Hiking & snowshoeing
Included activityCrunch through pristine snow up glaciated ridges and volcanic vantage points for breathtaking 360° panoramas over iceberg-choked straits and penguin rookeries.
Available
December 2027
Antarctic Express: Sail South, Fly North
From
$19,345
Arrival
Dec 11, 2027
⚓ Punta Arenas
Duration
10 days
9 nights
Ice class
1B
Ice Class 1B: Ice-strengthened hull for navigation in medium ice conditions (up to 0.6 m).
Year built
2020
Day by day
Route:
Itinerary and landing sites are indicative and subject to change based on weather, sea ice, and wildlife conditions.
Day 1 — Arrive in Ushuaia
You may arrive in Ushuaia at any time on Day 1. Many guests choose to arrive a day or two before embarkation day to explore this quaint port city at the bottom of South America., and the surrounding region. Based on the arrival information you send in advance, we will arrange for a transfer from the airport to your hotel.
Day 2 — Embarkation in Ushuaia
On the morning of Day 2, your luggage will be collected from the hotel lobby and transferred to your cabin on the ship. Guests will meet at a designated location near the pier, usually about 4 pm, and board the waiting buses for transfer to the ship. After a late afternoon embarkation, we will sail along the historic Beagle Channel, which transects the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the extreme south of South America. Excitement builds in anticipation of your next stop: the Antarctic.
Day 3 & 4 — Crossing the Drake Passage
Legendary for its high winds and rolling seas, you may get lucky and have surprisingly calm seas through the Drake Passage. Spend your time in the lounge or chatting with your fellow travelers. As you develop your sea legs during the crossing, our Expedition Team will begin their series of presentations to help prepare you for your upcoming Zodiac and land excursions. You officially enter Antarctica when your ship crosses the Antarctic Convergence, a biological boundary that fluctuates around 60° south.
Day 5 to 8 — South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
The most common reaction upon reaching the 7th Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched as Antarctica. You will begin to appreciate why this region has long captivated the attention of explorers and travelers alike. Every time we visit Antarctica, we witness something new or unexpected, which means that your expedition will be unlike any other— creating a unique, personal experience. Each day, you will take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore glaciated bays, channels and landing sites. Your Expedition Team will take care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or observing chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins, all of which can be found here. Keep an eye out for Weddell, fur, crabeater and leopard seals as well as curious whales, such as humpbacks, minkes, or perhaps orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new array of creatures to fascinate you and keep your camera busy. Amid the serene silence of Antarctica, noisy interludes become indelible memories, such as penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, or the boom and crack of a calving glacier. Every day will be different, having been carefully crafted by your Expedition Team to inspire and educate you about this wonderful part of the world.
Day 9 — Disembarkation and Fly to Punta Arenas
After your week of exploration, you’ll say goodbye to your Expedition Team and disembark at King George Island. Your two-hour flight across the Drake Passage to Punta Arenas, Chile, brings your adventure to an end. After your group transfer to the hotel, you are free to explore and enjoy an evening on your own, in the city or at the hotel to reminisce about the sights and sounds of Antarctica.
Day 10 — Depart Punta Arenas
After breakfast, you are free to continue on your own travels or make your way to the Punta Arenas airport for your homeward flights.
Activities
Kayaking & paddling
Optional activitiesPaddle in near-silence through mirror-calm glacial bays, drifting alongside iridescent ice sculptures and listening to the deep exhales of surfacing humpback whales.
Photography
Included activitySpecialized workshops and excursions guided by professional polar photographers to capture the ethereal midnight sun, dynamic wildlife action, and sculpted blue ice.
Polar plunge
Included activityTake the leap of a lifetime directly into near-freezing Antarctic waters from a Zodiac, ship gangway, or geothermal black beach for the ultimate polar badge of honor.
Zodiac cruising
Included activityNavigate deep into shallow coves, iceberg labyrinths, and alongside sheer glacier fronts where ships cannot reach, observing leopard seals lounging on floating floes.
Expedition Overview
Operator
Quark Expeditions
Polar SpecialistQuark Expeditions operates dedicated polar expedition voyages to the White Continent with seasoned expedition teams.
