HIGHLIGHTS
- Embrace
the expeditionary spirit on a quest to reach the legendary 8,000-fold
Emperor penguin colony at Snow Hill
- Explore
the snow-and-ice-covered realms of Antarctica
- Travel
safely and comfortably aboard our ice-strengthened Ultramarine
- Enjoy
helicopter flightseeing and Zodiac cruising for unique perspectives of
Antarctica
- Learn
about Antarctic wildlife, history, glaciology and geology during
presentations by polar experts
- Witness
abundant wildlife, such as penguins, seals and whales
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 |
|---|
| Oct 30, 2025 | Nov 16, 2025 | 30,195 | 49,695 | 30,495 | 39,095 | 46,095 | 47,895 | 51,495 | 63,895 | 70,995 |
Package
Cost:
USD
1195 per person (2025-26 Season)
- 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 |
|---|
| Oct 30, 2025 | Nov 16, 2025 | 30,195 | 46,095 | 70,995 |
Package
Cost:
USD
1195 per person (2025-26 Season)
- 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
Upon
arrival in the vibrant Argentine capital, known for its European-style
architecture, rich culture and lively neighborhoods, you will
independently transfer to your included hotel.
Day
2: Fly to Ushuaia and Embark
After
a complimentary early breakfast at the hotel, your group will transfer
to the airport to board our private charter flight to Ushuaia, at the
southern tip of Argentina. Upon arrival, you will be transferred from
the airport to a central downtown location to explore quaint Ushuaia on
your own 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 southern part
of South America. Embrace the air of anticipation as you
depart—the next land you see will be the Antarctic.
Day
3 & 4: Crossing the Drake Passage
The
storied Drake Passage, the 800-kilometer waterway between the southern
tip of South America and Antarctica, is an adventure unto itself. Its
position at the confluence of the Pacific, the Atlantic and the
Southern oceans can mean either a turbulent or calm passing. While
under the attentive care of our expert staff and expedition team,
you’ll have plenty of time to gaze out at the expansive ocean
waters, photograph seabirds as they swoop down around the ship, and get
to know your Expedition Team and fellow travelers.
Day
5: Navigating into the Weddell Sea
We
begin our passage through Antarctic Sound. This stretch of water
separates the northern tip of the peninsula from the Weddell Sea. This
historic sound is notorious for being filled with massive ice chunks
which originate from the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf—so have
your cameras and binoculars ready. The onboard team will teach you
everything about ice, as the Weddell Sea boasts the world’s
most impressive floes and tabular icebergs. The captivating flat-
topped icebergs you’ll see on this eastern side of the
Peninsula are known to be exponentially bigger and more visually
impressive than those observed off the western coast. Onboard experts
will enrich your polar quest during daily presentations.
You’ll hear what it was like a century ago for the brave
polar heroes who embraced the unknown. Expect a fascinating deep-dive
into the world of ice-dwelling Emperor penguins.
Day
6 to 10: Quest to Land at Snow Hill Island: Emperor Penguin Colony
The
journey toward Snow Hill Island will put you in explorer mode as the
captain and Expedition Leader keep you updated through weather
briefings, as well as meteorological and sea ice condition reports. The
thickness of ice will determine how close Ultramarine can get to Snow
Hill Island, at which point the ship’s twin-engine
helicopters will take over. Like summitting a
mountain from base camp, parties set out from Ultramarine towards the
Emperor penguin colony. As experienced by all of our guests who visited
Snow Hill Island with us in November 2023, the adventure begins with an
extended helicopter transfer that will reveal a landscape of
snow-capped peaks and apartment-building-sized tabular icebergs. As
seasoned polar explorers can attest, these mammoth, flat-topped
icebergs will captivate you with their majesty. The colony itself is
located on the sea ice off the south coast of Snow Hill Island, and we
will land 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. Your auditory
senses will be on high alert: the non-stop Antarctic wind, the crunch
of the ice beneath your feet, and, of course, the chatter of thousands
of Emperor penguins. On your guided walk to the
colony, you may be surprised to find yourself walking next to paths in
the snow carved< by penguins that waddled by before. As with all
of our off-ship excursions, native wildlife and their habitat always
take priority. We do everything possible to minimize any disturbance to
their environment. The singular sounds of the flightless birds gets
louder as we march toward one of the rarest wildlife scenarios on the
planet: the colony of 8,000 rarely seen Emperor penguins. Our plan is
to ensure that every guest visits the remote colony once during the
voyage. The Expedition Team and special experts will stay close so they
can answer your questions and help you take it all in. You’ll
observe how the Emperors behave as a tightknit community, how they care
for their young—with male and female adults sharing parental
duties—and how they body surf across the ice in a way that
can only be described as quirky yet efficient.
While at base on Ultramarine—in the heart of the Weddell
Sea—you can look forward to Zodiac cruising among the
icebergs and kayaking. We also plan to offer each guest a
heli-flightseeing adventure—included in the cost of the
voyage—during this segment of the
itinerary. Each day our polar experts, who include
penguin scientists, glaciologists, biologists and polar historians,
will present on various aspects of Emperor penguins and their
behaviors, ice formations such as the breathtaking tabular icebergs
visible from the deck of the ship, and the experiences of polar
explorers who braved the Weddell Sea over a century ago. Or you may, on
one of the days, decide to take the polar plunge, or test your balance
on a stand- up paddleboard. Or pamper yourself at
Ultramarine’s Tundra Spa, the sauna with floor-to-ceiling
windows, fitness room, or yoga space. However you
spend your time immediately following your visit to the legendary
colony, we invite you to take some time to reflect on everything
you’ve witnessed, and appreciate that you are one of the few
humans to have experienced the rare wildlife spectacle at Snow Hill.
