WHEN TO TRAVEL
The White Continent the furthest outpost of our planet vast, remote, forlorn, windy, bleak and frozen. Yet captivating, otherworldly, beautiful, silent and pristine…
Plan with confidence
WHEN TO TRAVEL TO ANTARCTICA
The best time to visit Antarctica is from November – March, during the southern hemisphere’s summer months. Days become longer and warmer and the harrowing polar winds calm. Temperatures rise to just above freezing, allowing the sea ice of the Southern Ocean to melt permitting safe passage by boat. During these warmer months, this frozen and breathtaking wilderness becomes alive with animal activity as the breeding season gets underway. The warmer seas of the Antarctic region also attract migrating whales, which come to feed on the rich seas and to calve.
Travel Tips
- The warmest months (by Antarctic standards) are December through until February.
- January & February are the best months to see penguin chicks and seal pups.
- Whale sightings are common throughout the season, but especially from January through until March.
- Massive icebergs can be observed in December and January.
- Antarctic circle and Ross Sea cruises typically operate in February and March.
- Peak months are December through until February. Book well in advance for Antarctica luxury Cruises over Christmas and New Year.
- November and March are colder months and less desirable.
MONTH BY MONTH GUIDE
NOVEMBER
This is the start of the season and when most polar cruises initiate operations. The beginning of the month is colder with shorter days, but as the month progresses days become longer and temperatures gently rise. Cruise prices also rise as the month progresses. Pack ice begins to melt and the weather calms, permitting boat navigation and better access to the Southern Ocean. November is the start of the mating season for penguins in South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Fur seals establish breeding territories and can be observed lounging on icy shores.
DECEMBER
December is considered the best time to visit Antarctica, due to the warmer weather and higher levels of wildlife breeding activity. Cruise prices during December peak, especially over Christmas and New Year. Icebergs magnificent in size with interesting dynamic flows start to form as the sea ice slowly melts. Warmer sea temperatures increase the chance of spotting migrating whales. Sea birds like albatrosses and petrels can be seen flying over the Drake Passage. South Georgia beaches are now home to new life as cute seal pubs and penguins are born. The longest day of the year is midsummer’s day on December 21.
JANUARY
January sees long days with twilight nights. With the breeding season is well underway, January is considered the best time to visit Antarctica. This is peak season; cruise prices are high so advanced booking essential. Temperatures are at their highest in January averaging 0 – 5 °C (30 – 40 °F). Shorelines are abundant with massive colonies of penguins and their fluffy newborn. Cute seal pups can be observed lounging in the sun with their parents. Polar cruises can now access eastern Antarctica and the Ross sea, an area where few visitors venture, but where magnificent vistas await those who do.
FEBRUARY
With receding sea ice, February is a good month for cruises that navigate further into the Antarctic Circle. February is also the best month for observing migrating whales in Antarctica. Commonly sighted species include orca, sperm, humpback and minke. Fur seal pups and leopard seal pups are now more frequently observed. Penguin chicks are growing stronger and more curious, with adult penguins dedicate their time to hunting for krill.
MARCH
The Antarctic summer starts to come to an end, and as the month progresses temperatures drop back below freezing and the harsh Antarctic weather returns. This is the last month of the season and might not be considered the best time to visit Antarctica. This is, however, a good time to get great deals on cruises. Sea ice is about a quarter of what is present at the start of the season and navigation into the Antarctic circle good, making more remote landing sites more accessible. Adolescent penguins are finishing molting and growing adult feathers ready to swim. Many of the now rocky snowless beaches are now empty. Whale sightings are still good in March.
APRIL - OCTOBER
The harsh cold weather and rough seas make Antarctica inaccessible through April to October. Cruise companies do not operate during these months. For these reasons April – October is not the best time to visit Antarctica.
Speak in person
DISCUSS YOUR PLANS BY PHONE
Speak with a expert travel advisor and discuss the best time to
visit Antarctica, so you don’t miss a thing.
1 855 217 9045 (Toll Free) | +51 84 656 421 (Direct)
Start your journey
PLAN YOUR ANTARCTICA VACATION
Start planning your next trip with the Antarctica Vacations experts. Discuss the best time to visit Antarctica, or, discuss a specific itinerary.
MAKE AN ENQUIRY
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than the ones you did do. So throw off your bowlines. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream and discover” – Mark Twain.
WHY TOTALLY LATIN AMERICA
LOCAL
EXPERTISE
Our team live, breathe and deliver the finest Latin American experiences.
learn more
Our team members live and work here in Latin America and this equates to them having deep local knowledge. Our world is forever changing and travel and tours do not exist in isolation. Being immersed in the cultures and traveling throughout Latin America on a perpetual basis means our staff maintain their ability to dream, create and deliver truly exceptional luxury vacations. We have learned, and continue to learn on the ground, the intricacies that are a prerequisite to crafting journeys of a lifetime for you our valued clients.
LUXURY TRAVEL WITH SOUL
We deliver quintessentially deep, enriching and meaningful journeys of a lifetime.
learn more
Luxury travel has changed and we are pioneers of that change here in Latin America. The very finest accommodations are a pre-requisite but the ability to connect with destinations, cultures and people are the foundations of vacations that deliver truly memorable experiences. Life and soul enriching journeys to witness and engage in how our fellow humans live in far distant lands. Our tours are an educational piece and when you leave you will be a better person that before. Having time to connect with people and being taught by your own trusted guide allows you to broaden your understanding of new cultures and how they live. Our journeys will touch your soul and allow you view the world with a clean pair of eyes. Together we can dream, create and deliver the ultimate Latin American journey tailor-made for you.
SAFE
HANDS
24/7
Customer Care to the Ends of the Earth.
learn more
We have been in business for over a decade on this continent. Throughout that time, we have seen and lived through all the potential challenges of traveling here. Our clients from the Galapagos to Cape Horn and the ends of the earth have enjoyed our performances when issues arise. They do arise, but it is how we take responsibility and ownership of those problems that sets our staff apart. Our raison d’être is bounded in the saying that trust starts with the truth and ends with the truth.
OUR
PLANET
Committed Actions to Improve the Environment for Both People and Nature
learn more
Each person that travels with our company helps to improve the lives of local people. We are a proud sponsor of the Picaflor House project near Cusco Peru. Picaflor House provides essential after school programmes, health & hygiene, English classes and fun activities to the children of Oropesa and several small villages. Many families here speak Quechua and so the school helps them to understand and complete their homework which is in Spanish. Without such fundamental early educational assistance, and activities which they are enriched by, these children would lead a forever disadvantaged life.
