So you’ve decided to travel to Antarctica. How exciting! Travelling to Antarctic is one of the most extraordinary experiences and it is a bucket-list trip for many people for good reason.

But are you feeling a bit overwhelmed or intimidated on how to plan for this exciting adventure?

Don’t worry because lucky for you I’ve put together all my tips for how to plan a trip to Antarctica.

From deciding on when to visit Antarctica, how to choose a ship and tour operator, essentials for packing and what to expect when you’re there I cover it all.

When to Visit Antarctica

Visiting Antarctica is limited from November to March due to weather and conditions. Outside of these times tours and cruises don’t operate due to the limited daylight hours, the extreme cold and general bad weather.

Each month during the visiting season offers different highlights. Deciding which month is best really depends on what’s most important to you.

Late October and November  

If you’re wanting to see Antarctica untouched and pristine then early season is for you. With very few ships and travellers having set foot on the continent you can expect picture perfect snowy conditions.

But be prepared for colder temperatures and the fact the polar ice may be still breaking up which could impact access to some areas.

December and January

This is peak season for travelling to Antarctica. Not only are the daylight hours hyper extended (think 20 hours or so!!) but the temperatures are also at their warmest.

This is also the best time to see penguins hatching and as super cute fluffy chicks.

February and March

Later in the season is whale season! Think ridiculous amount of humpback whales popping up right next to your zodiac, or kayak.

You also have the possibility of seeing some beautiful sunrises and sunsets as the daylight hours are reducing.

At this time of year you’ll have to be lucky to see fluffy penguin chicks as they’ve begin their moult. 

Temperatures also start to drop.

How to Get to Antarctica

The majority of Antarctica cruises and trips leave from Ushuaia in Argentina. That’s because Ushuaia is the closest port to the Antarctic continent.

Ushuaia itself is a long way from anywhere so you’re best to fly there from Buenos Aires.

I recommend you spend a day or two in Ushuaia before your ship departure as South America can be inclined to flight changes, delays, etc. This is one trip you do not want to be delayed for!!

Your time won’t be wasted as Ushuaia has some stunning mountain scenery very close by and there are a number of hiking  options.

It is also possible to travel to Antarctica from Australia or New Zealand. However, this will mean a very long trip as it can take seven days to reach Antarctica from either. But the itinerary often includes a visit to the Macquarie Islands or other island groups like the Snares, Auckland or Campbell Islands.

The trade off is you will be travelling to a very little visited part of Antarctica, ie. the east side of Antarctica including the Ross Sea.

If you’re keen to get a taste of what an Antarctic trip like this could be like why not check out 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit The Ross Sea.

Choosing a Ship and Tour Operator 

When choosing a ship for your Antarctica adventure size matters!

What do I mean by that? 

IAATO, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, stipulates that no more than 100 passengers can go ashore at the same time. As a result bigger ships means taking turns on shore. Which means less time hanging out with the penguins, hiking and visiting historical sites.

The rules also state that no passengers are allowed to land if the ship is carrying more than 500 passengers. This means these operators are then cruise-only.

Personally I didn’t want to spend all that money without being able to get off ship and amongst the incredibleness that is Antarctica at every opportunity.

So once I learnt this I knew I wanted to be on a ship with less than 100 passengers. This reduced my options considerably. But it also made the next decision about which tour operator to choose from easier as I had fewer choices.

For a quick snapshot of the ships and other vessels travelling to Antarctica check out IAATO’s list https://apps.iaato.org/iaato/vessel/list.xhtml

The list provides some basic information such as the tour operator and how long the vessel has been travelling to Antarctica. It’s also a great resource if passenger capacity is key to your decisions for your Antarctica adventure. 

And if you’re wondering what IAATO is all about the organisation was founded in 1991 to advocate and promote the practice of safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic. IAATO’s operational guidelines, which are based on the Antarctic Treaty System, including the Antarctic Treaty and the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty.

Choosing an Antarctic tour operator will be a combination of the following factors, such as ship size as mentioned above, ship facilities, proposed itinerary and duration, likely activities, cost, etc.

Unsurprisingly travelling to Antarctica is not cheap! Trips can range from USD8,000 to USD30,000.

That cost will largely be determined by the ship and style of trip you choose. Some have a more expedition feel to them but there are also many luxury options.

