Antarctica Travel Guide
Geography:
Antarctica is the largest remaining wilderness on Earth and is still relatively untouched by human impact. It covers an area of 14 million sq km (5.4 million sq miles) around the South Pole and is covered with an ice sheet 4km (2.5 miles) deep. It has no permanent human population other than a small number of personnel at over 60 research stations run by 30 different nations. Antarctica is the coldest and windiest continent.
Government:
Antarctica has no government and is regulated under the Antarctic Treaty System.
Overview
Geography:
Antarctica is the largest remaining wilderness on Earth and is still relatively untouched by human impact. It covers an area of 14 million sq km (5.4 million sq miles) around the South Pole and is covered with an ice sheet 4km (2.5 miles) deep. It has no permanent human population other than a small number of personnel at over 60 research stations run by 30 different nations. Antarctica is the coldest and windiest continent.
Travel Advice
The British Antarctic Territory is a British Overseas Territory. It is administered by a commissioner, based in London. The British Antarctic Territory website has more information.
Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:
- see general advice for women travellers
- read our guide on disability and travel abroad
- see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
- read about safety for solo and independent travel
- see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad
Travel insurance
If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
About FCDO travel advice
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
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This information is for people travelling on a full 'British citizen' passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government's understanding of the current rules for the most common types of travel.
Passport validity requirements
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
Permits
Anyone on a British expedition to Antarctica or taking a British vessel or aircraft into Antarctica must apply for a permit from the Polar Regions Department of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
For passengers on an organised visit to Antarctica, the tour operator usually arranges a permit. If you are concerned, talk to your operator.
If you travel to any part of Antarctica without permission, you could get a fine or a prison sentence.
Vaccine requirements
For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro's Antarctica guide.
Terrorism
There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.
Terrorism in the British Antarctic Territory
Although there's no recent history of terrorism in the British Antarctic Territory, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Crime
There's no history of crime. The only people present besides visitors are those working at the scientific research stations.
Laws and cultural differences
The British Antarctic Territory has guidelines for visitors based on the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. If you are travelling with a tour operator or scientific unit, check how they plan to follow these guidelines.
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex marriage has been legal in the British Antarctic Territory since 2014. Further information on getting married is on the British Antarctic Territory website.
Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
Expeditions and adventure travel
Tour operators have their own safety measures to reduce risks for different types of adventure activities. These can vary between operator and may be unique to Antarctica. If in any doubt about safety, check with your tour operator.
When on land expeditions, consider taking precautions against:
- dangers on glaciers
- avalanches
- extreme and unpredictable weather conditions
Transport risks
Most visitors to Antarctica arrive by sea. For organised travel, consider using a tour operator that belongs to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators. Its members sign up to codes of practice on operational and environmental safety.
Antarctica is inaccessible during the winter months, from March to October. During the summer, from November to February, landings may be difficult due to westerly winds and lack of sheltered anchorage.
Extreme weather
Antarctica has 2 seasons: Antarctic summer and Antarctic winter. Winter starts in late April and lasts until early October. It can get to minus 40°C or colder. There is very little sunlight, with it being almost permanently dark during the height of winter.
The Territory is inaccessible during winter. Most research stations are without staff during this time.
Before you travel check that you have appropriate travel insurance that specifies Antarctica. Ensure you have accessible funds to cover unexpected medical evacuation. This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.
Vaccine recommendations and health risks
At least 8 weeks before your trip:
- check the latest vaccine recommendations for Antarctica
- see where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the NHS travel vaccinations page
There are very limited medical facilities within the Territory. Be aware of the harsh climatic conditions in Antarctica.
Most people visit the Antarctic by ship. Some areas of the Antarctic are uncharted and ice-covered. Search and rescue teams called to vessels in Antarctic waters may be far away and take several days to arrive, particularly in bad weather. They can only offer basic transport and medical care and are unlikely to be able to offer advanced life support.
Before you book:
- check the experience and credentials of operators
- review the on-board medical facilities and discuss any pre-existing conditions with your operator
Altitude sickness is a risk in parts of the British Antarctic Territory. Read more about altitude sickness on TravelHealthPro.
Travel and mental health
Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health. There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel.
Contact your travel provider and insurer
Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.
Refunds and changes to travel
For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.
Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:
- where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
- how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim
Get travel advice updates
Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.
Follow and contact FCDO:
The British Antarctic Territory is a British Overseas Territory administered from London. For emergency help or advice, talk to your tour operator or expedition leader.
Currency Information:
Antarctica has no official currency.
Hop in a helicopter for a bird’s eye view
If you've got the cash then hire a chopper and get a bird's eye view of polar animals (including penguins and albatrosses) in their natural environment. Though unaffordable for most Antarctic explorers, helicopters offer the best access to the continent's emperor penguin colonies.
Kick back on an Antarctic cruise
Explore this icy continent the lazy way, by taking a cruise around some of the most dramatic scenery in the world. Most trips depart from Ushuaia (in Argentina) or Punta Arenas (in Chile), and the passage from South America to the Antarctic Peninsula takes approximately two days.
