How to get to Antarctica. How to get on an excursion to Antarctica? How much does it cost to go to Antarctica?

What are World Leaders Hiding About Antarctica?

The ban on visiting Antarctica for civilians has been extended for another 35 years, and all polar scientists have been replaced by specialized specialists from the special services.

At the same time, this continent is regularly visited by leaders of major powers, as well as leaders of religious denominations. A logical question arises: what did scientists find there and who are the world leaders meeting there?

Ten high-profile trips to Antarctica.

On South globe There is a practically unexplored giant continent - Antarctica. Under the seemingly impenetrable, many-kilometer layer of ice, endless secrets are hidden that excite the minds of scientists.

So, even today no one can explain the Wilkes Land anomaly - an impact crater that is visible even from space. And of course, the mysteries of Antarctica attract numerous expeditions.

The loudest and most mysterious visits to Antarctica from 1939 to 2017:

Expansion of Antarctica: Operation New Swabia.

In 1939, the Third Reich sent an expedition to Antarctica. Yes, it's true: the Nazis really tried to establish a base on the frozen continent. But no one knows for sure why this is so. It is unclear how Hitler intended to gain scientific or economic benefit from establishing a base in such a cold, lifeless, and resource-poor location.

However, the lack of evidence has not stopped the world from speculating further about the story. After the Nazi surrender in 1945, two German submarines arrived in Argentina with full crews. Although people may never know what their mission was before Hitler's collapse, many wondered what goals the German U-boats in this part of the Southern Hemisphere might have had other than visiting Antarctica.

Expansion of Antarctica: Operation Tabarin.

The Germans were not the only nation to become interested in the icy continent during World War II. In 1943, at the height of the war, the British government sent an expedition to Antarctica called Operation Tabarin.

Why surveillance of the whaling fleets in this region was considered so important as to justify sending a modern warship with a full complement of sailors to a region that was as far removed from the war zones as possible remains a mystery.

One can only assume that the importance of a reinforced British presence in Antarctica may have been justified by rumors of a Nazi base on the frozen continent. All that scientists know for sure today is that the expedition survived two winters and was considered incredibly successful.

An unusual expedition to Antarctica: Operation Highjump.

In 1946, with the psychological horrors of World War II still fresh in the minds of the American people, a U.S. Navy expedition of 13 battleships and 33 aircraft was sent to Antarctica. Operation Highjump was led by Admiral Richard Byrd, already famous for his solo flights over the icy continent.

The official purpose of the mission was to train for work in permanent ice conditions and to establish a more stable American presence in Antarctica. This is not difficult to believe, given the hypothetical upcoming conflict with Soviet Union, which was expected to involve a land battle in Siberian conditions.

However, in subsequent years there was no end to speculation that the real purpose of Operation Highjump was to eradicate the legendary Antarctic Nazi base. Also extremely controversial is the fact why the Americans returned home with such heavy losses.

Prince Harry's unusual journey to Antarctica.

Let's move on to modern times. In 2013, Prince Harry, fifth in line to the British throne, led an expedition to the South Pole. The purpose of this adventure is eternal ice in fact, it ended with 12 wounded servicemen and women accompanying Harry on an event that was originally planned as a “recreational and competitive” trek across one section of the continent.

But upon arrival on the continent, the team decided that the terrain along the 320-kilometer route to the center of Antarctica was too difficult for competition, and they should just try to reach the pole “in high spirits.” Apart from the abandonment of the competitive aspect, there is nothing strange about this expedition. However, it sets a precedent for the permanent presence of high-ranking dignitaries in Antarctica.

An unusual journey to Antarctica by Patriarch Kirill.

In February 2016, the heads of the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches met for the first time since the Great Schism, an event that split the church into east and west nearly 1,000 years ago. The historic meeting in Cuba between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis was perceived by many as the beginning new era for Christianity, although no one could say why, in the last 1000 years, the two most powerful men in Christendom decided to meet then.

Naturally, much speculation arose, especially when a few days after this historic meeting it was announced that Patriarch Kirill would join the crew of the Russian naval vessel Admiral Vladimirsky for a trip to the South Pole. This announcement became especially intriguing when it became known that the Admiral Vladimirsky made an unprecedented stop in the Saudi port of Jeddah en route to Antarctica.

