Contemplating touring to Antarctica? We had a unbelievable journey to the frozen continent, and though it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime journey, these are a number of the Antarctica journey suggestions we want we had recognized earlier than we went!
Our High Antarctica Journey Ideas
Are you able to simply journey to Antarctica?
Whereas Antarctica has sometimes simply been visited by researchers and scientists on scientific analysis expeditions, now most people can journey to Antarctica.
Nevertheless, the common particular person cannot simply journey to Antarctica independently. There are not any business flights to Antarctica and no resorts, lodging, or eating places catering to vacationers, and you will need to cross over the Drake Passage to get there. Antarctica is a distant and harsh setting, and journey to the continent is closely regulated to guard its distinctive ecosystem and stop hurt to guests.
A lot of the normal public should hop on expedition ships or cruises to get pleasure from Antarctica journey, and these journeys and itineraries are closely regulated. They’ll solely cease in sure locations for a sure period of time – extra on that later.
Is it towards the regulation to go to Antarctica?
It’s not unlawful to journey to Antarctica, however it’s closely regulated. Antarctica is ruled by the Antarctic Treaty System, a set of worldwide agreements designed to protect the continent for peaceable scientific functions and shield its distinctive setting.
If you wish to journey to Antarctica, you will need to adjust to the rules set forth by the Antarctic Treaty System. This contains acquiring the mandatory permits and adhering to environmental pointers to attenuate your impression on the ecosystem.
Moreover, most journey to Antarctica is organized by tour operators licensed by the international locations’ governments which might be signatories to the Antarctic Treaty System. These tour operators should observe strict pointers to make sure their actions don’t hurt the setting or violate the treaty’s phrases.
Is Touring to Antarctica Protected?
Touring to Antarctica will be thought of secure if correct precautions and preparations are undertaken. Nevertheless, you will need to word that Antarctica is a harsh and distant setting, and touring there requires cautious planning, specialised gear, and adherence to strict pointers.
All vacationers can be fastidiously regulated when touring to Antarctica to make sure security for all and that they’re caring for the valuable setting. Some components to think about for secure journey to Antarctica embody:
Selecting a good tour operator: Do your analysis and make sure that the tour operator you select has expertise and experience in Antarctic journey and follows all security protocols.
Buying obligatory permits: Get hold of the required permits and approvals from the suitable authorities earlier than touring to Antarctica. Most journey operators will deal with all these logistics for you.
Put together for excessive climate situations, together with chilly temperatures and robust winds. Costume in acceptable layers and use specialised gear appropriate for polar environments.
Bodily health: Keep good bodily health and seek the advice of with a healthcare skilled earlier than embarking on the journey you probably have any well being points or considerations, as Antarctica’s distant location can pose challenges for medical help.
Comply with environmental pointers: Respect and observe strict environmental rules to guard the delicate Antarctic ecosystem.
Transportation security: Select a good transportation technique, similar to a well-equipped ship or plane, to succeed in Antarctica safely.
Is Antarctica a Nation?
Antarctica will not be a rustic however a continent – the fifth-largest on earth. There isn’t a human inhabitants, although some folks dwell there a part of the yr for scientific analysis.
Antarctica is ruled by the Antarctic Treaty System, a set of worldwide agreements designed to protect the continent for peaceable scientific functions and shield its distinctive setting. The treaty system is signed by greater than 50 international locations, together with the US, Russia, China, and the UK. It outlines rules for actions on the continent, together with analysis, environmental safety, and tourism.
Subsequently, whereas Antarctica will not be a rustic, it’s ruled by a set of worldwide agreements that guarantee its safety and preservation for scientific and environmental functions.
Who “Owns” Antarctica?
No nation owns Antarctica, though seven international locations – Australia, Argentina, Chile, France, Norway, the UK, and New Zealand all have territorial claims. These claims will not be acknowledged by the US or a lot of the world.
There are greater than 70 energetic analysis stations in Antarctica. The US, Russia, China, Australia, and others function year-long and part-time analysis stations in Antarctica.
When is the Finest Time To Go to Antarctica?
There are most important seasons in Antarctica, The Antarctic summer time and Antarctic winter. The Antarctic winter season begins in late March and lasts till early September. It’s freezing and darkish throughout this time, and the solar doesn’t rise over the horizon for a lot of months.
