The masterclass

Its wild sights are now only a flight away

Antarctica trips can be tricky to plan; our guide breaks down the logistics, sights and must-know information

Antarctica is, for many travellers, the final frontier. But many don’t realise there are myriad ways and routes into its icy remoteness, with each offering a different experience. The trouble is often choosing the one that suits you best. We break the ice with our tips for how to get the most from the White Continent…

Types of transport

“The most common way to reach the continent is via expedition cruise ship,” says Alexis Averbuck, author of Lonely Planet’s Antarctica guidebook. “It’s an all-inclusive experience that makes for convenient travel and easy and wonderful nature viewing.”

While cruise ships have reinforced hulls (‘ice-strengthened’), some operators offer trips aboard an icebreaker. You’ll sacrifice some comfort with the latter, and its shallower draft means it rolls more in stormy seas, but it’s more adept at pushing through thicker ice. You can even charter a yacht, but these are more vulnerable to extreme weather than the much larger cruise ships.

But sea isn’t the only way. Some tour operators offer flights to insulated tented camps in the Antarctic interior. You can even combine the two by winging your way from South America to Frei Station on the South Shetland Islands during summer (late October to early April), before continuing on to the Antarctic Peninsula by ship. If you’re stuck for time, it’s a good option. Daylong flightseeing tours can even whizz you over the continent for a quick glimpse. But be warned: poor weather can often delay or cancel flights.

The different routes

The most popular route to Antarctica is from South America, skirting its north-western tip.

“If you’re cruising, you’ll get the adventure (or challenge!) of crossing Drake Passage,”

‘Before you book a trip to Antarctica, look at what’s included in the price. Most tours don’t include flights, while port taxes are sometimes left off, and they can add hundreds to the price’

top tip

To kickstart your research, visit the IAATO’S membership directory (iaato.org) to see what company and ship ‘fits’ you best.

says Alexis. Latin America is the best route for the Antarctic Peninsula and, if you have time (three weeks), you can visit the islands en route, such as the Falklands and South Georgia, with the latter home to millions of penguins and Ernest Shackleton’s grave.

South America has two main departure points: Punta Arenas in Chile and Ushuaia in Argentina. Both give different experiences.

“Most of the ships that leave from Punta Arenas travel southwards via impressive Chilean fjords,” explains Craig Franklin, co-author of Awa Press’ Antarctica Cruising Guide. “You’ll also drift past Glacier Alley. You’ll miss this if you start from Ushuaia.”

Cruises from here ford the Strait of Magellan, a oncevital passage used by past explorers, while flightseeing trips in South America only go from Punta Arenas. Your pick of the two may boil down to the sights on offer – Torres Del Paine NP is close to Punta Arenas – versus convenience. However, Ushuaia is the fastest way to the Peninsula by sea and is busier, so there’s more itineraries.

It’s not just South America from which you can reach the White Continent. You can also go via ocean or air from New Zealand (Christchurch for flights; Invercargill or Bluff for cruises) or Australia (Melbourne/brisbane/ Hobart for flights; Hobart for cruises).

“Sailing from Australasia takes longer (6–10 days; it’s just up to four from Ushuaia), but you’ll see the quieter east Antarctic, where only a few hundred people visit each year,” says Amanda Lynnes of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). “You can visit the historic huts of explorers like Shackleton, Scott and Mawson, too.” Throw in the Ross Ice Shelf and emperor penguin rookeries and it’s a fine alternative.

Charter flights even go from Africa, linking South Africa’s Cape Town with the Russian base of Novo, where tented camps are ideal for spying the emperor penguins at Atka Bay.

Clue up before you go

“Learn a little bit about the continent and its wildlife before you depart,” advises Craig.

That way, you can form a better idea of which area of Antarctica you want to visit and how you want to do it. Bear in mind, though, that the tourism ‘window’ for visitors is only during the summer half of the year. This is when the number of light hours are at their greatest, with the rest of the year (May-sep) shrouded in near-complete darkness.

