Antarctica Express: Crossing the Circle


Fly and Cruise Antarctica
QRK © Sebastian Arrebola

Check off a travel milestone by crossing the Antarctic Circle. Maximize your adventure by skipping the ocean transit and flying over the Drake Passage by charter plane.

Duration: 11 days
Starts: Punta Arenas, Chile
Ends: Punta Arenas, Chile
Language: English Speaking Voyage


Included
Optional


Simply combine our exciting Crossing the Circle: Southern Expedition itinerary with a direct round-trip flight from Chile to your polar-ready ship, to get our Antarctic Express: Crossing the Circle voyage. Then, explore the wonders of the Antarctic Peninsula by sea, and continue further to reach 66⁰33´ south. Check other achievements off your bucket list as well, such as sea kayaking through channels dotted with icebergs.

Itinerary

© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola

Day 1 | Arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile
Your adventure begins in Punta Arenas, Chile, the most populated city in southern 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 you at the official starting point hotel, where you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner and be briefed on preparations for your embarkation day.

Day 2 | Fly to King George Island and Embarkation
Your charter flight from Punta Arenas to Antarctica enables you to cross the legendary Drake Passage in only two hours, while far below your ship will approach King George Island for your arrival. Your first glimpse of dramatic Antarctic landscapes will be from a unique perspective, as your plane descends for landing in the South Shetland Islands. After landing, make your way to the shore, before being transferred by Zodiac to your ship to set sail for the Antarctic Peninsula!

Days 3–5 | Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands
There are few places in the world as evocative as Antarctica. The Antarctic Continent is indescribable and can only be fully appreciated through your own eyes.

Even more exciting are your land excursions. Your first Zodiac landing is something you’ll never forget! Setting foot on a beach inhabited by thousands of penguins is the most intimate way to experience the unique wildlife of Antarctica.

Each landing is different and 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 and chinstrap penguin.

You may take a Zodiac cruise in search of whales and icebergs one day, followed by a hike to a penguin rookery the next day. From the booming sound of a calving glacier to the thrill of spotting apex predators like leopard seals and orcas in action, you’ll wake up early and welcome each day with a sense of adventure and a desire to explore this unrivaled wilderness experience.

Your Expedition Team will accompany you along the way, ensuring safety and providing insights into the places you visit. Our expert education team will also provide in-depth explanations of the glaciology, history and wildlife of the region.

Days 6 and 7 | Antarctic Circle
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 foundation of the Antarctic marine ecosystem.

Days 8 and 9 | Northbound Along the Peninsula
If you haven’t had your fill of Antarctic wildlife and icebergs by now, you’ll surely be satisfied by the time you return to King George Island. You will continue to explore by Zodiac or on land as you travel north along the western Antarctic Peninsula.

Your Expedition Team will always be on the lookout for species of seabirds, seals and whales that may have eluded you on your journey south.

Day 10 | 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 11 | Depart Punta Arenas
After breakfast, you are welcome to continue on your own travels or make your way to the Punta Arenas airport for your homeward flights.

Itinerary

Day 1 | Arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile
Your adventure begins in Punta Arenas, Chile, the most populated city in southern 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 you at the official starting point hotel, where you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner and be briefed on preparations for your embarkation day.

Day 2 | Fly to King George Island and Embarkation
Your charter flight from Punta Arenas to Antarctica enables you to cross the legendary Drake Passage in only two hours, while far below your ship will approach King George Island for your arrival. Your first glimpse of dramatic Antarctic landscapes will be from a unique perspective, as your plane descends for landing in the South Shetland Islands. After landing, make your way to the shore, before being transferred by Zodiac to your ship to set sail for the Antarctic Peninsula!

Days 3–5 | Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands
There are few places in the world as evocative as Antarctica. The Antarctic Continent is indescribable and can only be fully appreciated through your own eyes.

Even more exciting are your land excursions. Your first Zodiac landing is something you’ll never forget! Setting foot on a beach inhabited by thousands of penguins is the most intimate way to experience the unique wildlife of Antarctica.

Each landing is different and 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 and chinstrap penguin.

You may take a Zodiac cruise in search of whales and icebergs one day, followed by a hike to a penguin rookery the next day. From the booming sound of a calving glacier to the thrill of spotting apex predators like leopard seals and orcas in action, you’ll wake up early and welcome each day with a sense of adventure and a desire to explore this unrivaled wilderness experience.

Your Expedition Team will accompany you along the way, ensuring safety and providing insights into the places you visit. Our expert education team will also provide in-depth explanations of the glaciology, history and wildlife of the region.

