Antarctica Cruises & Tours

Adventure Life
800-344-6118 (Toll-free)
406-541-2677 (International)
406-541-2676 (Fax)
E-mail us
1655 S 3rd St. W, Ste 1
Missoula MT, 59801 USA

Extensions

Extend your Antarctica travel a few more days with an Antarctic extension. Antarctica Hospitality
Package » Chile Tour Extensions » Argentina Tour Extensions »

Research Ship Akademik Ioffe Akademik Shokalskiy Aleksey Maryshev Grigoriy Mikheev Polar Pioneer Professor Molchanov Professor Multanovskiy Akademik Sergey Vavilov MV Ushuaia Peregrine Mariner/ Akademik Ioffe Peregrine Voyager / Akademik Sergey Vavilov Ice Breaker Ship Kapitan Khlebnikov Expedition Cruise Ship Polar Star Antarctic Dream Clipper Adventurer - QU MV Orlova National Geographic Endeavour Ocean Nova Andrea Marina Svetaeva MV Plancius One Ocean Navigator / Plancius Luxury Expedition Ship Corinthian II Orion Minerva National Geographic Explorer Clelia II

Icon Legend

Please click to see a detailed explanation of these icons used throughout the site.

Escort

Escorted Unescorted

Difficulty

Easy Moderate Challenging

When to Travel

Excellent Very Good Unpredictable Unavailable

e-mail a friend print itinerary Trip Journals

Ship: Kapitan Khlebnikov

Itinerary: The Great Antarctic Explorers '08-'09

click to enlarge
  Penguin FamilyPhoto by: Gerald Cubitt

 cabins & deck plans  |  additional itineraries  |  cancellation policy

Days 1-2 :	Christchurch, New Zealand
Days 3-5 :	Exploring Enderby and Campbell Islands
Days 6-9 :	Sailing to the Ice Edge
Day 10 :	The Drygalski Ice Tongue
Days 11-12 :	McMurdo Station, Scott Base, Cape Evans and Cape Royds
Days 13-14 :	The Dry Valleys and the Ross Ice Shelf
Days 15-16 :	Making History in the Bay of Whales
Days 17-21 :	Ross Sea Discoveries
Days 22-23 :	Macquarie Island's Three Million Penguins
Days 24-26 :	Sailing to Hobart, Australia
	Click for full itinerary

Days	Dates	Deck + Cabin Type
		Triple	Twin	Suite	Corner Suite	Single Twin
26	Dec 13, 2008	$18,500	$25,500	$33,500	$35,500	$43,300
Destinations : Antarctica, Macquarie Island, New Zealand, Polar Circle, Ross Sea, South Pacific Activities : Helicopter Tour, Nature Viewing, Photography, Whale Watching

In the spirit of Amundsen, join us as the Kapitan Khlebnikov tries to push further south than any ship has gone before. From the vast ice shelf that thwarted Captain Ross, to the hauntingly empty huts of Scott and Shackleton, to Borchgrevink's first winter camp among the penguins of Cape Adare, this voyage celebrates heroic explorers not as names on a map but fellow travelers who might reappear any moment pulling sleds across the ice.

Days 1-2 : Christchurch, New Zealand

After a night in a Christchurch hotel, transfer to the nearby port of Lyttleton and board the icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov. Fittingly, it was from this historic staging point that Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton set off on their 1901 voyage to the Ross Sea.

Days 3-5 : Exploring Enderby and Campbell Islands

On your first full day at sea we recall the heroic exploits of explorer Roald Amundsen, who on this date - December 14, 1911 - became the first person to reach the geographic South Pole. Explore Enderby Island in search of rare New Zealand sea lions and Yellow-eyed Penguins, and also look for Red-crowned Parakeets in the twisted rata trees - the last such vegetation as we continue southward. Next, discover Perseverance Harbor by Zodiac and observe nesting Royal Albatross while our historian sheds light on Campbell Island's sealing, whaling and wartime history.

