In December 2021, I flew from Miami to Ushuaia, at the very bottom of Argentina, on a private flight. It was still COVID times, and everyone on board was heading to the same National Geographic expedition. I’d planned the whole trip originally for 2020, on the older National Geographic Explorer. When COVID pushed it back a year, we were moved onto the brand-new National Geographic Resolution, which had launched only weeks before. I went with my mom and my brother, and even for someone who loves planning, it was a hard one to organize: the rescheduling, the health certificates, making sure we still ended up on the best ship. We did, and it turned out better than what I’d originally booked. But it’s exactly the kind of trip where an advisor who has done it before makes all the difference. I’ve since arranged multiple trips for clients to Antarctica and it’s one of my favorite destinations to plan for.
The first thing you have to get through is the Drake Passage, the stretch of open ocean between South America and Antarctica. It takes about two days each way, and it is famous for being rough. They hand out anti-nausea bands, patches and pills, and I’m not someone who gets seasick, but I still felt it. The tables in the dining room have silicone tops so the glassware doesn’t slide off and break during meals. There was a surprisingly good gym on board, better than a lot of boutique hotel gyms, and it was almost impossible to work out during the passage because keeping your balance was so hard. This is part of why the ship you pick matters so much. The Resolution, which is a much newer model, is better suited to the Drake than some of the smaller expedition ships, which feel the rough seas more. It’s a couple of days each way, so for most people it isn’t a big deal, but if you’re especially prone to seasickness, I’d recommend flying.
When you wake up in Antarctica, you forget all of it.
Over the next week, we landed at Neko Harbor and Cuverville Island, where the gentoo penguins nest, and at Brown Bluff, where the chicks had only just hatched. We sailed into the Weddell Sea, which most trips to the peninsula never reach, and the ship stopped for a large group of emperor penguins out on the ice near Snow Hill Island. That night the sun set after midnight and rose again around three in the morning, and a lot of us just stayed up. I went kayaking and paddled past penguins, with whales surfacing a few feet away. At Brabant Island, the Zodiacs (the small inflatable boats you use to get ashore) switched off their engines and we watched humpback whales feeding together all around us. I also did the polar plunge, which means jumping off the ship into the Southern Ocean, twice. If you’re a cold plunge person, this is the ultimate version.
The ship itself made a big difference. We had a balcony cabin, which I loved. It was still fairly small, but that is expected for an expedition ship. If we were in the room and the ship was passing icebergs, we could step straight outside to take pictures instead of going all the way up to the observation deck, though you still spend a lot of time out there. I also took full advantage of the hot tub. Floating through the ice in hot water while it’s freezing outside is something I’ll never forget, though it is small, so keep that in mind if it’s a full ship. There were only about 80 guests on our sailing because of COVID, out of the 138 the ship can carry, so I’m sure it feels different when it’s full. Another fun touch is the library; it’s on one of the top decks with a gorgeous view, and it has books on Antarctica and on people who’ve done the expedition before. I’d go up there and just hang out during the off times. One night we slept in a little igloo-style dome on the top deck, which was one of the most fun nights of the trip.
It’s more regulated than you’d think
My brother got stuck in Antarctica during one of our expeditions on land. On one landing, his snow boot sank straight down into the snow, and the expedition guides had to shovel his whole leg out. They couldn’t get the boot back on, so he slid down the mountain without a shoe (which is not typically allowed when offshore). What people don’t realize is that this is basically untouched earth. It’s the most remote place in the world, with the fewest people, so you may be stepping somewhere no one has ever stepped before.
It’s also incredibly regulated because the Antarctic Treaty protects it. You get a sample program ahead of time, but everything depends on the weather and respecting the conditions of the land and animals. Each day the expedition team assesses the conditions and decides whether you can go out at all. Some days you land on shore. Other days it’s better to take a Zodiac out to see the whales, or to go kayaking. It just depends on what the weather has in store. This is one of the reasons I recommend a longer voyage so you have a better chance of experiencing a range of experiences. If you book a day trip expedition or one of the shorter voyages, you may miss out on emperor penguins, kayaking, or even miss the opportunity to go ashore.
