Unlike traditional cruising, expedition cruising itineraries change, mainly because of weather and wildlife - ‘Expect the unexpected, Go with the flow’ is what I was told, I found this a little hard to get my head around until I was there and then it all made perfect sense. All I can say is Antarctica can be unpredictable and to get the most of any trip you need to be adaptable. You could get a week of sunshine or a week of blizzards and snow. But this is Antarctica and all part of the experience!
Speak to a specialist like me and let’s decide together what you want to do and actually see, visiting Antarctic can come in many shapes and forms, so one itinerary will not suit all, from sailing around in a Luxury cruise liner carrying a couple thousand people spotting wildlife from the inside of your cabin, to being part of a smaller group with an Expedition Team, where the focus is more on the experience of getting you off the ship on zodiac boats daily and getting up close and personal with the resident wildlife, whether that be witnessing whales breaching, inquisitive penguins wandering past you less than 5m away or observing leopard seals as they relax on a floating piece of ice but still being able to enjoy the luxuries onboard your own ship.
Not knowing what we would be experiencing next was the ultimate thrill. Waking up in the morning and bouncing out of bed to my patio window to rip open the curtains to see what wonderous sight would be there that day. The deafening silence as we glided though the sea ice, the noise of a whale spouting as it exhales air and water for the first time, watching the young penguin’s behaviour and realising that they too throw teenage tantrums. But ultimately feeling like you were at the end of the world and witnessing something that few others have the privilege to experience.
Well, this all depends on what you want out of your Antarctica trip:
I flew directly from London to Buenos Aires with a touch down in Rio, before then flying down to Ushuaia to join the ship a few days later. But it all depends on what your plans are pre / post cruise. Do you just want to take a few days in Buenos Aires to tour the city like I did? Do you want to visit the famous Iguazu Falls? Or explore Santiago and Valparaiso? Or take a four day adventure visiting National Parks and the majestic fjords of Chilean Patagonia?
