the adventure edit — destinations

the Antarctica edit

There is nowhere on earth that compares. So untouched it feels like another planet, so vast that the silence has a sound of its own. There are no crowds, no itineraries, and no amount of preparation that readies you for the moment you arrive. Antarctica is proof that places like this still exist.

The Story

I started dramatically announcing I was going to Antarctica when I was eight years old, long before it was ever a real plan. Nobody took it seriously. Somewhere between the joke and the wishlist it became something else. The kind of trip you spend years saying you will take until one day, six weeks after the perfect deal finally aligned, you are standing on ice that very few people in the world will ever have the privilege of standing on.

Antarctica is not just one big piece of ice. It is mountainous, alive, and teeming with wildlife in ways that stop you completely. Every single day brings something new. Not overnight. Moment by moment, sometimes minute by minute. It leaves you completely speechless and yet desperate to find the words to describe it, because everyone will ask and nothing you say will ever come close. Language has simply not caught up to Antarctica yet.

The Reality of Getting There
first decision

ship size matters

Small expedition ships land on the ice. Larger cruise ships observe from a distance. Know the difference before you book.
the crossing

drake passage

Two days each way. Sail both ways for the full experience. Lake or shake, the Drake keeps you guessing.
when to go

November to april

The Antarctic summer. Most expeditions are 10 to 12 days departing from Ushuaia, Argentina.
two ways to book

timing is everything

Book a year out for more choice or watch for last minute deals that can cut the cost nearly in half. Know what you will not compromise on.
also worth reading

Planning what to pack for an Antarctic expedition? Start here →
from the antarctica edit

the posts worth reading before you go

01

trip planning

ANTARCTICA HAS A STICKER PRICE. Here is How to Pay Less for the Same Trip.

Last minute bookings can cut the cost nearly in half. Know what to look for, when to pull the trigger, and what you refuse to compromise on. It might just be the best decision you ever make.

Read the edit →

02

experience

WHY YOUR ANTARCTICA OPERATOR IS THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION YOU’LL MAKE.

Not all ships are equal and not all experiences are the same. Here is what separates a good Antarctic expedition from an extraordinary one.

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03

adventure

THE DRAKE PASSAGE: LAKE OR SHAKE. WHAT NOBODY TELLS YOU.

Two days of open ocean between you and the most remote continent on earth. Both crossings brought something different. Here is what to expect and how to prepare.

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04

experience

NOTHING CAN PREPARE YOU FOR WHAT ANTARCTICA HAS TO OFFER. THIS IS WHAT IT’S LIKE.

No photograph does it justice. No description comes close. This is the account of what it feels like to stand somewhere that very few people in the world ever will.

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You leave Antarctica but Antarctica never quite leaves you

the adventure edit