Antarctic Adventure: Actively Exploring Antarctica

12 Day Itinerary

Ships: Akademic Ioffe,  Akademik Sergey Vavilov, Akademik Shokalskiy, Ocean Nova

When you set foot on the White Continent, you want to benefit from the collective expertise of veterans who know the region inside out. That's the essence of our Antarctic Adventure. Sailing through iceberg-filled bays beneath snowcapped peaks; spotting seals and whales among the ice floes; exploring vast penguin rookeries and remote research stations – it all adds up to the perfect introduction to Antarctica for a small group of active adventurers.

SEA KAYAKING

Exploring the Peninsula by kayak is an unforgettable experience: plying inlets and waterways, you encounter penguins at water level and glide past massive icebergs, raising your paddle to hear the intense silence. We provide ideal kayaks for this environment: 5 m (16 ft) rudder-equipped Prijon tandem models, which are stable, tough and surprisingly comfortable. Up to 10 travelers per voyage will enjoy at least four kayak excursions, each led by two highly qualified instructors – with a Zodiac safety boat in constant communication, ready to assist if necessary. Possible kayaking sites include Hannah Point/Aitcho Islands, Deception Island, Port Lockroy, Neko Harbor, Paradise Bay and Lemaire Channel.

 

ICE CAMPING

Join the select few who've camped overnight on the pristine ice shelf of Antarctica. In keeping with Quark's commitment to leave no trace, this is camping at its simplest: an expedition tent and sleeping bag; no fire or meals (you eat aboard the ship before we land); and around you the deepest silence imaginable, broken only by the call of a boastful penguin or the crack of ice breaking in the distance. Your Expedition Team handles all logistics for up to 20 campers on a single night ashore (as always, ice and weather permitting). We generally camp near Port Lockroy on the Neumayer Channel, carefully selecting the site to avoid disturbing wildlife or contaminating vegetation.

 

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

Another unforgettable way to experience the spectacular landscapes of Antarctica is on a pair of cross-country skis. Traveling quickly and quietly under your own power, you can explore deeper into the White Continent than you'd be able to reach on foot, while taking advantage of the long hours of daylight. We supply the equipment and expert guides, you provide the energy, enthusiasm and ideally a bit of previous experience – and together we break trail (subject to weather conditions, of course) through an incredible pristine world of snow and ice.

 

MOUNTAINEERING

If gazing up at spectacular Antarctic icebergs isn't awe-inspiring enough, you can always put your mountaineering skills to work and try climbing one of the ice cliffs. Our expert guides provide detailed briefings and all the equipment you need then offer helpful direction as you climb. If you're up for the challenge, this will add a whole new dimension to your Antarctic adventure.



Itinerary

Please note: Read this itinerary as a guide only; our exact route and program varies according to ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife we encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition. Visits to research stations depend on final permission.


Days 1 & 2: Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Arrive in Ushuaia, a small city surrounded by rugged peaks and glaciers, and transfer independently to our conveniently located hotel. Late the following afternoon, the Expedition Team gets you settled aboard your ice-strengthened ship as we sail into the Beagle Channel to start your Antarctic expedition.

 

Days 3, 4 & 5: Across the Drake to the South Shetlands

We enter the Drake Passage, named for Sir Francis Drake, the explorer who proved that Tierra del Fuego was not linked to a further southern continent. Various seabirds, including the Wandering Albatross, accompany us on our crossing. We also sail through the Antarctic Convergence, which – as one of our specialists will be happy to explain, poring over a map in the lounge – is a natural boundary formed by the meeting of cold Antarctic and warmer Subantarctic waters. By Day 4 we should reach the South Shetland Islands, where we plan to visit penguin rookeries and walk remote beaches sighting Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals. We also hope to visit one of the archipelago's many research bases. Conditions permitting, the Captain will try to sail through a narrow passage into the sunken volcanic caldera of Deception Island, where you can test the thermal waters of Pendulum Cove.

 

Days 6, 7, 8 & 9: Antarctic Peninsula

There will be many unforgettable close-ups in the days ahead, but if you painted the broader canvas of your Peninsula experience it would begin with endless vistas of windswept ice; jagged mountain peaks crowned with snow; massive glaciers descending into the sea; and our ship winding through deep blue waters dotted with floating icebergs. Then there is the wildlife: Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins; Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals; orcas; humpback and Minke whales; and every kind of bird, from Blue-eyed Shags and Snowy Sheathbills to Kelp Gulls, Cape Petrels and Antarctic Terns. With this as an overture, let's look at a few highlights: We typically sail first to Paradise Bay or nearby Neko Harbor – each home to penguins and seals – before continuing on to the large Gentoo Penguin colonies at Port Lockroy. Close by is one of the world's most out-of-the-way museums: established in 1944 as a secret wartime outpost by James Marr (who as a Boy Scout explored Antarctica with Sir Ernest Shackleton), the former British scientific station includes a post office from which you can mail cards home. Around this point in the journey, those who opted for polar camping will set off with their expedition tents for an unforgettable night on the ice. Next, if conditions allow, we navigate the Neumayer and Lemaire Channels, taking in stunning views as the ship passes between towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers. Travelers who've chosen the sea-kayaking option enjoy an even more dramatic perspective as they paddle among the icebergs. Often we make a Zodiac landing on Petermann Island, a nesting area for Adélie and Gentoo Penguins, skuas and Blue-eyed Shags. Weather permitting, we may also sail up to the Peninsula's northern tip into Iceberg Alley – where massive pieces of the ice shelf have calved into the Antarctic Sound – and land on Paulet Island to visit its Adélie Penguin rookery.

 

Days 10, 11 & 12: Back across the Drake to Ushuaia

Leaving the Peninsula, we sail back across the Drake Passage, keeping an eye out for whales, penguins, seals and myriad species of bird. When not out on deck, you can enjoy more presentations, compare notes and digital photos, or simply relax in the ship's lounge chatting over drinks with other travelers and the Expedition Team. After a last breakfast aboard, transfer to town or head directly to Ushuaia airport to catch your outbound flight.


 


Map courtesy of Quark Expeditions


Photograph courtesy of Quark Expeditions

Stunning scenery is guaranteed in the Antarctic!


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