It’s not the perfect time to be in Antarctica, and most analysis stations even shut down for the season. Even in the event you like -40 levels Celsius and excessive darkness, you couldn’t journey right here throughout this time anyway.
Journey to Antarctica is just in the course of the summer time months – from October to March. That is when it’s hotter, lighter, and when the ocean ice melts sufficient to let ships safely navigate the waters, so in the event you’re questioning when the most effective time to go to Antarctica is throughout these months.
Now inside these months, there are some professionals and cons:
October: (nice for essentially the most chic ice situations and good worth) Cruises received’t begin working sooner than late October on the earliest. That is thought of shoulder season for Antarctic journey, and also you might be able to catch an early-season deal. It’s nonetheless fairly chilly throughout this time, and loads of sea ice is lingering making landings and ship navigation tougher. The upside? The frozen tundra makes the panorama views that rather more pristine.
November: November is great for big icebergs! Most cruise ships kick off their season in November! That is after we traveled to Antarctica and had a beautiful time. Days get longer throughout November, and the air is barely hotter. The primary vacationers of the season arrive in November, and locations like Port Lockroy start to employees up and open up for the season. The dangerous information? Sea ice continues to be lingering, and the winds and climate are a bit wilder, which means continent landings aren’t assured. We had three canceled landings on our ship as a consequence of climate and sea ice blockage. The excellent news? The landscapes are at their most dramatic.
December: December is great for hotter climate and seeing penguin chicks! Many would say that December is the most effective month to go to Antarctica. Temperatures are getting heat (by Antarctica requirements, that’s). The solar barely units, so that you get lengthy days, and the wildlife is at its most energetic. It’s a wonderful time for birders.
Prepared for the con? December can be the most expensive time to go, particularly across the vacation season – e book this journey nicely prematurely!
January: Finest for entry to the Ross Sea and hotter climate and seeing seal pups. It’s nonetheless peak season for Antarctica journey. Journey throughout this time, and also you’ll get 24 hours of daylight and loads of alternatives to identify wildlife. As a result of the ocean ice has damaged up, you stand probability at making all of your continent landings and is likely to be blessed with good climate.
February: February is great for Antarctic circle crossings. February is the most effective time for whale watching in Antarctica, and in the event you’re fortunate, you’ll even see some fur seals and seal pups. You probably received’t have any points with sea ice, and because it retreats, extra Antarctica itineraries open up, together with the Ross Sea, Crossing the Circle, and East Antarctica voyages. Penguins are most energetic throughout this month, and grownup penguins start molting.
March: March is the most effective time for whale exercise! March is the final Antarctica journey season, and issues have began winding down. It’s starting to get chilly once more, although March is a superb time for whale watching and photographers for the reason that solar is usually so low within the sky.
The best way to Get to Antarctica
There are a couple of other ways to journey to Antarctica, however 90% of individuals will go the Ushuaia cruise route. Ushuaia is the southernmost metropolis on the planet. It sits on the tip of Argentina, and one can fly to Buenos Aires after which take a home flight to Ushuaia from there. Most cruises depart from Ushuaia, thought of the gateway to the Antarctic.
It might have taken you a couple of days to get to Ushuaia from wherever you might be from (it took us three from Cape City) Nevertheless, when you arrive in Ushuaia, your journey is simply beginning. That is the place most will board their ship; from there, it takes almost three days to cross the notorious Drake Passage, and after a hopeful easy crusing, you’ve got made it to Antarctica!
What the Gateway Cities to Antarctica
Apart from Ushuaia, a number of different gateway cities function departure factors for Antarctic expeditions. They’re Punta Arenas (Chile), Hobart (Australia), Christchurch, New Zealand, and Cape City (South Africa).
Although it’s value noting that routes from these different locations are fewer and additional between and infrequently dearer, we had a gaggle of Kiwis and Aussies on our ship that traveled to Argentina to sort out the Ushuaia route.
We had been coming from Cape City, which is technically a gateway metropolis, although upon additional analysis this feature is just for these with a substantial funds as luxurious tour operator White Desert owns a lot of this area, and their excursions are upwards of $100k.
