Even in today’s connected world, a journey to Antarctica is not a spontaneous trip you decide to take on a whim. It takes a day or two to get to the bottom of South America for the departure point, you need to build in buffer time, and then there are all those decisions on what to pack. So let’s start with the best time to go to Antarctica, an important consideration that gets the planning process started.
If you’ve looked at any Antarctica cruise websites, you’ve probably already noticed that there is a relatively short window when these trips are available, then you don’t see them offered again for the rest of the year. One of the most wide-ranging I’ve seen is from Voyagers Travel, with 91 to 122 scheduled cruise itineraries listed (some going to South Georgia Island) on more than 40 different ships. Head there to get an idea of prices and different routes.
Despite all that variety, with a few icebreakers in the mix, parts of the year are just not meant for us. The Emperor penguins still staunch enough to brave it may be fine, but the rest of the penguins and the whales have bolted for warmer places. If we frail humans are going to be outside snapping photos and looking through binoculars, we need to be doing it when 30 seconds outside is not going to result in frostbitten fingers.
The short answer is “Sometime between October and March,” but here are the best times to take a cruise to the seventh continent.
Peak Season in Antarctica
December and January are the most popular months for an Antarctica cruise, partly because this is the time where you get 20 to 24 hours of daylight. (As opposed to July, when you’ll get no sunlight at all.) So no matter when you step off your ship, it’s going to be light.
The penguin chicks start hatching around Christmas, so you’re likely to see chicks around if you arrive in January. The wall of white snow and ice starts to melt and rocky cliffs are exposed again. With so much daylight time to explore, you’re almost sure to see stunning scenery and wildlife.
One last consideration for those prone to seasickness: the dreaded Drake Passage is typically at its calmest in December and January, so while nothing is guaranteed, your chances of a relatively smooth passage are greatest at this time. (If you want to avoid all that, a few high-end operators fly you to Antarctica from Chile on a small plane and you board your ship there.)
February and March for Whale Watching
If what really gets you excited is seeing whales swimming close by you, with a backdrop of snow and ice behind them, then come in February and March when the whales are most active. The krill they love to eat is flowing with abundance at this time.
Also, remember those chicks that hatch around Christmas? Well by February they’re ready to take the plunge on their own and go swimming, so by then you’ll see them do more than huddle up to mom. On a more sinister note, the feared leopard seals are living up to their name, using their teeth to pick off prey.
This is a popular time for professional photographers because in addition to the opportunity to spot nearly every kind of penguin and whale active in the area, this is also autumn in Antarctica. There aren’t any trees sporting changing leaves of course, but you do get soft “golden hour” lighting early and late, plus spectacular sunsets over the mountains and ice formations at times.
October and November to Feel Like an Expeditioner
Most destinations have some kind of “shoulder season” and for Antarctica cruises, that would be the transition time between winter and summer. Calling it “spring” is pushing it, but this is the time when the ice starts to soften up and the heartier ships can make it through to land.
Why visit when it’s still so cold and you only get a few hours of sunlight? Well, that sunlight comes with long angles and color, first of all, plus you won’t have much of a problem getting photos with no people in them. If you want to feel like you’re only sharing Antarctica with your shipmates, nobody else around on the continent, this is the time to come.
You will have plenty of outdoor adventure activities in the snow to go on, including snowshoe hikes, but this is not the time for those with limited mobility or high sensitivity to the cold. You need to be in good physical shape and be ready to bundle up bigtime.
If none of that scares you and you dream of being on an expedition ship that can bust through the ice, these early season cruises can sometimes be priced at a lower level than the peak season ones and flight prices may be a better deal as well. Just make sure you have good travel insurance because there’s a higher chance of delays. Even in January, ships can get caught in the pack ice and need to be rescued.
Outside of this six-month period outlined above, the continent is basically off-limits to everyone except researchers holed up at permanent structures for scientists. April to September are the off season for sure.
this will be an epic experience no matter when you board your small or large cruise ship, but what looks like the best time to go to Antarctica for you?
When you’ve picked out your ship, your dates, and your timing, check flights to Ushuaia or Punta Arenas here:
Flights on LATAM or other airlines.
Check out our stories on travel to Antarctica.