Run the Antarctica Marathon
Hardcore runners can test their mettle in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, by signing up to the Antarctica Marathon on King George Island. Participants must brave sub-zero temperatures and biting winds as they complete the course. For those less brave, there's also a half-marathon.
View the night sky in all its glory
Unspoiled by light pollution, Antarctica puts on one of the greatest cosmos displays in the world. Gaze up at night and delight in an exceptionally clear sky full of stars.
Climb Observation Hill
Observation Hill, a 30-minute ascent from nearby McMurdo, awards intrepid travellers with magnificent views of Mount Erebus and the Ross Ice Shelf, plus the 'Royal Societies' range across the ice. You will also find here the Memorial Cross erected in honour of Captain Robert Scott and his polar party.
Brush up on your Antarctic history
Antarctica was the scene of intense rivalry between some of the world's greatest polar explorers such as Earnest Shackleton and Robert Scott. Brave visitors can follow in their footsteps in Antarctica, though reading about their endeavours from aboard your boat is a far more comfortable way to learn about these great men.
Send a postcard from Port Lockroy
Impress your friends by sending them a postcard from the only post office in Antarctica, at Port Lockroy, which used to be a British station and is now a museum to early Antarctic exploration. It is one of Antarctica's most popular attractions, designated as Historic Site Number 61 under the Antarctic Treaty.
Admire the hardy wildlife
Come to Antarctica and you can take advantage of some of the best wildlife viewing in the world. Elephant and Weddell seals, emperor, chinstrap and Adelié penguins and humpback and minke whales are just a few of the regulars spotted in these chilly waters.
Kayak around icebergs
For an even closer view of the glistening blue-tinted ice of Antarctica, hop in a kayak and go for a paddle. If the weather permits you may even be able to camp on the ice. Kayaking and camping trips are offered as part of some expedition voyages.
Deceive your senses on Deception Island
Living up to its name, Deception Island is revered for its thermal springs, but don't be fooled: the water here is nowhere near as warm as some might have you believe. Located in the South Shetland archipelago, the island was a former whaling station and the rusting remains of this bloody industry litter the island – along with decaying whalebones.
Hotels
There are no hotels in Antarctica. All tourist accommodation is aboard expedition ships. Some tour operators include a one-night pre-tour stay in a hotel in Argentina, Chile, New Zealand or Tasmania.
Camping Caravaning
Camping options are available as part of some expedition voyages and tours.
History
Antarctica is the coldest, driest (its annual rainfall is comparable to that of desert regions) and windiest continent on Earth. It also has the highest elevation.
The main human activity undertaken in Antarctica is scientific research and it was at the British Halley research station that the hole in the ozone layer was discovered in 1985. It was this discovery, perhaps more than any other event, bar nuclear accidents, to bring ecology to prominence in the international political agenda.
The constitutional position of Antarctica is governed by the terms of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, which came into effect in 1961 and was signed initially by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, the UK, Belgium, Japan, South Africa, the USA and Russia. The first seven of these countries have historic claims to the ice-bound continent (none of which were, or are, generally recognised) and the Treaty preserves the status quo, neither recognising nor rejecting the old claims, but forbidding their expansion in any way. The terms of the Treaty also forbid, absolutely, the assertion of new claims. The Treaty applies to all land and ice shelves below 60º South.
A further 38 countries have since signed the treaty.
In May 1994, the International Whaling Commission agreed to the creation of a whale sanctuary around Antarctica below 40º South.
In May 1997, it was suggested by the World Meteorological Organisation that the long-term outlook for the ozone layer over the Antarctic was improving, although it will take some years for this to be conclusively proved. Even depending on a significant reduction of CFCs and other harmful emissions, it is unlikely that the hole will repair itself permanently (if, indeed, it does at all) before 2060 at the earliest.
Antarctica's first zero-emission research station, Princess Elisabeth, opened in 2009 and runs solely on renewable energy.
Did you know?
• Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen lead the first expedition to reach the South Pole, on 14 December 1911 a month before the doomed British expedition led by Robert Falcon Scott.
• Mount Erebus on Ross Island in the world's southernmost active volcano and was the scene of the crash of a New Zealand sightseeing flight in 1979 that killed all 257 people on board.
• There are no indigenous peoples associated with Antarctica, but it is reckoned there is a working population of about a thousand researchers and technicians during winter months, rising to as many as 5000 in the summer.
Required Clothing
It is imperative to wrap up warm in Antarctica given its sub-zero temperatures. Required clothing is a mix of foundation or base layer clothing (thermal tops, thermal trousers, gloves, socks), insulating layer clothing (fleeced tops, woollen sweatshirts, jackets, trousers) and outer or shell layer clothing (waterproof and windproof trousers, jackets, mittens and gloves). Scarves, insulating head gear, waterproof and insulated boots, goggles and sunglasses are also essential items.
Area(sq km):
14000000Population:
0EU Member:
No