THE LEADER IN POLAR ADVENTURES

Quark Expeditions: The Polar Safari

Venture into the extreme realms of Antarctica and the High Arctic. Featuring Ultramarine's twin-engine helicopters, emperor penguin rookeries, polar bear tracking in Svalbard, and zodiac iceberg cruising.

POLAR SPECIALIZATION

Three Decades of Polar Exploration

Since 1991, Quark Expeditions has focused exclusively on the polar regions. They led the first-ever consumer transit of the Northeast Passage, the first non-governmental expedition to the North Pole, and the first confirmed landing at the legendary Snow Hill Island emperor penguin colony.

Quark's custom-built flagship, Ultramarine, has revolutionized polar safaris. Equipped with two twin-engine Airbus H145 helicopters, travelers are flown beyond coastal landing sites to high glacial plateaus, remote wildlife colonies, and hidden sea-ice floes inaccessible by water alone.

“If an African safari is about the golden grass, a polar safari is about the turquoise ice and the raw majesty of apex predators.”

Quark Expeditions polar landscape
ULTRAMARINE ADVANTAGES

A New Standard in Polar Exploration

FLIGHT

Dual Airbus H145 Helicopters

Two twin-engine helicopters operated by seasoned polar aviators allow 15-minute heli-flightseeing, heli-hiking, and access to interior ice caps and emperor rookeries.

SPEED

20 Quick-Deploy Zodiacs

Dual embarkation hangars enable Quark to launch 20 Zodiacs simultaneously, getting all 199 passengers onto the ice in a fraction of standard ship deployment times.

SUSTAINABILITY

Advanced Micro Auto Gasification (MAGS)

State-of-the-art waste-to-energy conversion systems and dynamic positioning thrusters that protect fragile ocean floors without dropping heavy anchors.

WELLNESS

Tundra Spa & Glass-Enclosed Sauna

Warm up after a polar plunge in an ocean-view sauna, enjoy Swedish massages, and dine on sommelier-curated culinary cuisine each evening.

EXPEDITION ITINERARIES

Iconic Polar Safari Programs

EMPEROR PENGUINS

Quest for the Emperor Penguin

14 Days • Weddell Sea • Helicopter Transfers

Fly by helicopter directly into Snow Hill Island to walk among thousands of majestic emperor penguins and their fluffy chicks in the frozen Weddell Sea.

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APEX PREDATORS

Spitsbergen Explorer: Wildlife Capital

10 Days • Svalbard, Norway • Polar Bears & Walruses

Navigate pack ice in search of hunting polar bears, beluga whales, massive walrus haul-outs, and soaring seabird cliffs under the 24-hour midnight sun.

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FLY THE DRAKE

Antarctic Express: Fly the Drake

8 Days • Skip Drake Passage • 2-Hour Flight

Fly over the turbulent Drake Passage from Punta Arenas directly to King George Island to board your expedition ship, saving 4 days of open-ocean transit.

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TOP 20 SIGNATURE EXCLUSIVE

Book Quark Expeditions with Vincent Safaris

Enjoy our direct Price-Parity Guarantee plus exclusive $150 to $250 per person Shipboard Credits, complimentary parka gear packages, and personalized flight concierge coordination.

Request Custom Quark Proposal → Call 1 (888) 883-0460