Antarctic Peninsula
The Peninsula is the first sight of continental Antarctica that greets travellers crossing the Drake Passage. It is a mere spit of…
Follow in the footsteps of great explorers. Discover a remote world filled with gigantic penguin rookeries, towering icebergs and stories of pioneering feats.
For the biggest variety of wildlife, visit the Antarctic Peninsula; for huge icebergs and emperor penguins, sail the Weddell Sea; or for sheer scale and remoteness, take to the Ross Sea.
For travellers to Antarctica, the continent’s giant proportions and pristine white wilderness leave a profound impression. Our Antarctic cruises will take you through towering glacial scenery and introduce you to a plethora of species, frozen landscapes and glassy waters. Nothing quite prepares you for this experience; as you cruise past sheer ice faces, and the cold air drawing into your lungs invigorates your mind, you will feel that same sense of adventure that Shackleton did.
We know that travellers bound for Antarctica tend to have a lot of questions – from what you’ll see to what socks you should wear – and our Polar Experts are always on hand to answer your specific questions. But in the meantime, we have compiled a series of guides to the Great White Continent to get you started. So have a pen and paper handy, and jot down any other unknowns you might have, ready for your next e-mail or phone conversation with your personal specialist.
Steppes Travel was one of the first UK-based tour operators to offer holidays and cruises to Antarctica. Since then we’ve built an impressive reputation for detailed first-hand knowledge and long-standing partnerships with all the leading small ship boat operators. This vast expertise means we can pick the boat, cabin and experiences which perfectly match your unique brief.
Traditional cruises begin in Ushuaia, Argentina (otherwise known as “The End of the World”), with the first two days spent crossing the infamous Drake Passage. This stretch of water can be rough, so those prone to seasickness might want to avoid it. Enter: the fly-cruise. With travel to and from Antarctica completed in just two hours each way, the trip is cut down by up to four days. Simply a must for anyone short on time and looking to maximise the opportunities to get snow on their boots.
For those travellers wishing to make more of their time in South America before or after an Antarctic expedition, we offer a plethora of tailor-made extensions. Perhaps spend time in Argentina, taking a scenic flight over Iguazu Falls or joining a wine-tasting workshop in Mendoza. Travel to Chile to hike in Torres del Paine or board a flight to Easter Island with its remote mythical Moai. For the ultimate wildlife holiday, join a cruise in the Galapagos Islands or consider travelling to Antarctica from New Zealand and add an extension to the Pacific Islands of Tonga, Fiji or Tahiti.
Things to do, places to explore and moments to experience.
Scroll to discover some of our most remarkable travel experiences in Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, from diving to photographing busy penguin rookeries.
The vast majority of people experience Antarctica by cruise, and choosing the right vessel for you is key. From expeditionary vessels to luxurious ships to sailing boats to state-of-the-art carriers, there is a boat to suit every type of traveller. We have stepped foot on almost all of the vessels that travel to the continent, so you can rest assured that we can match you to your ideal floating home. No matter your requirements, our hand-picked selection of vessels are varied enough to suit solo travellers, honeymooners and adventurous families alike.
Antarctica is the highest, driest & windiest place on earth but as it is a continent the conditions vary considerably. The advisable travel season to this region is between the months of October and March. The vast majority of visitors will be experiencing the peninsula region where during the summer months the temperature is generally above 0° and rarely below -5°.
Arguably prime time to visit Antarctica, with substantial daylight hours and average temperatures of -6°C. The sea ice melts enough to allow access and it is one of the best times to spot whales, sea birds and fledgling penguin chicks.
Antarctica is the highest, driest & windiest place on earth but as it is a continent the conditions vary considerably. The advisable travel season to this region is between the months of October and March. The vast majority of visitors will be experiencing the peninsula region where during the summer months the temperature is generally above 0° and rarely below -5°.
Antarctica is the highest, driest & windiest place on earth but as it is a continent the conditions vary considerably. The advisable travel season to this region is between the months of October and March. The vast majority of visitors will be experiencing the peninsula region where during the summer months the temperature is generally above 0° and rarely below -5°.
Antarctica is the highest, driest & windiest place on earth but as it is a continent the conditions vary considerably. The advisable travel season to this region is between the months of October and March. The vast majority of visitors will be experiencing the peninsula region where during the summer months the temperature is generally above 0° and rarely below -5°.
Antarctica is the highest, driest & windiest place on earth but as it is a continent the conditions vary considerably. The advisable travel season to this region is between the months of October and March. The vast majority of visitors will be experiencing the peninsula region where during the summer months the temperature is generally above 0° and rarely below -5°.
As these voyages offer a collective experience in the company of like-minded people, they’re very well suited for single travellers. You have the option to either share a triple or twin same-sex or to cover the supplement to secure your own cabin. If sharing, a cabin mate will be allocated to you by the boat operator.
This is an active cruise with optional daily walking excursions over uneven terrain and to be able to get the most out of it you should be in good general health. In order to join the excursions, you must be able to easily get up and down the steep gangway from the ship to the water level and to be able to get in and out of the awaiting zodiacs, which can be awkward, particularly in choppy seas. Staff will be on hand to assist all passengers, so don’t worry about this, it’s just something to be aware of.
You can make your expedition as relaxed or adventurous as you like. With no predators on land you are free to explore or if you prefer, sit quietly on the edge of a penguin colony. Close encounters are common as penguins are curious creatures.
If you want to stretch your legs and get some height, extended guided walks are provided sometimes with snowshoes or skis. The opportunity of a night out camping on the ice should not be missed – it may not be the most comfortable night of your life but certainly a memorable one. Kayaking on crystal clear waters surrounded by porpoising penguins is an exhilarating experience. For the height of adventure and a unique perspective, snorkelling and diving are available on some voyages.
This is a tricky one as the crossings can be anything from a millpond to a force nine hurricane, the latter being the less common. Ultimately it’s down to a little luck, but most people find that their own experience wasn’t as bad as they thought it would be.
We can certainly help to reduce concern by recommending boats known for their stability. For those still worried, it is possible to avoid sailing the Drake Passage altogether by taking a two-hour flight rather than undertaking a two-day sea journey.
If you are sailing from Ushuaia in southern Argentina to the Antarctic Peninsula, remember that cruises will take two days to get there and two days to get back. This stretch of water can offer up some interesting weather and if you are at all prone to seasickness, make sure you go prepared.
Generally the aircraft that fly to Antarctica are 70-passenger BAE-146 which are high-wing aircrafts with very short runway requirements. There is a limited luggage capacity of 20 kg per person in total (combined hand and hold luggage). There are big advantages to the limited capacity of the aircraft, in that you will join a sailing with just 70 passengers aboard a ship designed for more than 100. Antarctica season runs from November to March. Fly and cruise options tend to have a slightly shorter season to cruising, they start in December and finish in February. These options are very popular and places fill up fast, book early to avoid disappointment.
Experiencing Antarctica first-hand can be overwhelming – the smells, the sounds and above all the scale. Penguin poo has a particular perfume. There’s the honking bray of penguins, the shrill party whistles of young chicks trying to find their voice, the bleating, mewing, strangulated cries of a creche of young fur seal pups. The deep visceral gurgling of the stomachs of elephant seals. The staggering size of the icebergs, the vast numbers of penguins. That’s the trouble with visiting this part of the world: sensory overload. The weather, the seas, the scenery, the marine life, the bird life, the colours, the contrasts. You scour your memory database for superlatives, you are constantly reaching for your camera – thank goodness for digital cameras – but however much you try, you are never quite able to capture the experience.
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