Traveling to Antarctica is a once in a life-time opportunity, and one which tops the bucket lists of many travelers…including us! And, with Spectacular glacial lagoons, dramatic icebergs, vast areas of remote wilderness, breaching whales and deep-diving seals, it’s not hard to see why.
Antarctica really is the final frontier!
Almost everyone who travels to Antarctica travels on a cruise, which is a fantastic option as it combines accommodation, transport, meals and activities all in one. While camping is available in some circumstances once ashore, there is hardly any infrastructure on the continent itself, and as such cruising is best option available for accommodation purposes.
90% of cruises leave from Ushuaia, Argentina, across the Drake Passage, however some cruise companies offer departures from Australia or New Zealand, and explore the Ross Sea side of Antarctica.
For those serious about travel to the Antarctic, Lonely Planet’s Antarctica travel guide has more information.
#1 Book a Last Minute Cruise
For an average trip consisting of a 10 day cruise you should expect to pay around $5,800 US or £ 3,700.
You can, however, considerably cut down your costs by NOT booking your trip in advance. Last minute deals are readily available for those willing to show up in Ushuaia in November/December; you may need to be flexible with dates, however can potentially save a few thousand dollars.
Antarctica. Photo CC by Andreas Kambanis.
#2 Book to Step Foot on the Continent
Make sure your itinerary includes the opportunity to step foot on the Antarctic Continent, as some cruise companies won’t allow you to get off the ship.
One of the main draws of Antarctica is the phenomenal wildlife; hundreds of emperor penguins, leopard seals, exotic birdlife; wouldn’t you actually want to walk among the spectacular wildlife you’ve traveled to the edge of the earth to see?!
Read Jonny Blair’s account of what it’s like to step onto the Antarctic Peninsula.
Walk among the wildlife! Photo CC by Eli Duke.
#3 Know Which Costs Are Included
You may think you’ve found a killer deal on a cruise to Antarctica, but be sure to double check and fully research all of the trip details and associated costs.
A lot of companies will offer hugely discounted rates, however not cover inclusions such as food or optional activities like kayaking during your trip. Make sure you’re aware what is included and what’s not, and balance this against more expensive cruises which do include everything for you.
Some itineraries also include travel to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands as part of the trip (something to consider as you’re traveling all this way!), and check for optional activities like kayaking, hiking, scuba diving, helicopter rides or camping.
Kayakers in Antarctica. Photo CC by Andreas Kambanis.
#4 Don’t Overdress
Jonny Blair of Don’t Stop Living recommends not to overdress.
The air was clean, clear and crisp. I was ridiculously over-dressed. They had told me that Antarctica would be cold so I feared the worst. I needn’t have bothered.
Two coats and two pairs of trousers and socks was extreme, but I was already dressed for the landing as we anchored off shore. I was even sweating!
Aim for quality of clothing over quantity (also remembering you have to fit everything in your bag). Make sure your jacket is windproof, waterproof and comfortable, and that it covers your lower back.
Consider which colours look better in photos (bright colors is a good way to go). And pack a hat which covers your ears.
#5 Record Your Adventure
The old saying “photos or it didn’t happen”applies here! Be sure you’re set with enough equipment to properly chronicle your adventure.
Antarctica is a once in a lifetime trip; a continent most people only ever dream of stepping foot on; so this could well be the trip which is worth the investment in good camera equipment.
For ametuer photographers, we use a point and shoot Canon PowerShot SX50
Shooting with a Canon Powershot SX 50
GoPro HERO3+
Carry multiple memory cards and back-up batteries with you. Cold environments drain battery power at a quicker rate than in warmer climates. We summited Mt Kilimanjaro only to find the glacial environment had killed our camera battery!
You may also consider traveling with a diary to record each day’s adventure, or alternatively a voice recorder works well for those not keen on writing. Also, think about investing in a decent pair of binoculars.
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26 Comments
Really? Last minute discounted cruises to Antarctica. Brilliant.
Shame it’s only for US citizens. Could I apply if I took care of my own airfare to Punta Arenas?
Great post, Megan! I’d love to go to Antarctica! This kind of coarse landscapes have always really appealed to me :) Shame the competition is only open to US citizens.
That is a trip of a lifetime. They are even taking care of your tax issues. This is such a great contest.
Shared.
Sounds awesome! Good to know that it is best to book last minute! When I visit that is definitely what I will do :D
Some solid tips you have there Megan! We’ve heard all about the last-minute cruises and that will no doubt be our plan when we get to that end of the Earth. Scuba diving in Antarctica is one of our huge bucket list items! I have heard that Ushuaia is not a cheap place to hang out though, so better to go prepared expecting to spend a bit of cash before your cruise. Cheers for the great post!
