Antarctica - Emperor Penguin Quest - Expedition to Snow Hill 2025

15 Nov 2025 - 28 Nov 2025 (14 days)

USD28,495 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Expedition Leader

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Tour Leader: Dale Morris

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Tour Leader: Marius Coetzee

Pricing notes : Mandatory Transfer Package US$995

Tour price (Per person): GBP22,753 * EUR27,431 * USD28,495 * AUD45,757

In 2004, Quark Expeditions made polar history when they conducted the first-ever ground visit to the remote emperor penguin colony near Snow Hill Island, Antarctica. Driven by a true expeditionary spirit—and guided by years of polar expertise—our team sailed past masses of dense ice and thick, tabular icebergs in the Weddell Sea to experience the legendary rookery, which now numbers 8,000 breeding pairs of emperor penguins.
Today, it is one of the most exclusive wildlife viewing experiences on the planet. We invite you—almost two decades after our milestone visit of 2004— to embrace the thrill of the search as we once again set out to visit to the emperor penguins at Snow Hill Island.


Experience a true polar quest as we journey on our new ship, Ultramarine, which is equipped with two twin-engine helicopters that will fly guests to the vicinity of this rarely-visited rookery, whereupon they will walk across the thick sea ice to stand within meters of the most coveted penguin species on the planet. Anticipate scenes reminiscent of “March of the Penguins” and BBC’s “Frozen Planet.” Just imagine the penguins tobogganing across the ice towards the sea. Such wildlife moments are too precious for words!


This will be Marius Coetzee's and Dale Morris's combined 8th expedition to Antarctica and they simply cannot wait to guide you on this once-in-a-lifetime photo expedition. Join ORYX on a voyage where the extraordinary becomes the every day, and let the awe-inspiring beauty of Antarctica overwhelm your senses and provide your cameras with full memory cards!

Photographic Topics Covered

Equipment setup – camera body, lenses, tripods etc
Discussing envisaged photographic subjects and how to photograph them
Learning to use light
Composition – classic rule of thirds, and when to break the rules
Story telling with your images – what are you wanting to portray and what message does your photograph deliver
Processing of images
Wildlife subjects – discussing animal behaviour in order to anticipate ‘the shot
Bird photography and specifically birds in flight
Panning
Animal-in-environment and landscape shots
Photo critique, your ORYX Photo Leader provides insightful feedback for photography growth

Top Birds

Emperor Penguin; Chinstrap, Gentoo & Adelie Penguins; Wandering & Light-mantled Albatrosses; Snow & Antarctic Petrels; Snowy Sheathbill.

Top Mammals

South American & Antarctic Fur Seals; South American Sea Lion; Leopard, Weddell, Crabeater & Southern Elephant Seals; Burmeister's Porpoise; Southern Bottlenose, Long-finned Pilot, Killer, Antarctic Minke, Sei, Fin & Humpback Whales; Peale's, Hourglass & Commerson's Dolphins.

Habitats Covered

coastal and pelagic waters, sub-Antarctic islands & Antarctic Peninsula, pack ice

Expected Climate

temperate to subzero, sunny and calm to gale force conditions can be expected

Max Group Size

30 with 2 Oryx Photo Tour Leaders (this is an allotment group size, not a charter)

Tour Pace & Walking

easy pace, mostly undemanding walks

Accommodation

comfortable expedition cruise ship

Ease of Birding

easy

Other Attractions

spectacular sub-Antarctic scenery, the most remote continent, icebergs and pack ice, Emperor Penguins

Photographic Opportunities

phenomenal

What our clients say about us

Daniel Danckwerts
RC, Antarctica 2022

Adam and Daniel made this trip extra enjoyable. The quality and diligence of their attention to all of the Rockjumper clients was simply phenomenal. I cannot use enough superlatives to describe the entire Rockjumper Team. The Ocean Victory seemed to be a perfect fit, with excellent staff and a sometimes-wearying dedication to safety.

Adam Riley
SS, Antarctica 2022

A very successful and amazing trip! Many thanks to Daniel and Adam for all of the hours they spent on deck identifying birds (many of them requiring a photo to be sure)! The Ocean Victory is a stable and extremely comfortable vessel - great staff and good food. I truly appreciate that Rockjumper arranged the special trip for the N. Rockhopper Penguin. It was truly a trip of a lifetime!

Harriet Faithfull
FS, Antarctica

Holly was great! I hope to travel with her again.

Adam Riley
NG, Antarctica 2022

This trip with the guides, Adam and Daniel goes to my top three best trips I have ever taken. The leaders were oh so wonderful, the ship and staff were excellent, and the travel down and back while grueling , occurred without a hitch. As for all the detailed pretrip arrangements, hats off to Sarah who was beyond the pale excellent” in her support and help in “ getting it all done” . Can’t thank everyone enough for all the help, kindness and over riding expertise in making this a once in a life time trip for me!

Glen Valentine
NL, Antarctica 2022

This long-awaited culmination of the cruise-that-first-failed satisfied everything I had hoped to experience. The Quark staff did a fantastic job (after that first sit-down meal), and the Rockjumper guides were always around and available to point out birds and things of interest. I am so happy to have this one "under-the-belt" so I now feel more free to make other plans. I truly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know all the Rockjumper guides in a more personal and relaxed mode than we seem to have on regular tours. They all continue to amaze me with their knowledge, wide interests, and willingness to share this lore with others.

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Route Map

Tour Route Map

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