Hello again, penguins. Quark Expeditions®, the leader in polar adventures and pioneering expedition travel company operating exclusively in the Arctic and Antarctica, today announces its third successful landing this season to one of the world’s most isolated destinations: Snow Hill Island and its renowned emperor penguin colony.
Located in Antarctica, this remote and invigoratingly beautiful destination is the reward of a daring voyage through icy waters that is both exhilarating and educational. There is always a risk traveling to this remote part of the world where extreme weather conditions are possible, including ice and natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions. Quark Expeditions has successfully and safely transported the most adventure seeking passengers of any organization to this remote part of the world since its first successful landing at Snow Hill Island in 2004.
“While visiting the emperor penguin colony at Snow Hill Island is an incredibly complex and unpredictable journey, it is also one of the most rewarding,” said Andrew White, president at Quark Expeditions. “With decades of experience in the Arctic and Antarctica, our carefully curated expedition itineraries are designed with a detailed understanding of unique destination, like Snow Hill Island, so travelers can experience the adventure and splendor of polar travel at its finest.”
Shaped by years of experience and a track record for success, Quark Expedition’s current itinerary to Snow Hill includes an extensive range of experiences. Specific highlights include:
- Emperor Penguins – Experience firsthand what makes them so elegant, dignified and famous. As the real stars of the itinerary, they have the most intricate of lives and their arduous breeding cycle spent in this barren wilderness defies description and is a testament to their resilience and survival. Considered by many to be one of the most mysterious species on the planet, emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest of all living penguin species and breed in the coldest environment of any bird species.
- Serene Ship-to-Shore Helicopter Transfers to the Emperor penguin colony yield spectacular views of the picturesque icy landscape. If time and conditions allow, views of the breathtaking scenery may include glaciers. The exclusivity of it all ensures passengers become part of an incredibly privileged “polar club.”
- The Legendary Ship – The legendary Kapitan Khlebnikov has a strong polar pedigree in the history of expedition travel. Strategically built to withstand awe-inspiring amounts of packed ice, it has circumnavigated Antarctica twice and the Arctic once. It was also the first ship ever to successfully bring travelers to Snow Hill, which was with Quark Expeditions. Ice can extend hundreds of miles into the water in some areas, making the area impassable for most of the world’s bigger ships.
- An Ice-Covered Wonderland in the Weddell Sea, Snow Hill Island gets its name from the snow-covered hills that span across it with rocky peaks some 6,500 feet (2 kilometers) high – falling steeply in black rock outcrops, sweeping glaciers into the sea.
- Crossing Drake Passage is where most Antarctic cruises begin and end on the famously rough stretch of sea between South America and the seventh continent. For many adventures, it’s considered a rite of passage that is guaranteed to give passengers an adrenalin rush.
Further underscoring its reputation for excellence – which can also be attributed to having the most successful landings compared to attempts among rivals – this 14-day experience received AFAR’s Travelers’ Choice Award for “Most Unique Itinerary.” Additionally, BBC’s Frozen Planet has leveraged Quark Expedition’s expertise and status as the leader in polar adventures to transport film crews and capture rare footage of the emperor penguin colony.
All Quark Expedition experiences have a variety of key elements in common. These include landings, exotic wildlife sightings and massive amounts of pristine ice. Additionally, the expeditions to Snow Hill Island and the North Pole have helicopter sightseeing tours with all other itineraries featuring zodiac rides – enabling passengers truly intimate and memorable encounters with their surroundings and wildlife.
Each expedition is a chance to encounter a world where nature creates the rules, with unpredictable temperament making each trip unique, exhilarating and personal. To learn more about upcoming expeditions to the world’s seventh continent, visit quarkexpeditions.com/departures.
About Quark Expeditions®:
Specializing in expeditions to Antarctic and the Arctic, Quark Expeditions® has been the leading provider of polar adventure travel for more than 25 years. With a diverse fleet of specially-equipped small expedition vessels, icebreakers, and unique land-based adventures, it offers travelers unparalleled access to the most remote places on earth. Led by passionate and seasoned expedition teams, including scientists, naturalists and researchers, the on-board program focuses on guest interaction to educate and enrich the passenger experience.
SOURCE Quark Expeditions
Rod Washington Writer, filmmaker, model railroader, dreamer, posting videos and articles about trains. Also, posting railfanning videos and updates about his own model railroad layout via his webpage, the rail project (coming soon).
