Visiting the white continent was actually never on my bucket list until just a few months ago. I always thought that it was a cold, snowy place that didn’t have much going on…Well I’m here to officially take all of that back! Antarctica is more than just an icy place at the bottom of the globe, it is a place of untouched beauty where you can disconnect in the true sense and really enjoy everything nature has to offer.
When to visit Antarctica
You can only visit Antarctica during the summer months of November to March and as a tourist only via small ship. Most of the continent is completely uninhabitable throughout the year with only scientists and researchers living here.
Contrary to what you may think, Antarctica is not that cold! The average temperature during the summer months is 32F, that’s warmer than winter in Chicago. Note- you will also experience 22+ hours of daylight!
Packing List
Having the right gear is VERY important. Not only is Antarctica the coldest continent on earth, but it’s also the driest, highest and windiest. Most cruise lines require you to buy some gear from them, particularly their signature jacket. We bought most of our gear on Amazon & borrowed a few items from friends who had been on ski trips!
- Double layered jacket– we were required to buy this red jacket from the cruise line
- Waterproof pants
- Thermals -top & bottom
- Bathing suit – for the polar plunge..if you dare!
- Ski Hat that covers your ears
- Neck sleeve to protect your nose & mouth (it gets windy!)
- Waterproof Boots – above your ankles for those wet landings (you can rent these on board)
- Sunscreen – it’s still summer time and you can get burnt out there
- Camera or Phone -get a lanyard phone case to avoid any water mishaps
- Polarized Sunglasses – if you don’t have polarized, normal UV sunglasses work
- Motion sickness pills – we skipped the Drake passage and thought these were not needed BUT ended up crossing a “Mini Drake” and throwing up (I’ve never been sick in my life!). The crew on board will also have these along with ginger candies if you feel ill. There is also a doctor on the ship.
Most expedition cruises have a very relaxed dress code, we brought all these fancy clothes to dress up for dinner and never used any of it! I recommend packing comfortable & casual clothing you can wear day/night around the ship.
How to get to Antarctica
The only way to visit Antarctica is on a small ship (most people take a cruise), typically with less than 300 passengers. Our cruise on the Silver Explorer had a capacity of 144 guest.
Cruise lines leave from 2 main ports, Ushuaia – Argentina or Punta Arenas – Chile. The first leg of your journey will be flying into either of these destinations. I use Google Flights to scout & track all of my upcoming trips.
If your cruise departs from Ushuaia or Punta Arenas you will have to spend two days crossing the infamous Drake passage, known for its rough waters. Some people do get lucky and their crossing is very mild, even as flat as a lake!
If you want to skip the two day crossing on the Drake passage you can opt for a “fly cruise” that takes you on a 2 hour charter flight from Punta Arenas, Chile straight to King George island, Antarctica.
Flying straight into Antarctica was truly surreal, I couldn’t believe we were actually flying into the continent! Note- this option is more expensive than crossing the Drake passage and very weather dependent. Your flight schedule can easily change due to unexpected storms or wind.
What Cruise lines go to Antarctica?
A trip to Antarctica is considered a bucket list for most people, many save for years before sailing and take the trip when they retire, the average age of guest is 60. Most cruise itineraries are 10 days long, but if you have a little more time, I suggest adding on the Falkland Islands and South Georgia to see the largest penguin colony in the world! This trip will be about 18 days.
Below are a few cruise lines to checkout in planning your adventure to the white continent, all with varying price points. Our cruise included all food, drinks (alcohol), and expedition activities. Note– this is not a cheap destination.
Cruise lines that offer Fly & Cruise:
Cruise lines that cross the Drake Passage:
- Lindblad Expeditions (National Geographic)
- Atlas Adventures
- Hurtigruten
- Disney Expeditions (great for families!)
Entry Requirements to Chile
Trying to get into Chile right now (Feb 2022) involves a lot of paperwork and one little mistake can deny you entry. Be sure to make a list of all the requirements and check it twice. Below is a short list of what’s required. I’m really hoping they change this soon!
- Mobility Pass (vaccination validation from MeVacuno)
- C19 form
- Insurance paperwork with $30k health coverage per person (I recommend Allianz, also add on trip interruption in case you need to be quarantined)
- Negative PCR test within 72 hours (with passport number)
Things to do in Antartica
Each day you will have 2 opportunities to get off the ship and go exploring (these are called landings), typically in the early morning and afternoon. As someone who is NOT a morning person, waking up at 7am is not something I’d want to do while on vacation – BUT Antarctica is worth the trouble! Note- every landing is weather dependent and you may be told some stops aren’t possible. We missed about 3 landings on our 6 day cruise.
Our captain did an ice landing with the ship, which is really rare and takes a lot of technical skill. What’s an ice landing? – when you literally park the ship in the ice! Sometimes you can get off the ship right onto the ice or take a short zodiac ride to land. This was my favorite landing of the entire cruise, the ship crew set up a champagne bar for us, we literally had champagne on ice! Just an unforgettable experience.
Zodiac rides – each cruise line is equipped with small boats (these are called zodiacs) that will take you to see skyscraper glaciers, penguins and other wildlife. Your zodiac driver will also give you more information about where you are, what you can expect to see and safety precautions.
Polar Plunge– If you’re up for it you can take a jump into the Antarctic Ocean! The water is at freezing temperatures of 28.8 degrees Fahrenheit (-1.8 degrees Celsius) and I was told your entire body feels like pins & needles getting out. I did NOT do this plunge, cold water is where I draw the line for being adventurous! (I’d rather jump out of a plane)
Kayaking– I saw so many photos of people kayaking through ice bergs and whales swimming by before going here – I knew I had to do this. Our ship had a very limited number of kayaks and unfortunately I didn’t get selected. Not one other person in my group was up for this, it can be very tough and you do need ocean kayaking experience.
Relaxing on the ship – most ships have hot tubs outside and of course food/drinks all day long! In between landings stroll along the deck and take some time to bask in the beauty around you, it really is magical. One of our favorite things to do was afternoon tea & treats returning from our afternoon landing.
What wildlife can you see in Antarctica?
- Penguins – Emperor and Adélie penguins are the two Penguins native to Antarctica, you will also see Chinstrap, King and Gentoo Penguins.
You may think you’ll get tired of seeing these creatures but they are so adorable. If you visit during December you may even see a baby Penguin hatch!
- Seals – Leopard, Weddell or Elephant Seals can be seen during your zodiac rides just relaxing on icebergs, posing for epic photos!
- Whales – I was told the most Orcas in the world migrate to Antarctica so you’ll have a pretty high chance of seeing one. Unfortunately all I saw was a fin in the distance once and that was about it!
If you’re an avid traveler or chasing continents, Antarctica needs to be on your list. For now my husband is beating me at # of countries visited at 60+ and he’s done all 7 continents after this trip. I’m still at 6 with Australia being my very last to go, I’m looking forward to making it there one day!
Checkout all of my Antarctica content on Tik Tok or Instagram.
