Emperor Penguins: Snow Hill Island Safari

Multiple visits over a number of days to the Snow Hill Island rookery offer unique photo opportunities. Digital photography workshops help you take outstanding photographs while among the penguins. Scenic hikes cross sea ice dotted with icebergs frozen in place are akin to walking through a sculpture garden. Onboard helicopters are used for transfers and sightseeing. A polar-class icebreaker and more than 15 years of expedition operations make this voyage possible

Itinerary:

DAY 1 — Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
The city's international airport is served by flights from Buenos Aires and Chile. We recommend that you arrive as early in the day as possible. The "city at the end of the world" offers outdoor soft adventure activities, great restaurants, and museums. Overnight in Ushuaia.

DAY 2 — Embarkation Day
Your luggage will be transferred from your included hotel to the ship today. Embarkation occurs in the late afternoon. You are free to explore Ushuaia until embarkation.

DAY 3 — At Sea
Crossing the Drake Passage is as much a part of the Antarctic experience as penguins and krill. With the right weather conditions the transit will be relatively easy, but pack your seasickness medicine just in case the Drake lives up to its reputation.

DAY 4-5 — Through Bransfield Strait to the Weddell Sea
In anticipation of the first landing at the rookery while sailing you learn how to enter and exit Zodiacs and helicopters. The addition of helicopters for ice reconnaissance, aerial sightsseing and shore transfers is one reason that an icebeaker expedition delivers the ultimate Antarctic experience.

DAY 6-8 — Snow Hill Island Rookery
Adventurers returning from our 2006 safaris raved about the expedition, observing that the environment was as fascinating as the birds. The Emperors raised their young on sea ice that had captured icebergs, freezing them in place like huge sculptures dropped at random into the landscape. It is our intention during the 2007 expeditions to spend 3 or 4 days in the vicinity of the rookery. Our itinerary may have to be modified in response to changing weather and ice conditions in the Weddell Sea.

DAY 9-11 — The Antarctic Peninsula
If the visit to the rookery occurs as planned we intend to spend a few days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. The Expedition Team will be planning visits to the rookeries of Gentoo or Adelie Penguins, where courtship behavior will be underway. The contrast will be startling after your experience at the Snow Hill rookery.

DAY 12-13 — The Drake Passage or Scotia Sea
A day at sea can be as busy as any day ashore. The day speeds by when you bird watch from the deck, attend presentations, or just idly watch the waves from the fly deck. The 360 view from the top of the ship is perfect for taking panoramic photos.

DAY 14 — Disembarkation Day
After breakfast aboard, you will be transferred in a group to the passenger collection point in Ushuaia.

What's Included:

• Hotel accommodation: one night pre-expedition with breakfast.
• Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping.
• All breakfasts, lunches and dinners on board throughout your voyage.
• All shore landings and Zodiac excursions per the daily program.
• All helicopter transfers and aerial sightseeing according to each day’s program.
• Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader, including shore landings and other activities.
• Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled.
• Photographic Journal on DVD.
• Polar Arts program with interactive workshops.
• A pair of expedition boots on loan for shore landings.
• A Quark Expeditions parka to keep.
• Coffee, tea, cocoa, and bottled water available around the clock.
• Comprehensive pre-departure materials.
  Group transfers from the hotel to the ship at the embarkation port, and from the ship to the local airport on disembarkation – plus all baggage handling aboard ship.
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.

What's Not Included:

• Transportation to and from the embarkation point

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All rates are per person, double occupancy. Port charges, Government taxes and fees are additional. Limited availability and based on minimum fares for select departure dates. Other dates may be higher. These rates are for new, individual bookings only. Not responsible for last minute changes of price or itinerary by cruise line, or any errors or omissions in the content of this site. Some restrictions and cancellation penalties may apply.