When you do go ashore, the expedition leaders go first and make a path, and you stay in a line. You’re not stepping off and exploring on your own, or going on unattended walks. Anything you bring with you, you bring back, and you clean your boots in a sterile liquid before you go out, and again when you come back. The guides are very respectful of the nature you’re seeing, and they explain everything as you go. Even if you’re not remotely interested in science, they make it digestible in a way that makes it super interesting to learn about the world. If you’re on the National Geographic expedition, there are also naturalists conducting research which they share at the end of each day for round table talks, and NatGeo photographers taking photographs.
Five ways to do it
When someone asks me how they should do Antarctica, my first question is what they’re prioritizing. Privacy, comfort, adventure, the science or simply time all lead to a different trip. Here is how I break it down.
Most private: charter your own expedition yacht. If you want the ship to yourselves, charter an ice-class expedition yacht. EYOS Expeditions is who I’d call. They handle the permits, the expedition leaders and the ice pilots. You can still sail the Drake from Ushuaia, or fly in and meet the ship instead. Either way, the only guests on board are yours.
The top tier: White Desert. This is one of the most luxurious ways to see Antarctica. You fly from Cape Town on their private jet to their runway at Wolf’s Fang, then stay in heated domes at one of their camps on the ice itself. You skip the Drake entirely. I’ve had clients do it and they raved about it. Their only regret was not doing it sooner. They’re already interested in going back for a different kind of Antarctica trip, this time with the whole extended family. People don’t think of Antarctica as a multigenerational trip, but it would be such a fun, unique experience with a larger group. If you only have a day, White Desert also runs Antarctica in a Day. You fly from Cape Town to Antarctica and back in about 12 hours, go down into an ice cave, abseil down a glacier and have a drink in their ice bar. It typically starts at $16,500 per person.
White glove at sea: Silversea or Seabourn, which both boast elevated dining options and more traditional-luxury room styles.
Small ship: Antarctica21. The rules for visiting Antarctica allow only 100 people ashore at one site at a time, with a guide for every 20, so on a small ship nobody waits for their turn. Antarctica21 also flies you over the Drake instead of sailing it, which is my recommendation if you’re very prone to seasickness.
Expedition: Lindblad or Quark. This is how I did it, and I loved it. Lindblad leans science-focused. National Geographic photographers, naturalists and specialists give talks before and after each excursion, so you understand what you’re looking at. Quark is more adventure-focused and rugged. Their older ships aren’t as nice, but the Ultramarine is newer and has helicopters. Neither is ultra-luxe, but the Resolution has the best design and feel in my opinion, and it was very comfortable. If you’re booking Lindblad, I’d choose the Resolution or the Endurance, since they’re the newest.
When to go, what it costs and how far ahead to book
The season runs from November to March, the southern hemisphere’s summer. That’s when the sea ice breaks up enough for expedition ships to get through, and the daylight stretches to nearly 24 hours. Each month gives you something different. October and November are when the elephant seals breed, and November and December bring the largest icebergs and plenty of whales. The penguin chicks start hatching in December, which is when I went, and they’re still around through January and February. January and February are also the only months ships can reach the Ross Sea, on the far side of the continent, and January through March is when voyages cross the Antarctic Circle. The whales stay through March. If I had to pick, I’d go in late November or December, when you get the largest icebergs, plenty of whales and the first penguin chicks.
For the trips on this list, pricing is similar to a safari. Two people sharing should budget from about $30k at the very minimum, up to around $250k at the top. Fully private trips are quoted individually, depending on the ship, the length of the trip and what you want to do.
The thing that’s different about the most private and luxurious trips is how far ahead they book out. They only run for two to three months of the year, so there really isn’t much wiggle room. There are a few cancellations, but usually the logistics are often too difficult to plan last minute. Some of the more expedition-style trips have a little more flexibility. I’d recommend planning at least 12-24 months in advance, though you may find space with less notice if you’re flexible on which company you go with.
If Antarctica has been on your list, reply and let me know how you’d like to see it. I’ll tell you which of these five fits you.
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