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Antarctic Travel Guide 2025-2028 Edition

Let's Go To Antarctica (LGA) is a travel agency specializing in Antarctic travel, Antarctic cruise tickets, and flight bookings. Whether you're planning your first trip to Antarctica or looking for the most suitable Antarctic cruise tickets, we offer professional advice and a one-stop service. Over the years, we've received many inquiries from our clients regarding Antarctic tourism, such as:

  1. Can you help me book an Antarctica cruise?
  2. When is the best time to visit Antarctica?
  3. What is the weather and climate like in Antarctica?
  4. How do I get to Antarctica?
  5. What are the differences between Antarctica cruise itineraries? What is the budget?
  6. How many days do I need for a typical Antarctica trip?
  7. How do I choose the right Antarctica cruise line and itinerary?
  8. When is the best time to book an Antarctica voyage?
  9. What is included in an Antarctica cruise ticket?
  10. Do you have any recommendations for photography equipment for Antarctica?
  11. Do I need a visa to visit Antarctica?
  12. What should I do if I don’t speak English?
  13. Can I travel to Antarctica solo?

To answer everyone's questions about Antarctic travel, we...InstagramandFacebook. We hope that through this detailed, seasonally-updated Antarctica travel guide, we can answer your questions and provide you with the latest and most practical Antarctica travel information, so that you can have a more complete picture in planning your once-in-a-lifetime Antarctica trip.

1. Can you help me book an Antarctica cruise?

Of course. We, Let's Go To Antarctica (LGA), are a travel agency specializing in Antarctic travel and booking Antarctic cruise and flight tickets.

Let's Go To Antarctica primarily helps clients plan and book suitable Antarctic trips, as well as South American itineraries before and after their Antarctic journeys. We collaborate with various cruise lines such as Silversea, Quark, Antarctica 21, Polar Latitude, Aurora, and Albatros. Whenever these lines provide us with the latest Antarctic itinerary information, price updates, discounts, and occasional exclusive offers, we immediately share them with our readers on platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and newsletters.

This year, we've partnered with three highly reputable shipping companies in the industry – Quark, Swan Hellenic, and Silversea – to co-host Antarctic travel sharing sessions, securing exclusive deals for LGA readers and ensuring everyone stays up-to-date with the most up-to-date Antarctic travel offers.

In addition to Antarctic cruise ticket bookings, we also offer services such as booking flights, hotels, cruises to other regions, and even customizing exclusive itineraries. Please feel free to contact us for details.

[WhatsApp] +852 6099 5439. https://wa.me/85260995439

[Line] @581qabdb. lin.ee/kxwRP0I

 

To get the latest Antarctic travel deals and information, remember to follow us on our social media platforms.

WhatsApp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DOASr0xS4ye97qADVdwHCL

Newsletter: https://www.letsgotoantarctica.com/lastminuteoffer

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LGA Antarctica Travel Seminar co-hosted with Quark Expeditions

LGA Antarctica Travel Seminar co-hosted with Silversea

2. When is the best time to visit Antarctica?

Because Antarctica is covered in ice and snow year-round, it's not possible to travel there throughout the year; only the Antarctic summer, from late October to March of the following year, is open to visitors. Traveling in different months offers different views of Antarctica, for example:

  • October: Penguins Mating

  • November to December: Penguins Incubation

  • January to March: Baby Penguins Hatching and Growth

  • March: Penguins Leave and Whales Return

In summary, the "best" month depends on what kind of scenery you want to see in Antarctica. Most travelers want to witness the most vibrant biodiversity in Antarctica, specifically the season when penguins mate, incubate their eggs, and their chicks are born. Therefore, late December to February of the following year is the most popular "best" month for Antarctic travel. These months, spanning Christmas and New Year's, and even potentially the Lunar New Year holiday, constitute the peak season for Antarctic travel, with limited availability and fewer promotional tickets. October, November, and March are considered the off-season. Therefore, readers planning to travel during peak season should plan ahead and increase their budget. More details follow.

3. What is the weather and climate like in Antarctica?

Antarctica is not as cold as many people imagine. Its summers are much warmer than the winters of many cold regions, such as Finland and Siberia. The coldest temperature in Antarctica during the summer is around -10°C, while the average temperature from November to February is between 0°C and 5°C.

Many shipping companies, such as Silversea, Polar Latitudes, Albatros, and Quark, provide guests with windproof and waterproof winter jackets. It's recommended to wear a Heat Tech jacket and a T-shirt underneath; without the need for hand warmers, you should be quite warm outside. Therefore, there's no need to worry too much about the Antarctic polar climate.

