How to Travel to Antarctica in 2025

Here is a simple step-by-step Antarctica travel guide to visit for a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

The Last White Continent… the last because it wasn’t until the mid-19th century that it was discovered, and white for its endless expanse of snow, which makes it nearly impossible for any permanent human inhabitants! But it’s worth knowing that about 100,000 travellers visit during the austral summer. Here is a simple Antarctica travel guide to visit for a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Best Time to Visit Antarctica

The best time to visit is in the summer months on the continent, which are from October to March; the temperatures are not so cold, ranging from -10 degrees to 5 degrees Celsius. This time of the year has longer daylight hours, and since the ice is melting, the sea can be accessed easily by the ships.

November is particularly great to witness the landscape in all its glory, while December and January offer a glimpse at penguin chicks and, of course, the Midnight Sun. February and March are perfect times for whale watching and for a closer look at penguin colonies.

Selecting the Route

There are four routes that travellers from around the world can choose from: Ushuaia, Argentina/ Punta Arenas, Chile / Hobart in Australia, or Invercargill in New Zealand.

The most popular option, though, is from Ushuaia, which sits at the southernmost tip of South America. This city is just a 3-hour direct flight from the capital Buenos Aires, which makes it very feasible and accessible.

There are tons of flights from across the world to Argentina, which can make the journey hassle-free. Alternatively, if you want to avoid the Drake Passage, then you can fly out from a 2-hour flight to King George Island from Punta Arenas, Chile, where you will board a cruise ship, and it will take you just hours to reach the Antarctic Peninsula.

Since Antarctica is not occupied by any country, you do not need a visa to travel there. The cruise company will take care of the rest, though they will have a look at your passport.

Important!!

The world’s strongest and largest ocean current, causing extremely choppy and rough waters- the Antarctic Circumpolar Current- makes travel through the Drake Passage a challenge. So it is advisable to fly across the Passage.

The Best Cruises to Visit Antarctica

1. The Classic Antarctic Peninsula Voyage

Duration: This takes 10-11 days typically, and is one of the most preferred voyages.

Budget: The Voyage is considered to be the most budget-friendly.

Departure Port: These voyages depart from Ushuaia, Argentina

Sights: Penguin sighting, camping, kayaking, or visits to historical sites such as Port Lockroy British Research Station and Whalers Bay on Deception Island – can all be explored on this voyage.

The highlight is visiting the route, which was part of Sir Earnest Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition of 1914, with 28 members who were stranded for a year, and their ship ultimately sank in 1915. All members survived and were rescued. The ship’s remains were discovered in 2022, 107 years after she went down!

2. The Ross Sea Expedition

Duration: These cruises take anywhere between 22 days to a month.

Budget: High-end luxury cruises.

Departure Port: Usually Australia or New Zealand during the austral summer.

Sights: The advantage of these cruises lies in the time taken to explore and to experience the Ross Ice Shelf, the Ross Sea, and the Antarctic interior regions. Visit Shackleton’s well-preserved hut, and the scientific research bases, old whaling stations, etc. A perfect choice for your frozen continent journey.

Conventional Travel Choices: If you’re still confused or want to save on time, then simply board a plane for this polar expedition and board a ship when you get there!

Best Adventure Travel 2025

Setting sail aboard the expedition ship, which you can opt for from 7 days to a month, you will feel the air getting cleaner and cleaner with each nautical mile. As you inch closer to the landscape of endless icebergs, you can feel your explorer’s heart beating and throbbing with a sense of a looming adventure that will be etched on your heart and soul forever.

Each day on the expedition cruise, you will come across something you have never experienced before. You can actually step down to the vast plain with the help of a small, inflatable boat that can hold up to 12 people. This allows you to come in close proximity to the penguins, whales, sals and albatrosses and witness their grandness in their natural setting. A host of different species of penguins, like the Emperor, King, Chinstrap and Adélie penguins, are like a daily sighting.

On a typical night, if you want to take it to the next level, camping overnight is a good option for you. Imagine waking up to tranquil waters surrounding the snowy landmass, along with serene silence. Also, you can enjoy activities like Stand-up Paddleboarding and Sea Kayaking, where you can traverse into new terrains.

From an earthly surface closest in resemblance to Mars- the McMurdo Dry Valleys, replete with a “red river”-Blood Falls, or the contradictory naturally active volcano –Mt. Erebus, the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights), and the clear Milky Way – Antarctica is anything but a predictably touristy destination for an extreme travel experience.