Ultramarine
Polar specialists since 1991
Quark Expeditions has specialized in the poles since 1991—Ultramarine's twin helicopters, spacious mud rooms, and rapid Zodiac deployment reward photographers and adventurers who measure success in landings per day rather than Broadway shows.
The line operates diverse ice-rated fleets, so clients can choose compact 128-guest ships for camaraderie or larger stabilised hulls for comfort across the Drake Passage. Camping on Antarctic ice, paddleboarding among bergs, and crossing-the-circle milestones define the brand. Alpha Travel aligns departure dates with seasonality—penguin chicks in January, whale peaks in February—and stacks Buenos Aires or Punta Arenas hotel nights around charter flights Quark coordinates.
Journeys
Signature routes we book with preferred partners—each voyage below can be tailored to your season, cabin category, and shore interests.
Antarctic Explorer classic
Ushuaia round-trip crossing the Drake with South Shetland and peninsula landings.
- Deception Island's volcanic caldera landing pairs chinstrap colonies with geothermal black-sand beaches.
- Port Lockroy's British post office sends polar postcards beside gentoo nests on the peninsula's gentler coast.
- Ultramarine's mud room choreography deploys two Zodiac fleets quickly—maximizing landings when weather windows narrow.
Crossing the Antarctic Circle
Extended voyage south of 66°34′ with champagne toast, extra ice, and whale peaks in February.
- Circle crossing ceremonies frame a milestone few expedition ships attempt when pack ice allows southern push.
- February humpback concentrations along the peninsula reward hydrophone listening from open decks.
- Camping on ice optional nights place bivy bags under southern stars with Quark safety teams standing watch.
Antarctica by helicopter
Ultramarine-led flightseeing to interior ice fields and emperor habitat when conditions align.
- Twin Airbus H145 helicopters reach landing zones inaccessible to Zodiacs alone—expanding daily adventure radius.
- Aerial photography of tabular bergs reveals scale invisible from sea level beside the stabilised hull.
- Heli-hiking on glaciated terrain pairs bucket-list flight time with naturalist interpretation on the ground.
Arctic Svalbard & Greenland
Longyearbyen to Reykjavik threading Spitsbergen fjords and Scoresby Sund's icebergs.
- Scoresby Sund's berg gardens deliver the Arctic's largest fjord system with mirror reflections at dawn.
- Greenlandic settlement visits explain Inuit culture beside tidewater glaciers calving into Disko Bay.
- Ittoqqortoormiit dog-sledding and volcanic hot springs cap East Greenland calls before Iceland disembarkation.
Begin Your Journey
Ready for your next journey?
Schedule a complimentary consultation with an Alpha Travel advisor. Share your vision—we'll design a journey tailored to you.