Day
11: Eastern Peninsula: Paulet Island and Brown Bluff
Unlike
the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, few operators explore
along the eastern coast. We’ll set our sights on visiting
Paulet Island, located in the Weddell Sea. This small, circular island
is home to a large Adélie penguin colony. The volcanic cone
rising up 1,158 feet (353 meters) is a reminder that Paulet Island was
once home to active volcanoes. In addition to penguins, you may be
interested in visiting a historic hut built by members of the Swedish
Antarctic Expedition of 1901- 04. A cross marks the grave site of Ole
Wennersgaard, a member of the crew. We also plan to explore Brown
Bluff, believed to be an exposed volcano. This imposing feature towers
745 meters (2,225 feet) above Adélie and gentoo penguin
rookeries, which number in the thousands. Expect the penguins to greet
you with a symphony of background noise while you explore the bluff.
We’ve scheduled our time at both Paulet Island and Brown
Bluff to offer a variety of off-ship excursions, such as Zodiac
cruising, landing and paddling—all weather permitting, of
course. After exploring these natural wonders along the eastern coast,
our ship will round the top of the peninsula and ultimately south to
the western side.
Day
12 to 15: Exploring the Western Coast of the Peninsula
Now
we make our way along the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula,
robust with glaciers, gentoo penguins, friendly seals and breaching
humpback whales. There’s a chance you’ll also
encounter crabeater and Weddell seals, which are fascinating aquatic
mammals. Each day, you will take Zodiac excursions to explore glaciated
bays, channels and landing sites, including Cierva Cove, which boasts
jaw-dropping icebergs, brash ice, and opportunities to photograph seals
on top of ice floes. We also hope to visit Damoy Point, site of a
historic ice runway established by the British Antarctic Survey in
1975. The point, home to a penguin colony, allows for spectacular views
of the mountains on Anvers Island. We’ve also planned a
Zodiac cruise to Enterprise Island, located in Wilhelmina Bay, where
you can see the rusting remains of a whaling ship. Keep your eyes
peeled for humpback whales. Also on our list: Melchior Islands, a group
of glaciated islands in Dallmann Bay, where male fur seals retreat at
the end of the breeding season; and Mikkelsen Harbour—which
is surrounded by stunning ice cliffs—where we’ll
explore by Zodiac, or, if weather allows, attempt a landing at
D’Hainaut Island, where we hope to see gentoo penguins and
Weddell seals, and visit a long-abandoned Argentine refuge hut. Your
Expedition Team will take care of you at each landing, whether you are
hiking the Antarctic landscape or enjoying a Zodiac cruise. Keep an eye
out for Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals as well as curious whales,
such as humpbacks, minkes, or perhaps orcas. Each excursion will
present a new array of creatures to fascinate you and keep your camera
busy. Amidst the serenity of Antarctica, noisy interludes become
indelible memories, such as penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, or
the boom and crack of calving glaciers. Each day is carefully crafted
by your Expedition Team to inspire and educate you about this
magnificent polar domain.
Day
16 & 17: At Sea: Sailing Across the Drake Passage
The
journey back across the Drake Passage provides a final opportunity to
enjoy the invigorating Southern Ocean air. Spend time on deck watching
for seabirds and scouting for whales, enjoy presentations by your
Expedition Team, and celebrate the experiences you’ve shared
off the beaten track in remote Antarctica.
Day
18: Disembark in Ushuaia and flight 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.
Ultramarine (Luxury Expedition, 199-guests)
Ultramarine is designed to go beyond the familiar in polar exploration, to discover new places, and immerse you in the best the region has to offer. Equipped with two twin-engine helicopters, Ultramarine offers the most robust portfolio of adventure activities in the industry, the most spacious suites in its category, breathtaking public spaces, and more outdoor wildlife viewing spaces than other expedition ships its size. It also features a best-in-class 70-day operational range and an innovative mix of sustainability features that exceed all industry standards.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Specialist
Expedition Leaders
Our
team is comprised of the most professional and passionate Expedition
Leaders in the world, who bring a wide range of experience and
expertise to every adventure.
Immersive
Off-ship Activities
Itineraries
are packed with adventure options designed to immerses travelers in the
polar wilderness, enabling them to connect with the natural wonders of
their surroundings.
On-Ship
Experiences & Facilities
Designed
for comfort and adventure, each ship accommodates no more than 200
guests. Facilities include comfortable cabins, exceptional dining
options, wellness treatments, and breathtaking panoramic views of the
polar landscape.
Food
& Beverages
Premium
dining, with a wide selection of options that accommodate a variety of
dietary preferences.
Quark
Expedition Perks
Complementary
Wi-Fi, alcohol on all voyages, and the Official Quark Expeditions parka
to take home.
Transfers
Select
voyages include essential transportation and accommodation arrangements
for guests, ensuring seamless travel to and from the expedition
starting point.
What's
Not Included
International
airfare & visa expenses, travel insurance, mandatory expedition
gear, on-ship expenses, adventure options and trip extensions are not
included.
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
- Helicopter
Ride: FREE
- Paddling:
USD 395
- Stand-up
Paddling: USD 295