4. How do I get to Antarctica?

Independent travel is not possible in Antarctica; the main ways to explore Antarctica are by cruise ship or combined sea and air travel. Therefore, we need to travel to the departure point for our Antarctic journey, such as South Africa, New Zealand, or Australia, before boarding a ship or flying to Antarctica. Most cruise companies, for nearly 90% of their voyages, depart from Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina, the closest point to Antarctica.

Therefore, the simplest route planning to Antarctica is:

  1. Fly to Ushuaia from your home country

  2. Board a cruise from Ushuaia to Antarctica then back to Ushuaia

5. What are the differences between Antarctica cruise itineraries? What is the budget?

Antarctic tourism itineraries primarily take passengers to three islands: the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia Island, and the Falkland Islands. Each cruise line generally offers one of three main types of itineraries: single-island, two-island, and three-island tours. A single-island tour includes a stop on the Antarctic Peninsula and takes 10-12 days; a two-island tour includes both the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia Island and takes 16-18 days; while a three-island tour includes the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia Island, and the Falkland Islands and takes over 20 days.

The following will introduce the features of the three itineraries. As for the detailed daily schedules of the three routes, as well as other special routes, they will be introduced in the next issue of <Antarctic Route Itinerary Introduction>. Please stay tuned.

Antarctic Peninsula

South Georgia Island

Falkland Islands

Single-Island (10 days) Highlights:

  • Classic Antarctica itinerary focusing on the most iconic Antarctic Peninsula sights

  • Offered by all cruise lines; most cabin availability

  • More promotional deals in off season


Budget (varies by operator):

  • Off season (Oct/Nov/late Feb/Mar): USD 7,000–15,000 per person

  • Peak season (Dec/Jan/early Feb): USD 10,000–18,000 per person

traveltips-17
10-day Single-island Itinerary Sample:
 

Day 1: Embarkation

Day 2-3: Crossing Drake Passage

Day 4-7: Landing on the Antarctic Peninsula

Day 8-9: Crossing Drake Passage

Day 10: Return to Ussuriiska

Mikkelsen Harbour

Neko Harbour

Lemaire Channel

Deception Island

Elephant Point

Dual-Island (16 days) Highlights:

  • Visit South Georgia to see King Penguins

  • Only 3–4 Cruise Lines offer this; limited cabins, sells out fast

  • Smaller discounts

Budget:

  • USD 18,000+ per person (all months)

 
traveltips-17

16-day Dual-island Itinerary Sample:

Day 1: Arrive Ushuaia

Day 2: Embarkation

Day 3-6: At Sea

Day 7-8: Land on South Georgia

Day 9-10: At Sea

Day 11-13: Land on Antarctic Peninsula

Day 14-15: Crossing Drake Passage

Day 16: Return Ushuaia

South Georgia Island

Tens of Thousands of King Penguins can be seen on South Georgia Island.

Three Islands (20 Days) Tour Highlights:

  • Visit most Antarctica sights in one trip; more diverse penguins and wildlife in the Falklands

  • Longer duration

  • Offered by all Cruise Lines but fewer sailings and sells out faster than single-island

Budget (varies by operator):

  • Off season (October/November/March): USD 15-30k per person

  • Peak Season (December/January/February): USD 18k or above per person

traveltips-20
20-day Triple-island Itinerary Sample:
 

Day 1: Arrive Ushuaia

Day 2: Embarkation

Day 3: At Sea

Day 4-5: Landing on Falkland Islands

Day 6-7: At Sea

Day 8-11: Landing on South Georgia

Day 12-13: At Sea

Day 14-17: Landing on Antarctic Peninsula

Day 18-19: Crossing Drake Passage

Day 20: Return Ushuaia

Falkland Islands

6. How many days do I need for a typical Antarctica trip?

To calculate the total number of days required for an Antarctic trip, simply calculate the round-trip flight time from the departure point, plus the number of days for the Antarctic journey (single island, two islands, or three islands).

Taking Hong Kong as an example, there are no direct flights from Hong Kong to Ushuaia. Therefore, you must first fly from Hong Kong to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, and then transfer to a domestic flight to Ushuaia. The flight from Hong Kong to Buenos Aires takes a total of 30 hours, which is about 2 days; while the flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia takes about 4 hours. Therefore, I would recommend allowing 5 full days of flight time for the round trip between Hong Kong and Ushuaia, including transfers. If you are departing from Taiwan, I would recommend allowing 6 full days of flight time.

Some Antarctic cruise tickets include one night's accommodation in a pre-departure hotel, allowing you to arrive in Ushuaia the day before boarding and then board the ship the following day. If your chosen ticket does not include a pre-departure hotel, we also recommend arriving in Ushuaia one to two days before boarding to avoid any unforeseen circumstances that might prevent you from boarding in time.