“Be aware that ships with over 500 people are not allowed to land in Antarctica,” adds Amanda. “But the ‘cruise only’ vessels are required to offer educational activities to maximise your experience.” Under guidelines from the IAATO, no more than 100 people can go ashore at any one time (often via Zodiac boats), so if your boat carries more passengers than that, it’s worth knowing you may not get as much time on land as those on smaller ships. Having said that, a larger boat may feature more experiences, so you could be kayaking in the morning, for example, before switching with the other passengers to spy the wildlife and scenery on land. These larger ships are often fitted with stabilisers, too, which can offer smoother sailing.

Before you book, look at what’s included in the price. Most tours don’t include flights, while port taxes are sometimes left off, and they can add hundreds to the price. Also, check how many days you’ll actually spend in Antarctica itself and how many days of landings are planned. You might find itineraries include nights in South America/australasia or some of the sub-antarctic islands/the Falklands, and even if this is what you were after in your trip, it’s best to be aware.

If you only go once…

With trips to Antarctica costing upwards of £5,000, it’s not something you’ll do often.

“Everyone will want something different from their trip but there is something for everyone in Antarctica,” says Craig.

Indeed, the chance to take in the scope and grandeur of Antarctica’s ice, rock, sea and sky is a chance of a lifetime. And in the end, Craig is right: it’s not important how you get there, just so long as you do.

An isolated green speck in the vast blue of the Atlantic Ocean. Calling the British outpost of St Helena remote is rather an understatement, but that’s the lure for a great many travellers. Its wealth of volcanic walking trails, rich Napoleonic history and bountiful wildlife has been left largely undisturbed, thanks to the only previous way to sensibly reach it being a five-day journey by ship from Cape Town.

Today, reaching the island has become much quicker, with new flights from South Africa slashing a near weeklong journey to just six hours. The island’s unspoilt wilderness is now just a few hops away, meaning there’s no excuse not to visit...

Virgin wilds

St Helena’s unspoilt wilderness is one best explored on foot. With capital Jamestown hemmed into a rocky valley, your only way is up. For walkers, this is chiefly via an iron staircase, Jacob’s Ladder. It’s not for the faint hearted, but conquer the 699-step incline for fine views of Jamestown below and sightings of dolphins (year round), humpback whales (Jun–dec) and whale sharks (Jan-mar), while regular boat tours and snorkelling trips give you closer glimpses of its marine life.

For land-based thrills, a variety of treks thread St Helena from its coast to the central highlands, linking waterfalls, old fortifications and a wealth of wildlife. As you head inland, its contours curve upwards, the land morphs from volcanic moonscape to lush, misty forest. Walk past tree fern thickets and black cabbage trees as you make your way up the island’s highest rise, Diana’s Peak (823m), for widescreen views.

Historic Helena

No visit to St Helena is complete without a nod towards its most famous ex-resident, Napoleon Bonaparte. The French emperor was exiled here in 1815 until his death six years later and, nearly two centuries on, his former residence still stands today. Tours of Longwood House typically include visits to his tomb (though his body has long since been removed), while Briars Pavilion, where Napoleon stayed for the first few weeks of his exile, adds another insight into his stay.

The island is pocked with batteries and forts, a legacy of the British Empire’s fight to protect it from Dutch invasion. High Knoll Fort is not only one of the most complete (with a dry moat and drawbridge), it also affords island-wide views. Elsewhere, the governor’s residence, Plantation House, adds a splash of Georgian grandeur and is home to the island’s icon: a giant tortoise named Jonathan, who is the world’s oldest vertebrate at around 185 years old or more.

The new flights whizz you to the island in just a matter of hours (as opposed to days by boat), so use the extra time to enjoy St Helena at a slower pace a la Jonathan. It’s the perfect way to soak up the wild and historical charms of an island that has been hidden for too long.

New flights have opened up access to St Helena like never before, meaning it’s the perfect time to take in its nature, Napoleonic sites and epic views