“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

The Q Experiences, an Indian luxury travel company is inviting Indian travelers to be a part of history in the making! In a first of its kind, an exclusive 200 people only 11 day trip to the exotic and ice crowned Antarctica has been announced that will begin from 9^th till 19^th Dec 2017. The exotic journey that starts from Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego Argentina will promises an experience of a lifetime. The cruise will go through some of the most breath-taking glaciers of Neko Bay and Paradise Bay  anchoring at Port  Lock Roy, finally sailing to the largest colony of Chinstrap Penguins at Deception Island.  It will then visit the quietest place on Earth- the majestic Weddell Sea. At every step, there will be experts to guide the travelers and show spectacular sights and views.

The travelers will be on board “The Great Majestic Explorer”- a gorgeous yacht flying the flag of India. The yacht is 460 feet of utter luxury,  with 132 elegant staterooms and suites, with interiors-designed by French interior designer- Jean Phillippe Nuel.

Speaking about the uniqueness of the expedition, Vasim Shaikh, Founder of The Q Experience said, “At The Q, we are storytellers, where we weave a cumulative story of experiences that would make the best memory for our travelers. Curated journeys are a constant at The Q. with the launch of the ‘The White Continent’, we aspire to take luxury travel to unsurpassed heights and focus on rare destinations that Indians are yet to explore.”.

To ensure a superior gastronomic experience to the travelers,  Atul Kochhar, Indian Michelin-starred Chef will be on board curating the finest of Indian regional cuisine. In addition, the team catering centre of excellence run by Allain Ducasse Enterprise will also be on board to enhance the global cuisine.

Day-wise Brief Itinerary:

Day 1-3: The trip will start at Ushuaia- the City at the Edge of the World. The travelers aboard the Majestic Explorer will be sailing through the confluence of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, known at The Drake Passage for two days and nights.

Day 4: travelers will get their first experience of the magnificent glaciers, rising slowly from the waters at Neko Bay and Paradise bay.

Days 5&6: Marching towards the Port Charcot and Pot Lockroy, travelers will explore the stunning ice-covered rocks and the home to kelp gull- a haven for the wildlife enthusiast. The port has a museum, little store and post office from where one can send a postcard to their family and friends.

Day 7: Exploring Deception Island- a place steeped in history and home to the largest colony of Chinstrap Penguins in the Antarctic Peninsula. The travelers will witness a breathtaking sight of over 100,000 pairs of penguins at play along with the serenity of Elephant Seals and Fur Seals.

Day 8: Sailing through the quietest places on earth- the Weddell sea, the travelers get a chance to actually sigh the Lord of the Weddell Sea- The Weddell Seal himself!

Days 9&10: The travelers will hit the land, crossing the Drake Passage once more, making their way back to the Ushuaia and civilization

Day 11: The Triumphant Return, the ship will dock and the journey to the Majestic White Continent will come to an end.

**Drake Passage: the 800-Kilometer wide passage between Cape Horn and Livingston Island is the shortest route crossing from Antarctica to any other landmass. There is no significant land anywhere around the world at the latitudes of Drake Passage, which is important to the unimpeded flow of the Antarctic Circumpolar. Ships sailing through this passage can have great sighting platform to watch whales and dolphins and seabirds including giant petrels and other petrels, albatrosses and penguins

5 Unknown Facts About Visiting Antarctica:

• It’s freezing cold in Antarctica all year round, the coldest temperature ever recorded on the Antarctic was minus 89 degrees Celsius!
• Nobody lives in Antarctica. In January 1979, Emile Marco Plamer became the first human to be born on Antarctica. Since then only 10 people have been born on the continent.
• Antarctica is only accessible by small sailing boats or motor vehicles; no more than 100 people  can land on the Antarctic Peninsula at any given point of time.
• There are no time zones on Antarctica, hence it is always Zero o’clock in Antarctica    
• During the summer months, experiences 24 hours of daylight. In December, when the ship starts to sail, it will be summer in Antarctica