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Ultra Marine - Guests

Expedition To Snow Hill

EMPEROR PENGUIN QUEST

Embrace the thrill of visiting the emperor penguins at Snow Hill Island. Experience a true polar quest as we journey on the new ship, Ultramarine, which is equipped with two twin-engine helicopters that will fly guests to the vicinity of this rarely-visited rookery, whereupon they will walk across the thick sea ice to stand within meters of the most coveted penguin species on the planet. Anticipate scenes reminiscent of March of the Penguins and BBC's Frozen Planet. Just imagine the penguins tobogganing across the ice towards the sea. Such wildlife moments are too precious for words!


 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Embrace the expeditionary spirit on a quest to reach the colony of thousands of pairs of emperor penguins and their chicks
  • Spend five days in the vicinity of Snow Hill, either on tour to the colony, or immersing yourself in our custom-designed Weddell Sea experiences
  • Travel aboard our new ship Ultramarine, enjoying the sauna or one of the ship’s many other onboard amenities
  • Enjoy the intimacy of traveling on a ship with a reduced capacity of 150 guests
  • Additional staff means there will be one expedition team member for every four guests
  • Learn from polar experts during our enhanced onboard education program
  • Enjoy helicopter sightseeing and Zodiac cruising for unique perspectives of the Antarctic Peninsula.

DATES / RATES

Rates are listed per person
Start DateEnd DateFrom EURFrom USD
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:
Package Cost: USD 995 per person
  • One night's pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Buenos Aires with breakfast (Note: The number of guests per room is the same as cabin occupancy on the ship. Due to limited availability, travelers who reserve a suite on board are accommodated in standard rooms at the hotel. Triple rooms may not be available.)
  • Group flight departing from Buenos Aires’ domestic airport (Aeroparque/AEP) to Ushuaia, and returning to Buenos Aires’ international airport (Ezeiza/EZE)
  • Group transfer from hotel to airport in Buenos Aires
  • Group transfer from Ushuaia airport to the ship, and return (Note: Transfer on arrival in Buenos Aires from airport to hotel at the beginning of the journey is not included. Please make your
  • way to the included hotel.)
  • Combined airport transfer and express bus tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park after disembarkation in Ushuaia
Rates are listed per person
Start DateEnd DateFrom EURFrom USD
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:
Package Cost: USD 995 per person
  • One night's pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Buenos Aires with breakfast (Note: The number of guests per room is the same as cabin occupancy on the ship. Due to limited availability, travelers who reserve a suite on board are accommodated in standard rooms at the hotel. Triple rooms may not be available.)
  • Group flight departing from Buenos Aires’ domestic airport (Aeroparque/AEP) to Ushuaia, and returning to Buenos Aires’ international airport (Ezeiza/EZE)
  • Group transfer from hotel to airport in Buenos Aires
  • Group transfer from Ushuaia airport to the ship, and return (Note: Transfer on arrival in Buenos Aires from airport to hotel at the beginning of the journey is not included. Please make your
  • way to the included hotel.)
  • Combined airport transfer and express bus tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park after disembarkation in Ushuaia

ITINERARY

DAY 1 | ARRIVE IN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Upon arriving in this fascinating city, known for its architecture and rich European heritage, you will independently transfer to your group hotel (pre-expedition hotel night included in mandatory transfer package).

DAY 2 | FLY TO USHUAIA & EMBARK

After an early breakfast at the hotel, your group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Ushuaia, Argentina. Upon arrival, you will be transferred from the airport to a central downtown location to enjoy time on your own to explore quaint Ushuaia—the world’s southernmost city—before making your way to the pier. After a late afternoon embarkation, you will sail along the historic Beagle Channel, which transects the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the extreme south of South America. Enjoy the air of anticipation as you depart—the next land you see will be the Antarctic!

DAYS 3 & 4 | CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE
The unpredictable and exciting Drake Passage, which lies at the confluence of the Pacific, the Atlantic and the Southern oceans, is an adventure unto itself. While being well taken care of by our expert onboard staff and expedition team, you’ll have plenty of time to gaze out at the expansive ocean waters, photograph seabirds as they swoop around the ship, and get to know your Expedition Team and fellow travelers

DAYS 5 | NAVIGATING INTO THE
WEDDELL SEA
Onboard presentations by worldrespected experts will enrich your polar quest, conveying what it was like a century ago for the brave polar heroes who embraced the unknown. You’ll also learn more about the icedwelling emperor penguins.

DAYS 6–10 | WEDDELL SEA AND THE
QUEST TO LAND AT SNOW HILL
The journey toward Snow Hill Island will put you in explorer mode as the captain and Expedition Leader keep you updated through weather briefings, meteorological and sea ice condition reports. The thickness of ice will determine how close Ultramarine can get to Snow Hill Island, then our twinengine helicopters will take over. Like summitting a mountain from base camp, parties will set out from Ultramarine towards the emperor penguin colony. Their adventure begins with an extended helicopter transfer that will reveal a landscape of snow-capped peaks and apartmentbuilding-sized tabular icebergs.