Month
December 2027
Peak Season · 20h DaylightLong polar days, hatching penguin chicks, and peak summer activity across rookeries and bays.
Hatching Chicks
20h Sunlight
First Whales
Regions
Visited Regions
5 regions on this voyage
South Shetland Islands
Volcanic Isles • Penguin Rookeries & Calderas
Anvers Island
Palmer Archipelago • Glacial Vistas & Palmer Station
Lemaire Channel
Kodak Gap • Kilometer-High Glaciated Chasm
King George Island
Fly-Cruise Hub • Multi-National Stations
Drake Passage
Rite of Passage • Albatross Alley
Cabin offers
| Cabin | Occupancy | Price (per person) | Promo | Availability | Source | detail.action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Infinity Suite
Best price
Located on Decks 5 and 6, approximately 270 sq. ft. (25 sq. m), with one double or two single beds and a floor-to-ceiling glass Juliet balcony. Sitting area with sofa, refrigerator, TV, infotainment system, and private bathroom with shower. In your cabin
|
— | $19,345 | Pay in full at time of booking & Save 5% | available | Quark Expeditions | View at operator |
Veranda Suite
Located on Decks 5 and 6, approximately 215 sq. ft. (20 sq. m), with one double or two single beds and a 55 sq. ft. (5 sq. m) walk-out balcony. Sitting area with sofa, refrigerator, TV, infotainment system, and private bathroom with shower. In your cabin
|
— | $20,285 | Pay in full at time of booking & Save 5% | available | Quark Expeditions | View at operator |
Superior Suite
Located on Decks 5 and 6, approximately 270 sq. ft. (25 sq. m) per the page text (the details row lists a 207-270 sq. ft. range), with one double or two single beds and a 100 sq. ft. (9.5 sq. m) walk-out balcony with access from sitting room and bedroom. Separate sitting area with sofa, walk-in closet, refrigerator, TV, infotainment system, and private bathroom with shower. In your cabin
|
— | $26,099 | Pay in full at time of booking & Save 5% | available | Quark Expeditions | View at operator |
Deluxe Suite
Located on Deck 5, approximately 345 sq. ft. (32 sq. m), with one double or two single beds and a 100 sq. ft. (9.5 sq. m) walk-out balcony with access from sitting room and bedroom. Separate sitting area with sofa, double closets, refrigerator, TV, infotainment system, and private bathroom with shower. In your cabin
|
— | $28,066 | Pay in full at time of booking & Save 5% | available | Quark Expeditions | View at operator |
Owner's Suite
Located on Decks 5 and 6, approximately 365 sq. ft. (34 sq. m), with one double or two single beds and a 100 sq. ft. (9.5 sq. m) walk-out balcony with access from sitting room and bedroom. Separate sitting area with sofa, refrigerator, TV, infotainment system, and private bathroom with shower, dual vanity and bathtub. In your cabin
|
— | $30,032 | Pay in full at time of booking & Save 5% | available | Quark Expeditions | View at operator |
Prices are captured from operator websites and may change — the operator's site is authoritative. Captured Sep 3, 2026 06:38 UTC.
Getting ready for this voyage?
Everything worth bringing on an Antarctic expedition — an interactive checklist you can tick off as you pack, keep as a personal link and download as a PDF.
Wildlife on this route
Wildlife
Gentoo Penguin
A stocky, orange-billed penguin of the genus Pygoscelis, closest kin to the Adélie and Chinstrap. Its loud, trumpeting call, delivered with head thrown back, carries across the shoreline colonies where expedition landings are made.
Wildlife
Humpback Whale
A 14–17 metre baleen whale known for breaching and long pectoral fins, often seen feeding on krill in loose groups along the ice edge.
Wildlife
Orca
Black and white apex predator instantly recognizable by its pale eye patches, the orca is the largest of the dolphins and one of the ocean's most capable hunters. Sightings often involve a tight-knit family pod working the ice edge together.
Wildlife
Wandering Albatross
The snowy albatross, better known as the wandering albatross, has the widest wingspan of any living bird alive today. Watch for it riding the wind for hours behind the ship without a single wingbeat.