Antarctica ?

muppetkiller

Hi all,
Has anyone ever been and just wondering how much it cost...I'm seeing prices at 8000 for 14 days ...so think that's out of my price range ...
Anyone do it on the cheap ?
Thanks,
Dave

jackbhoy

Was planning on doing this trip but couldn't for various reasons not least cost.

I did a fair bit of research and spoke to a few people who did it and although it is very expensive 8k seems way over the top, persume this must be a luxury all inclusive job!

You could fly to BA for less than €800, then overnight bus south (less than €100). As far as i remember a 10-14 night cruise will cost 2-4k depending on when you go.

Here are a few links I saved from my research:

http://www.expeditiontrips.com/

http://www.peregrineadventures.com/antarctica/

http://www.discover-the-world.co.uk/antarctica/

http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/messagepost.cfm?postaction=reply&catid=10&threadid=682153&messid=5785660&STARTPAGE=1&parentid=0&from=1

http://www.bbc.co.uk/holiday/destinations/antarctica_best/

http://www.quarkexpeditions.com/

muppetkiller

Thanks Mate i'll start fishing on those sites and see how I go...
Thanks Again..

cailinoBAC

Are you only able to go to Antarctica from December to February? Has anyone been? Thinking of going next winter (well, our winter...)Prices look ok now the dollar is doing so badly. At least I found one last night that was less than $4000, maybe if I try to look again it won't be there...

tea

I went in early 2006 or a 20 day trip that went to South Georgia as well as Antarctica. They were having trouble filling ships that year, so I got a hefty discount a few weeks in advance, but I believe that with GAP's ship sinking this year, demand is high relative to supply, and it's less likely to happen than it used to.

If you do want to try to get a good deal, I'd suggest you consider:

- Go at the very start or very end of the season (November or Late Feb), as there's less demand then and ships often seem to leave far less than full
- Try for one of the long trips. Not many people can take 3 weeks off, and they're more likely not to fill, even though there are far fewer of them.
- Only head to Ushuaia on spec looking for a trip if you're prepared to wait for a week or 10 days, and choose the time well (first point)
- Save money on your flight by booking through to Buenos Aires, then buy a flight from a local travel agent to Ushuaia, as local prices are waaay cheaper than buying from overseas. But as the flights tend to be full during Antarctic season, try to leave a few days in case you can't get on a flight immediately. Or maybe call an agent in Lonely Planet and ask them to book it while you're in Ireland.
- If you want to prebook and still get a decent discount, either do it really early (like a year in advance) for a small discount or really late (a few weeks before sailing, don't be picky, just get what's on offer) for a bigger discount.
- Consider trying to get to South Georgia. Trust me, it's really worth it.

All this info is 2 years old, but it should still hold pretty well today. Antarctica and South Georgia in particular, are my favourite places in the world - I don't think any even slightly sane person could regret the expense and effort it takes to get there.

cailinoBAC

Thanks for that! I'm only beginning to plan my South America trip but you've given me a few pointers. At first I thought Antarctica would be impossible but I'm really warming (ha!) to the idea. It is a kind of once in a lifetime thing to do.

tea

cailinoBAC wrote: »

At first I thought Antarctica would be impossible.

Actually, so did I! I suspect its only when you get a bit determined and start talking to travel agents etc and looking at potential itineraries that it suddenly seems to be as do-able as any other trip (although a fair bit more expensive), and when you consider that everything is included (apart from alcohol), even the price isn't as crazy as it first sounds.

If you're interested, I've a few photos from that trip online that may give you a sense of what you'll see in various parts of Antarctica (although sadly, I'm too lazy to label them). I'd reiterate that South Georgia is probably at least as interesting as Antarctica especially St Andrew's Bay and Prion Island (if you're interested in wildlife) and Stromness if you're into Antarctic history (Whaling, Shackleton etc.)

Ideo

Some great shots there tea. What sort of kit are you using? presume its a DSLR to begin with?!

tea

Thanks. I took them using a Nikon D70 and either a Tokina 12-24 or a really cheap 28-300mm Sigma that I'd inherited from my film camera as the new lens hadn't shown up in time for the trip.

Since then I've bought a lot more gear, but while my back has got sore carrying it around the world, the photos haven't improved