Antarctica - Fly or Sail?

The world is so accessible nowadays, there are very few places left on earth that can truly be considered remote and off-the-beaten-path. Antarctica, however, is certainly one of them.

One of the first questions people have when planning their adventure to earth’s last great wilderness is how to get there and, for most, the answer will be from the southernmost tip of South America, thanks to its relatively close proximity to the White Continent.

Traditionally, to reach the Antarctic Peninsula, expedition vessels would sail the infamous Drake Passage (we’ll get on to why it’s infamous in a moment), embarking in the Argentine port city of Ushuaia and arriving two days later to Antarctica. This remains the route that the majority of adventurers course today. However, the ‘air-cruise’, which sees guests board a light aircraft in Chile’s southern-most city, Punta Arenas, before flying over the Drake Passage in just two hours and boarding the expedition vessel in the South Shetland Islands is becoming ever more popular.

So, which is the best way to get there and which one is right for you? Allow us to run you through the pros and cons of each and provide insights on each option speaking from personal experience…

Sailing Across The Drake


To start planning your Antarctic adventure

It looks like you are in the USA

Would you like to: