What Is The Best Way To Get To Antarctica?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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  1. Tourist ships depart all summer from Ushuaia, Argentina, and take roughly 48 hours to reach Antarctica.
  2. The second option is a 2 hour flight from Punta Arenas, Chile, to King George Island where you board a ship.

What airport do you fly into for Antarctica?


Punta Arenas International Airport (MIA)

Punta Arenas International Airport, or Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport, is the closest commercial airport to Antarctica and the airport that you should fly to before getting a cruise or fly & cruise to Antarctica.

How much does it cost to go to Antarctica?

The average Antarctica cruise cost is

about $8,000 per person

. The least expensive expeditions start at under $5,000. Luxury Antarctic cruises can exceed $15,000 per person.

Can I freely go to Antarctica?

Antarctica is

the only on Earth without a native human population

. … Since no country owns Antarctica, no visa is required to travel there. If you are a citizen of a country that is a signatory of the Antarctic Treaty, you do need to get permission to travel to Antarctica.

How hard is it to get to Antarctica?

Still, it's the most remote and forbidding stretch of wilderness in the world,

exponentially more difficult to reach

than nearly every other landmass. You'll need a permit and you'll have to follow the Antarctic Conservation Act, which prohibits tampering with the ecosystem in any way.

What's the cheapest way to get to Antarctica?

For the cheapest trips, look for

shorter cruises

. A 9-day cruise may not hit all the destinations in Antarctica or may not make long stops, but it will be cheaper than a 23-day trip by a long haul. Depending on the size, boats can accommodate between 80 to 500 people at a time.

Do you need a passport to go to Antarctica?

Passports and Visas:

A U.S. is required

for travel through the country or countries that you transit through in route to and from Antarctica.

Why is no one allowed to go to Antarctica?

Antarctica is not a country:

it has no government and no indigenous population

. Instead, the entire continent is set aside as a scientific preserve. The Antarctic Treaty, which came into force in 1961, enshrines an ideal of intellectual exchange. Military activity is banned, as is prospecting for minerals.

How long is the boat ride from Ushuaia to Antarctica?

It takes

48 hours

to reach the Antarctic Peninsula by boat, and just 2 hours by plane. Sailing to the Falkland Islands from Ushuaia takes approximately 36 hours, and a further day's sailing is required to reach South Georgia Island.

Are there polar bears in Antarctica?

The top Arctic predator can be found in all territories of the Northern Hemisphere, where both sea ice and the seal population are present: Northern America (USA, Canada and Greenland), Eurasia (Norway and Russia). The only territory that has sea ice and seals and

is not inhabited by the polar bear is Antarctica

.

Has anyone been murdered in Antarctica?


Death is rare in Antarctica

, but not unheard of. Many explorers perished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in their quests to reach the South Pole, and potentially hundreds of bodies remain frozen within the ice. In the modern era, more Antarctic fatalities are caused by freak accidents.

What is the best month to go to Antarctica?

The best time to travel to Antarctica is during

the Antarctic summer from November to March

, when you'll see Antarctica's wildlife at its busiest and benefit from up to 24 hours of daylight.

Has anyone been born in Antarctica?

Since then we've been reminded of another…

Eleven babies have been born in Antarctica

, and none of them died as infants. Antarctica therefore has the lowest infant mortality rate of any continent: 0%. What's crazier is why the babies were born there in the first place.

How long does it take to walk to Antarctica?

The trek could take

up to 65 days

. They'll hike first from the Ronnie Ice Shelf to the South Pole, a distance of 651 miles rising to 9,301 feet, and then head south to the Ross Ice Shelf. Each will be pulling—by himself—a supply-laden sled that at the start of the trip weighed about 375 pounds.

Which country is the closest to Antarctica?

The nearest countries to Antarctica are

South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina

. On Antarctica there are no cities or villages, 98% of the continent is covered by ice.

How many airports are in Antarctica?

Antarctica has

20 airports

, but there are no developed public-access airports or landing facilities.

Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.