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Antarctic Express: Crossing the Circle

Mixed Board Basis 10 nights from £9,399 per person Including Flights

Overview

Achieve a significant travel goal by crossing the Antarctic Circle. Enhance your journey by avoiding the sea crossing and instead taking a charter plane over the Drake Passage.

Merge our thrilling Crossing the Circle: Southern Expedition with a direct round-trip flight from Chile to your Antarctica-bound vessel, creating our Antarctic Express: Crossing the Circle experience.

Next, embark on a maritime exploration of the Antarctic Peninsula and venture even further south to 66°33´. Along the way, tick more items off your bucket list, like sea kayaking amidst channels peppered with icebergs. (Q)

Whats included?
  • Flights & taxes
  • Accommodation
  • Transfers
  • Checked baggage
  • ATOL protection
  • In resort assistance & 24 hour contact centre
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**Please note that on certain flights you can connect straight through to Punta Arenas,. Where you cannot you must overnight in Santiago outbound and inbound. Please ask our travel consultants.**

Day 1

Arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile

Begin your expedition in Punta Arenas, Chile, the liveliest city in southern Patagonia. Dependant on time to spare, a wealth of museums, restaurants, and shops await to fill your time. In the early afternoon, a representative from Quark Expeditions® will greet you at the designated hotel, the official starting point of your journey. Here, you'll be treated to a welcome dinner and receive an informative briefing to prepare you for the upcoming trip.

Day 2

Flight to King George Island and Embarkation

Take off on a charter flight from Punta Arenas, soaring over the iconic Drake Passage. As you near Antarctica, your ship will be navigating towards King George Island, ready for your arrival.

Your initial view of the striking Antarctic scenery unfolds from an extraordinary vantage point as your plane descends towards the South Shetland Islands. Upon landing, you'll journey to the shoreline, where a Zodiac transfer awaits to escort you to your ship, embarking towards the Antarctic Peninsula!

Days 3 to 5

Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands

Experience mounting excitement during shore excursions, especially your unforgettable first Zodiac landing amid penguins on pristine shores. Weather-dependent landings offer unique discoveries and photography opportunities. Distinguishing between Adélie, gentoo, and chinstrap penguins becomes second nature. Activities range from Zodiac cruises for whale and iceberg spotting to penguin colony treks.

Witness glacier calving and encounter top predators like leopard seals and orcas up close. The Expedition Team ensures safety and enriches your journey, with educational experts offering insights into glaciology, history, and wildlife, making each morning a thrilling adventure.
 

Days 6 and 7

Antarctic Circle

Crossing the Antarctic Circle is an unforgettable experience and a notable accomplishment, as it's a journey few travellers make. Should conditions permit us to traverse this renowned latitude at 66°33' S, we'll celebrate the pioneering explorers who first navigated these waters. You can raise a glass in honour of your achievement, having reached a part of the world visited by very few. This is unspoiled Antarctica, Weddell seals reside, and where you're likely to find sea ice – the cornerstone of the Antarctic marine ecosystem.

Days 8 and 9

Northbound Along the Peninsula

Should your thirst for Antarctic wildlife and icebergs not yet be quenched, you'll certainly find fulfilment by the time you circle back to King George Island. As you journey northward along the western Antarctic Peninsula, you will continue your explorations, either by Zodiac or on foot.

Your Expedition Team will remain vigilant, searching for any species of seabirds, seals, and whales that you might have missed on your southward journey.

Day 10

Disembarkation and Flight to Punta Arenas

Following a week of remarkable discoveries, you will bid farewell to your Expedition Team and disembark at King George Island. A two-hour flight across the Drake Passage takes you back to Punta Arenas, Chile, concluding your Antarctic adventure. Once you have been transferred to your hotel as a group, the rest of the day is yours. You can choose to explore the city, relax in your hotel, or spend the evening reflecting on the memroable sights and sounds of Antarctica.

Day 11

Depart from Punta Arenas

Following breakfast, you are free to embark on your onward journey or proceed to the Punta Arenas airport for your flights home.

  •     Experienced Expedition Leaders guiding the voyage, including shore landings and additional activities
  •     All Zodiac transfers and cruising in line with the daily itinerary
  •     All shore landings as scheduled in the daily program
  •     Onboard accommodation with daily housekeeping service
  •     Comprehensive meal plan featuring all meals, snacks, soft drinks, and juices on board throughout your voyage (Please advise us of any dietary needs well in advance. Note: Our ships’ galleys are unable to prepare kosher meals.)
  •     Selected beers and wines during dinner; continuous availability of coffee, tea, and cocoa
  •     A mix of formal and informal talks by our Expedition Team and guest speakers, as per the itinerary
  •     A photographic journal capturing moments of the expedition
  •     Complimentary loan of waterproof expedition boots for landings and Zodiac excursions
  •     An official Quark Expeditions® parka, yours to keep
  •     Hairdryer and bathrobes provided in every cabin
  •     All applicable service taxes and port charges for the duration of the program
  •     Comprehensive luggage handling onboard the ship
  •     Emergency Evacuation insurance for all passengers, up to a maximum benefit of USD $500,000 per person
  •     Group transfer on arrival in Punta Arenas from the airport to the pre-expedition hotel on Day 1
  •     One night's pre-expedition hotel stay in Punta Arenas with breakfast included (Note: The number of guests per hotel room matches the cabin occupancy on the ship. Due to limited availability, guests booking a suite onboard may be accommodated in standard hotel rooms. Triple rooms may not always be available.)
  •     A welcome dinner and briefing on Day 1 in Punta Arenas
  •     Group transfer from the hotel to the airport in Punta Arenas for the pre-expedition flight
  •     Roundtrip flights between Punta Arenas and King George Island
  •     Group transfer from the airport to the hotel in Punta Arenas post-expedition
  •     One night's post-expedition hotel stay in Punta Arenas with breakfast included

What's Not Included:

  • Meals not explicitly mentioned in the itinerary
  • Highly recommended travel insurance covering baggage, cancellation, interruption, and medical emergencies
  • Additional baggage fees on both international and domestic flights
  • Required waterproof trousers for Zodiac landings and cruising excursions, and any other unspecified equipment
  • Personal expenses such as laundry, bar, spa services, unless specifically included
  • Charges for phone and internet use (note that connectivity can differ by location)
  • Optional tips at the end of the voyage for expedition staff and shipboard crew
  • Extra overnight accommodation not included in the program
  • Transfers upon arrival and departure, unless clearly stated as included

Holly Reid
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