How to plan for a trip to Antarctica
After deliberating for a couple of years, I finally decided to visit Antarctica in December 2018. Visiting Antarctica had been a childhood dream of mine, and I wanted to make the most of my visit to the frozen continent. It was very likely that this could be my only visit, at least in the short term. I was overwhelmed when I first started searching the plethora of options available. Hopefully, this would help you in narrowing down on how to approach your adventure.
Via South America, South Africa, or Oceania?
I had ruled out visiting from South Africa or Australia/New Zealand, given the amount of time I would have spent sailing on the open seas. Chile and Argentina are closest to Antarctica, and that implies shorter sailing times. This helped me narrow down my search to trips leaving from Chile and Argentina. Ushuaia in Argentina, and Punta Arenas in Chile are the two hubs for trips to Antarctica. The things that mattered most to me were: a small boat, ideally a sail boat, and wanting to maximize my time around the continent itself, rather than in the open seas.
Fly to Antarctica or cross the dreaded Drake?
All the ships leaving from Ushuaia have to cross the open seas, including the notorious Drake passage, which is usually a very rough crossing (lot of fun tales from people who have crossed the Drake over the years). Most trips leaving from Punta Arenas in Chile tend to be fly-in and fly-out. Chile has a military base in the South Shetland islands, called base Frei, and many operators are able to fly their guests directly to base Frei using the same air service that the base uses. Flying into Antarctica is itself quite an experience, albeit very different from crossing the Drake passage! Some ships tend to fly one way and sail back depending on whether it’s their first or last trip of the season.
Antarctica is huge – where can I visit?
The itinerary itself can vary a lot depending on the ship you are. Usually, the bigger cruise ships tend to sail all day and all night, so they can go farther in the same amount of time. The caveat is that you miss parts of the journey. Some itineraries include visiting the Falkland islands and South Georgia, which are both technically sub Antarctic islands, but the wildlife on these islands is unparalleled. Most wildlife enthusiats tend to gravitate toward dedicated trips to these islands. South Georgia is often termed the Galapagos of Antarctica. And if you have seen pictures of king penguins in Antarctica, those are most likely from South Georgia. Most first timers to Antarctica, however, tend to visit the Antarctic peninsula, which is a more “classic” Antarctica experience. Bigger cruise ships would usually also try and cross the Antarctic circle, which adds to the appeal for a lot of visitors. Bigger cruise ships also have better ice-breaking capabilities, so they are less likely to be constrained by a thin layer of sea ice.
What do you do once in Antarctica?
Most ships will be anchoring in multiple bays and islands along the way, and offering multiple activities – hiking, skiing, kayaking etc. Once you are anchored, small zodiacs will get you to the land and back. Depending on where you are, whether the area is under special protection or not, there is a limit to the maximum number of people at a site. If you are in a large cruise ship, you would most likely be taking turns and rotating activities, since not everyone can land at the same location. You may be required to pre-book some of the activities such as kayaking and skiing.
How much can a trip toAntarctica cost?
Depending on the duration of your voyage, what kind of ship and cabin you are in, the costs can vary quite a lot. Generally, the cheapest trips are the ones leaving from Ushuaia – an Antarctic peninsula trip with a bunk berth in a shared cabin would cost anywhere between 7000 – 15000 USD – earlier you book, better chances of getting a good deal. Early or late season trips can be slightly cheaper – December/January is usually the peak season. Trips to South Georgia tend to be more expensive. Depending on when you go, you would be witnessing a very different scene – be it the amount of sea ice, what stage the penguins are in their procreation cycle etc.
I had started looking for trips just a month or so prior to the season, and that meant that I had run out of options on small boats for this season, and on some boats even for the next season. I emailed all the small boats to try my luck. After a lot of back and forth, I managed to find a spot on Hans Hansson, with only 12 passengers, plus the crew. Although not a sail boat, it’s one of the smaller vessels you can find. With fly-in and fly-out, 17 days in the peninsula, onboard kayaks, and a French speaking crew (a French company called Grandes Espaces had chartered the boat and was managing all bookings) – I had found my perfect Antarctica adventure. More on the journey in following posts.
Have a question about visiting Antarctica? Drop me a note below!
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