The
rookery itself is located on the sea ice off the south coast of Snow Hill Island and the landing will be as close to the penguins as possible, yet at a safe distance to avoid disturbing the birds. Upon landing, your party will walk across the ice to the fabled emperor penguin colony. The wind. The ice beneath your feet. Walking next to paths in the snow carved by penguins that came before. And then there are the incredible sounds of the penguins in the distance as you march toward one of the rarest wildlife opportunities on the planet: the colony of thousands and thousands of rarelyseen emperor penguins.

The goal of the expedition is to get every guest to the remote rookery once. The Expedition Team and special experts will be close by to answer your questions and ensure you take in everything there is to see. You’ll observe close up how the emperor penguins behave as a tight-knit community, how they care for their young, and how they body surf across the ice in a way that can only be described as quirky yet efficient. The helicopter expedition in search of the emperor colony might just be the adventure of a lifetime! And while at base on Ultramarine with your attentive Expedition Team, you’ll be immersed each day in the polar experience of the Weddell Sea.

Daily
activities will include Zodiac cruising among the icebergs, adventuring and learning while atop the ice, paddle-ontop kayaking, or working with our team to observe the weather forecasting and ship operations up close. A particularly enriching component of your voyage will be the bespoke educational programs tailored specifically for this expedition that offer both traditional (lecture format) and handson opportunities for learning about this fascinating region. Each day our polar experts, who include penguin scientists, biologists and polar historians, will present on various aspects of emperor penguins and their behaviors, ice formations such as the tabular icebergs which you’ll see from the deck of your ship, and the experiences of polar explorers who braved the Weddell Sea over a century ago.

Or you might, on
one of these days, decide to take the polar plunge, or test your balance on a stand-up paddleboard. Then again, maybe you’ll enjoy a little pampering. If so, you can choose from Ultramarine’s excellent onboard amenities, including the spa, sauna and fitness room. The emperor penguin colony at Snow Hill is the goal of this expedition. However, if weather or ice conditions prevent us from visiting the colony or shorten the duration of our visit, we may explore some other sites. Your possible landings in Antarctica will take place on the eastern side of the Peninsula, which is an extension of the Transantarctic Mountains and is the most northern stretch of Antarctic land.

DAYS 11–13 | CRUISING
The journey back across the Drake Passage provides a final opportunity to enjoy the invigorating Southern Ocean air. Spend time on the deck watching for seabirds and scouting for whales, enjoy presentations by your Expedition Team, and celebrate the experiences you've shared getting off the beaten track in the remarkable world of Antarctica.

DAYS 14 | DISEMBARK IN USHUAIA
AND FLY TO BUENOS AIRES
You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. The mandatory transfer package includes a tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park for a taste of Patagonia, after which you’ll transfer to the airport for the return group charter flight to Buenos Aires.

(Click image to view Ship details)

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • Leadership throughout your voyage by our experienced Expedition Team, including shore landings and other activities
  • All Zodiac transfers and cruising as per the daily program
  • All shore landings as per the daily program
  • Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping
  • All meals, snacks, soft drinks and juices on board throughout your voyage (Please inform us of any dietary requirements as far in advance as possible. Unfortunately, the ships’ galleys cannot prepare kosher meals.)
  • Select beer and wine during dinner; and coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock
  • Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled
  • A photographic journal documenting the expedition
  • A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for landings and Zodiac cruising excursions
  • An official Quark Expeditions parka to keep
  • Hair dryer and bathrobes in every cabin
  • All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program
  • All luggage handling aboard the ship
  • Emergency Evacuation insurance for all passengers to a maximum benefit of USD $500,000 per person
  • One 10- to 15-minute helicopter flightseeing excursion (weather and logistics permitting)
RATES SPECIFICALLY DO NOT INCLUDE:
  • Mandatory Transfer Package*
  • International airfare
  • Passport and applicable visa expenses
  • Government arrival and departure taxes not mentioned
  • Meals unless otherwise specified
  • Baggage, cancellation, interruption and medical travel insurance—strongly recommended
  • Excess-baggage fees on international and domestic flights
  • Mandatory waterproof pants for Zodiac landing and cruising excursions, or any other gear not mentioned
  • Laundry, bar, spa services and other personal charges, unless specified
  • Phone and Internet charges (connectivity may vary by location)
  • Voluntary gratuity at the end of the voyage for expedition staff and shipboard crew
  • Additional overnight accommodation
  • Arrival and departure transfers, except where explicitly stated
  • Adventure Options not listed in Included Activities

ADVENTURE OPTIONS
  • Paddling Excursion: USD 295
  • Stand-up Paddleboarding: USD 295
Included Activities
  • Flightseeing
  • Zodiac Cruising
  • Hiking
  • Polar Plunge
  • Photography
  • Presentations

 

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DISCLAIMER: Rates are per person, subject to availability and can change at any time