Geoff Carpentier, leader of our East Africa Classic Safari and Borneo trips in 2010 is also a veteran Antarctica expedition guide. Geoff has just published Antarctica - First Journey. It's a resource guide for travellers, packed with interesting facts about wildlife and the many, varied and fascinating sites you might visit when down there. Whether you are a seasoned traveller or considering a trip, this book will surely make your dream of conquering the Blue Continent a reality.

Geoff's book can be ordered from his web site: www.avocetnatureservices.com/Antarctica_First_Journey.html
Just email Geoff and he'll get back to you with cost and shipping details.

This trip has been crafted to visit the myriad cultural and wildlife highlights of the island. Birders will be rewarded with an impressive array of endemic species, including exotic pheasants and Taiwan hill partridge, and a good number of East Asian migrants. The varied forest ecosystems are home to a huge diversity of plants, mammals, birds, amphibians and insects.

Western China continues to be a mecca for plant explorers a century after George Forrest, Pere David and Joseph Rock travelled to those distant mountains in Yunnan. We will follow in their footsteps as we explore the Cangshan mountains from our base in Dali. Here we hope to see primulas, pleiones, iris, rhododendrons and deutzias in great profusion.

To resolve the quandary of the best way to visit the "uttermost part of the earth," we have combined a stay in a spectacularly sited eco-lodge with an expedition cruise through the Chilean fjords.

Join Quest leader Justin Peter to explore the hills, lakes and jungles of South India. Wildlife highlights include visits to Periyar National Park, home to Indian elephant, gaur, chital, sambar, Nilgir langurs and bonnet macaques; Thattekad Wildlife Sanctuary with common avian occupants as Indian roller, cuckoo, jungle nightjar, kite, grey drongo, Malabar trogon and Indian hill myna. Enjoy a peaceful cruise in the Kerala backwaters, a series of brackish lagoons and lakes, before heading to the former hunting retreat of Mysore with over 300 species of birds, large elephants, bisons and tigers. South India offers a tantalizing treat for all of the senses.

Unique wildlife and wonderful landscapes await you on this exciting safari. We begin our adventure with the constantly shifting sand dunes of Sossusvlei. We head next to the Walvis Bay lagoon and back inland to Damaraland, to view the fascinating landscape and ancient paintings. We continue to Etosha National Park, a game lover's dream, and onto the Caprivi Strip in the northeastern Kalahari, a verdant area of woodlands and floodplains. We dip down into Botswana to explore the abundant wildlife of Chobe National Park and conclude our tour at spectacular Victoria Falls, one of the wonders of the natural world.

In Antarctica, the unconquerable continent, we will experience the majesty of nature as found nowhere else on Earth. From our ship's unlimited vantage points, we will witness a never-ending procession of sculpted icebergs and awe-inspiring glaciers that have been growing for centuries. We'll experience the thrill of treading where few have gone before as we land our versatile Zodiacs on remote shores and hear the chorus of a thousand penguins. We will see the whales, seals and seabirds that congregate in the food-rich waters along the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic shores.

The sun never sets on the remote Norwegian islands of the Svalbard Archipelago, high above the Arctic Circle. From the moment we throw lines and start our voyage, we are in the land of the polar bear, the beluga, the walrus and the reindeer. Here the tundra is carpeted with wildflowers and the ice-choked fjords echo with the thunderous roar of glacial ice crashing into the sea.

Transit the Northwest Passage while learning about the geography, history and contemporary reality of the Canadian High Arctic. This unique program brings Canadian University alumni and friends together on board our exclusive chartered polar exploration vessel. Our daily excursions and enriched onboard lecture program will delve into the unique nature and culture of the North as a defining feature of the Canadian experience.

Quest has been cruising the world for many years and we have forged relationships with numerous excellent vessel operators. From the Arctic to the Antarctic and everywhere in between, we can help plan the small ship adventure that is perfect for you. We’ll help you choose the time of year and the style of cabin that is right for you. And you won’t pay any more for our services than you would if you booked directly! In addition, we can take care of any further arrangements if you would like to extend your trip to spend time on the mainland before or after your cruise.

Below, please see sample itineraries of independent voyages we offer or download the full list of independent destinations:

Quest President Barry Griffiths was aboard the I/B 50 Years of Victory on its maiden voyage to the geographic North Pole in June, 2008. He reported an amazing experience as the icebreaker glided easily through solid 3-metre ice. He reported sightings of 8 polar bears, as well as walrus and large numbers of seabirds, as he participated in the many helicopter excursions included throughout the voyage. This incredible opportunity to physically reach the North Pole will be repeated on voyages in 2010 and 2011.

We are delighted to offer this rare opportunity to visit the fabled emperor penguins at their nesting grounds in Antarctica aboard the polar-class icebreaker I/B Kapitan Khlebnikov. Our helicopter lands two kilometers away from the rookery so as not to disturb the birds, and we follow a path through huge icebergs to the rookery. We spend 3-4 days in this area, as well as exploring the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. There are some berths still available for the October 2010 departures.

Since we are always on the lookout to add unique small-ship adventures to our already extensive international cruise program, the start-up of a new ship and a new itinerary along the medieval trade route between Vienna and Bucharest, the Danube River, caught our eye. Now, after evaluating its features, we are confident that we have found a marvellous addition to our program.