E book a Respected Tour Operator
We did in depth analysis earlier than touring to Antarctica about who to journey with. A whole bunch of corporations appear to be now vying for the chance to take vacationers to Antarctica. Whereas only a few years in the past it was primarily expedition ships going to Antarctica, now giant cruise ship corporations like Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Movie star are actually getting their little piece of the Antarctic pie.
We didn’t wish to journey Antarctica on a typical cruise ship. We wished extra of an expedition type ship, so we selected Albatros Expeditions, which operates Arctic and Antarctic expedition-style excursions. Not like touring Antarctica on an expedition ship simply 5 years in the past, the place staterooms and mess halls really feel exactly like an expedition, Albatros makes expedition-style journeys whereas nonetheless having fairly luxurious rooms and couldn’t have been happier with our alternative.
Albatros is likely one of the many tour operators members of IAATO. IAATO stands for the Worldwide Affiliation of Antarctic Tour Operators. This group of choose tour operators based in 1991 to advocate and promote the observe of secure and environmentally accountable private-sector journey to the Antarctic.
Membership immediately is comprised of greater than 100 revered corporations from the world over. There’s nothing on the planet fairly like IAATO, however as a result of nobody owns Antarctica, it is a nice method to provoke guidelines and rules that tour operators should observe.
The purpose of IAATO is to advertise secure journey to the area and make sure that all the obligatory precautions are taken to attenuate the impression on the setting and wildlife. Earlier than reserving your Antarctica journey, we advocate wanting into IAATO and guaranteeing your tour operator is a member.
Comply with environmental pointers
This could go with out saying, however all vacationers in Antarctica have to observe the environmental pointers set by IAATO. It’s vital to know that you’re one of many few folks on earth touring to such a fragile setting, and Antarctica should be handled with the utmost respect.
Keep on the designated trails, don’t contact wildlife, and, god forbid, don’t litter. Your tour operator will evaluation every thing, and the principles may change. As an example, after we traveled to Antarctica, there was an Avian hen flu outbreak, so we weren’t allowed to position backpacks, cameras, or tripods on Antarctic grounds.
How Unhealthy is the Drake Passage?
After a couple of viral social media posts, I can’t rely what number of instances I used to be requested concerning the Drake Passage. However first, what’s the Drake Passage? The Drake Passage is a physique of water between South America’s Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It’s the shortest crossing from Antarctica to every other continent. Most should cross the Drake Passage to get to Antarctica until you look into a number of the few flight choices.
Crossing the Drake is fairly infamous as it’s thought of one of many world’s most treacherous and unpredictable our bodies of water. The passage is understood for its fierce winds, sturdy currents, and tough seas, which might trigger waves as much as 30 meters (100 toes) excessive. Fortunately, ships these days are nicely geared up to deal with the drake; ours even had stabilizers to assist.
You may get the “Drake Lake” or the “Drake Shake” whereas crossing. Drake Lake is what it appears like when the water seems like a relaxed lake. The Drake Shake is exactly the other. Sadly for me, we received the Drake Shake going to and getting back from Antarctica. I believed I didn’t get seasick, however I used to be improper. On a scale of 1 to 10, our captain mentioned our Drake Passage was about 7; even the well-seasoned employees had some inexperienced faces. To me it felt like a 15!
I can’t let you know how dangerous your Drake Passage crossing can be. There’s no “good” season to cross the Drake, so there isn’t a method to plan for easy crusing – sorry!
How Lengthy Does it Take to Cross the Drake?
A typical Drake crossing takes two full days. For us leaving Antarctica was method worse seasickness-wise, plus we didn’t have all of the constructed of pleasure of attending to Antarctica to push us by!
Select your flooring correctly.
For those who get seasick, request a decrease flooring when reserving your room. Though essentially the most glorious rooms are sometimes on the upper decks, I couldn’t have been happier to be on a decrease deck throughout our time.
The decrease decks expertise much less motion than greater decks. So in the event you get a horrible Drake Crossing and are on the highest flooring, you’ll really feel each rock the ship makes.
What Time Zone is Antarctica?
Antarctica has no designated time zone since it’s not a rustic. Nevertheless, the time zone utilized by analysis stations on the continent is often decided by the federal government that operates the station.
