HIGHLIGHTS
- Cross
the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula
- Visit
the Weddell Sea (where the ill-fated Endurance met its tragic end),
then onto Elephant Island and, ultimately, wildlife-rich South Georgia
- If
conditions allow, you will pay homage to Shackleton at his grave at
Grytviken
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | Explorer Triple | Solo Panorama | Explorer Suite | Balcony Suite | Deluxe Balcony Suite | Terrace Suite | Penthouse Suite | Owner's Suite | Ultra Suite |
|---|
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:Package
Cost: USD 995 per person
- One
pre-night's 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
transfer from hotel to airport in Buenos Aires
- Group
flight departing from Buenos Aires' domestic airport (Aeroparque/AEP)
to Ushuaia, and returning to Buenos Aires' international airport
(Ezeiza/EZE)
- 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 in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Explorer Triple | (Mid-range)
Deluxe Balcony Suite | (High-end)
Ultra Suite |
|---|
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:Package
Cost: USD 995 per person
- One
pre-night's 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
transfer from hotel to airport in Buenos Aires
- Group
flight departing from Buenos Aires' domestic airport (Aeroparque/AEP)
to Ushuaia, and returning to Buenos Aires' international airport
(Ezeiza/EZE)
- 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
You
may arrive in Buenos Aires at any time during Day 1 of your itinerary.
Upon arriving in this splendid 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, the 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 have some time on your own to explore this quaint port town
before making your way to the pier. Embarkation will occur in the late
afternoon, after which your vessel will sail down the historic Beagle
Channel, which transects the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the
extreme south of South America. Expect an air of anticipation as you
depart!
Days
3 and 4: Crossing the Drake Passage
Not
only will guests experience the much-anticipated crossing of the Drake
Passage, considered by many to be a polar rite of passage, they will
also enjoy one-of-a-kind presentations from the expedition team
members—and from our two distinguished special guests who
have delved deeply into the life of Sir Ernest Shackleton.
In
2013, environmental scientist, author and explorer Tim
Jarvis—with a crew equipped in era-authentic
gear—re-enacted Shackleton’s 800-mile (1,300 km)
journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia in a replica of the
23-foot whaler James Caird. In fact, the foreword to Jarvis’
book, “Chasing Shackleton: Re-creating the World’s
Greatest Journey of Survival,” was written by Alexandra
Shackleton, granddaughter of Sir Ernest.
Also
on board as guest presenter: mammologist, paleontologist,
anthropologist and polar historian Ross MacPhee, a curator at the
American Museum of Natural History, which hosted the ground-breaking
exhibit “The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary
Antarctic Expedition.” MacPhee is the author of
“Race to The End: Amundsen, Scott, and the Attainment of the
South Pole.” MacPhee, who has participated in more
than 50 scientific expeditions (including both Polar Regions), has also
researched the extinction of early mammals who roamed Antarctica 45
million years ago.
Days
5 and 6: Antarctic Peninsula
The
most common reaction upon reaching the White Continent is a sense of
reverence and awe. The experience is hard to put into words, since few
places are as untouched and enduring as Antarctica.
You
will discover that Antarctica is a land of extremes. At one moment
you’ll be overcome with a feeling of complete isolation and
silence, and at the next moment you’ll be inspired by nature
as a calving glacier crashes into a brilliant blue sea or a penguin
waddles by to inspect your footwear.
Your
Expedition Team will take care of you at each excursion, whether you
are Zodiac cruising, visiting a historical site or consorting with
penguin colonies. Chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins are
found here, along with Weddell, fur, crabeater and leopard seals. Keep
a lookout for Antarctic whales, such as minkes, while on a Zodiac
cruise. Each day and each excursion will present a new collection of
creatures to delight you and keep your camera busy.
As
exciting as the Zodiac excursions and landings are, perhaps
you’ll treat yourself to an extra-special Antarctic
experience by partaking in an optional paddling excursion (at an extra
cost) or cast reason aside and jump into Antarctic waters for the Polar
Plunge!
Day
7: Weddell Sea
The
Weddell Sea has profound meaning for admirers of Shackleton. This is
where the explorer’s ill-fated ship, Endurance, crushed by
pack ice, disappeared into the harsh waters in 1915. Despite the
extreme harsh environment, the Weddell Sea region is known for its rich
wildlife: seals, penguins and baleen wheels.
Aboard
Ultramarine—with its two twin-engine helicopters and 20
quick-launching Zodiacs—you’ll be able to explore
by sea and air, an experience never before possible until the launch of
this game-changing expedition ship.
