Explore the 7th Continent with the Leader in Polar Adventures
Quark Expeditions®, the world leader in polar expedition travel, is celebrating the recent release of its 2017.18 Antarctic expedition schedule with the launch of its Virtual Reality Antarctic Experience and Antarctic VR app. From 1991’s first-ever tourism transit of the Northeast Passage, to the first branded Antarctic VR voyage, Quark continues to blaze new trails in polar adventure travel.
The 360° VR Antarctic Experience, now viewable at QuarkExpeditions.com, on YouTube, and on Quark’s social media channels, is a most unique way to bring Antarctica to life for polar enthusiasts and adventure travelers researching and planning their trip. Viewers will be able to virtually explore Antarctica with Quark, the first polar travel company to offer a complete Antarctic voyage in immersive 360° video and on a mobile VR app.
“Quark is always looking for innovative ways to showcase our expeditions and spark travelers’ interest in exploring the Polar Regions,” said Rachel Hilton, Vice President of Customer Experience, Quark Expeditions. “Our Antarctic 360° VR Experience transports people to the 7th continent, guided by our expert Expedition Team, to explore the beauty and encounter amazing wildlife and be inspired to experience it in person.”
Filmed using GoPro cameras on board a voyage in February 2016, the Antarctic 360° VR Experience video series showcases different ways to explore the 7th continent and offers viewers the unique opportunity to participate in key aspects of a journey: Life onboard the ship, cruising on Zodiac landing craft, exploring on the Antarctic continent, kayaking, and learning about history and wildlife from Quark’s Expedition staff.
A two-man film crew captured the spectacular 360° footage, a process that presented a few challenges. The difficult task of positioning cameras on a moving Zodiac and finding ways to stretch battery life of the GoPro cameras were a few things the duo had to overcome; but the finished product was worth the challenges in the process, film crew member Hugo King-Fretts recalls:
“It was almost as if you were in a cathedral. These huge, huge walls were coming up and you’re in these small corridors where you would get surges of waves coming through. The geology, the scale of it, was just phenomenal. The awe-inspiring footage we were able to capture reflects a truly amazing experience that’s beyond description with words.”
Viewers can now stand amidst a penguin colony and explore the stunning Antarctic landscapes front and back by visiting QuarkExpeditions.com, Youtube.com/QuarkExpeditions or Facebook.com/QuarkExpeditions on their smartphones, tablets, or computers.
For a truly immersive experience on VR headset, the Quark Expeditions Antarctic VR mobile app is available for download at Google Play and the iPhone App store. Quark’s Antarctic VR app was developed by VRCraftworks Ltd. Based in Brighton, England, VRC builds Virtual Reality experiences for business, and has been breathing life into VR ideas since the first Oculus Rift headset in 2014.
Immerse Yourself in Antarctica Sweepstakes
Virtual voyagers to the 7th Continent will also have the opportunity to enter Quark’s Immerse Yourself in Antarctica Sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip of a lifetime for two on the popular Antarctic Explorer: Discovering the 7th Continent expedition! Visit QuarkExpeditions.com/VRSweepstakes for details.
360° VR Viewing Tips
For an optimal viewing experience, make the latest Operating System and Browser updates on your computer or mobile device. On mobile phone or tablet, download the YouTube app for easy viewing. When watching the videos, simply rotate your mobile phone, use your finger on tablet or use the mouse on computer to navigate the gorgeous panoramic 360° footage. Don’t forget to go full-screen and turn up the sound!