Days 6-9 : Sailing to the Ice Edge

As we sail on southward into the Ross Sea, enjoy a full program of onboard activities, from presentations on exploration and natural history to hands-on workshops with our special guest artist. Up on deck, meanwhile, there are great photo opportunities - or just take in the endlessly awe-inspiring views as we sail to the ice edge. Our route also offers potential flights in the ship's helicopters over spectacular Edisto Inlet, a dramatic, deeply cut fjord ringed by a natural amphitheater of glaciers and mountains.

Day 10 : The Drygalski Ice Tongue

In April 2005 this extension of the David Glacier lost about 5 km off its seaward tip after it was struck by the massive, 115 km-long iceberg known as B-15A - necessitating changes to all future Antarctic maps. The ice tongue is named for Erich von Drygalski, a German geophysicist who pioneered the study of ice formation and made an historic balloon ascent (equipped with Antarctica?s first telephone) to take aerial photographs.

Days 11-12 : McMurdo Station, Scott Base, Cape Evans and Cape Royds

It's a haunting experience to enter the small, dark huts left behind by the expeditions of Scott and Shackleton on Cape Evans - some still stacked with tinned goods, along with seal blubber that was hoarded as emergency fuel - and witness firsthand the spartan conditions in which these men sheltered against the harrowing Antarctic winters nearly a century ago. We'll make every effort to reach Scott Base, the New Zealand research facility, as well as the other Shackleton hut on remote Cape Royds, where you can view thousands of Ad-lie Penguins. Your Expedition Leader will also request an exclusive tour of the US research base at McMurdo Station.

Days 13-14 : The Dry Valleys and the Ross Ice Shelf

On Christmas Eve we remember the great Australian explorer Douglas Mawson, who was rescued on this day in 1913 after the second winter of a failed search for the Magnetic South Pole. We plan a helicopter flight to the Dry Valleys, a unique desert region that has seen little precipitation in the past two million years. As you approach from the sea, the expanse of fast ice stops abruptly, revealing a parched land with no vegetation other than lichen that grows inside rocks. It is a surreal experience to walk here, surrounded by odd granite formations sculpted by the powerful winds, and by mountain glaciers that have taken on strange textures and colors as sand and rock have been blown into the ice. On Christmas Day we pay tribute to Captain James Ross, whose expedition sailed here in 1841 aboard the Erebus and the Terror. While Ross greatly improved the map of Antarctica, his polar quest was blocked by an ice shelf roughly the size of France - though he followed its 10 m frozen edge for more than 400 km.

Days 15-16 : Making History in the Bay of Whales

It was in the Bay of Whales that Amundsen, in February 1911, sailed aboard the Fram to 78-41 degrees south - which still stands as the southernmost point on the planet ever reached by a ship. On our voyage, Quark Expeditions will attempt to surpass that record - and you can count on a celebration!

Days 17-21 : Ross Sea Discoveries

As we carry on across the Ross Sea, you'll hear more about the many discoveries of James Ross - including Foyn Island, with its huge penguin rookery. We expect to land at Cape Adare, home to over half a million Ad-lie Penguins, where Carsten Borchgrevink was the first person to winter over in Antarctica in 1899 (and his original hut still stands). Other Ross Sea highlights include the Balleny Islands, discovered by John Balleny on a hunt for sealskins, where most passenger ships are thwarted by tabular icebergs up to a mile long and the largely inaccessible pack ice beyond. Jagged peaks loom over the islands' massive tidewater glaciers, while in the surrounding waters you can spot Minke and Australian humpback whales. During New Year's Eve festivities at sea, we toast the many bold adventurers who risked all to explore this largely unknown corner of the Earth.

Days 22-23 : Macquarie Island's Three Million Penguins

Virtually the entire global population of Royal Penguins lives on Macquarie Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only place on the planet where rocks from the Earth's mantle (6 km below the ocean floor) are visible above the water. During our planned two-day visit, you'll also sight King Penguins and elephant seals while learning about sealing history, the first radio station (set up by Mawson in 1912) and Australia's research outposts.