At the time, Russia and Saudi Arabia were bitter economic rivals in the oil market, so it was difficult to understand what a Russian ship might need in the port closest to Mecca. Patriarch Kirill's only stated reason for going to Antarctica is that he wanted to pray in the tiny Orthodox Church, which was erected on the icy continent several decades ago.

An unusual journey to Antarctica by Tom Hanks.

Russia's religious leader is not the only famous person to show interest in the remote Trinity Orthodox Church in recent years.

During his brief visit to Antarctica in February 2016, American actor Tom Hanks, who converted to Orthodoxy before marrying Rita Wilson, made a special visit to the tiny temple built of wood.

An unusual expedition to Antarctica by the New Zealand Minister of Defense.

Although New Zealand is not the closest country to Antarctica (Chile and Argentina can rival it in this regard), its government plays an important role in the events taking place in the land of ice and snow. In fact, the New Zealand Defense Force has a permanent presence in Antarctica, where they protect personnel at Scott Base and McMurdo Station (from whom, other than penguins, it is unclear).

In February 2017, Defense Minister Ron Mark made a regular visit to brave New Zealanders patrolling the icy wastes. He subsequently described his journey as having "opened his eyes to many things."

An unusual journey to Antarctica by former US Secretary of State John Kerry.

On November 8, 2016, elections were held in the United States, resulting in Donald Trump becoming president. But there is one US citizen who believed that there was something much more interesting in the world that day than the greatest electoral embarrassment in US history. He was America's highest-ranking diplomat at the time and became the highest-ranking U.S. official ever to visit Antarctica.

We are talking about former Secretary of State John Kerry. Instead of cheering on his favorite candidate, John Kerry spent Election Day in Antarctica. But why did Kerry just go on an extremely expensive taxpayer funded trip instead of being in the White House.

Nobody knows this. Michael Rubin of the conservative think tank AEI notes that, in addition to being wasteful, Kerry's trip to the South Pole also seems pointless because there are no other diplomats in Antarctica to negotiate.

An unusual journey to Antarctica by astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

One of the first people to set foot on the Moon also decided to visit the most deserted place on Earth. Buzz Aldrin went to the South Pole at the end of November 2016. Although 86-year-old Aldrin received special training and medical consultations before the expedition, he eventually became ill along the way (altitude sickness) and Aldrin had to be urgently evacuated to Christchurch, New Zealand.

But the whole story is riddled with questions from beginning to end: if the elderly Aldrin was prone to altitude sickness, why did doctors even allow him onto the Antarctic plateau, located at an altitude of 3,000 meters above sea level. Why NASA's second deputy director visited the South Pole a day before Aldrin and just weeks after John Kerry. There are many questions.

Map of Antarctica drawn in 1513 by Turkish admiral Piri Reis.

Perhaps the reason for all these strange, high-profile visits to Antarctica is hidden in the past. Thanks to the use of satellite imagery, the art of cartography has become almost infallible. But until the early 1900s, inaccuracies in cartography were commonplace.

However, there is one map from over 500 years ago that appears to show part of the Antarctic in extreme detail. coastline. There is only one “but”: there is no ice on it. Drawn in 1513 by Turkish admiral Piri Reis, this unique map was discovered in 1929 before modern cartographic sketches of Antarctica were made.

Although Admiral Reis was certainly a great explorer, he admitted that he based his maps on older sources. In any case, only recently, thanks to the advent of seismic instruments and satellites, data on the complete coincidence of the map and the coastline of Antarctica, hidden under kilometers of ice, was confirmed.

Rumor has it that Obama also made a voyage to Antarctica and left there in sadness...

There is also a lot of information about the visit of Patriarch Kirill, mainly in the foreign press. In the comments under my video on YouTube (link to the video below) there are links to these materials.

I describe in detail the problem of Antarctic cruises, because this issue is little discussed and little studied for the Russian traveler (it is Western tourists who have long mastered this direction, because they are “rich pinocchios” compared to us), and I really want to set at least one heel on the mainland Antarctica!

This can be done from three geographical points:

1. From South America. This is basically the port city of Ushuaia on the island Tierra del Fuego – Ushuaia, Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. The distance from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula (a long, thin piece of land stretching from the mainland towards South America) is 1000 kilometers! This is the shortest, and therefore the most economical, route to the White Continent.

