A practical, myth-busting guide to visiting Antarctica explains why you must keep five metres from penguins, never touch seals, and why polar bears live only in the Arctic. It describes the continent’s desert climate, surprising new rainfall linked to global warming, strict bans on taking natural souvenirs, and how responsible tourism under the Antarctic Treaty protects this fragile wilderness.
So, here's what you need to know!
No, you cannot touch penguins. And be mindful of the seals: No matter how cute and cuddly they are, you will have to make do with watching them. Even if you've only wanted to come to Antarctica to pet or feed a cute penguin, The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) guidelines advise maintaining a five-metre distance from these sensitive birds.
Antarctica doesn’t have polar bears: You knew that, didn't you? You'd be surprised how many well-read and well-travelled people are under the impression that these animals are found on both poles. The South Pole gets all the penguins, and the other end of the earth gets all the polar bears. Fair division.
Antarctica doesn’t have precipitation: It's a desert. An icy, windy one. It's not supposed to get any rain, so the thundering and rumbling you will hear on an expedition is, in all likelihood, a glacier calving. But, in addition to recent acceleration in glacial calving, Antarctica has witnessed rain, both due to rising global temperatures. As the atmosphere warms, it holds more moisture, and weather systems that would previously have weakened before reaching the continent are now arriving with enough energy to deposit rain rather than snow. Warmer ocean temperatures around Antarctica are also intensifying these weather patterns. The result: rainfall events that were essentially unheard of a few decades ago are now being recorded, accelerating ice melt in ways that snowfall—which can actually compress into ice over time—does not.
You CANNOT take back anything from Antarctica as a souvenir: Sure, we know the thrills associated with bringing back a tiny piece of the beautiful, inhabitable continent most of the actively travelling world will never go to. But think of the melancholic beauty of not having for yourself a thing that you oughtn’t have for yourself. When you’re out on excursions, rock detritus, animal skeletons, decaying bits of boats and cabins and even penguin guano, will attract your attention. But what do they say about siren songs at sea? Buy a penguin brooch or a humpback nametag or a tea towel featuring a map of the continent from the cruise boutique on your ship.
The part of the continent you access depends on your route: Technically, access to Antarctica is via Argentina or Chile, New Zealand and South Africa (mostly non-civilian flights). Realistically, the port city of Ushuaia on the tip of Argentina is the departure point for most expedition vessels that travellers go on. You sail the Beagle Channel, enter the Drake Passage—considered the roughest sea crossing—that goes on for 48 hours and enter Antarctic waters on the third day. The part of Antarctica we travelled with Quark Expeditions and Ibex Expeditions to on this route was the peninsula, sailing along the coast and flying back via King George Island to Chile. If you happen to be travelling from New Zealand, you access the eastern part of the continent, the Ross Sea region.
Zodiacs are fun, but they teach you responsibility: Zodiac cruising is a great way to get unimaginably (and safely) close to its wildlife and stupefying natural beauty. But it’s more than just taking a military-grade safari vehicle out to sea. From asking the skipper if you may stand to take a photograph or observe wildlife to mastering the sailor’s grip and making smooth entrances and exits—life on zodiacs needs you to listen closely, follow instructions and enjoy Antarctica like it ought to be.
We must all get behind the Antarctic Treaty: Signed in 1959 and effective 1961 onwards, the agreement designates the entire continent south of 60°S latitude as a neutral zone devoted exclusively to peace and science. No commercial mining or militarisation is allowed, with consensus from 58 countries. While the treaty has so far kept ecological threats to as less as possible so far, environmentalists and scientists worry that the environmental protocols might change in a couple of decades when it comes up for review in 2048. To that end, conscious tour operators, like Ibex, under the leadership of Mandip and Anita Singh Soin, have led concerted efforts to bring together crucial advocacy. Mobilising key industry stakeholders through mindful travel, in small expedition vessels, and fully abiding IAATO guidelines, is key to ensuring a safe future for the fragile continent, as well as the planet.