Antarctica is the southern-most continent on the planet. At 14 million square kilometres, it is the fifth-largest continent and roughly twice the size of Australia.
There have never been native people on the Antarctic continent. There are between 1,000 to 5,000 researchers living in Antarctica at any one time, studying the ice, the environment, or the various organisms, animals and birds that call this continent home.
Antarctic Peninsula
The quintessential Antarctic experience! The majority of Antarctic expeditions travel to the Antarctic Peninsula. It is home to most of the wildlife found in Antarctica, as the temperatures are milder than the majority of the continent. Enjoy sightings of whales, penguins, a variety of birds and more.
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are 400km north-east of Tierra Del Fuego in Argentina and are much
milder in temperature than the Antarctic Peninsula. As a result, there are a large variety of birds that call the Falklands home, including six species of penguin and colonies of Albatross.
South Georgia
South Georgia is an icy, rocky island about 1,300km south-east of the Falkland Islands. It was a large base for whaling for many years and is full of whaling history. It’s also the location of famed explorer Ernest Shackleton’s grave but most people visit because of the large breeding populations of seals and King Penguins.
The Weddell Sea
This area is east of the Antarctic Peninsula. There are very few cruises to the Weddell Sea, as it is often clogged with icebergs. If your interest is exclusively in Emperor Penguins, this is the place to see them.
Sub-Antarctic Islands
These islands are in a slightly different location – the closest is 200km from New Zealand’s South Island. Largely untouched and unexplored by humans thanks to their rocky and un-habitable terrain, large animal populations have thrived here for centuries.
Ross Sea
In a remote and unspoiled continent, the Ross Sea is probably the most remote and unspoiled part. Not many expeditions visit the Ross Sea as the thick sea ice is hard to break through. The Ross Sea is incredibly rich in biodiversity and the few lucky travellers who make it here, have the chance of visiting historic huts from the glory days of Antarctic exploration.
Due to the freezing temperatures and icy water conditions, Antarctica is only accessible from October until March every year. Each part of the season brings its own special magic so there’s no best time. This is a rough guide on what you can expect, but remember, this is the last frontier, and always unpredictable!
Late October/November
The ice is at its most spectacular and it is a time of mating and nesting for penguin and other birds. It is also a time when the dominant male seals establish their harems and territory.
December
Enjoy the longest days of the summer, and wildlife. Penguins begin to hatch towards the end of the month and seal pups start to appear on the beaches.
January
January carries on with extended sunlight hours. Penguin chicks and seals are typically plentiful during this time.
February
It is a time of great wildlife activity, with more fur seals than any other time of the year and plenty of whales too. Adolescent penguins will keep you entertained.
March
The seasons draws to a close, with penguins beginning to head out to sea, but there is still abundant wildlife as the region begins to prepare for winter. If you love whales, this is the time for you!
Adélie Penguins: These cheeky little penguins will travel long distances for food and build pebble nests.
Seen on: Antarctic Peninsula, Ross Sea
Chinstrap Penguins: Chinstraps are easy to identify by the black mark that runs along their chin fur like a chinstrap.
Seen on: Antarctic Peninsula
Emperor Penguins: The largest of all penguins, standing at an average of 115cm tall. Living deep on the Antarctic continent, they are usually only seen in specific expeditions.
Seen on: Antarctic Peninsula (Weddell Sea)
Gentoo Penguins: Their bright orange-red bill is what makes Gentoo easily recognisable.
Seen on: Antarctic Peninsula
King Penguins: Their black and white feathers are brightened up by yellow and orange plume around their face and neck.
Seen on: South Georgia, Macquarie Island (Australian sub-Antarctic island)
Macaroni Penguins: Named for the bright yellow feathers that make up the crest on its head.
Seen on: South Georgia, Falkland Islands
Rockhopper Penguins: These guys have a crest of yellow feathers similar to the Macaroni, but are smaller.
Seen on: Falkland Islands, Macquarie Island
Humpback Whales: Being the size of a schoolbus and singing songs to one another, these whales are hard to miss.
Seen around: Antarctic Peninsula
Minke Whales: Compared with other whales, Minke are more solitary and prefer to travel in groups of 1-3.
Seen around: Antarctic Peninsula
Orcas: Found right across the globe, Orcas have a large and varied diet which includes fish, penguins, dolphins and even whales.