You can study the situation qualitatively and quite officially on the website of the province of Tierra del Fuego or on the official tourism website of the city of Ushuaia.

Some ships enter Antarctica from Santiago, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Rio de Janeiro, but these are mainly long-term sea voyages either around the Americas or around the world and all that.

Very rarely and mysteriously, cruises depart to Antarctica from the Chilean port of Punta Arenas, but I don’t want to waste effort on clues right now :)

2. Csouth of the Republic of South Africa, from Cape Town. In this option, the distance between the continents is the greatest - 4000 km, and, from my point of view, it is generally unrealistic and uninteresting for a budget tripper: mail:

3. From Australia and New Zealand. Averaging and generalizing, we can say that from here to Antarctica is approximately 3000 - 3100 kilometers, and there is quite a lot of tourist activity here, there are a lot of ships, and not only Australopithecines and Maoris rule here :-), but also French cruise companies.

All Antarctic cruises depart from the Australian island of Tasmania, from the port of Hobart. Eat website of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators and official site Australian Antarctic Division, where everything can be found out.

In the suburb of New Zealand Christchurch, the port city of Lyttelton ( Lyttelton) you can also board a certain number of cruise ships and find yourself in “white silence”.

But these are not our dogs. Bye?

We return to the city of Ushuaia: it is from here that we can try to advance to Antarctica this time. What parameters are important for a quality cruise?

Firstly, there is the size of the ship. If this is a huge multi-deck liner (of which the majority are), then there are two sides of the same coin: on the one hand, it will be possible to easily endure the wild storms of the “violent fifties”, the inevitable pitching of the “shrill sixties” latitudes, and therefore “sea sickness” with the corresponding continuous hugging of the toilet with lowering
heads into it for uncontrollable vomiting. Previously, they used to hang overboard, but now, due to safety precautions, this is hardly possible - the push remains :-).

There is such a famous blogger Sergei Dolya, and he described such a cruise in detail: there were swimming pools with heated sea water on the open deck, and numerous bars and restaurants, and animation with consummation :-).

But! And this is the other side of the same coin: such a colossus does not enter the narrow, winding fjords that completely cover these territories - it simply cannot do this! The liners stand in the roadstead in the middle of nowhere and point their finger at the barely visible white mirage - here you go, eat it :) That is, once again: they don’t leave such giants on the shores of Antarctica - there’s no way extreme conditions, when within an hour the weather changes to the exact opposite, deliver hundreds of passengers to the mainland, and therefore they are forced to roam the open spaces and storm ice hummocks using boring binoculars :)

There are a lot of places of exceptional beauty and interest that you must visit, for example, near Deception Island there is an opportunity to swim in geothermal springs. Isn't it lovely?

But you can only get here on a special rubber boat of the “zodiac” type, and for this, moreover, the ship itself must stop as close as possible to Deception Island, which, in principle, the ocean monster does not do.

This means that the search is narrowing - we are looking for an ultra-passable “baby”.

The second parameter, very important for me, is the timing of the cruise. And not only travel time, but also start/finish dates. It is ideal to spend 9-10 days on this matter, but most proposals are longer, up to 18 days or even more, and this is unacceptable.

Thirdly, this is the price of the issue. It is initially high, but let me remind you that in Ushuaia there is such a thing as a “Last Minute” cruise. This is like when there are no people willing to go on a cruise, and you have to dump. For example, ships usually start their season in October and end in April. But this means that in October-November in those very “furious fifties”, in the Drake Passage, there is just the most sausage, the most vomiting horror, and refined Westerners do not really rush here at this time, preferring the favorable weather “high season” ” January-February. And this gives us a chance!

Usually the whole city is plastered with leaflets, invitingly promising tourists the sale of this very Last Minutes, but those who tried to use this trick sadly write on the Internet that all this is a complete scam and scam. As usual from merchants: “... oh, how great it is that you came, but you know, you just bought the last ticket half an hour ago, ... oh, but there are other places that are really more expensive...” - and they roll out the usual horse price tag, well, maybe they’ll knock off a couple of percent for appearance’s sake, dogs!

According to rumors, in recent years the cost of “Last Minute Deal”does not fall below $4000, and the maximum minimum the cruise companies themselves put is $3200 per cabin, somewhere, probably, in the area of ​​a steam boiler or bucket.

