Glide silently through Antarctica's ice-choked waters in an inflatable Zodiac, drifting within metres of leopard seals, humpback whales, and emperor penguins on sculpted icebergs. This intimate, small-group safari is the defining Antarctic encounter.
What to expect
Your expert naturalist guide pilots the Zodiac through cathedral-like passages between icebergs, cutting the engine at critical moments so you can hear the exhalation of a humpback or the bark of a leopard seal just metres away. Sessions typically run 2–3 hours, weaving through bergy bits and brash ice as the landscape shifts around you. Wildlife encounters are spontaneous and utterly raw — nothing is staged or fed. You return to the ship wind-kissed, awed, and with photographs that simply cannot be replicated anywhere else on Earth.
Good to know
Book directly with Quark as a pre-voyage add-on; Zodiac activities are weather and sea-ice dependent. Dress in full expedition layers — waterproof trousers, a dry-bag for your camera, and gloves are essential. All-aboard times are flexible on expedition ships but confirm your specific schedule.