Antarctica Travel information

How do you get to Antarctica?

When is the best time to go?

Travel advice and safety precautions

Passports & Visas

Insurance

Taxes & Charges

Money in Antarctica

Health Information

What Activities are Included?

What to Pack

Life onboard an expedition ship

How do you get to Antarctica?

The most popular and affordable Antarctic journey is to fly to Argentina and board your ship in the southernmost city of the world, Ushuaia.

From here you choose from a range of itineraries.

Antarctic Peninsula – 10-12 days

Due to its proximity to South America, the Antarctic Peninsula is the best value and most popular Antarctic destination. The Peninsula is renowned for its stunning scenery and abundant wildlife. 

View our range of Antarctic Peninsula itineraries 

Antarctic Circle – 12-14 days

Cross the fabled Antarctic Circle to the land of the midnight sun. Home to desolate, beautiful landscapes, continually shifting ice, and hardy Weddell seals. 

View our range of Antarctic Circle itineraries.

Weddell Sea – 12-14 days

See enormous tabular icebergs and follow in the path of historic Antarctic Explorers to the rarely visited landscapes where you may even spot a rare emperor penguin.

South Georgia & Falkland Islands – 20-25 days

One of the world’s truly great wildlife areas. South Georgia is home to over 30 million breeding birds, thousands of seals, four penguin species, including large colonies of King penguins and macaroni penguins rarely encountered elsewhere, plus many more amazing creatures. Often visited alongside South Georgia, the Falklands Islands offers up plenty of natural beauty, wildlife, and intriguing history. 

View our range of South Georgia, Falklands & Antarctica itineraries
 

Antarctica Fly Cruises

If you’re short on time or prefer to skip the famous Drake Passage, flying to King George Island from Punta Arenas, Chile and beginning your Antarctic Peninsula adventure from there is an excellent option.

Most Antarctic cruises that start in Punta Arenas are Fly/Cruise itineraries that begin with a flight to King George Island, for cruise ship embarkation.

If you have disembarked your ship on King George Island, you will take a flight from King George Island airport to Punta Arenas. The flight generally takes 3-4 hours and most itineraries include a night post-cruise accommodation in Punta Areas.

Please note flights to/from Antarctica are subject to weather conditions and times may change. Be prepared to depart on your group transfer to the airport at any time on the day.

View our Antarctica Fly/Cruise itineraries

Antarctica departing from Australia or New Zealand

With only a few departures a year, a cruise to Antarctica from Australia and New Zealand offers the opportunity to witness the immense natural landscapes and seascapes of this incredibly remote yet ruggedly beautiful part of Antarctica and the best chance to see emperor and king penguins. Steeped in history, East Antarctica is where the explorers Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen gained fame with their expeditions to be the first to reach the South Pole.

Hobart in Australia and Invercargill in New Zealand both host Antarctic cruise vessels heading south for the summer. A round trip cruise to this part of the world will take about 21 days all up, including 7 days crossing to Antarctica, frequently stopping to visit remote islands such as Macquarie, Snares, Auckland and Campbell. 

View our range of Antarctica from AU & NZ itineraries 

When is the best time to go to Antarctica?

The best time to travel to Antarctica will depend on the type of experience you are after. Wildlife highlights, length of daylight hours, and the overall feel of your expedition will change dramatically throughout the cruising season (October to March).

Early Season (October - November)

Visit Antarctica early in the season and you’ll be rewarded with pristine landing sites, striking ice formations, lively courtship displays, and golden light that’s perfect for photography. In the sub‑Antarctic islands, elephant and fur seals begin staking out their breeding territories, and with a bit of luck, you might even witness one of the first dramatic iceberg calvings of the year — an unforgettable sight.

Read our blog about travelling to Antarctica in November and December

 

Mid Season (December – January)

Mid‑summer is the most popular time to visit Antarctica, with the warmest temperatures of the season and long daylight hours that allow for more landings and exploration. This is when you’ll find sunbathing seals, newly hatched penguin chicks, and increasing numbers of whales arriving for the summer feast. Calmer seas and reduced sea ice make it easier to reach landing sites, which is why so many travellers choose this period. As it’s the busiest time of year, securing your spot early is highly recommended.

Late Season (February-March)

The temperatures may be dropping, but late‑season Antarctic cruises are bursting with wildlife. February brings peak whale sightings, rising seal numbers along the Peninsula, and penguin rookeries overflowing with activity in South Georgia. Shorter days mean spectacular sunsets, incredible night skies, and some of the best‑value expeditions of the year. It’s also the busiest month for voyages from Australia and New Zealand heading toward East Antarctica.

