It may be presumed visiting Antarctica is only to check the coveted "bucket list" box, when in fact it's more than than just the box. Reaching this remote island in the Southern most part of the planet requires planning, money, patience and passion.
The 7th continent is presumably the most difficult to get to and is why many have left it for their last or leave it all together. Not only is Antarctica the most remote place on earth, it's also the most treacherous. With temperatures that go well below any other place on earth reaching down to as low -89 degrees Celsius (recorded in 1983) and winds that can exceed 100 mph. It's extreme weather is incomprehensible that animals can survive in such conditions. To get here, you must cross the Drake Passage or more specifically Cape Horn; the most dangerous waters on the planet with waves reaching as tall as 200 feet in some cases.
More interestingly than the extremity of its weather and conditions to get there, you can only visit for a very short period of time as long as the conditions are just right to pass. A journey across the passage may take 2-3 days if they are favorable. The season begins in November and ends in early March. This is called Summer season and can get fairly warm along the peninsula with temperatures reaching up to 18 degrees Celsius, but typically sit around 0 degrees.
How to get There
Getting to Antarctica can be done a few ways via cruise or plane. You can leave from either South America or the South of Africa. Here lies the start of the costly journey: When booking our trip to the 7th continent, we decided to go via cruise ship as we wanted the fullest experience of this adventure.
Knowing we would potentially be crossing hazardous waterways presents a safety risk; one in which every travel company traveling to this continent takes very seriously. In fact, in many cases you must purchase travel insurance.
There are several options when it comes to cruising to Antarctica and each offers a variety of experiences for its passengers along with a variety of cabin options. Depending on how you enjoy to travel, you can select anything from a quad cabin to a suite. Additionally, some ships offer excursions ranging from paddle boarding to camping.
If none of these amuse you, opt for the cheapest option and sail on a vessel that does not offer shore excursions.
Cost Breakdown
I chose to sail with Quark Expeditions based on several factors: amenities, room types, age of the vessel and most importantly environmental impact. Below is a chart of our initial cabin cost (pricing in USD):
|
Description |
Quantity |
Service/Duration |
Price |
Total |
|
Deluxe Balcony Suite |
2 adults | 11 days | $13,047 | $26095 |
|
Mandatory Flight & Hotel Package |
2 passengers | 1 night | $995 | $1990 |
|
20% savings on premium cabin |
1 per booking | -$10,438 | -$10,438 | |
|
30 day pay in full (10% discount) |
1 per booking | -$4,175 | -$4,175 |
Total for each passenger: $19,783 ($39,566 per couple)
Pricing included an opulent cabin room for 2 with a balcony, 1 night accommodation in Buenos Aires with transfer to the airport for a round trip charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, baggage allowance up to 23kg (50 lbs) per passenger and a bus tour of Tierra del Fuego.
Upon purchase of the cabin, passengers are required to complete lengthy passenger forms including medical information which required additional costs to get medical forms filled and sign from our doctors in order to submit for approval (necessary if you take any prescription medications, have allergies, etc):
"Medical and Mobility: Due to the remoteness of where we travel, an adequate medical facility could be up to 72 hours away or more, dependent on weather..in case of an emergency or any unforeseen circumstances-- Emergency medical evacuation can be delayed or unavailable in certain areas."
We also needed to purchase travel insurance with $50,000 emergency medical coverage which can run between $1000-2000 per person.
"Our Standard Advice to Travelers: It is a condition of the booking that you and all members of your party have comprehensive travel insurance coverage. Due to the remoteness of the areas in which we travel, travelers are required to have a minimum US$50,000 (or equivalent) of emergency medical coverage."
We did have a few things Included in our initial trip purchase:
"Emergency Evacuation Insurance (Included Complimentary) An emergency evacuation protection plan with a maximum benefit of up to $500,000 per paying passenger is included complimentary in the cost of your expedition. The included complimentary protection plan provides coverage only while traveling with Quark Expeditions, between the first and last day of the expedition. Additional days of travel prior to the expedition and/or after the expedition, including pre- and post-packages/hotels/flights, purchased from Quark Expeditions or from suppliers other than Quark Expeditions, are not covered by the included emergency evacuation insurance."
(Examples of Trip Insurance)
Lastly after all this money has been dished out to secure a trip to the 7th continent, we still have to get to the initial point of Buenos Aires. Round trip flights to Buenos Aires can range from $1,200-24,000 depending on where you fly from and how you want to fly.
Our Delta Comfort (+) tickets from Atlanta to Buenos Aires cost: $3,211 (base fare) per person or Total: $6,422 plus 9 different state and country taxes for both US and Argentina totaling an additional: $141 per person for a grand total of $6704.
We also purchased tickets from Houston to Atlanta on Southwest for $343 total. Flying from Atlanta was a more direct route and saved us time, money and hassle from having to switch planes in another country.
Lastly, we needed to get to the hotel in BA. The hotel did not have transportation or shuttle services available, so I hired a transfer pick up from the airport to hotel which cost $57.
Our final total for 2 people was: $49,050.
Was it Worth the Money?
What may seem like an insane amount of money for a single trip was actually the best money I ever spent. Most people only travel to Antarctica once in their lifetime and logistically speaking that make sense as the cost is "more than it's value;" however, I highly disagree...
Here's what I got for 50k:
-memories that will last a life time
-close encounters with wild animals (some that can only be found here)
-new friends
-an amazing sunburn in freezing temperatures
-the chance to walk on the 7th continent
-smelling the freshest air on the planet
-polar plunging in the Southern Ocean
-seeing 24 hours of daylight
-observed a elephant seal sunbathe
-watching a humpback whale swim beneath my zodiac
-holding a berggy bit (small tiny piece of ice from an ice berg), quite possibly thousands of years old
-watching a family of humpback whales bubble net feed
-witnessing the most stunning morning I will (probably) ever have
-2 balcony suites for the price of 1 (one of us got covid on the trip)
-15 minute helicopter ride (and my first one, EVER!)
-education on wildlife in Antarctica, IAATO, environmental practices
-met 2 astronauts
-took a bath in a bathtub on a cruise ship
-watched numerous humpbacks breach daily for 10 days
-saw albatrosses
-completed a bucket list item
-saw a dead penguin
-saw multiple leopard seals
-almost got knocked down by an Chinstrap penguin
-survived the drake passage-- 3 times
-saw penguin hatchlings
-watched penguin parents feed their young
-watched it snow in a penguin colony
See photos below
No amount of money could equal the worth of these experiences for me. They are truly magical and what I would consider to be priceless. The moment we arrived to Ushuaia and boarded our ship was when $50k no longer existed or even mattered.
Why Go
Beyond Antarctica being a "hot" bucket list item, expenses can certainly be spared if needed. Be prepared to plan accordingly and search for deals fitting into your travel needs, wants and budget. Remember ultimately this will be an adventure of a lifetime and may not go according to plan as Mother Nature too has plans. Be patient with the process and take in every minute of the expedition; there is nowhere else like Antarctica. If you want to see nature in it's purest form, GO!
If you'd like to learn more about our adventures to Antarctica; check out our Antarctica series featured on our YouTube channel.