We make a competent sign with suitable flights, dates, prices. This is practically full list cruises from Ushuaia for the period of our trip in November - December 2013. The table does not include 3-4 options, which begin, for example, on November 1 (we obviously don’t have time?), or December 15–20 (also – flight to Moscow on December 25):

Ocean Nova

OrteliusWeddell Sea – Emperor Penguin Voyage | Incl. Helicopters23/11/2013 – 10 nights / 11 days – from USD$ 10,950 to USD$ 17,150

03/12/2013 – 10 nights / 11 days – from USD$ 10,950 to USD$ 17,150OrteliusAntarctic PeninsulaPlanciusPolar PioneerScientific Antarctica09/11/2013 – 14 nights / 15 days – from USD $ 9,990 to USD $ 14,990Polar PioneerAntarctic PeninsulaUshuaiaClassic AntarcticaUshuaiaWeddell Sea Quest

From this list we will highlight options that are more or less suitable for us in terms of price (!) and duration:

from US$5,395 US$4,395

Nov 20, 2013/Nov 29, 2013 – from US$ 5,395Ocean NovaAntarctic Classic, Air-Cruise with “Ocean Nova”Dec 07, 2013 – 7 Days – from US$9,700

from $7,900 For a limited time: $1,800 OFF per person at Antarctic Classic Air-cruise starting on Dec 7, 2013OrteliusAntarctic Peninsula13/12/2013 – 09 nights / 10 days – from USD$ 5,650 to USD$ 9,950PlanciusPLA21B Antarctic Peninsula “Basecamp Plancius”12/11/2013 – 10 nights / 11 days – from USD $ 6,600 to USD $ 9,850

Twin porthole cabin berths (official brochure price USD 8,050) are now available for USD 6,600 per personPolar PioneerAntarctic Peninsula11/12/2013 – 09 nights / 10 days – from USD $ 6,700 to USD $ 11,800UshuaiaClassic Antarctica29/11/2013 – 10 nights / 11 days – from USD$ 5,240 to USD$ 11,310UshuaiaWeddell Sea Quest09/12/2013 – 11 nights / 12 days – from USD$ 5,760 to USD$ 10,380

Marked in red are flights for which the companies themselves have already reduced prices in July. It's even strange! But let’s make one last effort, and, taking into account the time and cost factor, we will select the “leaders” of the list:

from US$5,395 US$4,395
For a limited time: $1,000 OFF per person

So, it turns out that you can go on the two Antarctic voyages mentioned in the last tablet this time. The rest seems too expensive or time-sensitive. The hope is that Expedition will knock off some more Last Minutes. And it is clear that Ocean Nova is unlikely to discount; most likely, tickets will be sold on the Internet before the departure date.

I prefer the Expedition option with departure on November 28, because in terms of time it is very convenient then to visit Puerto Madryn, Easter Island and do a heavy mileage in a rented car along route B - “Northern Chile + Northwestern Argentina” and along the route D - “Lake District”. Then, after Antarctica, all that remains is to follow route E - “Southern Patagonia” and visit Iguazu Falls and Uruguay.

Oh, how temptingly they write: like the Expedition ship and the Antarctica Classic route will give me the opportunity to set foot on the least visited lands of the continent of Antarctica. During the voyage, albatrosses soar majestically over the ship, and when crossing the Drake Passage, everyone is burned by the wild cold, driving the passengers and the captain crazy, who at any moment will lose control and “kiss” one of the millions of icebergs.

Bright emerald, violet shades, intense blue and crimson light of the Antarctic Peninsula - these are the colors of the local world, and not at all the world of white ice. Countless herds of whales, huge rookeries of penguins and stunning gangways and showdowns of sea lions, seals and elephants - it seems like they got something wrong here, are there pinnipeds there?

An approximate trip plan, which, of course, is adjusted along the way depending on the weather conditions:

Day 1. Ushuaia. Boarding begins in the afternoon and we enjoy an evening sail through the Beagle Channel.

Day 2-3. Drake Passage. Our adventure begins with crossing 400 miles the notorious “furious fifties” latitude across the strait, which bears the name of the 16th century English pirate Sir Francis Drake. During this time, there are daily lectures on board, and everyone is watching for icebergs that have appeared, and curious whales and albatrosses following the ship.