Itinerary length will also impact the cost with itineraries usually ranging in length from 10 days to 20 days. Some can be as long as one month!

When considering your itinerary do you want to include the Falkland Islands or the South Georgia Islands? Do you want to journey below the Antarctic circle? Do you want to fly over the Drake Passage or brave this notorious sea crossing?

I expect a lot of this will depend on how much time and flexibility you have together with your personal interests.

Along with your usual shore excursions and zodiac cruises you should check if the trip includes options to camp, kayak, cross-country ski, stand-up paddle board and more.

When I was trying to decided on a tour operator I rang the company I most keen on to ask a bunch of questions.  I spoke to an incredibly enthusiastic and helpful person who gave me the comfort to make my booking.

Ultimately only you will know what is important to you and which company will suit you best. However, I did feel that the majority of tour operators were reputable, well run and would result in a wonderful experience.

I ultimately decided to travel with One Ocean Expeditions and I cannot recommend them enough!  (UPDATE – Unfortunately One Ocean Expedetions entered administration in mid-January 2020)

My ship was the Akadmik Ioofe, an ex-Russian research vessel that has been refitted for expeditions. It was definitely not a cruise ship! But it was super comfortable and cozy. I loved the expedition feel to the ship and the adventure feel of it all. And the crew were phenomenal.

Note – I travelled at my own expense.

When to Book

Antarctica cruises book out early!! Sometimes more than one year in advance.

Some tour operators also offer early-bird discounts and if you’re keen to sign up for kayaking it is essential to book early as spaces are usually limited.

So there’s plenty of reasons to book as early as possible.

But if you’re super-flexible it’s sometimes possible to get some amazing late deals.  This is usually done in person in Ushuaia and may mean you sign on to wait-lists for possible cancellations.

Packing and What Clothes to Wear 

Before you head out and buy a whole lot of very expensive, high-tech gear be sure to check what gear your tour operator may provide.

On my trip with One Ocean Expeditions they included (on a loan basis) an expedition jacket, bib-pants and a pair of insulated rubber boots. 

My next tip is to layer, layer, layer! 

Base Layers

For your first layer you will want a long-sleeved thermal top and thermal pants. There are a lot of options but merino wool is a popular option for a good reason – they are really warm. Also if you layer merino on top of merino it’s even more effective. 

I took some old thermals but also splashed out on some merino layers from Icebreaker. I was very happy I did as they were incredible, comfy and warm.

My Icebreaker thermals were – Icebreaker Merino Bodyfit Base Layer 200 (100% Pure Merino) – Oasis Legging and Oasis Long Sleeve Crewe.

Mid-Layers

Next layer was my fleece pants I bought on my Iceland trip from 66 North paired with a fleece jacket or my merino hoodie from Icebreaker. I loved the hoodie as it was super thin (but super warm) which helped me feel less like the Michelin man in all my layers.

Warmth + Outer Layers

My down jacket was next and I was crazy happy to find an awesome bargain at Macpac. 

On top of all this would follow the bib-pants and jacket provided.

Other Essentials

I also wore two pairs of merino socks from Icebreaker and beanie. For gloves I took a superwarm, Gortex option from Northface. But I found most of the time I didn’t need such warm gloves and they made it hard to use the controls on my camera. 

I much preferred the pair of fingerless wool glove/mitten combo I’d bought in Iceland – perfect for warmth and they let me use my camera easily.

Don’t forget sunglasses, sunblock and lots of moisturiser – the cold and wind can be very unkind on your skin!

You will also want some clothing options for your time on board. I suggest you check with your tour operator as to how casual this might be. For my trip it had a more expedition, adventure feel rather than a cruise feel. As a result my ship was quite casual with jeans perfectly acceptable.

Sea-Sickness Medication

I highly recommend you see your doctor for sea-sickness medication if your trip includes crossing the Drake Passage, one of the roughest stretches of water on the planet.

My trip across the Drake Passage wasn’t that rough. But there was still plenty of rocking and rolling, and many people on the ship were sick.

I thankfully didn’t. I used motion sickness bands and I also took Phenergan (promethazine) 25mg tablets which were effective. Phenergan did however make me very tired.

Another option are patches which many of my fellow passengers were using.

