Dreaming of Antarctica but overwhelmed by the logistics? This no-nonsense guide strips away the fluff and gets straight to the essentials. From booking your trip to setting foot on the ice, it’s everything you need to know—fast. First-time to the 7th Continent? You’re in the right place….
This travel guide is based on our trip to Antarctica during our round the world motorcycle ride. The guides on this website are constantly updated to keep them up-to-date and as helpful as possible.
Contents
The Ultimate Antarctica Travel Guide
By Andy Davidson
Mad or Nomad: Round the World Motorcycle Traveller
Disclaimer
We paid full price for our trip—no sponsorships, discounts, or freebies of any kind. Everything you read here is based on our own experience and honest opinion. We came across plenty of online Antarctica guides from influencers who scored free voyages, and they often felt more promotional than personal. This guide is different— independent, unbiased and written for real travellers.
Our experience
We’re Andy and Alissa from Mad or Nomad, and we’ve been riding our motorcycles around the world since 2018.
During the Americas leg of our journey, we rode from Canada all the way to Ushuaia. As we neared the end of the road in South America, the pull of Antarctica became impossible to ignore. It had always been a dream—and now, we were practically next door.
With flexible schedules and an open mindset, we started searching for last-minute deals. After a lot of digging and researching, we found the perfect trip and made it happen.
Sure, we ended up in a violent storm crossing the Drake Passage, which even made the news, but it was still one of the best things we’ve ever done in our lives.
You can read all about our Antarctic adventure, check out our photography and watch our video by clicking on the link to our blog below. It’ll give you a good idea of what it’s actually like and what to expect.
READ MORE: Travel Blog: Our Journey to Antarctica
Booking in advance vs on the go
Booking a trip to Antarctica on the go—especially once you’ve made it to Ushuaia—can save you thousands. Local tour agencies often have last-minute deals available in person that aren’t listed online. Flexibility is key: being open to different departure dates and ships gives you access to the best offers.
Interestingly, a lot of of the passengers on our ship booked last minute in Ushuaia. They were all travellers and backpackers who went to Ushuaia to try their luck and found some great deals. They even got thrown in extras like free rental gear provided.
On the other hand, booking in advance guarantees your spot and gives you time to plan. It’s more expensive but ideal if you’re working with set dates, specific ship preferences, or limited travel windows.
Which company we went with and why
We ended up sailing with Dutch company, Oceanwide Expeditions, which stood out for a few reasons: their smaller ship size meant fewer people and more frequent shore landings (Antarctic rules only allow 100 people ashore at once), and they included proper guides—a glaciologist, a historian, a wildlife expert to name a few.
The vibe was relaxed but deeply professional. It felt like we were actually learning something, not just ticking off penguins.
They’re a well-established polar cruise operator known for adventurous, small-ship expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic. They specialize in immersive, activity-focused voyages that prioritize time off the ship and close encounters with wildlife and landscapes.
They have three ships: Ortelius, Plancius, and Hondius. We sailed on the Plancius. More on that below.
How we booked
Even though the company we sailed with was Oceanwide Expeditions, we booked through a third-party company and agent who came highly recommended to us.
His name is Ricardo, and he works for Antarctica Travel Group. His WhatsApp is: +55 45 9803 0133 and email: ricardo@antarcticatravelgroup.com
Ricardo was the best. Incredibly responsive on WhatsApp, he worked tirelessly to find us the best deal for the type of trip we wanted. We must have asked him about four million questions and he answered each one. Once we found one that suited our schedule, he booked it through Oceanwide for us and provided the payment link.
This made life so much easier, as we were organising while on the move riding through Patagonia.
Cost and duration
Yes, it’s expensive. Even with a last-minute deal, we were in for roughly £5,000 each – and that’s with a 60% discount! That covered the trip, meals, accommodation, guided excursions, and the special boots you need to wear when on land.
Importantly, it also included a private cabin with a large window. We could have gotten the same ticket cheaper if we went for a porthole window, and considerably cheaper if you don’t go for a private room. That wasn’t an option for us, we both badly suffer with travel sickness and didn’t want to inflict that on anyone else sharing a room with us (plus, it was our honeymoon).
