"Antarctica" Antarctica by toonsarah

Antarctica Travel Guide: 1,197 reviews and 2,531 photos

The Lemaire Channel

You can't just hop on a plane to the Antarctic! So while cruising might not be your cup of tea, for this "holiday of a lifetime" it's worth considering.

We chose a trip on one of the larger cruise ships - it may feel less close to nature, and you have to wait longer for your turn to go ashore, but on the other hand there's plenty to do on board while you wait, and the costs are considerably lower. And as this may well be the most expensive trip you'll go on, that's a major consideration.

Penguins

Young Chinstrap penguin

Step on shore anywhere and you'll immediately be hit by the sound, sight and incredible smell of the penguins! They look just as great as they do on TV, but no nature programme can prepare you for that smell - although if you ate nothing but fish and spent most of the day standing in one spot, you might make your patch rather smelly too!

We were told by our guides to obey the 5 metre rule: don't go any closer than that to any wildlife (and 15 metres from a leopard seal). But no one's taught the penguins that rule, and they'll come close enough that you'll get some great shots. Some even posed for us!

Icebergs

Iceberg

Possibly the most amazing thing about the Antarctic is the colour of the icebergs. You thought ice was white, right? Wrong :)

The icebergs are streaked with all shades of blue and turquoise, as you can see from the photo. I never tired of watching them. They drift along quite slowly and looking very stable, then can suddenly flip on their side. We learnt that this is caused by the ice below the water line being gradually eroded and changing the balance.

It was also fun to watch the penguins sliding off them onto the sea. Quite a few times too we saw a leopard seal basking on the ice, looking much more benign than their fiercesome reputation would suggest.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Getting closer to nature than you ever thought possible
Cons:The cost!
In a nutshell:Dramatic scenery and incredibly cute penguins!

Last visit to Antarctica: Feb 2003
Intro Updated Dec 24, 2011
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Reviews (39)

Scott of the Antarctic Favorites (8)

When I travel I like to take with me at least one book about the place I’m visiting. On this trip I took “Cherry” by... more travel advice

Rotting ship on the shore of Half Moon Island - Antarctica

Visit Half Moon Island Things to Do (16)

Half Moon Island was the site of our final landing in Antarctica. Unlike some of the other landing places, where we... more travel advice

Chris wearing his life jacket in the zodiac - Antarctica

Lifeboat drill Warnings Or Dangers (3)

On the first morning at sea there was an obligatory lifeboat drill for all passengers. We were told where to find life... more travel advice

Gentoos with chicks, Port Lockroy - Antarctica

Visit Port Lockroy Things to Do (16)

Port Lockroy was the site for our first Antarctic landing. It is a small harbour on Wiencke Island, which was once one... more travel advice

Hotels (2)
See All Facilities on board
Sports & Outdoors (1)
Keeping fit on board
Nightlife (2)
See All Captain's Receptions
Local Customs (1)
Get your passport stamped

Comments (37)

brendareed May 19, 2012 at 1:56 AM Report Abuse

Sarah~ I'm sold! While not a cold-loving person (rather the opposite in fact!), your cruise to Antarctica sounds wonderful! Looks like such a beautiful place with so much to learn! Just my kind of vacation...except for maybe the smells you mentioned :-) Thanks for sharing with us! ~Brenda
starship Feb 20, 2012 at 7:06 AM Report Abuse

Well, cruising is definitely my cup of tea and this is definitely a wonderful page!! Going to Antartica via stops in South America remains near the top of my travel destinations wish list! Thanks for the wonderful view into your journey.
dplesko Feb 13, 2012 at 4:19 AM Report Abuse

This is great!
glabah May 11, 2010 at 9:21 PM Report Abuse

"Snowman" looks more like a snow-penguin. Saw nature show with penguins shooting out of the water at astonishing heights due to the speed they manage under water. Glad the whaling *mostly* has stopped. Wish the rest of it would as well.
hunterV Mar 27, 2010 at 12:16 AM Report Abuse

Hello, Sarah! It was great to be there! Such a wonderful voyage! Thanks for your detailed story! ><><><><
balhannah Feb 2, 2010 at 12:43 PM Report Abuse

What a great holiday this was! a trip of a lifetime! Sounded like you had a fab time, and saw a lot of wildlife. Thanks for the great tour!
850prc Oct 30, 2009 at 5:34 PM Report Abuse

'Toon sister o' mine.... we need to talk about Antarctica. We are seriously thinking about doing this trip next December or January (14 mos away) There is so much to ask. :)
claude-andre Oct 12, 2008 at 3:00 AM Report Abuse

Nice photos and very informative tips. I would like to go there in the future, but I many other places are tempting me. Difficult choices..
yobei Jul 13, 2008 at 3:49 PM Report Abuse

What company did you cruise with?
globetrott May 28, 2008 at 3:10 AM Report Abuse

excellent infos and great pics bringing back a lot of great memories ! Marco Polo is a great ship ! Will see you in Karlsruhe !