Camera Gear

I took my Canon 70D with the Canon EFS 18-135mm This is a good all-round lens option that allows for lots of flexibility.

I was also keen to take my wide-angle lens for the incredible landscape shots. Instead I opted for my zoom lens of the Canon 70-300mm for the wildlife encounters.

I was really happy with that decision as there were so many times I wanted to zoom in on a whale breaching the surface in the distance or a seal lazing on an iceberg.

My GoPo also came in handy (especially when kayaking) and I upgraded my phone to an iPhone XR. Upgrading my phone was one of the best decisions I made in preparing for travelling to Antarctica. I’ve been completely blown away by the quality of the photos, especially in challenging mixed light scenarios.

What to do in Antarctica

So what do you do in Antarctica? Your days will be jammed pack full of the most awe-inspiring experiences of your life! Twice every day I was off ship on zodiac cruises, shore excursions or kayaking. Here’s a quick snaphot of what to expect.

Landscapes

The landscapes in Antarctica are wild, raw and completely unparalleled. From huge mountain ranges encased in glaciers and snow to travelling into the centre of an island that is an active volcano.

And icebergs! Oh my!! The icebergs are like works of art. So many beautiful shapes and all shades of white and some insane blues. You will fall head over heels in love with ice.

Wildlife

Then there are the utterly amazing wildlife encounters. The penguin rookeries are raucous, and smelly!! Watching the penguins waddle down their penguin highways made me think I was in a David Attenborough documentary. A few times I had Gentoo adolescent penguins come right up to me, and even peck me on one occasion, trying to work me out.

We spotted elephant seals lazing on a beach taking in the sun, leopard seals hunting penguins and heard the strange and eerie singing of the beautiful Weddell seals, my favourite seal.

I travelled in March and saw a ridiculous amount of humpback whales. Some lucky passengers had whales rub up against their zodiac and whilst kayaking whales broke the surface so close it made my heart stop!

We also had whales literally popping up all around our ship the evening we had a deck bbq. AMAZING!!

Hiking

We had many opportunities for shore excursion and to hike amongst these other-world landscapes.

Hiking above Paradise Harbour and hiking in the monochrome landscape of Deception island were some of my favourites.

History

You’ll have the chance to learn first hand about the extraordinary history of Antarctica by visiting historical sites like Port Lockroy or the shipwrecked Norwegian ‘Governor’, or possibly wandering around abandoned whaling station.

Kayaking

If you’re lucky enough to snag a kayaking spot then you are in for some of the most unusual adventures. On our first morning we kaykaed through brash ice that made popping sounds like rice bubbles do when milk is poured on top. So incredible!!

Paddling through the still waters watching the landscapes glide by is one of my favourite memories from my time in Antarctica.

Camping

Some Antarctica trips include camping as an option depending on weather. Because of the strict rules in place to protect Antarctica’s fragile environment you won’t be camping in tents. Instead you will camp on the ice!

To do that you will dig out a flat platform to set up your camping situation and then cocoon yourself inside a one-person bivy with a cozy sleeping bag and a soft mat.

Camping in Antarctica was one of my favourtie experiences! With a beautiful Weddell Seal close by singing througout the night and the brilliant clear star-filled night above how could it not be!

Polar Plunge

For those brave souls who want to test themselves you might get a chance to do a polar plunge. Yep, that’s right you could have the chance of jumping into the freezing Antarctica waters!

On some trips you will do your polar plunge off the back of your ship. On my trip the polar plunge was on the black sand beaches of Deception Island.

I’m an absolute wimp when it comes to cold water so there was no way I was doing the polar plunge. But a pretty decent number of my fellow passengers did.

I’ve also put together a post about what it is really like visiting Antarctica with way, way more info on my time in Antarctica.

 

Travel Insurance

My last tip for how to plan a trip to Antarctic is to buy travel insurance and ensure this includes emergency evacuation. Antarctica is isolated and remote. If something was to go wrong you want to know you have cover for the very expensive costs this would entail.

Its also important to know that most, and I suspect all, tour operators will not issue your final ticket without proof of travel insurance.

Travelling to Antarctica is a truly other-world experience like no other. I hope my tips and information on how to plan a trip to Antarctic have been helpful.

If you have any questions feel free to ask!