Antarctic Quest

• Rates Include

• Inclusions for departures between November 2008 and March 2009:
• Hotel accommodation, with continental breakfast, the night prior to embarkation
• Shipboard accommodation from day of embarkation to disembarkation
• All breakfasts, lunches and dinners on board throughout your voyage
• Zodiac transfers and sightseeing while aboard
• Education program
• Group transfer between hotel and vessel upon embarkation
• Group transfer between vessel and airport following disembarkation
• Rubber boots loan service
• Complimentary parka on Akademik Shokalskiy and Ocean Nova
• Photographic Journal on DVD
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program
• Inclusions for departures between November 2009 and March 2010:
•  One night pre-expedition hotel accommodation with breakfast as indicated in the itinerary. (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.)
•  Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping.
•  All breakfasts, lunches and dinners 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.).
•  All shore landings and Zodiac excursions per the daily program.
•  Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader, including shore landings and other activities.
•  Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled.
•  Photographic Album on DVD.
•  A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore landings
•  Hair dryer in every cabin.
•  A Quark Expeditions parka
•  Coffee, tea, cocoa and bottled water available around the clock.
•  Comprehensive pre-departure materials, including a map and an informative Antarctic Reader.
•  Group transfers from the hotel to the ship at the embarkation port, and from the ship to the local airport on disembarkation – plus all baggage handling aboard ship.
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.
• Emergency Evacuation Insurance for all passengers to a maximum of $100,000 per person.

Day-By-Day Itinerary.

Day   1

Ushuaia, Argentina

Due to its size, Antarctica's diversity is best appreciated on longer voyages, where greater distances can be covered. This extended expedition encompasses the wildlife paradise of South Georgia, the remote Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) as well as the extraordinary beauty of the Peninsula. Overnight in Ushuaia.

Day   2

Embarkation Day

Afternoon embarkation in Ushuaia.

Day   3-5

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

En route, the shipboard education program introduces the flora and fauna that you will encounter. Properly prepared, Zodiacs zip you from ship to shore to hike where Kelp Geese graze and Magellanic Penguins guard their burrows. You'll comb beaches and socialize with local residents.

Day   6-11

Southern Ocean and South Georgia

After crossing the Southern Ocean, the Expedition Team plans a series of landings at King Penguin rookeries, abandoned whaling stations and the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton. You can be as active as you like.

Day   12-17

South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula

Deception Island, Lemaire Channel, Neko Harbour, Paradise Bay, Gerlache Strait...these are the names that conjure iconic images of the Antarctic Peninsula: Towering glacier capped mountains rising from a brilliant blue sea, dotted with ice floes. You'll visit penguin colonies, listen for calving glaciers, visit historic sites and research stations.

Day   18-20

The Drake Passage to Ushuaia

  Your second Drake Passage crossing may be as smooth or as rough are your first. No matter the condition, it is a fitting end to your visit to Antarctica.