“My Quark ship Ocean Endeavor 9 day excursion to Peninsula starting and endingn in Buenos Aires was amazing. I found Chimu Travel through Responsible Travel, a referral group, after personally, diligently searching for an Antarctic expedition this season. Chimu offered me an opportunity I'd been personally searching diligently for at a price I could afford after a brief email exchange. My trip advisor, Clemency Pearce, walked me through forms, payment, expectations and even found a kayak reservation, then took great care to get me to the Quark starting point at comfortable Hotel Emperador in BA with an English-speaking driver! All my queries, pre and post trip, were answered in a thorough, friendly, timely manner. So grateful for this amazing contact! The rest was brilliantly organized with clear instructions, adequate notification of events, superior individuals from ground personnel to expedition staffing, ship's hotel staff to chef's crew,Captain, engineers and Zodiac handlers. They all added comfort, confidence and security to the too brief 7th continent visit. They made it all a thrill for me, including kayaking, station visit, seals, whales and molting penguins. All ship-board activities were posted and announced (in clear, dulcet tones by Solan, our Expedition Guide) in time to attend the lecture/presentation, discussion, orientation, tea, meal or activitiy. Passengers were encouraged to get outside the interior comfort of the Ocean Endeavor to experience the changing scenery and weather. Quark-provided expedition jackets made strolling the rolling, windy decks invigorating. The fearsome Drake's Passage progress was clearly explained morning and evening, reminding passengers the ever-changing weather impacts/determines exactly what each day will bring. These notices were accompanied by gentle reminders to let go of expectations and appreciate the unique beauty around us and each other, building an amazingly comfortable community for this solo traveler. Even the overcast February weather could not put a damper on the adventure...the advantage was less sun screen and snow glare! I'll be booking again, with Chimu and, hopefully, another, longer Antarctic Expedition!”
“This itinerary was based around an admiration for the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and it certainly delivered. The destinations and all places we visited were spectacular and interesting. There were many lectures based around learning more about Shackleton, delivered with enthusiasm and insight. There were specialists and researchers on the crew who delivered interesting lectures on many topics relating to Antarctica and its fauna. I chose the kayaking as an additional option and I'm so glad I did. It was stunning kayaking over brash ice and around icebergs, amongst whales and penguins. Safety was foremost and the guides, staff, crew were fantastic. The expedition leader and captain were incredibly competent and overall the trip was faultless. I wouldn't let my friends take anything other than this trip.”
“G Adventures is the perfect way to experience Antarctica. Small-number cruises mean going ashore almost every day, and flexibility with the day's activities depending on weather and location (e.g. sunset dinner out on the deck when the sun magically appeared after 5 days, and there was no wind). I would recommend any G Adventures activity on the strength of our experience.”
“Fantastic Trip on the "Expedition", a great adventure, everything was well organised, destination exceeded all expectations, zodiac landings and cruises allowed spectacular sight seeing of wildlife, and the Antarctic landscapes and icebergs. Photos don do it justice, you have to experience it.”
“I would highly recommend going with quark expeditions, however would book direct with the operator. I received no service or replies to my enquiries from Chimu beyond the basic forms and payment details for the main trip. I ended up booking the extra travel at either end myself.”
“This trip, due to the power of nature, did not follow the itinerary, but what we had was a true antarctic experience, including being stuck in and then blocked by ice. It was filled with so many magical and memorable moments and experiences that I will never ever forget. Words cannot adequately describe this place to those who have not experienced it.”
“I had always wanted to go to Tierra Del Fuego from being 10 years old when I saw the name on a map so being able to go there as part of an Antarctic cruise / expedition was a huge plus. I spent the day before embarkation on a tour of Tierra DF and rode the Train at the End of the World, which was fun. The city of Ushuaia (the southernmost city in the world) is also a fun place with friendly people and plenty of very good restaurants. The 11 days of the expedition itself were spent on the MV Ushuaia, a small ship that takes 90 passengers. It's important to go on a small ship to maximize time ashore due to the restrictions of the Antarctic Treaty. The entire trip was wonderful with plenty of shore landings at various places, mostly on islands but also on the continent itself. There are also coastal tours in the Zodiac boats used for landings. It's an active vacation and the expedition staff treat everyone like adults. You can climb steep hillsides made of sharp rocks and ice, as well as get very close to wildlife (which you should stay 5 meters from in the case of penguins and more in the case of seals, etc). Scenery is stunning. Even though it's an expedition, the ship is comfortable. The crew are all friendly, you can visit the bridge, there are several decks offering excellent viewing in all directions, there are three excellent meals daily, there is a good bar and a comfortable lounge as well as lectures and talks on what to expect and to look out for. Overall, the weather favored us quite well. We did miss a couple of landings because of weather but we also had an additional landing early because we made such good speed on the outbound trip. Where possible, the expedition staff substituted Zodiac tours for landings when landings were impossible. One warning - the crossing of the Drake Passage to and from Antarctica can be extremely rough. It is where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet and the weather can be appalling. The Ushuaia rolls a lot! Staying upright is both difficult and strenuous in rough seas. Our trip back was rated a 9 out of 10 by one of the ship's officers and was quite an adventure in and of itself. Watching the dining room staff do their table waiting jobs in such conditions was like watching acrobats performing on a tightrope. Amazing skills. It's not cheap to go on this trip but to me it was worth every cent. What you will see will last a lifetime and I would recommend it to anyone. Chimu organization was impeccable.”
