Antarctic Adventure Activities

We can think of few things more exciting than grabbing a sleeping bag and heading out for a night’s camping out in the snow. Most camping excursions in Antarctica use bivvy bags rather than tents, so you get to spend time digging your own cosy snow hole before wrapping yourself up in your cocoon for the night.

Bed down in a group or find your own peaceful spot to drift off to sleep while listening to the sound of glaciers under the gaze of the midnight sun. There’s no better way to connect with the spirit of the early explorers than waking up in the icy air – but in the comfort of knowing that a hot shower and a hearty breakfast is waiting for you back on the ship.

A wide variety of Antarctica voyages now offer the opportunity to spend a night sleeping out in Antarctica. You should note that strict biosecurity rules mean that you won’t be bedding down next to any penguin colonies, but trust us – they’re too noisy and smelly to make good neighbours anyway!

Want to really feel like a pioneer in Antarctica? Then step away from the standard landing excursions to range farther afield until your ship is out of sight and there is only fresh snow ahead of you waiting for its first footprints, and your lungs breathing in the freshest air on the planet.

Hiking experiences in Antarctica typically last two to three hours – long enough for you to form a mental connection with the first explorers to push inwards from the frozen coastline, although you’ll be thankful that you’re merely burning off the calories from yesterday’s dinner on board rather than subsisting on a diet of seal blubber and dried rations. No prior experience is necessary, only a moderate level of fitness and a taste for spectacular locations.

Snowshoes and hiking poles are provided, although the excursions themselves are dependent on the Antarctic weather. Ships operate a policy of maximum flexibility, but guides always keep a list of the top hiking spots in any location to offer you the best walks and most rewarding views.

Conditions for snowshoeing are at their best during the early season snows of November and December. 

The waters of Antarctica are truly an environment that's out of this world, but you don't need to be a dive master to look beneath the waves. Snorkelling is the perfect activity for anyone who wants to explore without all the technical aspects of scuba diving, plus you still get to participate in all the landings and zodiac trips of the cruise, getting to experience Antarctica above and below the waterline.

Some prior experience is recommended, but if you've only snorkelled on tropical reefs then you'll need to prepare for a seriously cold water experience. You'll be provided with all the kit required from a dry suit to mask, snorkel and fins, though you'll want to pack extra layers to help keep out the cold. Experienced snorkelers are welcome to bring their own kit.

If the weather allows, you'll be offered the chance to snorkel in small groups on most days in Antarctica, with dives typically lasting up to 45 minutes. Experienced diving guides will accompany you and point out the invertebrate life below the surface, along with the beautiful ice, while keeping fingers crossed for a seal or even a whale encounter.

Only two ships currently offer snorkelling on select departures, so you'll need to book early to reserve your spot.

The opportunity to scuba dive in Antarctica and explore a world of ice and sea creatures in one of the most pristine places in the world is a hard one to resist for any keen diver. Who else on the ship is going to uncover the truth about just how much of an iceberg really is hidden below the surface, or can say they felt like an alien when meeting a fur seal in its natural environment?

Diving in Antarctica is a very different undertaking than in warmer waters and as such is very strictly controlled for safety reasons. All scuba divers will need to provide their logbook when booking, to demonstrate extensive cold water diving experience (below 41F/5C) as well as familiarity with using a dry suit. With these requirements met, you’ll be ready for one of the most incredible diving experiences you can have anywhere in the world.

The diving guides used on Antarctica trips are some of the most experienced in the business. For this reason and for the necessary safety logistics involved, diving is only available on a small number of ships and on select departure dates.

For some people, a hike in the snow to view a penguin colony is never going to be enough. If that’s you and you’re looking for more of a challenge, select Antarctic voyages give you the opportunity to grab your crampons and ice axe and get roped up to try something a little more adventurous.

Although you'll be roped up while you trek, these are not technical excursions: your guides will give you all the instruction you need, including for dealing with steeper ascents and descents as well as crevasses. You'll need a reasonable level of fitness and a desire to reach into corners of the Antarctic Peninsula that few people will ever see. All mountaineering routes are chosen to give the maximum reward for your efforts: attaining a summit here is going to give you cinematic views like nowhere else.

