Simple Advice on How to Enjoy a Trip to Antarctica
By Brett Stadelmann
Photos by Torsten Dederichs
Travelling is a great way to explore the world and know more about the planet we live in. With different geographies and terrain, each destination in the world would offer a unique experience. This is why many tourists head to beaches and mountains where they can enjoy the type of holidays they want.
However, if you are looking for extreme adventure, fun and excitement there is no place better than Antarctica. Visiting Antarctica sounds like a great holiday destination that would offer you a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
If you have made up your mind to visit Antarctica you need to focus on how you would plan it the right way. A simple way would be to look for travel experts that offer tours in Antarctica which you can book to help you make the most of your time and money. On the other hand, you can book your custom trip and focus on how you can enjoy your time in Antarctica.
Know What You Want from a Visit to Antarctica
Different people have different preferences and requirements. Hence, you must have clarity on what you want and expect from your trip to Antarctica. For this, you can do more research that would help you extract more information. Today, you can find many online travel blogs and YouTube videos where you can find vloggers and bloggers sharing their experiences and information.
This would allow you to know more about different places that you should and must visit and how you can make the most of the trip. You may want to comment, ask questions and narrow your choices before you book your trip to Antarctica.
Book Your Trip Early
One of the important things that would allow you to make the most of your trip is that you book your trip in advance. This can help you in many ways to enjoy your cruise trip to Antarctica. Tourism in Antarctica has grown in the past few years. This means that there are limited tour plans and they get filled up quickly.
Booking your tour early would allow you to choose from various options and cruise cabins. Antarctica is not open to independent travellers and therefore you need to focus on guided expedition options to help you enjoy your trip.
Get a Comprehensive Travel Insurance
Getting the right travel insurance can allow you to be free to enjoy your holidays in Antarctica. Being a remote location you would always want to buy the best comprehensive travel insurance policy to cover emergency travel evacuation and medication. There are many travel insurance plans that you can find. However, you need to look for the ones that would offer you a good cover so that you can focus on your journey.
Focus on Your Packing List
When you are planning a trip to Antarctica you must also focus on your packing list. This can make or break your experience. Hence, you must have the right packing list for your Antarctica trip to help you enjoy the harsh and cold weather conditions.
Apart from the winter gear that you need for your excursion to Antarctica, you must also focus on packing clothes for a pre-arrival trip to Ushuaia or any other location. This means that you need to look for layering options that you can add and remove as per the weather conditions. You also need to focus on the footwear which is critical when you are exploring Antarctica.
It is also essential that you have the right sunscreen and other skin-related products that would safeguard you from harsh sunlight. This would ensure that you can enjoy your trip without being bothered about the changing climatic conditions.
Focus on Health
You might likely get carried away with your trip to Antarctica. However, you need to focus on how you can stay healthy throughout and before the trip. Prepare yourself mentally and physically for the trip which would allow you to focus on enjoying the experience. You need to focus on eating healthy and drinking enough water throughout the trip which would allow you to stay active as you cruise through the icy landscapes. You may also want to carry a bottle of water which you can use to enjoy the benefits of staying hydrated.
Carry Medications
If you have any sickness issues you need to carry along medications that would allow you to recover quickly. This is essential because you need to understand that you will be on a cruise ship most of the time. Also, when you are passing through the Drake Passage your ship can experience enough shakes that can lead to seasickness. For this, you need to ask your doctor about the patches that would ensure that you can battle the seasickness on your trip.
Carry Your Camera Gear
Antarctica is a great place for photo enthusiasts and professional photographers. Hence, you would also want to make sure that you carry your camera gear with you. This would allow you to zoom in and capture Antarctica’s wildlife.
However, if you are not into photography you can still do without it and capture most of the pictures on your smartphone. Also, make sure that you keep your camera aside for a while and enjoy the experience of watching the landscape with your eyes rather than being busy with clicking images.
Focus on Activities
While you are booking tours for Antarctica you must also focus on the activities you want to choose. Many of these activities are optional but you can do them to add some experience to your tour. These activities would include snowshoeing, photography classes, camping or swimming and even kayaking.
Respect the Environment
While Antarctica might look like a place with a rugged landscape it has a fragile ecosystem. Hence, it is essential to respect the environment and the wildlife that calls it home. Generally, all tour operators would guide you with information before you disembark to help you make the most of your trip. Hence, you need to ensure that you know how you can watch the wildlife and enjoy the cold weather without disturbing or damaging the environment.
Be Ready for the Unexpected
When you are planning for Antarctica you would also want to focus on being prepared for things to go sideways. This is a part of the Antarctica experience because the region can have unexpected weather issues that would not provide you with the kind of experience you expected.
For instance, you might not get to see more whales or penguins at the time you are visiting. So, you need to limit your expectations as that will increase the sense of adventure and you can expect something that can surprise you.