The Best Time To Visit Antarctica

When To Go And What You'll See

The question we are asked most often is: what is the best time of year to visit Antarctica? It’s a more than fair question, but we often sound a little evasive when answering it. In reality, when you go depends on what you are most interested in seeing and experiencing. Learn more about what you’ll see and experience at various times of the Antarctica cruise season at the link below.

Active in Antarctica

Camping, Skiing, Snowshoeing, Mountaineering & Kayaking in Antarctica

We all choose to travel for different reasons: culture, cuisine, history, scenery, wildlife, etc. For those of you who like to be active when you travel, you won’t miss a beat when traveling to Antarctica with us. In fact, you may even try a new activity or learn a new outdoor skill. Many of our trips offer optional activities that allow you to experience the continent in a way that’s out of the ordinary.

Kayaking in Antarctica is one of the most popular optional activities cruise participants choose. But it’s only one of the experiences you can pick from on Antarctica cruises. Camping, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and mountaineering are now being offered on most of our trips. 

Antarctica Cruise Ships

The ships we use for our cruises play an integral role in the experience you’ll have during your trip. We select ships that are designed for safe polar cruising, carry a limited number of passengers, and are well-suited to accessing the remote areas where we’ll see the most wildlife. Their level of onboard amenities may vary from basic to luxurious, but they are all chosen to offer you the best available “platform” for safely and comfortably visiting Antarctica.

Dressing For Your Trip To Antarctica

What To Pack And Wear

With a little planning and the right clothing, it’s easier than you may think to stay warm and comfortable when we go ashore in Antarctica. Depending on the climate of your hometown, you may even have most of what you need in your closet. We make it easy to know what to pack and wear on your trip.

Weather in Antarctica

Milder Than You May Expect

Mention that you’re traveling to Antarctica and the image in most people’s mind is of a barren, windswept landscape of snow and ice with unbearably cold temperatures. Not a very appealing or inviting image, to say the least!

Luckily, that’s not what you’ll experience on your Antarctica cruise. Learn more about the temperatures you can expect at the link below.

Antarctica Wildlife

The wildlife of Antarctica is truly legendary—comparable to that found in East Africa and the Galápagos—and a major draw for travelers. Exactly where and when you visit will determine what you are likely to see, but there’s always plenty of wildlife present throughout the Antarctic cruise season (November through March).

The Antarctic Peninsula is home to several species of penguins, seals, whales and seabirds, and you are likely to see a variety of each on your trip. Choose one of our longer trips that also visits South Georgia and the Falklands and you’ll be in wildlife heaven! On South Georgia you will be treated to well over 100,000 curious king penguins who will greet you as you go ashore. They stretch from the shoreline up into the mountains—a sight to behold! The Falkland Islands are teeming with birdlife from shorebirds to penguins to birds of prey.

Antarctica Videos

Check out our videos from past cruises to Antarctica to get a better idea of what our trips are all about, as well as what you’ll see when you join one. While they are no substitute for actually visiting the 7^th Continent, they give you an upclose look at the wildlife and landscapes you’ll enjoy on your trip.