How to travel to Antarctica? Best months to travel to Antarctica

If the ticket price is definitely not cheap to go to Antarctica, if they want to buy tickets, after all, it will take a long time to go to Antarctica, and the poor experience will affect their journey. But besides plane accidents, there are other ways to get to Antarctica.

Current location There are three main ways to reach Antarctica: by ship, sea and air transportation, and plane travel. In addition, there are other niche methods, such as sailing boats, yachts, sightseeing planes, supply ships, etc. (No more details will be given here). The cost of these modes of transportation are collectively known in our industry as “ship tickets,” so don’t assume that the only way to explore Antarctica is by boat.

1. Boat trip

Cruise cruise is the choice of 90% of tourists, and most tourists depart from Ushuaia. In addition, port cities that can reach Antarctica include Punta Arenas in Chile, Christchurch in New Zealand, and Hobart in Australia. Travelers take a cruise ship to the Antarctic landing point, and then transfer to the Zodiac Zodiac to land on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Advantages: There are many cruise options, many routes, large price differences, more flexible budget adjustments, and the highest cost performance.

Disadvantages: No matter which cruise you choose, you will have to pass through the Drake Strait or the "westerly belt", so you will inevitably get seasick. The voyage is longer.

Suitable for: travelers with good physical fitness, not afraid of seasickness, and with a controllable budget.

2. Sea and air transport

If you don’t want to cross the Drake Strait and experience seasickness, you can choose to cruise by air. Departing from Punta Arenas, Chile, after a 2-hour flight, we arrived at King George Island, and then transferred to a cruise ship for a 5-7 day landing tour.

Advantages: Fly over the Drake Strait to avoid seasickness; save travel time; maintain sufficient physical strength to carry out Antarctic landing activities; you can appreciate the Antarctic continent from the air.

Disadvantages: The cost is the most expensive among cruises on the same route, with the price of each ticket being more than 11,000 US dollars; the route selection is relatively simple, only the Antarctic Peninsula and Antarctic Circle itinerary; the itinerary is greatly affected by the weather.

Suitable for: travelers who are afraid of the Drake Passage, have precious time, and have a good financial foundation.

At present, sea and air combined flights are mainly provided by two cruise ships.

Ocean Nova Ocean Nova and Hebrew Sky

"Ocean Nova" is the originator of direct flights to Antarctica. It can carry 68 passengers. The cabin is not large, but it is very popular with tourists from all over the world. welcome.

BrideanskyCruise, formerly known as SeaExplorer, can accommodate 120 passengers. After the renovation, the cabin facilities are luxurious and the fares are high.

3. Air travel

This is the way to go to Antarctica or inland Antarctica. Arrive at Union Glacier by flight from Punta Arenas, Chile, then fly to Antarctica or Inland Antarctica. This not only tests travelers’ spirit of exploration, but also tests their financial strength. There are currently only two companies operating in Antarctica, and ticket prices are about US$60,000-80,000 per person, with prices rising year by year.

How to travel to Antarctica

Antarctica only has summer and winter. Summer is from November to March and winter is from April to October. The average summer temperature is 5-5, and in extreme weather conditions the temperature can be -10. The scenery and ticket prices seen at different times are different.

In November, it is early summer in Antarctica, the ice and snow begin to melt, and some places are inaccessible due to ice. From January to December, penguins court, mate and build nests.

From the end of December to February of the following year, the ice and snow begin to melt, and Antarctica enters midsummer. This is the warmest and most stable climate in South Asia, and it is also the time when polar babies are most active.

From the end of February to March, some animals will migrate to the south, leaving their homes to escape the cold. This is the best time to watch whales.

Time to travel in Antarctica

During a more than 10-day Antarctic cruise, daily life and activities are all on the ship, so the cruise ship is a "mobile hotel". But the main purpose and value of going to Antarctica is not here, so the luxury, facilities, space and price of the cruise ship should not be the decisive factors. Judging from my experience in Antarctica, I suggest that when choosing a ship, you should focus on the safety, number of landings and professionalism of the ship.

Cruise ships in Antarctica are divided into large ships and small ships. The passenger capacity of Antarctic cruise ships is mostly 100-200 people, and ships with more than 200 people are considered large ships. The IAATO organization stipulates: "In Antarctic landing sites, more than 100 people are generally not allowed to land at the same time. Ships with less than 200 people can dock in most places, and cruise ships with more than 500 people are prohibited from docking anywhere."

Small boats (Passenger capacity: 50-150 people);

Advantages: The boat is maneuverable and flexible, making it easier to go deep into the glaciers and fjords of the Antarctic region for frequent landing activities or cruising; because the boat is smaller, The atmosphere on the ship will be more intimate; most of them are converted from scientific research ships, and the scientific research team members will be more professional.

Disadvantages: Although small boats can be divided into expedition ships and luxury ships, most of them are expedition ships, and the cabin facilities are relatively simple. A luxury boat, rare among small boats, and very expensive.

The following is an analysis of the data collected by Antarctic ships to provide a reference for you to choose a ship.

Carrying capacity: flexibility of the ship.

Ice resistance: Ships going to different ice areas must have unused ice certificates.

The best ice grades are 1A, 1A1B1C1D. The higher the ice resistance level, the higher the safety.

Tonnage: The greater the tonnage, the more stable the ship is and the less likely it is to get seasick.

Country: Expeditions on board ships are still related to the national character of the country. For example, Russian ships are more aggressive and risky.

Recommend the "Sea Soul" classic Antarctic Peninsula travel route with high cost performance. The route is flexible and can go deep into some harbors and landing points where large ships cannot navigate. The scientific expedition team is very professional and there are many activities on board.

The Ocean Nova cruise ship recommended by sea and air transportation will not cause seasickness in the Drake Strait, and it also greatly saves travel time. Zodiacs allow plenty of time for landing or cruising, and the adventures on board are professional.

Analysis of pros and cons of large ships (150-500 passengers);

Advantages: Most of them are luxury cruise ships with complete facilities, luxurious infrastructure and many on-board entertainment activities. Cruise ships are large and run relatively smoothly, but seasickness is inevitable when crossing the Drake Passage.

Disadvantages: Large boats are not as nimble as small boats and are not easy to shuttle through ice floes and narrow waterways; there are relatively many tourists. When they arrived at the landing point, they had to queue up and take turns landing, and it took time to get on and off the train. Large ships with a passenger capacity of more than 400 people can only cruise most of the time and cannot dock. There are very few opportunities to land.