Antarctic Express: Crossing the Circle

Activity Level

Easy

Activity

Polar Expeditions

Overview

Visit the Antarctic Peninsula, going south of the Antarctic Circle, but skip the Drake Passage by flying instead

A short, comfortable flight from Punta Arenas, Chile, to King George Island in Antarctica has you with boots on the ground in no time, overtaken by the sheer magnitude of the 7th Continent. Fully immersed in the Antarctic environment, you’ll experience a roller coaster of emotions, from excitement to exquisite solitude to incredible gratitude for the wonder of it all. You may go in search of whales and find yourself bearing witness to a glacier calving. Or you may plan to climb one more peak for a better vantage point and find yourself in a rookery of curious penguins. Antarctica will leave you in awe, but it won’t leave you unchanged.

Key Information

Trip Code: PSP
Ways to Travel: Guided Group
Countries: Antarctic Peninsula

What's Included

All accommodation: 8 nights on the ship, 2 nights Punta Arenas
All meals while on the ship, plus beer and wine during dinner
Immersive itinerary with all transport (including return charter flight to King George Island from Punta Arenas) and listed activities
Tour leader throughout and qualified Expedition Staff

Don't Forget To

Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations.

Highlights

Skip the Drake Passage and fly from Punta Arenas to King George Island
Explore the remarkable Antarctic Peninsula
Incredible wildlife including seabirds, penguins, seals and whales
Cross the Antarctic Circle at 66° 33’ S
Travel on a small expedition vessel
Accompanied by extremely qualified Expedition Staff

Itinerary

First Destination: Punta Arenas, Chile
Next Destination: Punta Arenas, Chile

Meals included:Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Punta Arenas, Chile
Next Destination: Punta Arenas, Chile

Our adventure begins in Punta Arenas, Chile, the most populated city in Patagonia. If you arrive early, there are many museums, restaurants and shops to keep you busy for days. By early afternoon, a Quark Expeditions representative will meet all passengers at the official starting point hotel, where we’ll enjoy a welcome dinner and be briefed about preparing for embarkation day. Please note that you need to arrive at the hotel in Punta Arenas no later than 3pm today.

Meals included:Dinner

Our charter flight from Punta Arenas to Antarctica will have you crossing the legendary Drake Passage in only a few hours. Far below, the ship is approaching King George Island for our arrival. Our first glimpse of dramatic Antarctica landscapes will be from a very unique perspective, as the plane descends for landing in the South Shetlands. Meet the rest of your shipmates and set sail for the Antarctic Peninsula!

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

There are few places in the world as evocative as Antarctica. As the ship approaches the white continent, you may be overcome by feelings of excitement and awe. Much of Antarctica is indescribable and can only be fully appreciated through your own eyes.

Our first sightings will be from the ship itself. As the Captain and Expedition Team keep their eyes out for whales and seabirds, you’ll be alerted to any new sightings. Our team of expert lecturers will also provide in-depth explanations of the geology, history and wildlife of the region. Even more exciting are the daily excursions to land. Your first Zodiac landing is something you’ll never forget! Walking up to a beach that is dotted with penguins and seals is the most intimate way to experience the unique wildlife of Antarctica.

Each landing is different and is dependent on weather, but every day presents new sightings and photo opportunities and it won’t be long before you can tell the difference between an Adélie, Gentoo or Chinstrap penguin. We may take a Zodiac cruise in search of whales and icebergs in Pleneau Island one day, followed by a hike to a penguin rookery the next day. From the booming shot of a calving glacier at Petermann Island to the complete silence of night while camping on the ice in Antarctica, each day will be welcomed with the excitement and energy of a young child.

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Crossing the Antarctic Circle is an impressive achievement, as most expeditions to the Peninsula do not reach 66° 33′ S. We will celebrate in style with a well-earned glass of champagne! With a toast to the first explorers who ventured this far south, you can take pride in knowing you’ve made it to a part of the world still visited by very few people. This is raw Antarctica, home to the midnight sun, Weddell seals and some of the most magical, odd ice formations seen anywhere in Antarctica.

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

If you haven’t had your fill of Antarctic wildlife and icebergs by now, you’ll surely be satisfied by the time we return to the Drake Passage. We will continue to journey onto land by Zodiac twice daily as we travel north along the western Antarctic Peninsula. The Expedition Team will always be on the lookout for any species of penguins, seals and whales that may have eluded us on the journey south.

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a week of exploration, you’ll say goodbye to the Expedition Team and disembark at King George Island. A three-hour flight across the Drake Passage to Punta Arenas, Chile, brings our adventure to an end. After we transfer you from the airport to the hotel, you can enjoy a final dinner in the city to reminisce about all the sights and sounds of Antarctica.

Meals included:Breakfast

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport in Punta Arenas for your homeward flight.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

Skip the hassle: We’ll handle your trip from start to finish, with competitive flight prices, deposit-only payments, and full ATOL protection available.

Call us: 020 3733 5948

Your Group, Your Adventure

Want to choose your travel companions? Gather your family and friends and let us create a Private Adventure just for you.

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Accommodation

Polar Adventure Ships

Polar adventure ships are small ice-rated vessels well qualified for Polar waters. Intimate adventures are always more enjoyable with like-minded passengers and staff, so these voyages are for people who like flexible itineraries and plenty to keep them busy. Activities include frequent Zodiac excursions, trekking and many hours on deck in areas that other ships only dream about accessing. Food and staff are superb and every guest benefits from the technical advances of this superb fleet. Rest assured our Polar Adventure Ships enable any traveller to maximize their experience sensitively in the Poles.