For instance, the US operates the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, which makes use of New Zealand Time (NZT), which is UTC+12. For tourism functions, most cruise ships function on Ushuaia time.
Visas For Antarctica
There isn’t a authorities and no inhabitants, which means anybody from any nationality can journey to Antarctica visa-free. There are not any customs officers and no passport checks. You received’t even get a “actual” passport stamp (although they do have enjoyable ones you may stamp your self at Port Lockroy!)
That mentioned, you will want to examine entry and visa rules from the nation of your departure level. For many, this can be Argentina.
How A lot Is a Journey to Antarctica?
There isn’t a one method to reply this. The price of a visit to Antarctica dramatically relies on your itinerary, the time of yr you’re going, the operator, the ship, and so many components.
All that being mentioned, a visit to Antarctica isn’t low cost. The common journey value is between $8000-$10,000 per particular person for a 10-14 day journey, and this doesn’t embody your journey to your departure level. This value contains lodging, meals, and excursions (not together with add-on excursions like tenting or kayaking).
On the very least, a journey to Antarctica will run $4000-$5000 an individual. A few of the most luxurious ships value greater than $20,000, and a few high-end luxurious camps can attain upwards of $100,000 per particular person! The Antarctica journeys touring to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands take extra time, and price upwards of $20,000.
How To Save Cash on A Journey to Antarctica
I’m positive you see that $5000 quantity and marvel how one can make journey to Antarctica occur for that quantity. Properly, there are a couple of methods this may occur:
E book exceptionally far prematurely: You possibly can often rating offers by reserving over a yr prematurely.
Wait it out: We met a number of backpackers on our ship that paid $4500 (a minimum of that’s what they mentioned) by flying to Ushuaia and ready till last-minute offers got here alongside. How final minute? We met cruisers who booked their journey to Antarctica lower than three days earlier than departure. Because the ship approaches the departure date, they are going to attempt to unload their final remaining empty rooms at closely discounted costs. This technique solely works for these which might be tremendous versatile and have time on their fingers. It additionally helps to be in Ushuaia already, as you may waltz into tour operators every day and ask them for last-minute offers. That is greatest carried out in the course of the shoulder season months.
E book the most cost effective cabin: If you wish to lower your expenses, e book the most cost effective cabin on the ship. You get precisely the identical service, meals, excursions, and general expertise. The one distinction is your cabin received’t be as luxurious because the others.
Lastly: We’ve labored out a particular reader low cost with Albatross Expeditions, who’ve agreed to supply readers as much as 25% off bookings in the event you point out The World Pursuit.
E book a Small Cruise Ship to Antarctica
We had been unaware that rules stipulate that not more than 100 people per voyage can disembark the ship at any given time. Which means that in case you are on an enormous ship with 500 passengers, your time on land may very well be severely restricted, and also you’ll be ready round whereas others take their journey to Antarctica, earlier than you get to land.
Moreover, choosing a bigger cruise vessel could current a fair larger difficulty, as it might show too cumbersome to method the continent, leading to extra distant sightseeing alternatives.
The smaller, the higher in the case of touring to Antarctica.
Forex in Antarctica
What’s the forex in Antarctica? Properly, chances are high you received’t pay for a lot of your ship, and most retailers settle for bank cards.
In addition they settle for USD, Euro, Argentinian Pesos, and British Kilos. We solely discovered we wanted money after we visited the Port Lockroy giftshop. Port Lockroy accepted USD, Euro, and British Kilos. As with anyplace on the planet, it by no means hurts you to have USD useful anyway.
expedition cruising, not Disney cruising
Our cruise director mentioned this a number of instances on our journey to Antarctica. Crusing to Antarctica will not be your typical cruise with scheduled ports of name and assured locations. Nothing about touring to Antarctica is 100%, and it’s even doable for some expeditions by no means even to make a continent touchdown if the climate doesn’t work out. Or it’s doable that the climate is unbelievable and the expedition group crams in additional stops than on the itinerary!
All the things about touring to Antarctica revolves across the climate. Which means that if the climate isn’t in your favor, you is likely to be unable to depart the ship. You will have to overlook particular stops if there’s a storm, or the zodiacs may not have the ability to break by the ocean ice.