The price doesn’t include flights to Ushuaia or personal insurance. It is a lot of money, but when you go and see what you get, it’s so worth it. You’re spending money on one of the best experiences you’ll ever have in your life.
Antarctica trips can last anywhere from 8 days to 3 weeks depending on the type of trip you opt for.
Insurance
Travel insurance for Antarctica isn’t just a good idea—it’s actually a requirement. Companies won’t let you board without appropriate insurance that meets their specific requirements.
Due to the continent’s extreme remoteness, unpredictable weather, and limited medical facilities, most tour operators mandate that travellers carry comprehensive coverage with medical and emergency repatriation of at least £100,000.
If you already have travel insurance, check that it definitely covers cruise ships. Ours didn’t meet the monetary requirement so we took out a separate policy with IMG.
READ MORE: Motorcycle Travel Insurance Explained
Types of ship
There’s generally two different types of ships used for Antarctica travel: expedition or luxury cruise liners.
Expedition ships are small, ice-strengthened vessels designed specifically for Antarctic exploration. They typically carry fewer than 200 passengers, which allows for more frequent landings and a more intimate experience with the landscape and wildlife. These ships are geared toward adventure and education, offering daily excursions via Zodiac boats, guided hikes, and onboard lectures from polar experts.
Luxury cruise liners, on the other hand, are much larger vessels focused on comfort and amenities. Due to Antarctic regulations, ships with over 500 passengers are not permitted to make landings, so these cruises are limited to scenic viewing from the ship. They feature extensive onboard facilities such as multiple restaurants, spas, entertainment venues, and spacious cabins, making them suitable for travellers who prefer a more traditional cruise experience with minimal physical activity. Most of the luxury cruisers have retractable wing-like-stabilisers that are extended during rough seas to keep them balanced, while most of the expedition ships don’t.
Our ship
Our boat was the MV Plancius. It was originally built in 1976 as an oceanographic research ship for the Royal Dutch Navy. The boat was retired from the Navy in 2004 and underwent a two-year, multi-million rebuild to transform her into a polar expedition ship. The Plancius had a structural overhaul, was ice-strengthened and reconfigured to accommodate 108 passengers and 10 zodiac boats with an observation area, lecture room, deck space for wildlife viewing and a quieter engine so as not to scare the sea animals.
It’s very different from an Antarctic cruise ship and is referred to as an ‘expedition’ ship, meaning it has a focus on adventure. It’s smaller and easier to get into nooks with a smaller overall capacity so they can get their passengers off the boat and onto the ice quicker. Instead of an entertainment crew, it’s an expedition crew of scientists giving lectures and seminars multiple times a day everyday.
Research
We recommend doing as much research as you can. Check out the tour providers, reviews, their social media, get a good feel for the company and what they’re going to offer. This is a lot of money and a once in a lifetime opportunity, so you want to make sure you’re going to have the best trip possible.
We also recommend joining the Facebook group Antarctica Travel Group and asking any questions you may have in there. Or feel free to post a comment and ask us in the comments section below.
Getting to Ushuaia
Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, is most easily reached by air. Daily flights operate from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia’s Malvinas Argentinas International Airport, with a flight time of around 3.5 hours. If you’re already in Patagonia, there are also flights from El Calafate and other regional hubs. If you’re flying in from abroad, we recommend using skyscanner to find the cheapest flights. Click ‘whole month’ to find the best possible deals.
Overland travel is possible but more complex. If you are using public transport, it involves long-distance buses or driving through Argentina and briefly crossing into Chile, including a ferry ride across the Strait of Magellan.
We rode our motorcycles to Ushuaia from Canada. If you’re an overland motorcycle traveller too, you’ll find plenty of info on how to get there in our South America guides.
READ MORE: South America Guides
Things to do in Ushuaia
If you’re heading to Ushuaia to get on a last minute cruise, arrive early because there’s so much to do there.
You’ve got penguin colonies, train rides, incredible hikes, the Beagle Channel, National Parks, the Emerald Lagoon and loads more.
