Antarctica Tours & Trips

104 Antarctica trips. Tours from 62 tour companies. 60 reviews. 4.8/5 avg rating.

104 Trips match your criteria (81 - 100 shown)

Adventure from Cape Horn to the Penguins of Antarctica
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Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Lectures on popular science topics
  • On board science centre
  • Activities in our fully equipped explorer room
  • Landings in Antarctica

Themes

Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, National Parks, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"This company is unbelievable. Firstly I get a cancellation of the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica trip. The compensation in comparison to a like for like trip was peanuts and the increase was 1000s more! Then I read numerous customers are getting switched onto trips without paying the difference. I ring them again and they promise to swop me for no extra charge. This was agreed with their team leader. I waited until getting a cabin on Fram without getting too excited but sure enough we were swopped and I was so excited and looking forward to the trip of a lifetime. Yesterday I got a devastating email saying ‘i am reaching out to you since regardless of his statement that we will be able to price match you, this request was denied by our Revenue department and we are not able to honour the price match.’ After speaking to this new team leader she had very little to say, no excuse or justification just she was sorry. There is no way we can afford the 1000s extra they are asking for the same trip. We are now left heartbroken for a second time. This company has no care or consideration for its customers and I for one will not use them again and I will tell anyone who will listen how shocking they are!"

Trip dates & details
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Antarctic Circle Expedition
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Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • First class scientific lectures
  • Come ashore on isolated beaches and spend the night in a tent
  • Cross the Antarctic Circle at latitude 66° 33’ 39’’
  • See penguins, Leopard seals and whales

Themes

Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, National Parks, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"This company is unbelievable. Firstly I get a cancellation of the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica trip. The compensation in comparison to a like for like trip was peanuts and the increase was 1000s more! Then I read numerous customers are getting switched onto trips without paying the difference. I ring them again and they promise to swop me for no extra charge. This was agreed with their team leader. I waited until getting a cabin on Fram without getting too excited but sure enough we were swopped and I was so excited and looking forward to the trip of a lifetime. Yesterday I got a devastating email saying ‘i am reaching out to you since regardless of his statement that we will be able to price match you, this request was denied by our Revenue department and we are not able to honour the price match.’ After speaking to this new team leader she had very little to say, no excuse or justification just she was sorry. There is no way we can afford the 1000s extra they are asking for the same trip. We are now left heartbroken for a second time. This company has no care or consideration for its customers and I for one will not use them again and I will tell anyone who will listen how shocking they are!"

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Polar Circle
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Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Be one of the few adventurous travellers to cross the Antarctic Circle
  • Marvel at the abundant wildlife on the Antarctic Peninsula including sea birds, penguins & seals
  • Cruise past towering icebergs & along Ice-filled fjords
  • Spend time whale spotting
  • Enjoy time at the South Shetland Islands, home to several Antarctic Research stations and abundance of Flora and fauna.

Themes

Nature & Wildlife, 50 Plus, National Parks, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Excellent tour guide & great choice of locations. Staff in head office - particularly "Lucky" who went the extra mile to assist when we need it."

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Custom Designed Trip
Lodging level
lodgingLevelName
Physical level
N/A

Highlights

  • Fully customized trip based on preferences
  • Matched with a local specialist
  • From $150 per person per day
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Antarctica Express
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Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Cruise the Beagle Channel and weather permitting and step foot on Cape Horn
  • View stunning bird-life while crossing the Drake Passage
  • Marvel at the abundant wildlife on the Antarctic Peninsula including sea birds, penguins & seals
  • Cruise past towering icebergs
  • Spend time whale spotting
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Themes

Nature & Wildlife, National Parks, Small Ship Cruise, Singles Travel

What travelers are saying

"everything is perfect from start to finish just back from Baltic cruise on Braemar , it was amazing."

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New Years in Australia & New Zealand
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Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

  • Joining in on one of the southern hemisphere’s best New Year’s Eve celebrations
  • Melbourne and Sydney’s sparkle and sophistication
  • The underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef
  • Intriguing Aboriginal and Maori culture
  • Iconic Ayers Rock
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Themes

Nature & Wildlife, National Parks, Festivals & Special Events

What travelers are saying

"I made a reservation last Thursday (11/16/2023) for a trip to Iceland from 12/02/2023-12/07/2023 and then I was told that I can’t have my refund back. When I called on last Thursday (11/16/2023) to place my reservation, the agent (Kathy) I talked to stressed about she "cannot" guarantee that I will be able to go on the trip. Before I provided the payment information, I specifically asked if I will be able to get the refund because the trip is coming up so soon. The agent ensured that I will be able to get a full refund back within 60 days if I decided to cancel the trip. I was also told that I am basically on a wait list and someone will contact me once I can go on the trip. No one contacted me about whether the agency was able to process my information at all, so I've been left in the dark about this trip since the beginning. I called the help line this morning (11/20/2023) around 9:00 Eastern Standard Time to cancel my reservation. I was informed by the agent that I will not be able to get my full refund back since it's too close to the trip date. Basically I was told that Kathy gave me the wrong information, so I will have to pay the cancellation fee. The only reason I provided my payment information is because Kathy specifically stated that I will be able to cancel the trip and receive a full refund. I've never been so frustrated with a traveling agency. I made sure to ask this agent regarding the refund policy twice before giving her my payment information, and she still couldn't provide me with the correct information. It's unbelievable that such a big traveling agency cannot uniformly train their employees with the correct set of information."

