Zodiac cruising
Navigate deep into shallow coves, iceberg labyrinths, and alongside sheer glacier fronts where ships cannot reach, observing leopard seals lounging on floating floes.
Prices are captured from operator websites and may change — the operator's site is authoritative. Captured Nov 2, 2026 06:41 UTC.
Itinerary and landing sites are indicative and subject to change based on weather, sea ice, and wildlife conditions.
Upon arriving in this cosmopolitan city, known for its architecture and rich European heritage, you will independently transfer to your group hotel (pre-expedition hotel night included in mandatory transfer package).
After an early breakfast at the hotel, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Ushuaia, Argentina.Upon arrival, you will be transferred from the airport to a central downtown location for free time on your own to explore this quaint port town before making your way to the pier.As the ship sets sail in the late afternoon, you will begin your Antarctic journey, passing through the historic Beagle Channel. Named after the famed ship on which Charles Darwin voyaged, the channel presents great photo opportunities of landscapes and seabirds. Eventually the channel opens up to the Southern Ocean, and onwards to Antarctica.
Your days at sea are filled with presentations led by your Expedition Team on photography, wildlife, glaciology, and history. You can also spend time on deck looking for wildlife, or chatting with your shipmates over a drink at the bar.
The most common reaction upon reaching the Antarctic Peninsula is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched and enduring as Antarctica. You will begin to appreciate why this region has long captivated the attention of explorers and travelers alike. Every visit to 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 local bays, channels and landing sites. With wildlife always at the forefront of our minds, you will visit penguin rookeries, scout for humpback and minke whales, and search for a number of southern seal species, including the elusive leopard seal. Your Expedition Team will take care of you at each landing, whether you are exploring the Antarctic terrain, visiting a research station or consorting with penguin colonies. Chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins are found here, along with five different species of seals. Zodiac cruising can offer opportunities to view some of the larger local marine mammals more intimately, such as Antarctic minke and humpback whales. Your days will be busy spotting wildlife and being mesmerized by the astounding beauty of Antarctica. Listening to the crackling and crumbling of icebergs and glaciers and watching penguins waddling on the beach will become your daily entertainment, while heli flightseeing, sea kayaking or paddle excursions are optional activities available on select voyages (at an extra cost).
Crossing the Antarctic Circle is both a memorable experience and impressive achievement, as few travelers reach so far south. If conditions allow us to cross this famed latitude of 66°33 ́ S, we’ll toast the first explorers who ventured here, and you can raise a glass and take pride in knowing you’ve made it to a part of the world visited by very few people. This is raw Antarctica, home of the midnight sun, Weddell seals, and your best chances of encountering sea ice—the very foundations of the Antarctic marine ecosystem.
By now, your knowledge of Adélie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins will be matched by your ability to differentiate between a leopard, crabeater and Weddell seal. Terms like ‘bergy bits’ and ‘pancake ice’ will become part of your vocabulary, yet there are still many tales to be told. As you head north, Zodiac excursions will fill your days, and your Expedition Team will continue looking out for species of seabirds, seals and whales that may have eluded you on your journey south.
As you recross the Drake, Antarctica fades away, leaving you with a collection of memories to last a lifetime. Excited conversations with your newfound friends will make the crossing fly by, regardless of weather and sea conditions. Your Expedition Team will round up its series of presentations as well, with a slideshow of the adventures you’ve shared and wildlife you’ve witnessed over the course of your voyage. Be sure to take some time to reflect on everything you’ve experienced so far.
You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. You will then make your way towards your included group charter flight to Buenos Aires.
4 included in fare 1 optional add-on
Navigate deep into shallow coves, iceberg labyrinths, and alongside sheer glacier fronts where ships cannot reach, observing leopard seals lounging on floating floes.
Crunch through pristine snow up glaciated ridges and volcanic vantage points for breathtaking 360° panoramas over iceberg-choked straits and penguin rookeries.
Take 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.
Specialized workshops and excursions guided by professional polar photographers to capture the ethereal midnight sun, dynamic wildlife action, and sculpted blue ice.
Paddle in near-silence through mirror-calm glacial bays, drifting alongside iridescent ice sculptures and listening to the deep exhales of surfacing humpback whales.
Rite of Passage • Albatross Alley
Volcanic Isles • Penguin Rookeries & Calderas
Calm Channel • First Big Icebergs & Feeding Whales
Palmer Archipelago • Glacial Vistas & Palmer Station
Kodak Gap • Kilometer-High Glaciated Chasm
Deep South • 66°33′ S & Midnight Sun
Classic Antarctica • Towering Peaks & Wildlife
IAATO Category 1 (101–200 guests) — full Category 1 site access via two-group shore & Zodiac rotations
Warmest temperatures, fluffy penguin chicks forming crèches, and surging whale arrivals.
Quark Expeditions operates dedicated polar expedition voyages to Antarctica with experienced expedition teams.
Jan 2028 – Feb 20292 shipsFares from $15,301
Upcoming Antarctic departures in a similar sailing window and region — tick Compare on any card to compare side by side.
Antarctic Peninsula
Nov 17, 2026 – Nov 28, 2026 · 12 days
Ushuaia, Argentina
Weddell Sea
Nov 17, 2026 – Dec 4, 2026 · 18 days
Ushuaia (Argentina)
Snow Hill Island
Nov 15, 2026 – Nov 25, 2026 · 11 days
Ushuaia
Penguins
The world's largest penguin breeds only in Antarctica's brutal winter. A rare and unforgettable sight.
Penguins
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.
Whales & Dolphins
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.
Whales & Dolphins
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.
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.