We recommend booking onto these tours using Viator. It’s the easiest and cheapest way to find a decent deal and have everything arranged for you.
Here’s a selection of the best things to do in Ushuaia on Viator.
When to go
The best time to visit Antarctica is during the Southern Hemisphere summer, from November to March. This is when conditions are most accessible—temperatures are milder (though still cold), sea ice has receded enough for ships to navigate, and wildlife activity is at its peak. November offers pristine landscapes and dramatic ice formations, December and January bring long daylight hours and active penguin colonies, while February and March are ideal for spotting whales and penguin chicks. Outside of these months, Antarctica is largely inaccessible due to extreme cold, darkness, and sea ice.
Our voyage was in April and we loved it. We saw hundreds of penguins, whales and seals. It also felt more special because our voyage was the last of the season so it was empty out there. Once the Plancius dropped all its passengers off back in Ushuaia it set sail for the Arctic.
The Drake Passage
The Drake Passage is the turbulent stretch of ocean between the southern tip of South America (Cape Horn) and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. Spanning about 600 miles (965 km) wide, it’s the shortest—and most infamous—route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, funnelling the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the strongest ocean current on Earth, through a narrow gap with no land to slow it down.
This convergence of three oceans—Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern—creates a volatile mix of towering waves, fierce winds, and sudden storms, making it one of the most challenging crossings on the planet. Despite its fearsome reputation, the Drake Passage plays a vital role in regulating global ocean circulation and climate, and it’s the gateway for most sea voyages to Antarctica.
When you sail to Antarctica, you can either get the Drake Shake or the Drake Lake – and you keep your fingers crossed for the Lake.
The Drake Passage is unpredictable year-round, even during Antarctica’s travel season. There’s no guarantee of a smooth crossing in any month. You might get the Lake or the Shake regardless of timing.
Note: the rough crossing is only over Drake Passage. Once you get to Antarctica and are through the Drake, the water is smooth.
Travel sickness
Travel sickness is a common concern for Antarctic travellers because of the notorious Drake Passage. The serious swells and waves easily trigger nausea even if you don’t usually get seasick.
I (Andy) get terribly seasick – so bad I was almost not going to Antarctica because I was worried we’d get the Drake Shake. And on the way out, we ended up in what’s classed as a “violent storm”. It was so bad, the staff said it was the worst they’ve experienced in 13 years and over 70 crossings. Here’s everything we did and recommend.
Medication: You can easily buy travel sickness medication in pharmacies in Ushuaia. But it’s of course far better to bring your own from home so you know it works.
Take them early: To minimise symptoms, it’s best to start taking seasickness medication before the crossing begins.
Patches: The holy grail of travel sickness medication are the scopolamine patches. You can’t buy them in Argentina. So you may need to order them from your home country. If not, it’s very likely the ship’s doctor will have them.
Snacks: Plain foods like crackers and salty crisps are really good for sickness when you can’t keep anything down. I also use ginger sweets and tea and fizzy sweets. Green apples are usually provided on ships and they help too.
Your room: If you can, opt for a room in the centre of the boat and relatively low. It will make a huge difference.
The horizon: Looking at the horizon works for some people. For me it makes no difference, and it’s hard to look at the horizon when it keeps disappearing under waves. Alissa feels better when she’s moving about, I feel better laying down.
I’d read loads of guides on seasickness during the Drake Passage crossing before travelling. They all gave tips and tricks and ultimately said don’t worry because you’ll soon forget about it once you’re there – it’s all worth it. That was of little solace to me before I went. But it’s so true. Once you get there, it’s all forgotten. If someone said I could go back tomorrow under the same sea conditions I’d do it in a heartbeat.
Life on board, landings and excursions
Your time on the ship will depend on the type of vessel you’re on. Big cruise liners will have jacuzzis and entertainment, smaller expedition ships will have lectures and seminars multiple times a day. You’ve got three square meals a day onboard too. Most ships provide passengers with complimentary wifi limited to a set amount of data per day, for example, we had 1GB per day. If you need data while you’re in Ushuaia, we recommend downloading and using an eSIM.