Days 6 and 7 | Antarctic Circle
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 foundation of the Antarctic marine ecosystem.

Days 8 and 9 | Northbound Along the Peninsula
If you haven’t had your fill of Antarctic wildlife and icebergs by now, you’ll surely be satisfied by the time you return to King George Island. You will continue to explore by Zodiac or on land as you travel north along the western Antarctic Peninsula.

Your Expedition Team will always be on the lookout for species of seabirds, seals and whales that may have eluded you on your journey south.

Day 10 | 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 11 | Depart Punta Arenas
After breakfast, you are welcome to continue on your own travels or make your way to the Punta Arenas airport for your homeward flights.


© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola
© Sebastian Arrebola


INCLUSIONS

• An official Quark Expeditions parka to keep
• Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Team, including shore landings and other activities
• All Zodiac transfers and cruising as per the daily program
• All shore landings as per the daily program
• Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping
• All meals, snacks, soft drinks and juices 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
• Free beer, standard wines, spirits, and cocktails during bar service hours and dinner
• Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled
• A photographic journal documenting your expedition
• A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for landings and Zodiac cruising excursions
• Hair dryer and bathrobes in every cabin
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program
• All luggage handling aboard the ship
• Emergency Evacuation insurance for all passengers to a maximum benefit of USD $500,000 per person
• A group arrival transfer in Punta Arenas from airport to pre-expedition hotel on Day 1
• One night’s pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Punta Arenas with breakfast. (Note: 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. Triple rooms may not be available.)
• A briefing dinner on Day 1 in Punta Arenas
• A pre-expedition group transfer in Punta Arenas from the hotel to the airport
• Flights to and from King George Island
• A post-expedition group transfer in Punta Arenas from the airport to the hotel
• One night’s post-expedition hotel accommodation in Punta Arenas with breakfast
• Complimentary Wi-Fi service on one device permitting basic Internet browsing, email, posting on social media and voice applications. (Premium packages are available for more data intensive applications.)
• Itineraries are correct at the time of publication and may be subject to change

EXCLUSIONS

• International airfare
• Passport and applicable visa expenses
• Government arrival and departure taxes not mentioned
• Meals unless otherwise specified
• Baggage, cancellation, interruption and medical travel insurance—strongly recommended
• Excess-baggage fees on international and domestic flights
• Mandatory waterproof pants for Zodiac landing and cruising excursions, or any other gear not mentioned•
• Laundry, bar, spa services and other personal charges, unless specified
• Phone and Internet charges (connectivity may vary by location)
• Voluntary gratuity at the end of the voyage for expedition staff and shipboard crew
• Additional overnight accommodation
• Arrival and departure transfers, except where explicitly stated
• Adventure Options not listed in Included Activities


Dates & Rates


Ship: Ocean Explorer | Date: 24 Jan 2025 - 03 Feb 2025 (3076)
Studio Single
$35,995
$32,395
Deluxe Veranda Forward Stateroom
$26,995
$24,295
Veranda Stateroom
$28,495
$25,645
Veranda Suite
$30,495
$27,445
Junior Suite
$35,995
$32,395
Studio Veranda Single
$38,495
$34,645
Penthouse Suite
$41,495
$37,345
Owners Suite
$44,495
$40,045
Ship: Ocean Explorer | Date: 09 Jan 2026 - 19 Jan 2026 (3039)
Studio Single
$44,295
$37,661
Deluxe Veranda Forward Stateroom
$33,695
$28,641
Veranda Stateroom
$35,395
$30,086
Veranda Suite
$37,595
$31,956
Junior Suite
$44,295
$37,651
Studio Veranda Single
$47,795
$40,626
Penthouse Suite
$51,395
$43,686
Owners Suite
$54,895
$46,661
Ship: Ocean Explorer | Date: 28 Feb 2026 - 10 Mar 2026 (3077)
Studio Single
$40,095
$30,071
Deluxe Veranda Forward Stateroom
$30,495
$22,871
Veranda Stateroom
$32,095
$24,071
Veranda Suite
$33,995
$25,496
Junior Suite
$40,095
$30,071
Studio Veranda Single
$43,295
$32,471
Penthouse Suite
$46,495
$34,871
Owners Suite
$49,695
$37,271

* The prices are per person in US Dollars, unless expressly specified in a different currency. In that case, payment will be in US dollars at the exchange rate of the day.
** All prices will be re-confirmed by email at the time of booking.
NOTE: Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.

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