Deal with your itinerary as a suggestion. Your tour operator will do every thing they will to stay to that normal itinerary, but when they will’t, don’t depart a foul evaluation as a result of they will’t management the climate, and you might be in essentially the most inhospitable place on earth.
We couldn’t make three of the deliberate stops we had been hoping to make on our specific journey as a result of the climate was too wild and unpredictable. Whereas at Port Lockroy, we needed to rush by the museum as a storm rolled in quick, and the crew needed to get everybody again on board the ship as quickly as doable
We had been supposed to go to one of many largest penguin colonies, however as a result of it was November, the ocean ice was too thick for the zodiacs to make a secure touchdown, so we went on a zodiac cruise as an alternative.
Zodiacs
What’s a zodiac? A Zodiac is an inflatable boat generally used for transportation to and from shore, in addition to for exploring shallow waters and getting up near marine wildlife.
These boats are small and light-weight, with a capability of about 6-12 passengers. They’re recognized for his or her stability and maneuverability, making them common amongst scientists, photographers, and vacationers for observing and finding out marine life.
Antarctica has no docks, and ships should anchor at sea and transport passengers to Antarctica by zodiac. They’re important for accessing distant areas, and it’s vital that guests can adequately enter and exit a zodiac. That mentioned, expedition ships welcome disabled company and have methods of getting them onto the continent.
In case you are disabled and fearful about touring to Antarctica, inform your tour operator.
Is There a Medical Requirement For Touring to Antarctica?
It’s greatest to be in good well being when touring to Antarctica so you may transfer concerning the ship rapidly and luxuriate in Antarctica to the fullest.
Earlier than boarding, all company should full a medical data declaration to tell the medical employees on board of any medical situations, allergy symptoms, or diseases that might impression the voyage. It’s probably your operator would require you to have journey insurance coverage with excessive evacuation protection. As you may think about, a medical evacuation for Antarctica can be fairly pricey. Additionally, a medical evacuation from sure locations may take as much as two days.
There are docs on virtually each ship, although they’re restricted of their capabilities. If in case you have a abdomen bug, they’ll have the ability to assist, however there wouldn’t be a lot they might do within the occasion of one thing like a coronary heart assault.
Go to The Lectures
It’s possible you’ll marvel what you’ll do with all that downtime crossing the Drake Passage. It relies on your ship and what facilities are provided. Our ship had a library, board sport middle, health middle, and sizzling tub. Although one factor that’s frequent on virtually each boat is a sequence of lectures and talks
On each expedition ship is a group of specialists that may give shows associated to your journey. These shows could also be about issues like studying pictures, regional birds, tales about Shackleton or Roald Amundsen, residing in Antarctica, and every thing in between.
I’m uncertain of the precise quantity, but when I had been a guessing gal, I’d say there have been a minimum of 40-50 totally different lectures all through our cruise. After all, it’s not anticipated to go to each single one, however we extremely advocate you attend as many as doable as they are going to be extremely helpful!
Our ship, fortunately, aired their lectures on the in-room televisions as nicely, a godsend for me after I was mendacity horizontal making an attempt to not throw up on the Drake Passage days.
Do the Polar Plunge!
Most ships have a chance to do a polar plunge. What’s a polar plunge? Properly, it’s once you leap into the icy Southern Sea. In case you are in good well being with no coronary heart points, we extremely advocate braving the water and taking the plunge.
Though I used to be nervous, I couldn’t imagine how refreshed I felt after – I even wished to leap once more! The leap isn’t only for younger folks both! Over 120 folks on our ship jumped, starting from 16 to 70+! Simply be sure you don’t have any coronary heart situations that impression you leaping into icy water.
Are Youngsters Allowed to Go to Antarctica?
That is one other query I get requested typically, and the principles rely in your tour operator. Ours required that youngsters be over 12 years previous; that is primarily for a security side.
Nevertheless, I personally don’t assume an Antarctica journey fits younger youngsters. Not solely will you wish to carry them on such an epic journey that they will keep in mind and respect the sweetness. But additionally, there’s not sufficient to do for kids on most Antarctica expeditions.
