Antarctica is a destination that holds a very special place in my heart. I’ve been lucky enough to visit the continent five times now, both for work and pleasure – in cruise ships and onboard the massive Agulhas II icebreaker as part of the Endurance22 expedition to find the wreck of Shackleton’s legendary ship Endurance.
On my most recent trip on the Ocean Albatros I was thrilled to finally get to spend time in South Georgia and the Falkland Islands as well as Antarctica. Every time I get home, I always have people asking me how they can get to Antarctica themselves, so I’ve come up with a list of the ten most common questions I get asked about travelling to the bottom of the world.
How do you get to Antarctica?
When most people think about visiting Antarctica, they have the Antarctic Peninsula in mind – that long finger of the continent that points towards the bottom tip of South America. This is the destination for virtually all Antarctic cruises.
There are two ways of getting to the Peninsula. The first is to sail from the Argentinian port of Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. From here, it takes two days to cross the stretch of the Southern Ocean called the Drake Passage. I love how the Drake builds your anticipation for Antarctica, as you watch albatrosses and scan the horizon for your first iceberg.
If you’re short on time or worried about seasickness, there’s also the option to take a Fly & Cruise trip, taking two hours to cross the Drake by air to meet your ship in Antarctica. These trips all start in Chile, mostly flying from Punta Arenas.
When should I go to Antarctica?
The season for visiting Antarctica runs roughly from the start of November to the very end of March: the period that coincides with the Austral summer. Outside of this time, it’s dark and very, very cold: only a few brave people overwinter in Antarctica in isolated research stations.
There’s no ‘best’ time to visit Antarctica within those months, but Antarctica does put on slightly different faces throughout the season, so when you want to go depends on what you want to get out of your trip.
Travel in the early season, and you’ll have the freshest, whitest snow, and lots of penguins returning to shore to breed and nest. Chicks tend to arrive around the end of December, making a perfect Christmas present. If it’s whale watching that you’re interested in, February and March are the peak months to be in Antarctica.
How many people will be on the ship?
Forget what you know about the gigantic cruise ships that patrol the Caribbean and Mediterranean and have thousands of passengers on board. Cruising in Antarctica is the complete opposite.
Some Antarctic cruise ships carry fewer than a hundred guests, while others carry slightly more than double that. This allows them to manoeuvre safely through the spectacular landscapes, but crucially it means that it is quick to get on and off when you’re doing excursions, giving you more time out in the wilderness.
A few larger cruise ships do visit Antarctica, but any ship carrying more than 500 passengers is forbidden by law to let people step on to shore, meaning that guests can only look at Antarctica from afar. And who wants to travel all the way to the end of the Earth and not put their footprints in the snow?
Will I get seasick sailing to Antarctica?
I’m very lucky that I don’t often get seasick, but it is something that people can worry about, especially when crossing the Drake Passage. If that’s you, take some time before travelling to research any tablets, patches or wristbands that might be best for you, taking medical advice where needed.
When onboard, fresh air is definitely your friend, along with keeping an eye on the horizon – lots of ships have cabins with floor to ceiling windows, which makes this far easier to keep a sense of balance than in the past (they’re also perfect for waking up to iceberg views in Antarctica). Cruise ships have underwater stabilisers on each side, while some use the unusual- X-Bow design , taking a lot of the impact out of the big waves to give you a smoother ride.
Finally, all ships also have an onboard doctor – they’re there to help you if it takes you a while to find your sea legs.
How often will we get off the ship in Antarctica?
Antarctic expedition cruises are all about getting you off the ship and experiencing the White Continent in all its splendour. Typically, you’ll have two excursions a day, setting out in small groups for zodiac cruises in rigid inflatable boats led by an expert guide, gliding past grounded icebergs and passing seals snoozing on ice floes, or making a landing to explore on foot.
Landings can be on the mainland continent itself or any one of the many islands that dot the coast. Some offer the chance to climb a hill for some amazing views, others take you to the edge of penguin colonies to marvel at the density of life on show.