Day 4-7. Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. Everything is clear here: let’s explore wildlife, look at the picturesque landscapes, and twice a day (subject to favorable weather conditions, of course) we go ashore to hunt Antarctic Adélie penguins, kill fur seals and skin the carcasses of Orcinus orca and smaller dolphins previously caught on a line.

Joke:whistle:

The peninsula also contains remarkable human remains. To be more precise, traces of human activity. During the journey we learn about some of the most important and dramatic expeditions in this remote corner peace.

Day 8-9. Drake Passage again. Scratching our back and crotch with whalebone, we drink and snack on whale oil.

Day 10. Arrival in Ushuaia in the morning.

What's included:

– 9 nights aboard Expedition
– 1 night with breakfast in a coastal hotel in Ushuaia (very budget hotel)
– Zodiac type boat and excursions on it with the Expedition team
– lectures and educational programs
– for those who need it, transfer in Ushuaia to/from the airport
– waterproof boots (for men in American sizes 8-14, and for women in sizes 3-9)
– a guide to Antarctica. It seems crazy - what could be written there?

All meals on board the ship are also included.

Tempting 😉

Another way to wash your boots in the Wedell Sea is to fly on transport planes with the descendants of the Polish migrants who founded the DAP company. They fly mini-routes over Tierra del Fuego, and drop goods on the island about once a month King George ( King George Island) , which is called the “gateway of the white continent”, and whichis a transshipment base for Antarctic expeditions. But this is not Antarctica! Why is this necessary? Moreover, one night on the island among the aborigines of the village of Villa Las Estrellas costs from six and a half grand – it’s just chaos!

And we must keep in mind that bad weather can extend this night for an arbitrarily long period - after all, the “shrill sixties”. But even in this forced case, you will only be able to spend the night for free under the wing of an airplane. 🙂

And finally, a combined third option:

from $7,900 For a limited time: $1,800 OFF per person at Antarctic Classic Air-cruise starting on Dec 7, 2013

In this case, we do not take the ship back to Ushuaia, and on a “Polish” plane we fly to Punta Arenas, which undoubtedly changes the logistics of the entire trip. And, of course, unaffordable prices - now, in July, there is already a discount of as much as $1,800, but even in this case you have to pay almost 8 bucks. No longer needed.

Let's summarize. There is, there is a feeling that Antarctica is not dancing this year :-(. And all because you have to choose: either the “white continent” and a shortened program on the tracks of Patagonia with the abandonment of the Bolivian Uyuni, or the abandonment of Antarctica, and a calm, high-quality moving along the main route in order to close the topic and, probably, not return to this region. After all, there is still so much to see on Earth. And it will be possible to sail to the sixth continent from Australia or New Zealand.

When will the money be available?

To save unique nature Antarctica is untouched, restrictive rules have been introduced to protect the environment from intensive human encroachment, allowing only a certain number of passengers (up to 100 people) to disembark at a time. After all, every person who sets foot on the ice continent brings with him bacteria that are alien to its ecosystem and dangerous to the living organisms inhabiting it. Today, liners entering Antarctic waters are equipped with special equipment to minimize possible threats.

There are two ways to get to Antarctica: fly by plane and sail by ship.

PLANE FROM CHILE

The most popular air route to the icy continent begins in the Chilean city of Punta Arenas. Airplane excursions to the shores of Antarctica can be one- or two-day. Two-day tours include an overnight stay at the Chilean Frei station. In theory, Russian tourists You can spend the night at the Russian Bellingshausen station, located nearby, after making an agreement with scientists through the AARI.

Flights to Antarctica are operated by the Chilean airline DAP on Beechcraft King Air 100 (6-seat) or BAE-146 (60-seat) aircraft. Cost of one day and two day trip can be found on the airline's website. A review of a two-day trip to Antarctica in exactly this way can be read here.

You can buy a combined water-air tour to Antarctica from Punta Arenas at Goway Travel - one of the largest travel agencies Latin America. The plane with tourists departs from Punta Arenas, flies over Cape Horn and the Drake Passage, and after a couple of hours arrives at King George Island - the largest of the South Shetland Islands. From there, tourists get to the icy continent on board a sea vessel, thereby saving a lot of time.

