South
East Asia and China
Travel to Antarctica
Cruise in Antarctica, Adventure Travels With Cool Antarctica and Antarctica Travels
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Regions:
Antarctic Peninsula |
South Georgia |
South Shetland Islands |
Falkland Islands |
Arctic
Antarctica is a trip like no other, there are landscapes and wildlife like nowhere else, the air is the cleanest in the world.
The approach to Antarctica is either via ports in the south of Australia and New Zealand or via the tip of South America, Tierra del Fuego. China is closer to Australia and New Zealand than it is to South America, though South America is closer to Antarctica with a greater range of trips available and shorter travelling times leading to lower prices and longer in Antarctica. It is possible to fly from South America to join a cruise ship in Antarctica. The journey to Eastern Antarctica is by ship only, it is not possible for tourists to fly to Antarctica from Australia or New Zealand.
| Distances | km / miles |
| Beijing - Ushuaia, Argentina | 18,350 / 11,400 |
| Beijing - Invercargill, NZ | 10,900 / 6780 |
| Hong Kong - Ushuaia, Argentina | 16,410 / 10,200 |
| Hong Kong - Invercargill, NZ | 9,390 / 5,830 |
Access to Antarctica
1
- Beijing, China, 2 - Hong
Kong, China
3 - Ushuaia, Argentina,
4 - Antarctic Peninsula
5 - Hobart, Australia,
6 - Invercargill,
New Zealand
7 - Commonwealth Bay,
8 - McMurdo
The world's cleanest air
Antarctica is used to set a pollution base-line for the planet, there is less air pollution there than anywhere. The WHO guideline for PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter in the air) is an average of 25 micrograms per cubic metre over 24 hours, levels in Antarctica sometimes peak at 0.4, in heavily polluted cities, the figure frequently exceeds 150 and sometimes reaches 400+. (refs: 1 2)
The great majority of trips that leave for Antarctica are ship based cruises or fly-cruise trips leaving from the Argentinean port of Ushuaia or Punta Arenas in Chile. On a fly-cruise trips you fly across the Drake's Passage from South America to join your ship in Antarctica. These trips visit the Antarctic Peninsula and sometimes sub Antarctic islands too. Peninsula trips typically take 10-12 days with 6-16 day trips available, taking in the Falkland Islands and/or South Georgia as well takes from 15-24 days.
A smaller number of cruises depart from Australia or New Zealand visiting the opposite side of the continent to Eastern Antarctica. These trips are longer and therefore more expensive with a sailing time of 6-7 days there and the same back again in a total trip duration of 26-30 days. They usually leave from Hobart, Australia or Invercargill, New Zealand, frequently leaving from one and returning to the other.
Antarctica is a relatively expensive niche destination, cold and clean, voyages focus the wilderness and aesthetic experience. A coast-line rich in wildlife backed by snow covered mountains and glaciers with an extreme climate make this a truly magical place to visit unlike any other on the planet. The remoteness and experiences make it the ultimate destination for many adventurous travellers.
Travelling to the Antarctic Peninsula
Trips to the Peninsula region of Antarctica. Shorter trips visit the Peninsula 6 only and some nearby islands such as the South Shetlands 5. Longer trips may also take in the Falkland Islands 3 and / or South Georgia 4 and possibly some other landings en route.
Cruises most commonly go down the western side of the Peninsula as they are less likely to encounter problematic sea ice that is more likely found on the Eastern side in the Weddell Sea.
1 - Ushuaia, Argentina, 2
- Punta Arenas, Chile
3 - Falkland
Islands / Islas Malvinas, 4 - South
Georgia
5 - South Shetland Islands,
6 - Antarctic Peninsula
Travel to the Ross Sea / Commonwealth Bay Region - Eastern Antarctica
Trips to the more remote Eastern side of Antarctica usually leave from Australia and New Zealand often Invercargill / Port of Bluff in New Zealand 2, Invercargill has the airport, Bluff, 30km away by road has a deep-water port. Less commonly trips may leave/return from Hobart, Australia 1, and Dunedin, New Zealand (about 180 km / 110 miles from Invercargill).