Therefore, a trip to a single Antarctic island from Hong Kong takes 15 to 17 days (5 days + 10 to 12 days), a trip to two islands takes 21 to 23 days (5 days + 16 to 18 days), and a trip to three islands takes 25 days or more (5 days + 20 days).

Formula: Round-trip flight days + Cruise days = Total trip days

7. How do I choose the right Antarctica cruise line and itinerary?

Different cruise lines primarily offer itineraries focusing on single, two, and three islands, with largely similar itineraries. So, how should we choose the right itinerary for us? When selecting different cruise lines and itineraries, consider the following factors: the cruise line's expedition fleet, price, boat size, facilities, service level, and additional activities.

Price

Antarctic cruise prices can vary significantly, influenced by peak and off-peak seasons, but the biggest difference lies in the class of the cruise line. For example, for a single island cruise departing in the same month, the price difference can reach USD 10,000. Besides the fact that newer and more luxurious ships are more expensive, the higher prices are also reflected in the following factors. Guests should consider these factors to determine their travel budget before we recommend cruise tickets within that range.

Expedition Team Expertise

Antarctic tourism differs from other cruise tourism in that landing on the Antarctic continent is a crucial element. Therefore, an experienced expedition team is essential to guide passengers safely and professionally ashore. Antarctic weather is unpredictable and can directly impact the success rate of a landing. If unstable weather prevents a landing at the original site, experienced expedition members will attempt to find alternative landing sites to mitigate the risks associated with weather instability and ensure a safe landing for passengers. Conversely, less experienced expedition teams may take a more conservative approach, such as canceling the landing and having passengers remain on board. Therefore, having an experienced expedition team is of paramount importance for the shipping company.

Ship Capacity

The passenger capacity of a cruise ship primarily affects passengers' disembarkation time. The Antarctic Treaty stipulates that each cruise ship can only allow 100 people to disembark at a time.

Therefore, if your cruise ship carries several hundred passengers, you will need to land in multiple groups in Antarctica, and the landing time for each group will be shorter. If the cruise ship carries about 200 passengers, you will land in two groups. While the first group of passengers lands, the second group of passengers will take in rubber boats. They will take turns in the second hour. Cruise ships with fewer than 100 passengers are called "small ships" and can allow all passengers to land within 2 hours.

We do not recommend passengers choose ships with a capacity of more than 200 people. Besides the limited time for disembarking, the large size of the ship may prevent it from docking at certain Antarctic landing sites, causing passengers to miss some Antarctic locations. Therefore, we only recommend that guests choose ships with a capacity of less than 200 people.

For your reference, when we went to Antarctica before, we went on the Quark World Explorer. It's a ship with a capacity of about 200 passengers, and the passengers were divided into two groups to disembark in Antarctica. During our one-hour time ashore, we were able to fully appreciate the beauty of Antarctica, as well as shoot YouTube videos and take photos. Therefore, we think that one hour each time you disembark is sufficient, because the area you can move around in on the shore is not very large.

Cruise Facilities

So, wouldn't a smaller ship, capable of disembarking everyone within 3 hours, offering the longest disembarkation time for each passenger, be the best choice? Besides disembarkation time, onboard facilities are also an important factor. Generally, cruise ships with a capacity of 200 passengers are newer and more common; most newly built cruise ships in recent years have this capacity. Examples include:

These ships typically have facilities such as bars, observation decks, libraries, lecture halls, gyms, restaurants, swimming pools, jacuzzi, outdoor running tracks, spas, saunas, and casinos.

"Small boats" are usually refurbished and converted from former Antarctic research vessels. Because they were originally designed for research purposes, they have some basic facilities, but their luxury level is not as high as boats that can carry 200 passengers. Examples include:

Like the Magellan Explorer, it has basic facilities such as a main dining room, panoramic lounge and bar area, outdoor barbecue area, library and gym.

Additional Activities

In addition, each boat and each trip offers a variety of free and paid activities, such as canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, and camping. Some trips also include special activities; for example, Quark's Ultramarine offers each passenger a 15-minute helicopter experience per day. Scuba diving, however, is only available on one or two boats, making it a very rare option.

Most of the above activities have limited spots and require advance booking. If you are interested, please let us know when you book your ferry tickets so we can help you book them together.

The above are the main considerations for guests when choosing a cruise company and itinerary. If you have any questions about choosing a cruise company and itinerary, please feel free to contact us.

8. When is the best time to book an Antarctica voyage?

Once you've decided on your departure month, budget, and other details, you can start booking your ferry tickets.