Read our blog on The best time to visit Antarctica

 

Travel advice and safety precautions

Australian citizens

We recommend registering with Smartraveller to be kept up to date with the latest travel advice and safety precautions:

https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/

New Zealand citizens:

We recommend registering with Safe Travel be kept up to date with the latest travel advice and safety precautions:

https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/

UK citizens

We recommend checking the FCO website for the latest travel advice and safety precautions:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

United States Citizens

We recommend enrolling in STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) to be kept up to date with the latest travel advice and safety precautions:

https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories.html

Canadian citizens

We recommend registering with Canadians Abroad. A free service that allows the Government of Canada to notify you in case of an emergency at your destination or a personal emergency at home.

https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration

Passports and Visas

Passport validity

Please ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months after the return date of your holiday, and you have sufficient blank pages for any entry/exit stamps.

South Georgia Visa

From 1 August 2025 all passengers entering South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands will require an Entry Permit. The application must be submitted at least 14 days prior to arrival. Apply here: https://eta.entry.gov.gs

For more information on visas in South America visit our visa travel information page.

Travel insurance

Travel Insurance is one of the most important components of any trip, especially if you are travelling to Antarctica - the most remote and inhospitable place on Earth.

It is vital that you have comprehensive cover for:

Accidents & Emergency evacuation

Because of the remoteness of Antarctica, medical attention and evacuations and repatriation to your home country are extremely expensive.  A lot of cruise operators will require you to have unlimited cover for this or at least to cover a specified amount which can differ between operators so please check with your booking agent.

Sickness & Loss of luggage 

If you have any existing medical conditions, you will need to declare these and there are some things that may not be covered. Refer to the wording of your chosen policy and read this carefully.

Cancellation/Disruption to travel 

You should have adequate cancellation cover and take out a policy at the time of booking so you are covered in case of unforeseen circumstances that may prevent you from travelling.  Travel insurance will also protect you against disruption to travel and alterations to your pre-booked travel plans, if local issues arise.

Weather  

Travel delays and unforeseen disruptions are not uncommon in Antarctica - mainly due to weather and sea conditions, so please take a policy that covers this.  

Specific Destinations/Cruise cover  

Select a policy that will cover all your intended destinations in Antarctica. Some policies, for example, may not cover for travel further south than the Antarctic Circle. If your cruise is bound for East Antarctica or you are joining a Polar Circle expedition, please check that your policy includes these destinations as well as anywhere else on land you will be spending time, such as the Falkland Islands, Uruguay, Argentina or Chile. For some policies you will need to select ‘cruise cover’ to be covered while you are onboard. If you have any doubts, please check with your policy provider.

Activities 

Please ensure you have adequate cover for any additional activities you may take part in, such as camping, mountaineering. kayaking, skiing and diving. 
 

Taxes & Charges

Baggage Allowances

Please check with your airlines ahead of time and/or when booking flights to determine what your carry-on and checked bag allowance is as this often varies. Excess baggage fees can be very expensive.

Domestic flights often have stricter baggage restrictions and some carriers do not include baggage allowance on their domestic routes and will charge upon check in.

Charter flights also have very strict luggage restrictions, please refer to your documentation if relevant to your booking.

Always carry your important documents and necessities (including any prescribed medication) in your carry-on luggage.

Fuel Surcharges

Please note that should world oil prices increase significantly prior to departure your cruise booking may be subject to fuel surcharges. Cruise operators do attempt to factor this into the price of your cruise. However, unexpected rises in the cost of marine fuel can change rapidly and sometimes it is necessary for these to be passed on. By booking a tour with us, you accept this as part of our booking terms. Once we have been notified of any surcharges from the cruise operator, we will endeavour to advise you as soon as possible.

Changes to schedule

Antarctica is an extreme environment. While all efforts will be made to keep to the planned schedule, there may be reasons outside of the cruise company’s control that will result in changes to your planned program. For South Georgia and Falkland Islands itineraries please be aware that sea crossings to and from the Peninsula are quite long (around two full sea days) and sometimes the timing of these crossings needs to be adjusted to align with suitable sailing weather. If the itinerary is changed to allow for weather (or other factors) then you agree that this is the nature of expedition cruising and that no compensation will be offered because of applicable itinerary changes.

Deposit & Final Payment

Please refer to your invoice for details of deposit and final payment. All deposits are non-refundable as per our terms and conditions. It is important to remember that failure to pay deposits or to make the final payment by the due date may result in the cancellation of your booking.