Antarctica

Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent and one of the least visited place in the world due to high prices, extreme weather and difficulty to get there. Going to Antarctica is actually accessible and worth saving money for, against all stereotypes that makes it seem impossible to reach.

About Antarctica

Antarctica is a continent, not a country. It belongs to no nation, but is governed under an international treaty which states that it is owned by no country and that no one can exploit the land. This treaty is the Antarctic Treaty, signed by 45 countries in 1959. Did you know seven countries use to fight claims for territory in the region? These seven countries are Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, France, United Kingdom and Norway.

Visa Required for Antarctica

None! Since Antarctica isn’t a country and governed by no other nations, you won’t need a visa to see Antarctica. Although, you will need a visa for the country of departure of your cruise. You can read our article with Everything you need to know about Visa Requirements to travel to Antarctica.

Best time to visit Antarctica

This will depend on what you want to do and see in Antarctica! In November you will see a lot more Icebergs and it’s the mating season for penguins. After that until January, that’s the time you will see tons of baby penguins and seals. As for whales, this will be in March as the water is much clearer than the other times of the year.

Main things to do in Antarctica

If you plan a trip to Antarctica, you need to plan to do these bucket list activities:

Kayaking in the icy waters of Antarctica
Camping in Antarctica
Snowshoeing hikes in Antarctica
Take photos of the wildlife of Antarctica
Visit historical sites

Alternative ways to visit Antarctica

If you aren’t fan of rough seas, you can fly over Antarctica without landing. You can also fly in Antarctica and then take a cruise from there back, making you skip one way of the Drake Passage known as the roughest seas in the world. To be honest though, the best way is to book through a good operator like EduOutings that make sure you have packages with landings planned on islands and land of Antarctica. These cruises are more expensive because landing in Antarctica actually requires booking from your expedition team.

Official Language: In theory, Antarctica does not have an official language. There are expeditions that are all French speaking, Chinese, German and, of course, English speaking.

Currency: The currency you will use will depend on the ship you are on. Most ships will accept all USD and Euro and if you stop at Port Lockroy in Antarctica, you can buy their souvenirs, stamps and postcards in USD ideally.

Wi-Fi Availability: Internet is possible depending on which cruise company you go with. It is usually for a fee and quite slow. You won’t be able to stream videos, watch YouTube or have Netflix running, so make sure to have it all downloaded before you arrive in Ushuaia … as internet there isn’t quite fast speed neither.

Electrical Adapters: This is depending on the boat you booked for your expedition. Make sure to ask your agent or cruising company. With Hurtigruten, it is European sockets.

Main travel hub: Most expedition ships depart from Ushuaia, Argentina.

Fun Facts about Antarctica

Antarctica is bigger than Europe and close to double the size of Australia
Antarctica comes from a Greek word that means “opposite to the North” and in saying that, South Pole is indeed situated in Antarctica!
Polar bears actually can’t be found in Antarctica
Antarctica is considered as a desert because it rarely ever rains there

Photography guide for Antarctica