For those who really went to embrace the white wilderness, there is the option to recreate Shackleton’s famous traverse of South Georgia. This is one adventure where prior alpine experience is an absolute requirement – but getting to cross multiple glaciers on a genuinely remote overnight camping trip is a real once in a lifetime experience.

Stand-up paddleboarding has long spread beyond the tropical provinces where it began to every waterway of the world, so why not take the opportunity to use it to explore the sheltered bays and coves of Antarctica?

Stand or kneel as you SUP on a wide and stable board, and gently skim through the water on the lookout for penguins or seals snoozing on a passing floe. It’s one of the most gentle and calming activities you can do on the Peninsula, and the dramatic amphitheatres of its craggy coastline dotted with icebergs provide a backdrop that few destinations can match.

Some prior paddleboarding experience is recommended so you're comfortable on a board and can enjoy the experience, but the guides that accompany your group will provide extra safety instruction both while you’re on the ship and out on the water.

Only a small number of ships currently offer stand-up paddleboarding.

If Antarctica is home to some of the wildest and most dramatic landscapes on Earth, then there can be few better ways to experience them than by taking to the air. Two expedition cruise ships offer helicopter trips over the White Continent.

Helicopters are used to offer an unparalleled perspective of Antarctica, either through simple sightseeing flights or by providing logistical support to allow visitors to reach some truly remote areas. The most notable of these are Snow Hill island in the Weddell Sea – home to a significant emperor penguin colony – and the continent's fabled dry valleys in the Ross Sea region.

Those ships offering flights operate two helicopters each for safety reasons and operate under strict guidelines to avoid their noise impacting on anyone else’s enjoyment of this last great wilderness.

Due to the challenges of operating in a polar environment and their high carbon footprint, the use of helicopters on expedition cruise ships is currently under review, which may lead to them being phased out over the next few years.

Camping, kayaking, snorkeling and even helicopter flights are all accessible activities across the globe, but how often can you be a real pioneer and explore somewhere new beneath the waves – let alone somewhere like Antarctica? Submarine dives on a select number of cruise ships offer just that opportunity.

Exploring Antarctica in a submarine offers a truly unique perspective that few others will ever get to experience. You'll go far beyond the reach of even the toughest scuba divers in craft capable of reaching as far as 1000 feet (300 metres) below the Antarctic surface. Your highly trained pilot will typically explore in shallower waters to show off the extraordinary richness of Antarctica's benthic life: there's nothing like getting a whale's eye view of a krill swarm to give you a truly novel take on the polar food chain!

The six-passenger submarines are untethered and dive in pairs for safety purposes. You'll be underwater for around 45 minutes, staying close to the ship (this is no environment for casually exploring the underside of an iceberg), but every dive is wonderfully different and reveals new and unforgettable insights into the seas that surround the continent.

Antarctica is a big enough adventure for many, but for those travel looking to really optimise their experience, there's an exciting range of activities to take part in.

Optional adventure activities typically carry an additional price but repay the invest a hundred times over in memories: how many people get the chance to camp or kayak in Antarctica?

Restricted group sizes mean that booking your activity at the same time as your voyage is crucial to avoid disappointment. If your heart is set on a particular activity, booking a year in advance is recommended where possible.

Camping and kayaking are the most commonly offered activities, while those like paddleboarding, snorkelling and scuba diving are only offered by certain ships. Our expertise across the polar fleet will help you find the right ship with the right activity for you.

While it's common to combine camping and kayaking, there's usually a limit to the number of additional activities you can add. We'll tell you the guidelines for every ship.

Adventure options take place at the same time as activities like landings and zodiac cruises that all passengers take part in, rather than in addition to these excursions.

Safety is always paramount in Antarctica, so with every adventure activity you'll be accompanied by specialist trained guides with years of experience under their belts.

Many of our guests cite their adventure activities as one of the biggest highlights of their Antarctic cruise – so why not consider adding one to your own trip?