On sea days, there are talks onboard the ship from expert guides about everything from wildlife to polar history – and at the end of every day the expedition leader recaps everything you’ve seen and done, before laying out the programme for the next day.
What will I do when I’m in Antarctica?
Zodiac cruises and landings are the main experiences available on expedition cruises, but most other ships offer a variety of adventure activities.
By far the most popular activity is kayaking. It’s an incredible feeling to paddle silently through the water, listening to the clink of ice and pure joy to be surrounded by a group of penguins porpoising through the water. Camping is another great option, where you dig yourself a snow hole to camp out for the night while listening to the groaning of icebergs in the bay. Stand up paddleboarding, snorkelling and even scuba diving is available on some ships – though for the latter you’ll be asked to bring your log book with plenty of cold water experience when you book.
What should I pack for Antarctica?
When it comes to staying warm in Antarctica, the trick is to layer up. Bring good thermal base layers, and waterproof and windproof outer clothing. Gloves, a hat and a neck gaiter-like buff are also essential, along with sunglasses and sunscreen (I sometimes take ski goggles as well). If you’ll be using your mobile phone a lot, it’s also a good idea to attach it to a lanyard to avoid accidents when you’re out on a zodiac.
Many cruise ships provide a parka for their guests, though it’s becoming increasingly popular to rent them. This is great for the environment as well as suiting travellers based in warm countries who might not get any further use out of a parka. Waterproof boots are normally provided as standard.
What about sustainable travel and protecting Antarctica’s environment?
The onboard talks given by the guides on expedition cruise ships are part of a wider programme to educate visitors to Antarctica about protecting its fragile environment. This is then put into practice every time you get off the ship, so that visitors can avoid causing accidental harm.
This falls under the umbrella term of biosecurity. Before anyone can even think about setting foot on Antarctica, there are multiple mandatory briefings. Outdoor clothes and bags are carefully scrutinised on the ship to remove items like seeds or fibres that could accidentally introduce invasive species or pathogens. The ships even filter their bilge water to avoid doing the same.
When leaving the ship, everyone steps through a disinfecting footbath, with their boots going through an automatic boot scrubber on their return. During a landing, there’s no sitting or kneeling in the snow, except in designated camping areas, which are always chosen far away from wildlife.
How do you behave around wildlife in Antarctica?
The duty of care around Antarctica’s environment extends to how you watch wildlife there. One of the things I love most about Antarctica is that the wildlife has no fear of people. Penguins will come right up to you out of pure curiosity.
To keep them safe and avoid having any negative effects on their natural behaviour, there is a strict 5 metre (15 feet) rule about how close you can get to any animal. Quite rightly, the guides strictly enforce this. If that penguin does come pecking, you have to quietly and respectfully retreat. Similar rules apply when you’re in a zodiac: a humpback whale might approach you, but the zodiac won’t approach it, and after a period of quiet observation with engines off, will withdraw to avoid disturbing the whales further.
What the weather is like in Antarctica?
No cruise in Antarctica is ever going to offer you an itinerary that’s set in stone – this isn’t how they work. Nature and the weather dictate where you go every day. If you’re used to the idea of traditional cruising in other parts of the world, it’s easy to think of this as a drawback, but it’s actually Antarctic cruising’s greatest strength. This is the expedition part of the trip.
Itineraries here are designed to be flexible. This is where the expertise of the expedition leader, their team and the ship’s captain really comes into play. They’re the masters of spontaneity, swapping out plans when weather conditions change, like finding a sheltered bay for an excursion when the wind picks up or following reports from other ships about ice conditions or wildlife. For passengers, it all seems effortless when the guides use their expertise to always show you something incredible, regardless of the weather conditions.
The way that expedition teams work with nature means that no two trips to Antarctica are ever the same. It’s the part of travelling here that I love the most: just how beautifully unpredictable it is. It means that there’s always something new and unexpected to see.
*