Day
8: At Sea
Throughout
the voyage, guests will enjoy one-of-a-kind presentations from the
expedition team members—and from our two distinguished
special guests, polar experts Tim Jarvis and Ross MacPhee.
Your
days at sea are also perfect for experiencing the superb luxury
amenities of Ultramarine, which include a spa and a sauna with
floor-to-ceiling windows that allow guests to stay connected to the
polar environments while enjoying relaxing moments onboard the ship.
Ultramarine also has more wildlife viewing stations than any ship of
its size, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to stay on the
lookout for birds and other wildlife while at sea.
Day
9: Elephant Island
On
April 9, 1916, after spending 165 days drifting through the hostile ice
of the Weddell Sea, Shackleton and his crew reached remote Elephant
Island, one of the outermost islands of the South Shetland Island
chain. Arriving here today, 100 years later, you will see the island
exactly as Shackleton and his men first encountered the brutish
landscape. Yet to the stranded crew, Elephant Island was a haven,
offering vital shelter while they waited anxiously to be rescued.
We
hope to visit Point Wild, located on the northern shores of the island,
where Shackleton and his men were able to come ashore. This was the
location where Shackleton launched his epic 650-mile (1,046 km) boat
journey aboard the James Caird, and where his men waited for his
return. If conditions are ideal, we will launch our Zodiacs to get as
close as possible to land, where guests can appreciate the immensity of
the Shackleton feat.
Days
10 and 11: New Year's at Sea
Say
goodbye to the Antarctic Peninsula, as your next destination is South
Georgia! We invite you to join us as we mark the first-ever
New Year celebration on Ultramarine, the first ship purposely built for
polar exploration. The inaugural season of Ultramarine, much like
Shackleton’s feats in Antarctica, makes for a memorable
moment in polar history.
In
addition to the New Year’s celebrations aboard Ultramarine,
your days at sea are filled with presentations led by our two special
guests and your Expedition Team, who will prepare you for the wildlife
and landscapes that await you in South Georgia.
Days
12 to 15: South Georgia
South
Georgia is one of the most fertile breeding grounds in the world for
sub-Antarctic wildlife, with beaches blanketed with penguins and seals.
It won’t take you long to realize that you are in a bird
paradise, as burrowing seabirds, albatross and petrels can be seen in
abundance.
You’ll
find that on South Georgia, once a popular base for whalers and
sealers, visitors can see abandoned relics and evidence of human
activity from centuries gone by. Your Expedition Team will help bring
those days to life while you visit old whaling stations and enjoy
presentations on the South Georgia of then and now.
In
re-creating the voyage of the James Caird, Shackleton’s
heroic open-boat journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia, our
first planned destination on the island will be King Hakkon
Bay—the very site where Shackleton and his men landed before
traversing the island’s harsh interior.
South
Georgia is particularly significant and, for many guests, a poignant
stop on this voyage that celebrates the life of Sir Ernest Shackleton,
whose enduring legacy of polar exploration lives on through the Quark
Expeditions team today. After Shackleton’s death on January
5, 1922, the explorer’s widow insisted her husband be buried
in South Georgia, which figured so prominently in his life and dreams.
If conditions allow, we hope to visit Grytviken, one of the first
whaling stations established in the sub-Antarctic waters.
It’s also the site of the modest cemetery where Sir Ernest
Shackleton is buried. Guests traditionally gather at
Shackleton’s grave to pay homage and raise a toast to one of
history’s greatest polar explorers.
In
addition to a historical visit to Grytviken and other whaling sites,
you will have the opportunity to visit many of the pristine beaches,
coves, and fjords that line the protected northern coast of the island.
The wildlife density in South Georgia is unlike anywhere else in the
world, and each stop during our journey will bring new adventures.
Days
16 to 19: At Sea
After
more than two weeks of unique wildlife encounters and remarkable
landscapes, your journey home begins. Spend time on deck watching for
seabirds and whales, enjoy presentations by your Expedition Team,
rejuvenate in the sauna with floor-to-ceiling windows, indulge in the
luxury amenities of Ultramarine—including its spa-inspired
suites and beautifully designed lounges and restaurants—or
simply relax and reminisce about your experiences.
Day
20: 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 little taste of Patagonia
with a Tierra del Fuego National Park tour before transferring to the
airport for the return group charter flight to Buenos Aires.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Leadership
throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leaders, 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
- A
pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for landings and Zodiac
cruising excursions
- 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
NOT
INCLUDED
- 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 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
- 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
- Helicopter
Ride: FREE
- Kayaking:
USD 995
- Paddling:
USD 295
- Stand-up
Paddling: USD 295