You can get to Punta Arenas from Santiago on South American airlines such as Lan Airlines or Skyairline. The most convenient way to get to Santiago from Russia is by airline flights Air France and Iberia via Paris and Madrid respectively.

FLIGHT FROM SOUTH AFRICA

Another air route to Antarctica is from Cape Town, South Africa. Organizes flights Russian company ALCI (Antarctic Logistics Center International) in Cape Town, with which many Russian travel companies cooperate. The flights are carried out by Il-76TD aircraft, the travel time is 6 hours, the final point of the route is the Russian Antarctic station Novolazarevskaya, next to which a snow-ice runway was built back in 1980.

PLANE FROM AUSTRALIA

There are also air flights to Antarctica from Australia. Air communication with Antarctica was established under the auspices of the government's Australian Antarctic Division so that scientists and participants in research expeditions could reach the continent. During the Antarctic summer (from mid-October to mid-March), a regular flight flies from the island of Tasmania about 4 times a month (Airbus A319-115LR aircraft with tail number VH-VHD) from the city of Hobart to the ice strip named after. Wilkins 70 km southeast of the Antarctic Casey station. Airplane travel time is 4.5 hours.

Thus, only scientists and various specialists who get a job at Antarctic stations can travel by plane from Australia to Antarctica.

For ordinary tourists who want to get to Antarctica by air from Australia, only “sightseeing” excursions are available. They involve flights over the surface of Antarctica without landing, accompanied by a thematic lecture by a specialist from the Australian Antarctic Division. The flight lasts around 12–13 hours. The cost of the pleasure is $1000–6000, depending on the chosen class of service and the location (closer to the window or further away). The flights are operated by a non-governmental company, Croydon Travel’s Antarctica.

EXPEDITIONAL CRUISE SHIPS AND THEIR TYPES

The sea route can be accomplished using an expedition cruise on specially equipped liners. This route is the most popular; it has a fairly long history: the first Antarctic tourists were taken on board by Soviet icebreakers, which were left without government funding during the split of the USSR. In this way, research ships financed their own scientific programs. These icebreakers can still be found in Antarctica today, they are called large and small ice-class expedition vessels. Originally designed for scientific purposes, they were converted to carry passengers.

Travel on such ships will not be luxurious; the environment on them is subordinated to only one goal - to get to know the amazing Antarctic world as much as possible. The lack of certain comfort will be more than compensated for by the very special “family” atmosphere that reigns there. A big plus will also be the maneuverability of these ships, which will allow them to enter narrow straits, make frequent landings, and get to secluded fjords.

Examples of such ships are the Clipper Adventurer for 122 passengers (cruise cost around $4,700), Polar Star for 105 passengers (from $9,600), Ushuaia for 84 passengers (from $4,300), and Antarctic Dream. for 84 passengers (from $6900).

Some expedition ships are equipped with special equipment that allows them to optionally provide their passengers with the services of some active entertainment: kayaking, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, diving.Such ships are “Akademik Sergey Vavilov” for 104 passengers (cruise cost from $3,900), “Ocean Nova” for 73 passengers (from $5,600), “Plancius” for 114 passengers (from $4,000), etc.

The next type of cruise ships is luxury expedition ships . They combine the comfort of the interior, corresponding to the level of a 4-5* hotel, with the uniqueness of the routes and a fair amount of maneuverability. Among them, the most popular are National Geographic Explorer for 148 passengers (from $10,580), Prince Albert II for 132 passengers (from $8,760), Le Boreal I for 224 passengers (from 4,675 euros) and Le Boreal II "for 199 passengers (from $8895), "L"Astral" for 224 passengers (from 2550 euros).

And finally, the lords of ice and snow - icebreakers. These powerful ships, equipped with helicopters, offer their passengers the maximum possible range of activities: flying over the Antarctic coast, landing at almost any desired location and much more. The most famous Antarctic icebreaker is the Kapitan Khlebnikov for 112 passengers. The cost of a cruise on it varies from 9,900 to 38,000 dollars, depending on the duration of the cruise, program and accommodation conditions.

Since there are no piers or moorings in Antarctica, the liners enter glacial bays, where rubber boats (inflatable boats) of the Zodiac type, and sometimes kayaks, are used to disembark tourists. Each boat is accompanied by an experienced expert guide who will tell you a lot of interesting things about the pioneers of Antarctica and the unique geology and life forms found here.