There’s no daycare, no youngsters’s playroom, and no dependable WiFi to depend on for leisure. After all, you may carry books and flicks, however there’s loads of don’t time. Bear in mind after I mentioned you go to lectures throughout your downtime?
Properly, that’s what youngsters have for choices too, and until they’re tremendous intrigued with Antarctica details and data, I can’t think about younger youngsters would maintain consideration nicely. But it surely’s all as much as you and your loved ones. I do know that Disney has since began working Antarctica cruises, which can be possibility for households.
Additional Excursions
Most Antarctica tour operators supply three further excursions, although some supply extra. These vary from kayaking, get up paddleboarding, snorkeling, to tenting in a single day on the continent to snowshoeing. These extras are sometimes not included within the value of your journey.
As well as, these actions are in excessive demand, they usually can not accommodate everybody on board. This implies there’s a lottery system if demand is excessive sufficient. If you wish to participate in these excursions and have the chance to e book prematurely, we advocate doing so!
Pack Accordingly
We’ll create a complete Antarctica packing checklist quickly, however pack accordingly in your journey! We packed for fall/winter climate. Which means denims, leggings, boots, sweaters, fleece jackets, a hat, gloves, and buffering.
Most ships gives you a jacket on the journey; you additionally get to maintain this heat jacket and convey it residence. We thought we would want sturdy mountaineering boots too, however we came upon after we received on the ship that additionally they supplied a pair of wellys. Past that, you want waterproof pants (the zodiacs get moist), base layers, a hat, gloves, sun shades, and sunscreen.
Do it’s essential to carry gown garments in your journey? Our journey had no “captains’ nights” or formal dinners the place company had been allowed to decorate up. When not on the zodiacs or exploring, I wore primary on a regular basis put on. Sweaters, leggings, and denims; nonetheless, you’ll must examine your ship itinerary to see if there are occasions when you could wish to gown up.
Don’t neglect a swimsuit in case your ship has a sizzling tub and exercise garments for the fitness center. The primary merchandise I want I had was slippers. There’s loads of downtime on the journey, and strolling across the ship in snug slippers would have been greater than acceptable.
Take Care of Your Pores and skin!
Talking of issues to carry, don’t neglect face moisturizer, lotion, and sunscreen. Though it’s chilly and you could not assume you’re getting a lot solar, the climate within the Antarctic circle is dry and harsh on the pores and skin, however belief me after I say you will get sunburned in Antarctica, and all that ice and snow positive is reflective.
It solely took me forgetting sunscreen on my face sooner or later to be taught a beneficial lesson whereas touring Antarctica.
seasickness
In case you are vulnerable to seasickness (and even in the event you’re not), carry Dramamine with you in your Drake Passage journey. Every other movement illness reduction could also be useful too. Wristbands, ear patches, movement sick glasses, and ginger candies – I want I had all of it!
Put together for a rocking boat.
If it’s wanting such as you’ll have a tough crossing, which the crew ought to have the ability to let you know, pop that Dramamine earlier than the ship will get a rockin’ and rolling. As soon as the seasickness has set in, it’s sometimes too late for a movement illness pill to have any impact.
Use Your Time on Land Correctly
There are a lot of guidelines and rules when touring to Antarctica, and these guidelines trickle all the way down to your stops and time on land. To reduce our impression on the eco system there are solely a specific amount of individuals allowed on land at any given time, and for a sure period of time.
For instance, our ship had lower than 200 company on board. Friends had been separated into 4 teams, sorted by coloration. Land visits had been staggered by coloration, after which the zodiacs carrying these 40-50 passengers had been additionally staggered which means there have been by no means greater than a specific amount of individuals on shore without delay.
Virtually all of our visits had been lower than an hour on land – so use your time correctly. Take your pictures, observe, and ask the expedition group all of your questions!
Keep on the Path!
Earlier than you make it to land, the expedition group will go earlier than you to arrange a guided path for guests to stroll round. This path ensures folks don’t trample on the delicate ecosystem. Please keep on the trail.
Carry a Digital camera!
You do not need to neglect your digital camera for this as soon as in a lifetime journey! Make certain to carry further reminiscence playing cards and batteries. It is going to even be very useful to have a drybag in your digital camera gear. The zodiacs can get soaked.
