Antarctica Tours
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Penguins stand on shore waiting to get back on their ship for their Antarctica Cruise. near Antarctica cruise boat
Penguins stand on shore waiting to get back on their ship for their Antarctica Cruise. near Antarctica cruise boat

Experts in Tailor-Made

Antarctica Tours

The list below is a carefully selected compilation of our Top 3 Antarctica Tours and Cruises. Though keep in mind that there is a wide range of Antarctica cruises and what you see here is just an assortment of what we can offer you. Travelers often combine cruises to Antarctica with a trip to Argentina or a Patagonia cruise. This packs in all of the southernmost region’s highlights, including Bariloche, Ushuaia, Torres del Paine, Tierra del Fuego, and more. Each Antarctica vacation package can be customized to your unique travel style including the cruise itinerary of interest, the type of ship you wish to travel on, and the excursions you wish to enjoy. 

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Top 3 Antarctica Tours & Trips


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Popular Antarctica Tours & Cruises

Wondering how to get to Antarctica? There are two main ways to travel to Antarctica. The first is to sail from Ushuaia in the very south of Argentina for a couple of days across the Drake Passage to reach Antarctica. This is the most common way to visit and can be seen in our Best Antarctica Ushuaia Cruise Tour. Crossing the Drake Passage is an experience in itself, and gives you a sense of just how remote Antarctica is. Lectures are given on the way about the wildlife and history of Antarctica. However, the seas are usually very rough so those prone to seasickness may well prefer the second option.

The second way to travel to Antarctica is to take a flight from Punta Arenas in southern Chile to King George Island – the largest of the South Shetlands. On King George Island you meet your ship and cruise around the Antarctic Peninsula without the need to endure the rough seas of the Drake Passage. The flights are relatively short but are weather dependent, so while fly-cruises are typically shorter than cruises from Ushuaia, additional days need to be built into the itinerary to allow for any flight delay. Both ways of getting to Antarctica have their pros and cons, talk to us for more information and see which most suits your trip.

When planning an Antarctica trip, some time spent in either Chile or Argentina is needed before and after the cruise. Therefore, it makes sense to include a few destinations in either country as part of any of our Argentina tours.

Adding Patagonia to an Antarctica tour is one fantastic option and logistically makes a lot of sense. Patagonia is a great choice for lovers of mountains and wide-open landscapes, so likely the area appeals to anyone interested in Antarctica. We recommend combining a tour of Patagonia, such as our Santiago and Torres del Paine Tour, before traveling to Antarctica, as everything in Antarctica is on a bigger scale, so save the most impressive until last!

After an Antarctic cruise ending in Ushuaia, a nice option is to fly up to the Iguazu Falls for a couple of nights to warm up a little and enjoy a totally different landscape. Buenos Aires is ideal for the start or end of a trip, the stylish city contrasts fantastically with the vast emptiness of Antarctica.

Custom Antarctica Tours

Rather than an Antarctica vacation, think of travel to Antarctica as an expedition or adventure. Due to varying weather conditions, it is common to not know exactly what is coming next on an Antarctica tour, and that is part of the beauty of exploring the white continent. So, pack all your gear, board a comfortable cruise, enjoy delicious meals, educational naturalist lectures, and land excursions with the Zodiac boats. Antarctica tours are a can’t miss for world travelers – get started in 3 easy steps!

5 Best Antarctica Tours for 2024


Tour Name Price Duration Description
Best Antarctica Ushuaia Cruise from $6140 10 Days Antarctica is among the most beautiful, pristine and least explored places on the planet. Truly exhilarating, mysterious and alluring! Book a cabin...
Ushuaia to Antarctica Cruise on the Plancius from $4975 11 Days Embark on this 10 to 20 days Cruise and discover the beauty of Patagonia and the Antarctica. Available From November to March Note: The itinerary is ...

Antarctica Travel FAQ’s

Thinking about an Antarctica trip? Here’s a list of frequently asked questions we often hear from our guests. Visit our Antarctica Vacation Planning page for in-depth Antarctica travel tips.

When is the best time to visit Antarctica?


Antarctica, no matter the season, will always be cold, but necessarily as cold as might be imagined. Temperatures typically hover a little either side of freezing during the summer months. During Antarctica’s winter (April – September) it is not possible for tourists to travel to the seventh continent, due to extreme weather conditions. Therefore, the best time to visit Antarctica, and only time, is from October to March – during the “Antarctic Summer”.

Mid-October marks the start of summer and yields the largest icebergs, whereas the end of the season, into February and March, are perfect for whale watching. December and January will yield the highest average temperatures and days of near-endless sunlight, up to 20 hours. However, this is also the most popular time to travel, so planning far in advance is a must.

Is it worth going to Antarctica?

It is definitely worth going to Antarctica. The most unique place on Earth, this really is a vacation destination like no other. Visit for the fantastic wildlife including penguins, whales, and seals or just for the sheer size of the ice and the white landscapes!

How long is the trip to Antarctica?

Typically a trip to Antarctica takes 7 to 12 days, considering the time the cruise ship takes from South America over and a few days along the coast. You also have the option to fly over from South America. Then a cruise takes about 7 days along the coast to different places there. Many cruises also stop at the Falkland Islands and/or at South Georgia Island, these are usually a little longer. Getting to the start and point of the cruises takes a little time and a few extra days need to be factored in along the way.

Can you go to Antarctica without permission?

While any trip to Antarctica requires advance planning, you do not need to obtain special permission, the cruise ship company will do this for the entire boat and its passengers.

Remember, Antarctica is not a country by itself since nobody lives there apart from researchers. Parts of Antarctica are administered by different countries. So the ships get the permissions from the respective administrating country. Having said that, access to the continent is highly restricted. The cruise companies can not land on any beach. Which in part would be pointless. Penguins are not found on any of the beaches and sometimes it is more fun to see those Penguin colonies from a distance. It is an overwhelming landscape that you can enjoy from the boat.

Beautiful ice burgs as seen on our Antarctica Vacation Packages

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Create Your Own Custom Tour

Click your preferences: Destinations & Activities. Be as specific or general as you like - or click Help Me Decide! We'll spice it with hidden gems & personal tips to create your perfect trip.

Choose Amazon destinations (optional)
Choose destinations (optional)
Choose Bolivia destinations (optional)
Choose Brazil destinations (opt)
Choose Chile destinations (opt)
Choose Colombia & Panama destinations (optional)
Choose Ecuador & Galapagos destinations (optional)
Choose Paraguay & Uruguay destinations (optional)
Choose Patagonia & Antarctica destinations (optional)
Choose Peru destinations (optional)
Choose Guianas destinations (optional)
Choose Interests
Choose activities
What category of accommodation?

You can choose more than one!

When would you like to go?
for
How many travelers?
age groups
age groups
Review my trip summary
destinations

activities

accommodations

when

who

Highly recommended - Phone: We ❤️ to talk! A brief chat with your personal Travel Consultant helps us create your perfect trip!

Hooray! Thanks for Sharing!

If you have an additional 30 seconds we’d love to learn more about you…

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