Cruises operate from different places: from Argentina, from Chile, from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa.

I didn't want to write practical advice about how to travel to different countries- a lot has been written before me. However, I decided to make an exception for Antarctica. Why? Because there is little information, and travel is expensive and inaccessible for many. Perhaps the information I collected will help someone.

Places(departure cities and modes of transport)

Commercial tours to Antarctica are carried out from several countries:

1. Argentina

The ships leave from the city of Ushuaia, located in the very south of the country, on Tierra del Fuego. There are no commercial flights.

The journey to Antarctica, 490 nautical miles, takes 1.5-2 days by ship.

You can get to Ushuaia from the capital of Argentina, Buena Aires, by plane (3.5 hours, 260 USD, fly daily, twice a day) or by bus (36 hours with a connection in Rio Gallegos, 200 USD, departure daily). Better by plane: the difference in cost is insignificant, the time savings are enormous. In addition, the Atlantic coast of Argentina is not the most interesting place for travel - in Argentina they travel through Patagonia, along the Andes. Of course, hitchhiking has not been canceled either, but they say it’s not very good here.

2. Chile

The ships leave from the city of Punta Arenas, located in the very south of Chile. Commercial flights are available with stays in Antarctica of several hours, one night or several days.

The journey to Antarctica, a little over 500 nautical miles, takes 2 days by ship, and a little over an hour by plane.

You can get to Punta Arenas from the capital of Chile, Santiago de Chile, by plane or bus, or from Buena Aires by plane or bus (via Ushuaia).

3. New Zealand

I don't have detailed information.

According to information from Australians, the journey to Antarctica from New Zealand is much more expensive and longer than from South America and takes 7 days by ship.

I have never heard of commercial flights. However, in my opinion, in any case it is better to travel by ship - for the same money you can see an order of magnitude more. Saving time? Nonsense. If you don’t have time, it’s better to postpone your visit until next time. Antarctica is not just for show; there are so many interesting things here.

4. Australia

According to information from Australians, departure to Antarctica from Australia is carried out through New Zealand(see paragraph 3).

I have never heard of commercial flights.

Time(navigation period)

Travel to Antarctica takes place in summer (for the southern hemisphere), more precisely from November to March inclusive. For example, this year 2010, the first ship from Ushuaia departed on November 3rd. However, everyone (guides, tour operators, ship crew) says that the climate is warming very quickly, so perhaps soon tourist season will stretch.

The best time is the end of December - January. At this time, there are the most clear days, the sky opens up and the landscape transforms simply fantastically. In addition, it is warmest at this time. Although in mid-November the temperature was positive, several degrees above zero.

Price(various cost options for “getting” to the continent)

1. Commercial tours from Moscow

The simplest and therefore most expensive option. The cheapest packages I've seen cost $8,000 - $10,000 all-inclusive. See "Yandex".

2. Commercial tours (cruises) from South America

25 ships per season depart from Ushuaia alone, with 100-130 people on board. The cost of the nine-day Classic Antarctic voyage ranges from $4,000 to $10,000, depending on the cabin class.

My experience: there is no need to pay more. I mean, if you take an expensive cabin, you pay an additional 1000-4000 dollars just for the right to sleep in a more comfortable cabin, because... everything else - excursions, food, lectures - is common and the same for everyone on board. And there are so many activities that you are almost never in the cabin. In addition, even my “cheap” cabin had a good “three stars” and a porthole.

Most low price You can find it by buying a tour directly at the port (for example, in Ushuaia), arriving at the very beginning of the season (the last days of October - the first days of November) a day or two before departure (last day price). Prepayment for a month does not affect the cost, so there is no point in coming in mid-early October. By purchasing six months in advance, you can also get a discount - talk to operators (see the list of operators in the appendix).

Here's my cost:

1. Tour “Classic Antarctica” (9 nights, 2 people per cabin) – $3,249.

2. Flight Moscow-B.Ayres-Moscow – $1,800.

3. Flight B.Ayres-Ushua-B.Ayres - $320.

TOTAL: $5,369.

3. Working on cruise ships

The following “authorities” are relevant to the vessel:

Vessel owner – usually does not carry out current activities

Vessel operator – leases from the owner and conducts all day-to-day activities

The captain and crew of the vessel are employees themselves, hired by the operator or owner

Regarding work, you need to contact the vessel operator, as a rule, this is a large tourism operator. In my case - Gap Adventures. They hire all the service personnel from the expedition leader to the waiters and cleaners. Possible positions:

- “scientific personnel” (biologist, zoologist, geographer, etc.)