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Antarctic Express Air-Cruise
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Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Experience sail through the Drake Passage en route to King George Island
  • Opportunity to sail South Shetland Islands , while enjoying the company of sea birds
  • Explore King George Island

Themes

Nature & Wildlife, 50 Plus, Sailing, National Parks, Small Ship Cruise, Overland Journeys

What travelers are saying

"I worked with Garvey to plan my dream trip to Patagonia. It was a two-week trip, we started in Buenos Aires, took the Australis cruise through the Tierra del Fuego fjords, visited Torres del Paine staying at the Explora Lodge and ended the trip in Santiago. All of the guides that Garvey arranged for excursions were excellent. Garvey managed the travel logistics between the different locations so that our experience in South America was seamless. Overall Lost World Adventures was a great travel agent for us. I had worked with this company previously for a trip to visit Angel Falls in Venezuela and hike the Machu Picchu trail in Peru, which was also fantastic."

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Ross Sea With Helicopters - West
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Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Explore Antarctic Peninsula sail through spectacular Lemaire Channel
  • Experience Sailing south through the Penola Strait
  • See the awesome Bellingshausen Sea
  • Enjoy the fabulous sail through the Amundsen Sea along
  • Visit Ross Island, guarded by Mount Erebus
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Themes

50 Plus, Local Immersion & Homestays, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"I worked with Garvey to plan my dream trip to Patagonia. It was a two-week trip, we started in Buenos Aires, took the Australis cruise through the Tierra del Fuego fjords, visited Torres del Paine staying at the Explora Lodge and ended the trip in Santiago. All of the guides that Garvey arranged for excursions were excellent. Garvey managed the travel logistics between the different locations so that our experience in South America was seamless. Overall Lost World Adventures was a great travel agent for us. I had worked with this company previously for a trip to visit Angel Falls in Venezuela and hike the Machu Picchu trail in Peru, which was also fantastic."

Trip dates & details
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Polar Circle - Antarctic Peninsula Expedition
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Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Explore Antarctica Experience Antarctic Peninsula watching a nice variety of Gentoo Penguins, Chinstraps and southern Giant Petrels, as well as Elephant Seals
  • Opportunity to sail across the Drake Passage
  • Enjoy Sailing north again through Neumayer Channel and Gerlache Strait

Themes

50 Plus, Local Immersion & Homestays, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"I worked with Garvey to plan my dream trip to Patagonia. It was a two-week trip, we started in Buenos Aires, took the Australis cruise through the Tierra del Fuego fjords, visited Torres del Paine staying at the Explora Lodge and ended the trip in Santiago. All of the guides that Garvey arranged for excursions were excellent. Garvey managed the travel logistics between the different locations so that our experience in South America was seamless. Overall Lost World Adventures was a great travel agent for us. I had worked with this company previously for a trip to visit Angel Falls in Venezuela and hike the Machu Picchu trail in Peru, which was also fantastic."

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Antarctica Reviews & Ratings

4.8/5  Excellent
60  Reviews
See all Antarctica tour reviews
Excellent
45
Great
7
Average
1
Disappointing
1
Terrible
0
A

Anonymous

Jan 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

ANTARCTIC EXPLORER

What can I say?! The most amazing trip, far exceeding the expectations that I had held for a lifetime! Each experience seemed to surpass the last , and I hold...

A

Anonymous

Jan 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

ANTARCTIC EXPLORER

Exodus and Quark had the perfect recipe for the adventure of a lifetime. Helpful and efficient pre-trip planning. The Vavilov, a great vessel for th...

A

Anonymous

Jul 2017

Provided byExodus Travels

ANTARCTIC EXPLORER

Our trip to the Antarctic Peninsula was simply 'mind-blowing' Any description of Antarctica is always full of 'expletives'. Quite honestly where do you start? ...

A

Anonymous

Jul 2017

Provided byExodus Travels

ANTARCTIC EXPLORER

Wonderful trip.  Well worth the effort despite some stressful moments in the beginning.  Antarctica is a very special place.  Cannot be compared to ...

A

Anonymous

Jul 2017

Provided byExodus Travels

ANTARCTIC EXPLORER

WE had a wonderful experience in the Antarctic and also spending a few days in Ushuaia before our departure on the Clipper Adventurer.    ...