The trip may depart and return to the same port or leave from one and return to another in either direction. It takes about six to seven days sailing to reach Antarctica from Australia or New Zealand, the journey there and back is usually broken up with visits to the wildlife rich Macquarie Island 3 and others such as Snares, Auckland and Campbell Islands that lie between Macquarie and New Zealand.
Once having reached Antarctica trips usually spend their time either in the Commonwealth Bay area 4 or the Ross Sea region between Cape Adare 5 and McMurdo 6 with possibly a short trip along the front of the Ross Ice Shelf R
R - Ross Ice Shelf, 1
- Hobart - Australia
2 - Invercargill
/ Port of Bluff - New Zealand
3
- Macquarie Island, 4 - Commonwealth
Bay
5 - Cape Adare, 6
- McMurdo / Scott bases
Antarctic Peninsula
Sample
Cruises - 2025 / 2026
| Trip | Highlights | Prices USD* |
|---|---|---|
|
Classic
Antarctic Peninsula Expedition 10 - 15 days |
South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, Penguin Rookeries, Lemaire Channel. | from $5,190 typically $12K-14K |
|
Antarctica Peninsula Basecamp 13 days |
Antarctic Peninsula trip with inclusive activities on offer such as hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking, mountaineering, and camping out under the South Polar skies. | from $9,700 - $17,150 |
|
Crossing the Circle 11 - 23 days typically 12 - 14 |
Sail down the Antarctic Peninsula and cross the Antarctic Circle, South Shetland Islands, Wildlife, Scenery. | from $8,200 |
Air-Cruise, Fly the Drake
Sample
Cruises - 2025 / 2026
| Trip | Highlights | Prices USD* |
|---|---|---|
|
Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands. Fly across the Drake
Passage 6 - 12 days typically 8 |
Fly across the Drake Passage in 2 hours to join your ship, cruise the South Shetland Islands and western Antarctic Peninsula. Spectacular scenery, glaciers, icebergs, penguins, seals and whale sightings. A few sail one way, fly the other trips. Some trips cross the Antarctic Circle. | from $7,795 typically $13K-15K |
Ross Sea Region
Sample
Cruises - 2025 / 2026
| Trip | Highlights | Prices USD* |
|---|---|---|
|
Little visited Eastern Antarctica, Ross Ice Shelf. 25 - 34 days |
Remote even for Antarctica, sailing there and back take 5 days each with visits to sub-Antarctic islands on the way. Historic huts in a region central to the continent's exploration. Wildlife, ice shelves, ice bergs and sea-ice. Some trips are circum-navigations from NZ to South America or vice-versa. | from $28,346 |
South Georgia with the Falkland Islands
and / or Antarctic Peninsula
Sample Cruises
- 2025 / 2026
| Trip | Highlights | Prices USD* |
|---|---|---|
| South Georgia, Antarctic
Peninsula and Falkland Islands 17 - 23 days |
Sub-Antarctic South
Georgia has some of the most unique and abundant wildlife on earth including
the world's biggest King Penguin colony, one of the world's largest
concentration of Southern Elephant Seals, and many other penguins,
whales, seabirds and seals all with a background of the Alps dropped
in mid-ocean. Falklands Islands - a British colony in the South Atlantic with wild places and diverse abundant wildlife. The Antarctic Peninsula is Antarctica proper with icebergs, glaciers and wildlife. |
from $9,900 |
| South Georgia and
Falkland Islands 15 - 25 days |
from $9,995 | |
| South Georgia and
Antarctic Peninsula 15, 16, 18 or 28 days |
from $12,831 |
* Prices are per person. the lowest price is usually for triple occupancy in a basic cabin.
Options such as kayaking are usually booked when the cruise is booked, they may be at additional cost and have limited availability - it may be too late once the cruise has started.
Contact me about my trip to Antarctica!
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Departures from late October to late March
Our partner company, Antarctica Travels, passionately help people to reach their ultimate destination.
All enquiries will be answered from our office in Patagonia, Argentina.
Dozens of trips - unique combinations of ship + itinerary
Choice of ships - 67 to 199 passenger capacity
Prices from $5,900 per person
6 to 28 days
Please note - we cannot help directly to find employment in Antarctica, please do not use this form to request any other information than for Antarctic tourist trips