Service staff (cleaner, waiter, cook)

Zodiac driver (landing boat)

Others (photographer, translator)

My experience: I sent letters to a couple of dozen operators, received several polite refusals and a couple of offers to buy a commercial trip. Local people in Ushuaia say that there is a chance of finding a job, but it is small and most likely the time will be wasted.

4. Scientific expeditions

Russia still sends scientific expeditions to Antarctica. In particular, this is done by the St. Petersburg Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic. There is a department that deals with expeditions - look for contacts yourself. However, keep in mind that the expedition may take several months - the one-way trip alone lasts a month and a half.

My experience: I almost agreed, but the expedition left before I arrived in St. Petersburg, where it started

5. Voluntary organizations

One American woman told me about her experience. She contacted the whale protection organization (contact in the app), went through several interviews in absentia and was invited on board, but at the last moment she refused. She said she doesn’t like whales that much and is not ready to spend so much time and effort on them for the sake of Antarctica. As a result, I paid $6,000 for a commercial tour and was satisfied.

However, her example shows that this is a workable option.

My experience: I didn’t try, because it needs to be done much in advance.

6. Military vessels

My hostel neighbor in Buenos Aires told me the following. When he was in Punta Arenas, he met a guy there who negotiated with the Chilean Navy for “50 dollars” and they took him on board. I don't know the details, but it works.

Conclusion:

If you have at least a little money, but not time or you are not a fan scientific expeditions, go to Ushuaia and buy a tour at the “last day price”;

The southernmost continent in the world remains the most inaccessible. The first people appeared in Antarctica in 1821. Since then, the most fearless travelers have dreamed of visiting here. But this works out to no more than 40 thousand people a year. It is very difficult to get here and the climate here is harsh: in winter it reaches -75 degrees Celsius, and in summer -40 degrees, although on the coast the temperature in summer can rise to +5.

Previously, the journey took up to three years and was deadly, but now coming to Antarctica is difficult, but possible. Here are three ways:

1. Become a scientist, fireman, chef, artist, etc.

Depending on the season, there are about 70 scientific stations operating in Antarctica. The largest is the American McMurdo. Its employees travel on military aircraft. Here they study the continent's ice sheet. From Russia, the Vostok scientific station operates here, where 20-40 people work (depending on the season).

If it’s too late for you to become a scientist, sometimes vacancies appear to work at stations. Firefighters, chefs, hairdressers, plumbers and representatives of other professions who make life easier for scientists are needed.

There is also the National Science Foundation, which is dedicated to Antarctic artists and writers. Its participants can go to Antarctica to implement their project.

2. Become a marathon runner or extreme skier

Yes, there are marathons and ultramarathons in Antarctica. The registration fee for the Antarctic Ice Marathon and Half Marathon is 15 thousand euros (962 thousand rubles). The price includes: flights to Antarctica from Punta Arenas (Chile) and back, food and accommodation at the station, professional photographs, a medal for participation, a T-shirt and other souvenirs. The 2018 competition will take place from November 21 to 27. You can register. Before filling out you need to get a doctor’s recommendation, and after that you need to buy insurance for 100 euros.

3. Go on a cruise

So far, this is almost the only way to get to Antarctica for people who are not connected with science. You won’t be able to buy a plane ticket either – there are no commercial flights to the continent (you can check through airline ticket search engines).

Most ships depart to Antarctica from the city of Ushuaia, which is located in Argentina. Cruise prices start at $3,000 and sometimes reach $30,000 per person.

For example, for 6 thousand dollars (342 thousand rubles) per person in a three-berth cabin you can book an 11-day stay on the Ocean Diamond. It will pass through the Drake Passage and the South Shetland Islands. Along the way there will be a landing at Livingston and Petermann Islands, as well as a boat ride in Neko Bay. Along the way you will see penguins, killer whales, whales and other animals. The price includes: accommodation on board, meals, excursions, lectures, insurance and rental of clothes for walking. Additionally, you will have to pay for air travel to Argentina (from 119 thousand rubles per person) and incur other expenses.