Crossing the Circle: Southern Expedition (Buenos Aires)

Dramatic ice formations will ignite your imagination as you search the landscape for the wildlife that calls it home.

Setting foot on the 7th Continent is a polar achievement relatively few people experience in their lifetime.


Antarctic Polar Circle
@ TPTC

Duration: 14 days
Starts: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Ends: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Language: English speaking voyage

*Includes a mandatory transfer package


Included
Optional


Even more rare is the incomparable milestone that’s achieved when a traveler crosses the iconic Antarctic Circle. Navigating south of 66°33' S is—for most guests—the highlight of the 14-day itinerary Crossing the Circle: Southern Expedition, which rewards passengers daily with views of dramatic ice formations, humpback whales swimming alongside the ship, leopard seals diving beneath your Zodiac, penguins sliding off icebergs into crystal waters, or giant petrels soaring above the crackling sea.

Starting in 2021, this itinerary allows you to the opportunity to experience our pioneering new vessel, Ultramarine. This purpose-built vessel is designed to extend the boundaries of polar exploration and offer an unmatched Antarctic experience, including a flightseeing tour you’ll never forget and a range of adventure options more extensive than any other ship in its class.

Itinerary

@ TPTC
@ TPTC
@ TPTC

Day 1 | Arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Upon arriving in this splendid 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).

Day 2 | Fly to Ushuaia and Embark
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 to have some 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 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.

Days 3 and 4 | Crossing the Drake Passage
Your days at sea are filled with presentations led by your Expedition Team on photography, wildlife, glaciology, and history. In between presentations, spend time on deck looking for wildlife or chatting with your shipmates over a drink at the bar.

Days 5 to 7 | South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
The most common reaction upon reaching the White Continent 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 travellers 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 and ship cruising can offer opportunities to view some of the larger local marine mammals more intimately, such as Antarctic minke and humpback whales. Each day and each excursion will present a new collection of creatures to delight you and keep your camera busy.
Your days will be busy spotting wildlife and being mesmerised 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 sea kayaking, paddle excursions, or camping are optional activities available on select voyages (at an extra cost).

Days 8 and 9 | Antarctic Circle
Crossing the Antarctic Circle is both a memorable experience and impressive achievement, as few travellers 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 10 and 11 | Northbound Along the Peninsula
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.

Days 12 and 13 | Crossing the Drake Passage
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.

Day 14 | Disembark in Ushuaia and Fly to Buenos Aires
You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. The mandatory transfer package includes a little taste of Patagonia with a Tierra del Fuego National Park tour before transferring to the airport for the return group charter flight to Buenos Aires.

Itinerary

Day 1 | Arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Upon arriving in this splendid 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).

Day 2 | Fly to Ushuaia and Embark
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 to have some 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 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.

Days 3 and 4 | Crossing the Drake Passage
Your days at sea are filled with presentations led by your Expedition Team on photography, wildlife, glaciology, and history. In between presentations, spend time on deck looking for wildlife or chatting with your shipmates over a drink at the bar.

Days 5 to 7 | South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
The most common reaction upon reaching the White Continent 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 travellers 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 and ship cruising can offer opportunities to view some of the larger local marine mammals more intimately, such as Antarctic minke and humpback whales. Each day and each excursion will present a new collection of creatures to delight you and keep your camera busy.
Your days will be busy spotting wildlife and being mesmerised 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 sea kayaking, paddle excursions, or camping are optional activities available on select voyages (at an extra cost).

Days 8 and 9 | Antarctic Circle
Crossing the Antarctic Circle is both a memorable experience and impressive achievement, as few travellers 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 10 and 11 | Northbound Along the Peninsula
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.

Days 12 and 13 | Crossing the Drake Passage
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.

Day 14 | Disembark in Ushuaia and Fly to Buenos Aires
You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. The mandatory transfer package includes a little taste of Patagonia with a Tierra del Fuego National Park tour before transferring to the airport for the return group charter flight to Buenos Aires.


@ TPTC
@ TPTC
@ TPTC


INCLUSIONS

Leadership throughout your voyage by our experienced Expedition Leaders, 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.)
Select beer and wine during dinner; and coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock
Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled
A photographic journal documenting the expedition
A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for landings and Zodiac cruising excursions
An official Quark Expeditions® parka to keep
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
One 10- to 15-minute helicopter flightseeing excursion (weather and logistics permitting)
One night’s pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Ushuaia 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.)

*Mandatory Transfer Package:
Includes:
One night's pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Buenos Aires 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.)
Group flight departing from Buenos Aires’ domestic airport (Aeroparque/AEP) to Ushuaia, and returning to Buenos Aires’ international airport (Ezeiza/EZE)
Group transfer from hotel to airport in Buenos Aires
Group transfer from Ushuaia airport to the ship, and return (Note: Transfer on arrival in Buenos Aires from airport to hotel at the beginning of the journey is not included. Please make your way to the included hotel.)
Combined airport transfer and express bus tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park after disembarkation in Ushuaia
Package Price: $995 USD

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 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: Ultramarine | Date: 06 Jan 2025 - 19 Jan 2025 (2288)
Solo Panorama
$34,990
Explorer Triple
$21,490
Explorer Suite
$24,990
Balcony Suite
$27,490
Deluxe Balcony Suite
$32,490
Terrace Suite
$33,490
Penthouse suite
$35,990
Owner's Suite
$44,490
Ultra Suite
$48,990
Ship: Ultramarine | Date: 07 Feb 2025 - 20 Feb 2025 (2289)
Solo Panorama
$32,990
Explorer Triple
$20,490
Explorer Suite
$23,990
Balcony Suite
$26,490
Deluxe Balcony Suite
$30,990
Terrace Suite
$31,990
Penthouse suite
$24,490
Owner's Suite
$42,490
Ultra Suite
$46,990
Ship: Ultramarine | Date: 01 Mar 2025 - 14 Mar 2025 (2290)
Solo Panorama
$32,490
Explorer Triple
$19,990
Explorer Suite
$23,490
Balcony Suite
$25,490
Deluxe Balcony Suite
$29,990
Terrace Suite
$30,990
Penthouse suite
$33,490
Owner's Suite
$40,990
Ultra Suite
$45,490

* 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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