Antarctica is, without a doubt, one of the world’s most incredible places to visit. It’s absolutely beautiful and one place that feels so untouched and utterly beautiful to see. That being said, the whole Antarctic continent is colossal and, largely inhospitable (especially in the winter months). This makes it a very challenging environment to visit on a whim. Lots of planning, costs and, of course, time are needed to explore even just a slither of Antarctica.
This is where booking an Antarctic expedition cruise comes into play. Our expedition to Antarctica took quite a bit of planning and research. So, I wanted to share all the hows, wheres, and which that made our trip incredible.
Take a look below at the top things to know about booking an Antarctic expedition cruise. Oh, and have the best time. A trip to Antarctica is truly incredible.
Where do Antarctic expeditions start from?
Most Antarctic expedition cruises start from South America as this is, geographically at least, one of the easiest departure points. Two of the major embarkation ports are Ushuaia in Argentina and Punta Arenas in Chile. These two ports provide some of the quickest ways to reach Antarctica by boat.
That being said, you can also leave directly from New Zealand and Australia. These are great options if you’re already based in the Southern Hemisphere.
However, the crossing times are quite a bit longer than those from South America.
Where do Antarctic expeditions visit?
Each expedition cruise is always slightly different, even if they have ‘set routes’ determined when purchasing your ticket. You see, Antarctic weather can be turbulent. After all, it’s one of Earth’s driest, windiest, and coldest continents.
If you’re visiting from New Zealand or Australia, these might typically involve a trip through the Southern Sea towards the north-east of Gerlache Inlet. These tours can take a significant amount of extra time (about 3-4 weeks).
If you’re leaving from Ushuaia in Argentina and Punta Arenas in Chile, you will likely visit the Antarctic Peninsula. This is the ‘big arm’ that you see on a map, reaching near South America.
Visiting Antarctica on a cruise here will take you down the peninsular towards (and beyond) the Antarctic Circle. Typically, expeditions also include visits to the…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Hand Luggage Only…