The Finest Journey Digital camera to Purchase • Your Final Information
Is There WiFi in Antarctica?
Amazingly you will get WiFi just about anyplace today, and that is true for Antarctica. Most ships may have WiFi which you could pay further for. Be forewarned, it’s fairly costly.
Does the WiFi precise work? I used to be shocked by how nicely the WiFi labored on our ship, even in the midst of the Drake Passage, I used to be capable of ship emails and work a bit.
Nevertheless, in the event you don’t want the WiFi we advocate not worrying about it. Not solely is it costly, however it might detract out of your entire expertise on board!
For those who’re sending a postcard
This can be a random Antarctica journey tip, however in the event you plan on sending postcards from Port Lockroy, have them written out and able to go beforehand. I sadly bought postcards at Port Lockroy as I didn’t get any in Ushuaia.
Whereas the postcard photographs could have been barely higher, I in the end rushed by writing my postcards towards a wall within the Port Lockroy museum. Getting a number of postcards written, addressed, and stamped in a fast method resulted in some nervousness on my finish!
Do You Need to Take a Cruise to Antarctica?
You don’t must cross the Drake Passage by ship, as there are ‘Fly the Drake” excursions the place vacationers will pay a bit extra to take a constitution airplane over the Drake. Although, as all nice explorers needed to cross the drake earlier than us, we expect it’s a proper of passage that you must cross the drake as a way to get to Antarctica.
Plus in the event you decide to skip the Drake Passage, you’ll miss out on all that point studying from the seminars and getting ready your self for the most effective week of your life!
If you wish to fly, greater than 98% of flyers fly from Punta Arenas to King George Island, lower than 1% fly from Punta Arenas to the South Pole. There isn’t a business flight to Antarctica, which means you will need to e book a chartered flight. These don’t run ceaselessly and function between December and February.
Make Certain to Verify Your Itinerary
All itinearies to Antarctica will not be the identical. Most 10 days cruises take you to the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. Longer cruises go to South Georgia and The Falklands, and a number of the most in depth (and costly) journeys half-circumnavigation the whole Antarctic continent!
Itinearies rely in your funds, time, and pursuits.
You Probably received’t see emperors
Perhaps I ought to have carried out extra pre-travel analysis – okay, I positively ought to have, however for some motive, I used to be underneath the impression I’d see emperor penguins on our journey. I assume I’ve seen Glad Ft too many instances. I imply, I used to be going to Antarctica – and Emperors dwell in Antarctica. ????
Little did I do know that even essentially the most skilled birder on the crew, with over 20 years of expertise, had by no means seen an Emperor Penguin. Emperor Penguins solely dwell in Antarctica however within the harshest, most hard-to-reach areas of Antarctica. They’re tailored to Antarctica’s most freezing temperatures and might survive winter.
Most guests to Antarctica won’t see emperor penguins. Seeing these large birds requires a Drake crossing and venturing to locations like Snow Hill Island, the place vacationers have to courageous the icy Weddell Sea aboard essentially the most resilient polar vessels, adopted by a helicopter experience. Lastly, the final leg of the journey entails trekking on foot.
But it surely nonetheless actually is like completely happy toes.
Although it’s probably you received’t see Emperor Penguins, there’s nonetheless loads of wildlife to see. Penguin-wise, you continue to have Adélie Penguin, Chinstrap Penguin, Gentoo Penguin, and Macaroni Penguin.
Different wildlife you’ll probably encounter are Antarctic seals just like the Weddell Seal, Leopard Seal, Crabeater Seal, Ross Seal, and Antarctic Fur Seal.
Totally different species of whales will be discovered within the waters round Antarctica, such because the Humpback Whale, Orca (also referred to as the Killer Whale), Minke Whale, and Blue Whale.
Birders may have a unbelievable expertise, so pack the telephoto lens! Apart from penguins, varied hen species inhabit Antarctica, together with the Snow Petrel, Antarctic Petrel, Antarctic Fulmar, South Polar Skua, and Wilson’s Storm Petrel. Lastly, don’t neglect about Albatrosses. A number of species of albatrosses, recognized for his or her spectacular wingspans, will be noticed within the Southern Ocean close to Antarctica, together with the Wandering Albatross.