Early Bird Offers

Early bird cruise tickets offer some of the biggest discounts on Antarctic cruises. Most cruise lines offer early bird deals a year or more before departure, with discounts up to 60% off the original price. If you're looking for popular itineraries like two-island cruises, single-island or three-island cruises departing during peak season, sea-air combined cruises, or other special routes, early bird tickets are the best deal. We recommend booking at least nine months in advance to secure your spot. Popular itineraries are in high demand and limited supply, and seats typically sell out six months before departure. Cruise lines rarely offer discounts larger than early bird offers, so book now!

If you choose a single-island or three-island trip during the off-season, it depends on the number of people in your group. If you have 4 or more people, it is recommended to book early bird tickets at least 9 months in advance to secure your spots. If you have fewer than 4 people, you can still take advantage of early bird discounts and wait for promotional tickets.

Last Minute Offers

Last Minute Offer tickets offer the biggest discounts on Antarctic cruises. If the cruise line still has cabins available close to the departure date, they will offer promotional prices, with discounts up to 50% off. As soon as we receive the Last Minute Offer tickets from the cruise line, we will share them immediately via newsletter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook. Generally, discounted tickets sell out within about a day of being released. Because Last Minute Offer tickets are limited in number and cabin options are scarce, they are not suitable for groups traveling to Antarctica.

Furthermore, not all off-season itineraries offer promotional tickets. Some higher-class cruise lines or those with strong sales performance do not offer promotional fares. Therefore, if you are interested in these cruise lines' itineraries, you should plan ahead.

 Antarctic cruise ticket sales this quarter are strong, with many peak season tickets already sold out. We've also received numerous inquiries about promotional tickets, as well as early bird tickets for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 seasons. If you have a preferred date or itinerary, please feel free to contact us.

9. What is included in an Antarctica cruise ticket?

Basically, it can be summed up in one word: All-inclusive service.

Ticket Includes:

  1. All shore landings

  2. Zodiac cruises

  3. Onboard accommodation & daily housekeeping

  4. All onboard meals, snacks and beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic)

  5. Lectures onboard

  6. Waterproof expedition boots rental

  7. Polar Parka

  8. Taxes, ports, and miscellaneous fees

  9. Luggage handling services onboard

  10. Airport transfers (varies)

  11. Pre-departure hotel (varies)

  12. Onboard Wi-Fi (varies)

  13. Emergency evacuation insurance (up to USD 500,000)

Not included:

1. Personal travel insurance

  • Make sure the insurance plan covers Antarctica

  • Make sure Medical evacuation limit exceeds USD 250,000 (varies by cruise lines)

2. Internet

  • Free on some new ships; Paid on others

3. Waterproof or Skiing pants

  • Wear during Antarctic landing, bring own or buy in Ushuaia (if no luggage space)

4. Gratuities

  • Included in some itineraries, varies

10. Do you have any recommendations for photography equipment for Antarctica?

If you're a photography enthusiast hoping to take close-up photos of penguins in Antarctica, you'll need at least a 300mm lens to capture their images. A longer focal length lens is even better. While on a cruise ship or inflatable boat, penguins will generally keep their distance, but when landing on islands, they can sometimes come within 20 meters, even within arm's reach. Having a lens of at least 300mm is a safe bet and will be sufficient for shooting from a distance.

traveltips-34

Only a long lens can capture this kind of compressed close-up.

11. Do I need a visa to visit Antarctica?

No visa is required for holders of Hong Kong SAR passports to travel to Chile or Argentina. However, visa requirements may be updated, so it is recommended that you check the Hong Kong government website for the latest visa requirements before your trip.

Visa-free access or visa-on-arrival for HKSAR Passport:https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/service/travel_document/visa_free_access.html

Taiwanese passport holders need to apply for a visa to travel to Argentina, so Taiwanese travelers should allow extra time for the visa application process.

12. What should I do if I don’t speak English?

Some cruise lines offer Chinese-speaking crew services. If you require a cruise with Chinese-speaking crew, please specify this when you search, and we will filter cruises with Chinese-speaking crew for you to choose from.

13. Can I travel to Antarctica solo?

Of course, no problem. Many LGA guests have previously booked Antarctic cruises alone. Some cruise lines will pair single travelers with same-sex roommates, while others require two people to book. If you are interested in a two-person booking, LGA will try to pair you with same-sex roommates. If you prefer a single room, you may need to pay a single supplement fee.

The above points cover essential information for Antarctic travel. We hope this helps answer any questions you may have and allows you to plan your Antarctic trip with peace of mind. In the next issue, we will provide a detailed overview of various Antarctic routes and the attractions you will visit. Please stay tuned. Readers with any questions or who would like more information about Antarctic travel are welcome to contact us for further details.

[WhatsApp] +852 6099 5439. https://wa.me/85260995439

[Line] @581qabdb. lin.ee/kxwRP0I

[Wechat] @letsgotoantarcticawc

Set foot on Antarctica. It's no longer out of reach.

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