Days 24-26 : Sailing to Hobart, Australia

Our final days at sea include presentations summing up the legacy of the great explorers. Disembark after breakfast on the final day for a transfer to the airport in Hobart, Australia, on the island of Tasmania for flights homeward or on to further explorations.

---

- Additional fuel surcharge of $58/night on ship, per person, for Antarctic departures between Oct 2008 - Mar 2009.
-Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double or triple occupancy.
-Request the Twin or Triple Share Program where you are matched with a cabin mate of the same gender. Even if a cabin mate is not found for you, no single supplement will be charged.
-Single supplement of 1.7 times the twin rate for travelers who want to guarantee single room.
-Emergency medical evacuation coverage for a minimum of US$100,000 per person is required. Contact us for details on arranging travel insurance.

Prices are based on a 3% cash discount.

Ship Description: Kapitan Khlebnikov

click to enlarge
  Kapitan Khlebnikov breaking ice

The KAPITAN KHLEBNIKOV was built in Finland in 1981 and is a powerful polar class icebreaker, which has sailed to extremely remote corners of the globe with adventurous travelers since 1992. No other expedition vessel has navigated more polar waters. It was the first ship ever to circumnavigate Antarctica with passengers in 1996-97.

The ship's interior provides passenger facilities necessary for excellent comfort, with accommodations in 54 first class outside cabin and suites. The vessel carries a maximum of 112 passengers.

All cabins are outside, with windows that can be opened for fresh or cooler air. In addition, passengers may control the flow of air into the cabin by adjusting the vent. Each cabin has a private bathroom with shower, toilet and wash-basin. Cabin floors are carpeted. The cabins have ample cupboard and drawer space, and a large desk. The second bed in each cabin is a convertible sofa bed, which is made up each night by the stewardess and converted back into a sofa during the day. Triple cabins have two lower berths and one upper berth. Each cabin is equipped with an 'in-cabin' music system. All cabins have robes for use while on board, which will be collected on the last day of the voyage. These are available for purchase if passengers wish to take one home.

There is ample storage space under the beds to store most luggage. If not, passengers should alert the cabin stewardess who can store it for the duration of the voyage. Hair dryers, quality soap and shower gel are available in each cabin.

Triple 135 sq. ft. Cabins include twin bunk beds and a convertible sofa, writing desk, chair, bookshelves, storage box, telephone, and porthole or window	Twin 135 sq. ft. Cabins include one twin bed and a convertible sofa, writing desk, chair, bookshelves, 2 wardrobes, storage box, telephone, and porthole or window
Suite 193 sq. ft. Cabin includes separate living area, TV/VCR, refrigerator, convertible sofa, double bed 2 desks, 2 chairs, bookshelves, storage box, telephone, 2 wardrobes, and picture window	Corner Suite 285 sq. ft. Cabin includes separate living area, TV/VCR, refrigerator, convertible sofa, double bed 2 desks, 2 chairs, bookshelves, storage box, telephone, 2 wardrobes, and picture window
Single Twin 135 sq. ft. Cabins include one twin bed and a convertible sofa, writing desk, chair, bookshelves, 2 wardrobes, storage box, telephone, and porthole or window

Antarctica Articles & Information :
Antarctica Wildlife | Antarctica History and Present | Antarctica Weather | South Shetland Islands | South Georgia Islands | Falkland Islands | Antarctic vs. Arctic Pole Comparison | Sailing Antarctica in a World-Class Racing Yacht | Antarctica Travel: The Long and Short of It | Antarctic Peninsula | Jonathan's Adventures to Antarctica on the Professor Molchanov | Antarctica's Changing Ice Shelf | Falkland Islands: A Legacy of Disputes | The Falklands War | Current Politics | Cruising Falklands Geography | Wildlife in the Falklands | Introducing the Falkland Islands | Falkland Islands Environment | Weather in the Islands | British Influenced Culture of the Falklands | Cuisine in the Falklands