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Antarctica Tour Selection Trips

  • The shortest (and most popular) sea crossing to Antarctica goes from Ushaia, Argentina, to the Antarctic Peninsula, via the often (but not always) tumultuous Drake’s Passage.
  • The Drake’s Passage crossing may take from 24 to 48 hours, and seasickness is common -- though waters in Antarctica itself are generally calm.
  • Some Antarctica tours leave from AustraliaNew Zealand or South Africa and visit the Ross Sea area, on the other side of the continent from the Antarctic Peninsula.
  • While most Antarctica tours go by ship, you can also fly in and/or out via the South Shetland Islands to shorten your trip and/or avoid Drake’s Passage.
  • Antarctica tours can be as short as a few days or as long as three weeks or more. Figure at least 10 to 12 days to complete a typical tour by ship.
  • Some Antarctica tours – primarily those that fly into the interior -- offer adventurous options such as camping, skiing, mountaineering, and trekking.
  • Other adventurous options include visits to emperor penguin colonies and the geographic South Pole. Kayaking and SCUBA diving may be available along the coasts.
  • While any trip to Antarctica is an adventurous trip, you don’t have to rough it. Some ships come with five-star amenities, while some land-tour operators offer luxury tent camping.
  • Cruise ships that carry more than 500 passengers are not allowed to make landings, so to set foot on Antarctica itself, you need to take a smaller vessel.
  • Generally speaking, the smaller your ship’s passenger load, the less time you’ll have to wait to go ashore, because ships are limited to landing 100 passengers at a time.
  • Some tours offer visits to the scientific research stations that are run by a number of different countries, including the United StatesGreat Britain, and Canada.
  • There are no “cheap” trips to Antarctica, but look for value such as included airfare, helicopter flights into the interior, and gratuities for the crew.
  • Prices vary considerably by length of trip, cabin, ship amenities, month of travel and other factors.

Additional details

Traveling to Antarctica is nothing like anything you will have experienced before, and is not for every traveler. The journey can be long, cold, and there are some restrictions that you will have to take into account. However, if you are brave enough to travel to the White Continent, it will make for an amazing dinner conversation. 

What to Expect from an Antarctica Tour

An Antarctica tour will largely be like a lot of other cruise trips. You’ll be on the ship making stops in harbors and exploring. Where Antarctica is vastly different than other cruises is that you’ll be docked longer in some places as there aren’t many harbors and you’ll be on small cruise ships, not large ones. 

You can expect to be in port on the continent of Antarctica for many days trips offered such kayaking, hiking, penguin watching, or Zodiac tours. You are able to get close to the wildlife on the island and kayaking right next to whales. 

You won’t be visiting any major cities on an Antarctica cruise. The only major city you’ll be in is Ushuaia, and that city isn’t large compared to most. Most inhabitants of Antarctica and surrounding islands are penguins and seagulls.

There are some smaller research stations and tourist towns, but the human population you will be interacting with will predominantly be your fellow travelers. Most of the ships are capped at around 100 people. 

Some activities unique to Antarctica tours are polar plunges into the polar waters, whale watching from the deck with the captain, and hear lectures from onboard scientists explaining about the beautiful and different world that is Antarctica.


Packing List for Antarctica

When researching which tour company you will be going with, double-check to see if they provide weather-proofed clothing. There are some cruises that provide waterproof boots, jackets, and pants for free (others you can rent). If you want to save some room in your suitcase, this may be something to consider when packing and planning your trip. 

Layers, layers, layers. The most important word to remember when starting your packing list for Antarctica. Layers mean taking along multiple fleeces, jackets, thermal clothing, and socks. If you weren’t aware, Antarctica gets cold, very cold. On the ship, you won’t need as many layers, but when you are on a Zodiac cruise or kayaking around Paradise Bay, these will come in handy. 

Hats, jackets, and scarves will also be very helpful. Comfortable clothes you can easily move around in will make your trip more comfortable. You don’t have to overpack as you will have multiple layers, but bringing some of these key items is essential. 

A note on electronics. Many of the activities on Antarctica cruises are in and around water. Make sure to pack a dry bag to keep your cameras and phones dry and safe from the cold. 

To Fly or Not to Fly the Drake? 

This will largely depend on how long your trip is and whether you want to see the Drake up close.

The Drake Passage is the stretch of water between South America and the Antarctica Islands. It is a vast body of water teeming with sea life and also one of the roughest waters in the world. This is why the Drake can be considered a double-edged sword for travelers, no matter how adventurous you feel. 

Flying the Drake offers you the chance to reach Antarctica in a few short hours and avoid the tumultuous waters of the Drake. You’ll be able to see the water and Antarctica from above before meeting a small cruise ship in Antarctica. However, when flying you won’t be able to see the whales or penguins swimming just off the side of your boat when you are in the air. Antarctica cruises that are shorter in duration often fly the Drake to save time. 

Sailing the Drake does take longer and can be rougher than flying. However, on the Drake, you get to experience the waters that Sir Francis Drake sailed in the 1600s and really feel what these waters are truly like, along with amazing sites off of the bow. Longer Antarctica tours typically include sailing the Drake.

The Drake Passage is infamous for rough waters, so if you are even slighly worried about getting seasick, the safest recommendation is to fly. 

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