We personally use Holafly eSIMs. This way, you can get mobile data on your phone ready for when you cross into South America and you can get packages that cover the entire region. It’s the easiest and quickest way to have unlimited data on your phone.
Twice a day, if weather allowed, we’d jump into Zodiacs and ride to shore. Some landings were beach strolls, others were short hikes to viewpoints. There were penguin colonies, old research stations, and surreal moments of standing utterly still in the silence. Everything was weather dependent—and that unpredictability made it more exciting.
A big goal for us was making a continental landing and passing the Antarctic Circle, which we managed to do. So if that’s important to you too, then make sure it’s on the itinerary before booking.
Packing
We couldn’t bring anything from home as we were already travelling. But packing wasn’t a big deal and you don’t need to stress it. Here’s what we recommend:
Thin thermal layers, fleece, lightweight clothes for the ship, comfy clothes for the cabin, wash kit, trainers, woolly hat, snood, sunglasses, sun cream, lip balm, moisturiser, warm socks, gloves, water bottle, swimming costume (for the polar plunge) and a dry bag for our camera to take to shore.
We have a full, detailed checklist detailing everything you may need to take on a trip to Antarctica. Have a read of that next.
Tips:
- I recommend downloading a load of podcasts on Antarctica and Ernest Shackleton and listening to them before or during the crossing – especially if you’re not feeling so well.
- If you’re not into photography and don’t have a DSLR with a zoom lens, it might be worth bringing a pair of binoculars.
- Don’t overthink or stress the packing. You don’t need as much as you think. But do bring the essentials to keep your extremities warm like gloves, hat, snood and thick socks.
- We had snow and freezing conditions, we just wore one t-shirt with a thin thermal top, thermal trousers and then our thick outer jackets and trousers.
READ MORE: The Antarctica Packing List
Clothing for excursions
Whichever company you go with will require you to have waterproof jacket and trousers for excursions. You must also have special rubber boots – but these are usually always included in the price.
As for the jacket and trousers. We only had thin waterproof throwovers with us as they’re what we carry on our motorcycles and we didn’t have warm enough gear to wear underneath. So we rented a suitable thermal waterproof jacket and trousers. This was arranged by the company we booked with and the rental gear was waiting for us in our room when we arrived. There’s the option to change for a bigger size on the ship.
Alternatively, some companies may include the jackets and trousers in the tour price or you can bring your own.
Wildlife encounters
Wildlife watching in Antarctica is spectacular. The number of humpback whales, killer whales, penguins, seals and birds you see will blow your mind. It’s incredible how close you’ll get. Watching a wild penguin waddle past you one minute followed by a whale swimming under your dinghy the next is unbelievable.
We recommend having a read of our blog on Antarctica for more info on the animals.
Photography tips
Bring extra batteries—they die fast in the cold. A proper zoom lens is gold for wildlife, but don’t forget wide shots for the landscapes. Some of our favourite photos were taken with a phone—don’t underestimate it. We spent so much time taking photos we neglected taking little phone videos which we regret.
Additionally, if you have one, take an action camera that can go underwater on a stick. We shot an amazing video of a humpback swimming underneath us just by dipping it in the sea.
And try to put the camera down sometimes. It’s hard, but those mental snapshots are the ones that linger longest.
READ MORE: Photography Kit List
Is it worth it?
Yes. No hesitation. The cost, the cold, the nausea—it’s all forgotten the minute you step onto a beach with 10,000 penguins or glide past an iceberg the size of a cathedral or watch a behemoth whale breach metres from your dinghy. Antarctica is not just a destination; it’s a reminder that the world still holds truly wild places. And if you’re lucky enough to go, it will shape you.
Read more on travel in Antarctica and South America
Thanks for checking out the Antarctica Travel Guide. We hope you enjoyed it! Here’s a few more articles on motorcycle travel in Antarctica and South America that we recommend you read next.
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Are you planning a trip to Antarctica? Do you have any questions, tips or suggestions? Let us know in the comments below.
Incredible guide—one of the most practical Antarctica resources I’ve come across! Dreaming of visiting the 7th continent.
Thank you!
Thanks Uma, glad you found this helpful!
Cheers
Andy