Category: Planning & Tips

Antarctica is a real photographer’s paradise. Its raw beauty, wild landscapes and incredible wildlife offer a perfect canvas for amateurs and professional photographers to take their creativity to the next level. The pictures from Antarctica you’ll capture on an expedition cruise are likely to be some of the most dramatic you’ll ever take: everywhere you […]

Exploring the vast and varied landscapes of Antarctica is an increasingly popular bucket-list adventure, especially as more people are turning their attention to remote destinations for their travels. Now, travellers from all over the planet are taking the plunge to learn how they can make their dreams of visiting the White Continent a reality. Antarctic […]

I’ve worked in the Antarctic cruise industry for 16 years, and travelled south on a wide variety of ships. In my earliest days I sailed on some of the last generation of ex-research expedition vessels, where bunks and shared bathrooms were the order of the day. Since then I’ve seen new generations of ships launched, […]

When Antarctica cruising was in its infancy, travellers had little choice of ship or comfort level, with most squeezing into simple cabins on converted research vessels or old Russian icebreakers. Those days are long behind us and the polar fleet caters to a wide variety of travel styles. On my most recent trip south, I […]

Getting your luggage packed is an exciting part of getting ready for any trip. Getting packed for an Antarctic trip brings its own special considerations, however. How cold will it really be? How many layers will I need? One pair of gloves or two? At Swoop, we spent a lot of time helping travellers get […]

For writers, Antarctica has proved an almost inexhaustible source of inspiration. This means that finding the best books on Antarctica can be a challenge. With that in mind, we’ve produced a reading list to help you navigate your way through the bookshelves, by setting out our 50 favourite Antarctic books.  From biographies of the early […]

As one of the planet’s most remote and inhospitable destinations, Antarctica remains undiscovered by the average tourist. But to the most adventurous of travellers who take the great leap south, there is plenty to be enticed and amazed by, no matter where you explore on the continent. Antarctica’s icy landscapes are dotted with islands, glaciers […]

The expedition cruise ship Hondius has proved a popular addition to the polar fleet since it was launched in 2019 by Oceanwide Expeditions. Carrying up to 170 passengers, its Basecamp Adventure offers kayaking, camping, snowshoeing and even mountaineering. This is added to the regular landings and zodiac cruises, giving guests a host of different ways […]