea days or during inclement weather as a safety precaution.
Main Deck Twin Window
A Main Deck Twin Window cabin has two lower berths, private facilities, and two windows with exterior views.
Superior
A Superior cabin has two lower berths, private facilities, and windows with exterior views. Note: this cabin has either corner or parallel bed configuration.
Deluxe
A Deluxe Cabin has two lower berths, private facilities, and windows with exterior views.
Suite
A Suite has a double bed, windows with exterior views, private facilities. Cabin 403 has a bathtub; other Suites have showers.
Owner’s Suite
An Owner’s Suite has a double bed and private sitting room. One features a large panoramic window facing aft, and the other two suites face port and starboard.
DECKPLAN
INCLUDED
- Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping.
- All meals, snacks, soft drinks and juices on board.
- Beer and wine during dinner.
- All shore landings per the daily program.
- Leadership throughout the voyage by experienced expedition leaders.
- All Zodiac transfers and cruising per the daily program.
- Formal and informal presentations by expedition team and special guests as scheduled.
- A photographic journal documenting the expedition.
- Waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore landings.
- Coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock.
- A hairdryer and bathrobes in every cabin.
- Comprehensive onboard (2020-21 season) materials, including a map and an informative Antarctic Reader.
- All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.
- All luggage handling aboard the ship.
- Group transfer in Ushuaia from airport to pre-expedition hotel on day 1.
- One night’s pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Ushuaia, with breakfast.
- Group transfer from hotel to ship on embarkation day.
- Group transfer upon disembarkation in Ushuaia from ship to local airport, and/or to luggage storage facility in the 2020-21 season.
For itineraries beginning and ending in Ushuaia:
- Group transfer in Ushuaia from the airport to the pre-expedition hotel on day 1.
- One night’s pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Ushuaia, with breakfast.
- Group transfer from the hotel to the ship on embarkation day.
- Group transfer upon disembarkation in Ushuaia from the ship to the local airport.
EXCLUSIONS
- International airfare.
- Passport and visa expenses.
- Government arrival and departure taxes not mentioned above.
- Meals ashore unless otherwise specified.
- Baggage, cancellation, interruption and medical travel insurance (strongly recommended).
- Excess-baggage fees on international flights.
- Mandatory waterproof pants for Zodiac cruising, and any other gear not mentioned above.
- Laundry, bar, massage services, and other personal charges unless specified.
- Phone and internet charges.
- Additional overnight accommodation.
- Optional adventure activities.
- Voluntary gratuity at the end of the voyage for shipboard staff and crew.
- Arrival and departure transfers, except where explicitly stated.
NOTES:
- This trip is also available onboard the Ocean Adventurer. Contact us for more details.
- Voyages are subject to ice and weather conditions.
- The itineraries described for expedition voyages illustrate possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed.
