Is the Drake Passage dangerous for cruise passengers?
Uncomfortable and dangerous aren’t the same thing, and the Drake is mostly the first one. Expedition ships on this route are ice-strengthened, carry stabilisers, and have a doctor aboard. Forecasting is now good enough that captains route around the worst systems rather than pushing through them, wh
Does the Drake Passage crossing count towards the days of my Antarctica trip?
It counts in the brochure number, which is exactly why that number misleads. A 10 or 11 day voyage includes about four days crossing the Drake, leaving roughly four or five days of actual excursions. When you’re comparing trips, count landing days rather than total days, because that’s the thing you
Can you avoid the Drake Passage when travelling to Antarctica?
Yes. Fly-cruise itineraries fly you from Punta Arenas across to King George Island in about two hours and you board the ship there, which skips the Drake completely. Roughly a quarter of the people who come to us ask about it. The trade is that flying rules out a lot of the itinerary range, includin
Is the Drake Passage rougher on the way back from Antarctica?
Somewhat, yes. In our survey the northbound leg came back rough 50 percent of the time against 41 percent southbound. It’s a real difference but not a dramatic one, and plenty of people get their rough leg on the way down instead.
What travel documents do I need for an Antarctica expedition?
At minimum: passport, every gateway and transit visa or electronic authorisation, cruise confirmation, flight details, proof of insurance, the operator’s medical approval, emergency contacts, and a South Georgia Entry Permit if your itinerary calls there. Depending on your circumstances, add minor c
What is the difference between the west and east Antarctic Peninsula?
The west side, running down the Gerlache Strait, is the classic Antarctica people picture: huge glaciated mountains, whales, colonies, with a stop in the South Shetlands on the way. Most classic and extended trips go there. The east side, meaning the Weddell Sea and the Antarctic Sound, is a differe
Is South Georgia worth adding to an Antarctica expedition?
Yes, if you can carry the extra time and cost. South Georgia is a substantially different place from the Peninsula, and the wildlife density there is not matched anywhere else on the route. King penguin colonies run to the hundreds of thousands, the beaches are crowded with fur seals and elephant se
Should I choose South Georgia or the Antarctic Peninsula?
They’re different trips and the honest split is wildlife against landscape. South Georgia is the wildlife and history trip: king penguin colonies in the hundreds of thousands, beaches packed with seals, Shackleton’s grave, and a green, mountainous, subantarctic feel. The Peninsula is the ice trip: g
Can you visit Shackleton’s grave and Grytviken in South Georgia?
Yes, and for anyone interested in exploration history it’s the strongest reason to go. The Endurance story ends in South Georgia. Grytviken has the museum and Shackleton’s grave, lying beside Frank Wild, and grave visits are done in shifts with a whiskey toast. Stromness, where the rescue finally re
What are the unusual Antarctica itineraries like the Ross Sea and Snow Hill?
They’re the specialist end of the market: Ross Sea expeditions, Snow Hill for emperor penguins, helicopter-supported trips, and the tall ship Bark Europa. Together they’re a small slice of the sailings that run each season, and the people who book them usually arrive already knowing exactly what the