South Pole / Antarctica Tours

Best time to visit Antarctica / South Pole

• Spring 2025

  Spring in Antarctica is when wildlife really comes alive as penguins start breeding. Our ships have good stabilizers for handling the Drake Passage - and while it can get rough, our travelers say it becomes part of the whole experience. You'll typically stop at Deception Island to check out an active volcanic caldera, then cruise through Paradise Bay where huge glaciers break off into crystal-clear water. What makes these trips work so well is mixing zodiac rides between icebergs with shore landings where penguins come right up to you. The expedition team stays flexible, often changing course to follow whales or catch perfect landing conditions. Our experts cover everything from whale behavior, Antarctic geology and also historical exploration during onboard talks.

  • March 2025 popular 16 tours
• Fall / Autumn 2025

  Autumn brings amazing light for photographers as days get shorter. We take you through the Lemaire Channel and Neumayer Channel, where steep cliffs create natural frames around ice-filled waters. Most trips explore the Gerlache Strait, a favorite spot for watching humpback whales feed before heading north. You'll see elephant seals gathering on beaches and penguin chicks starting to fledge, all while getting to photograph landscapes in that special autumn light. Our small group shore landings mean everyone gets proper time to watch wildlife and take photos without feeling rushed - something our customers really appreciate. Based on what our Antarctic travelers tell us, G Adventures and Quark come up as solid choices for polar expeditions. G Adventures gets consistently good feedback about their "Quest for the Antarctic Circle" voyage - one of our recent travelers called it "life changing" and was particularly impressed with how knowledgeable the expedition team was. Their ships are comfortable and the itineraries well thought out. That said, some people have had frustrations with G Adventures' customer service, especially when trying to sort out last-minute cabin upgrades or dealing with pricing questions. Quark also stands out for their polar expertise and enthusiastic staff. Their teams are good at adjusting plans when Antarctic weather throws a curveball, which happens quite often down there. It's worth noting though that they use Aerolineas Argentinas for flights, and we've heard from travelers about schedule changes and confusing baggage rules with that airline. I should mention that both operators know their stuff when it comes to Antarctic waters, equipment, safety protocols and also wildlife spotting. The main difference often comes down to their specific departure dates, ship styles and pricing structures rather than the core expedition experience.

  • November 2025 popular 19 tours
• Winter 2025 / 2026

  Our Antarctic winter trips run during the austral summer from November through March, when you get incredible light conditions - up to 24 hours of daylight for maximum wildlife viewing and photos. The most popular routes take you through the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. The ice-strengthened ships work perfectly as platforms for spotting whales and seabirds during Drake Passage crossings. You'll get really close to gentoo, chinstrap and also adelie penguin colonies during Zodiac trips. Our travelers love how the marine biologists and historians bring Antarctic ecosystems and polar exploration stories to life through their talks. Some routes push further south across the Antarctic Circle, which is pretty special - not many people can say they've done that.

  • February 2025 15 tours
  • December 2025 16 tours
  • January 2026 18 tours
  • February 2026 popular 19 tours