Ocean Explorer

Antarctic Express: Crossing the Circle

The Ocean Explorer is modern, elegant and purpose-built for polar exploration, this 138-passenger vessel has been designed with the latest in expedition ship technology.

Learn more about the Ocean Explorer including ship facts, deck plans, detailed cabin information, a gallery and all of the features and amenities that enhance your experience on board.

Essential Information

Travelling Conditions

The voyages are designed to be as flexible as possible, taking advantage of circumstances and events as they occur, as well as passengers’ wishes and particular interests wherever possible. The atmosphere on board is relaxed and friendly with expedition staff, including naturalists and Polar experts, on hand and the opportunity to mingle with people from all over the world. The ship is kept warm, clean and comfortable with a wet/mud room in which to hang gear and store boots ready for the next adventure.

On the Zodiac cruises you are sitting still for most of the time with the potential for some sea spray and a cold headwind – if you are not dressed appropriately you will get cold. On the shore excursions, the majority of landings are wet which means that the Zodiacs beach and you are helped to slide into the ankle deep shore break before walking up onto dry land (wellington boots are issued to all passengers).

There are, of course, no paths, so be prepared for slippery, rough terrain and sometimes fairly deep snow. Back on board the cosy ship after each adventure, you can have a sauna and/or a hot shower and then relax with a tea, coffee, hot chocolate or something stronger from the bar.

Optional activities

On some occasions, space is limited on the optional activities and needs to be booked in advance. Please ask our Polar Sales team for more information if you are interested in one of the options below.

Sea kayaking option

On many of our Antarctic voyages there is the chance for some members of the party to take regular sea kayak excursions in place of the Zodiac excursions. There are a limited number of kayaks on each ship, and you must book and pay for this option in advance. All kayak trips are expertly guided, and are subject to suitable locations and weather conditions. Should the kayaking not be possible, a place on a Zodiac is always available.

Camping on Ice option

Not very many people have the opportunity to say they’ve camped on the 7th Continent. This is one of the best ways to experience Antarctica in a more intimate manner, and take your expedition to the next level. Camping is available on most Antarctic voyages and has a limited number of spots. All equipment, guides and instructions are provided.

Polar Itineraries

All Polar itineraries should be treated as a guide only – it is possible that, amongst other things, the capricious nature of wind, visibility and ice, intelligence from previous sailings, changes in local landing regulations or the expert opinion of the crew onboard may lead to adjustments to the route published.

Booking Conditions

Please note that, as with all Polar holidays and voyages, the booking conditions for this trip differ from our standard conditions.

The required deposit is 25% per person of your selected travel arrangements (minimum £1000 per person or equivalent in booking currency) and the balance of the price of your travel arrangements must be paid at least 133 days before your departure date. The deposit is non-refundable, and at 133 days before departure date, our cancellation penalties are 100% of the holiday cost.

Travelling land only: 11 days starting and ending in Punta Arenas

Your trip normally starts at the hotel in Punta Arenas in the afternoon of Day 1 of the itinerary.

Please note that you need to arrive in Punta Arenas no later than 3pm on Day 1 as the flight times of the charter flight are subject to change. These might even operate on the evening of Day 1 as a result of weather systems that could cause a delay on subsequent days.

Details of how to reach the start point are provided in the Final Joining Instructions ‐ sent approximately two weeks before departure.

Antarctica

It’s your responsibility to obtain any visas required for this trip. Visa requirements vary depending on your nationality and destination, so please check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through. As a guide, some local governments provide information on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations
Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations
United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html

Chile

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Chile. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Please note, a PDI tourist card will be given to you by migration at Santiago airport, upon arrival to Chile, and asked for upon departure from Chile (please retain this important slip of paper). The PDI certifies that you are a visitor and must be given back to migration upon departure from Chile.

All meals while on the ship included.

Typical Meals

The ships galley offers good quality service and cuisine throughout, with excellent chefs preparing international menus including vegetarian dishes, accompanied by a wide variety of drinks from around the world on sale.

Breakfast: Buffet style – unlimited tea and coffee, a selection of fruit juices, hot options including bacon and eggs or omelettes, a selection of bread and toast and jam/honey/marmalade, fruit and cereal.

Lunch: Three course set meal or buffet, or the occasional BBQ.

Dinner: Three or four courses with a starter of soup and/or salad, a choice of mains with at least one vegetarian option and a dessert, with tea and coffee.

Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this holiday – please do inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so that our local team can be well prepared.

Late Spring and Early Summer – October & November

The start of the season and the most adventurous time to travel. You’ll encounter truly breathtaking, exquisitely sculpted icebergs emerging from their frozen hibernation. Many of these blue bergs house courting, nesting and brooding penguins.

High Summer – December, January & February

Close to the solstice you’ll experience almost perpetual daylight. These are the mildest months when the first Adelie and Gentoo penguin chicks are hatched. As the water warms the whale sightings also improve.

Late Summer – February & March

This is the time for some incredible encounters with whales, especially Minkes and Humpbacks. The receding ice allows for further exploration and penguin colonies are very active with adults feeding their chicks.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.