Great idea to see if you can find last minute deals since Antarctica is something people usually plan way in advance. Thanks for sharing…fingers crossed on the contest!
I had no idea that last minute cruises were even an option for Antarctica – good to know! I have been wanting to go to Antarctica for a long long time – I would love to go kayaking and just to set foot on the continent – wow! Thanks for the tips – and the contest info :)
Wow, thanks for sharing the contest! That’s great that the lodging in Chile is an ecocamp at a national park too! Great tips!
Traveling to Antarctica is one of the most exhilarating trips you will ever take.
Can I pretend I am American? This is so cool! I can’t wait to go to Antarctica!
Gutted that not being from the States excludes me from entering the competition – what a fab prize! But some great tips on getting to Antarctica all the same. Love the tip about brightly coloured waterproofs looking better in photographs – I would never have thought of that. And nice to know that it *is* possible to get last-minute deals on visiting Antarctica. Thanks! :-)
Oh Wow this is a life long dream of mine. Wish I was closer! Cant wait to go one day!
This is now officially on my BUCKET LIST !
I would LOVE to go to Antarctica! Its been a dream of mine for years. I should just buy my ticket and make it happen!
Wow that looks amazing!!! Why can’t I be American so I can enter? I would love to go but the price tag means that it is not in my future anytime soon.
Ack! I wish I could enter but I’m not from the US!!!
I watched a called Encounters At The End Of The World which is set in Antarctica. Ever since then I’ve wanted to go! I have booked marked for future reference!
Great tips on something I hope to research extensively someday. I’d hate to think I’d travel all that way and not be let off the ship to go and see the penguins! That would kill me.
Good to have reference to Jonny Blair. I know he has first hand experience of this place and loved reading about his trip.
Hi there! I’m wondering if anyone knows if it is possible to book a last minute trip to Antarctica during the off season- I’m looking to go in early September. I’m a US citizen living and working in Chile until then, so I’d like to visit before I head back to the states, but I have to be in the states by late september/early october…
Thanks Megan for this amazing post :)
I get chills every time I think about Antarctica,
it’s pulling me so strongly..
There’s this urge inside me and has been there for as long as I can remember,
to one day get me a polar bear like layer of fat under my furry coat, and go meet the penguins in Antarctica LOL
I wish you the most amazing adventures,
Love and light,
Marko
It must be amazing to be able to step out on this continent! It’s on my list! Also, I will need to make sure not to over dress- I would have thought I would need to.
I have traveled 3 times to Antarctica and all with expedition ships, not your typical cruise line. If you want a true experience look into them, you spend your days zodiacing ashore , hiking, walking with the penguins while the many typical cruise lines just sail by.
Falkland & South Georgia Islands are a must if you are already down there S Georgia has the most wildlife.
These are some great tips Megan! Didn’t know about last minute cruises and deals. :) We have always booked in advance to avoid any last minute embarrassments.
Didn’t know one is allowed so many activity thru these cruises.
I got some really great tips from your write up, Megan! I had a great time in Antarctica a few years back, there were penguins everywhere!
I just got email from Marie of FreestyleTravelAdeventures, 10 minutes ago who has been constantly giving me information on deals.
This is how LAST MINUTE DEALS WORK.
If you have flexible travel dates and are open to different voyages and ships, then “last minute” deals can be a good choice for you.
A little bit about how ‘Last Minute Deals’ work: we get the leftover berths from the ship operators about 10 days to 2 weeks before sailing. These depend completely on availability and the operator gives us the pricing. We can then offer these spaces to travelers on our list. Last season “Classic Antarctica” prices ranged from $4,800-7,500, depending on the part of the season and availability.
The cheapest and most readily available deals are usually in November, then prices peak in high season for Christmas through January departures. January is the highest month of the Antarctica season, with hatching penguin chicks, long days and whales arriving, so it can be tougher to get a deal and waiting is common. Mid-February and March are excellent for whale watching and deals are usually available.
The best plan of action, if you want to wait for a last minute deal, is to keep in touch with us and let us know your dates. We’ll add you to our “deals list” and start sending you offers as we get them. If you’re in Buenos Aires or traveling around Patagonia, and the perfect deal becomes available, we can book you in via email and then you just need to arrive to Ushuaia a day or two before. This saves you time sitting in Ushuaia waiting for a ship, which can be up to two weeks!
You may have read that the best strategy is to come straight to Ushuaia, but today we can e-mail the same deals out to our list that we offer in Ushuaia. Thus, it’s great to keep in touch with us via e-mail a few weeks before you hope to travel.
Your blog is really good and will help me plan my trip.
I love Australia and past 4 years were amazing in downunder :)
Thanks.