Seen around: Antarctic Peninsula
Crabeater Seals: Despite their name, these seals don’t actually eat crabs, and prefer a diet of krill instead.
Seen on: Antarctic Peninsula
Fur Seals: Much closer related to sea lions than normal seals, as they have external ears and can walk on all four flippers.
Seen on: Antarctic Peninsula
Leopard Seals: These seals are very close to the top of the food chain – there are not many animals in Antarctica they don’t eat!
Seen on: Antarctic Peninsula
Elephant Seals: Easily identifiable by their long nose; perfect for making loud sounds to attract mates in mating season.
Seen on: South Georgia
Weddell Seals: Their teeth are perfectly designed to carve breathing holes in pack ice.
Seen on: Antarctic Peninsula
Wandering Albatross: These birds have the largest wingspan of any bird across the globe.
Seen on: South Georgia & Drake Passage
Giant Petrels: These birds struggle to take flight in little to no wind, and sometimes need a run-up to become airborne.
Seen on: South Georgia & Antarctic Peninsula
Before you depart, we will provide you with advice and detailed packing lists, as the list can vary depending on which expedition company you choose. On many voyages, you will be given a quality waterproof/windproof jacket which you can keep and the loan of rubber boots for shore landings.
On all voyages, if you do have your own gear, you are welcome to bring it along. At the time of booking, we will give you a comprehensive pre-departure information pack, which will include information about what you will need to pack for your voyage.
Shore Excursions/Landings
Zodiac cruising
Hiking
Kayaking
Paddling
Camping
Stand up Paddleboarding
Cross-country skiing
Photography
Polar Plunge
Snow-shoeing
Scuba Diving
Snorkelling
Heli-flightseeing
While there are no visa requirements to Antarctica, if you are travelling to Antarctica through, or extending your stay in, other countries there may be visa requirements. All travellers must have a valid passport (valid for at least six months after your departure date) plus proof of onward passage to enter Chile or Argentina.
Although some cruises experience relatively calm seas throughout, it is best to go prepared for rough seas at least some time during your expedition. Bring seasickness medication just in case.
We recommend that you book as early as possible. Voyages fill fast and the longer you leave it, the harder it may be to book the berth or cabin you prefer. Many departures fill up a year or more in advance. There are on occasion last minute special offers, but most expedition companies offer their best deals very early, and things generally get more expensive as the trip date gets closer.
Yes – and we recommend it! Many of our clients combine their Antarctic adventure with further travel in South America. With 40 years of experience in adventure travel, particularly travel to South America, we can offer sound advice and recommendations to help you make the most of your holiday time.
YES! You cannot travel on any Antarctic voyage without travel insurance. Adequate and valid travel insurance is compulsory for all Antarctic voyages. You will need travel insurance that covers accidents, injury, illness and death, including any related to pre-existing medical conditions, emergency repatriation (including helicopter rescue and air ambulance where applicable) and personal liability. We would also recommend that your insurance covers cancellation and loss of luggage and personal effects.
All of the Antarctica ships we book onto are designed to travel in the Antarctic conditions and meet all required safety standards. Most of our voyages are small expedition ships that hold between 50-200 people, allowing our ships to disembark in a variety of locations.
We do recommend a small ship over a big cruise ship, especially if you want to disembark onto the ice! One thing to keep in mind when selecting your ship is that only 100 passengers are allowed to set foot on the Antarctic continent at one time, therefore larger boats often have to rotate to ensure everyone gets equal time on the ice. Smaller boats mean more time on the ice!
This depends on the individual voyage you have chosen. As mentioned above, a smaller ship can often mean more time ashore. Most expeditions aim to offer two landings or excursions a day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Absolutely! It is not uncommon for people to travel to Antarctica solo. What a great way to make new friends! We can book you a twin, triple or quad share room with someone of the same gender (subject to availability) or you can pay a single supplement if you would like your own cabin. Ship life is a very social affair and many lifelong friendships have been made on board.
First, you need to work out how much time you have got, and what you want to see. The shortest trip to Antarctica is a 6 day fly/cruise, where you fly across the Drake Passage and board a ship on King George Island, rather than cruising across the Drake. The next most common is ten days starting and finishing in Ushuaia, which usually just covers the Antarctic Peninsula. Keep in mind that these 10-day cruises spend approximately 2 days crossing the Drake Passage each way. To include the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, you’ll need a trip of at least 16-21 days. Expeditions to include the Ross Sea are often 30 days or longer.
