Antarctica Expedition Trip

[Inspiremeaholiday]

Hi all,
We have a bucket list item we want to tick off at some point, and that is the Antarctica Expedition Trip (so you actually can step onto Antarctica)
Has anyone done it before? If so, how old were you kids? My daughter is 8 and is really keen to do it but I thought 12 would be a better age but now I am not sure. Ideally we would take the ship from Ushuaia but I worry about the Drake Passage.
The second option is to fly from Cape Town and it overland style but that cost seems far higher!
Anyone been and can offer tips?
Thanks

Oh wow what an amazing experience!

I have no tips but have a daughter of a similar age and would not take her across the Drake Passage.

Drakes passage is the concern and the cold when we get to Antarctica.
The issue is flying seems financially out of reach and even taking the boat is crazy expensive!
I wonder if 10 or 11 would be ok?

Oh wait, you can fly across drake passage to King George Island maybe thats the middle ground...

My parents did one a few years ago with Quark Expeditions where they stayed on a boat and went out on zodiacs each day to different areas of land on Antarctica. In the evening there were talks from scientists about the days sightings etc. It was fairly intensive and they had to pass fitness tests etc. I would love to do something similar with my husband, but I dont think I would take a child on it. They flew out of Chile, I think.

I haven't been on holiday there but have done a small boat based expedition. Any tourist vessels crossing the Drake will be well equipped to deal with it. It can be rough (most passengers on our trip were extremely seasick) but stock up on remedies and take to your bunk and you should be fine. You might be lucky and get a calm crossing. If possible choose one of the smaller expedition ships as you will be able to get into more sites. If you can get a route doing South Georgia as well as the peninsula it is well worth it. Re cold you will be going in Antarctica summer and provided you have the recommended clothing you should be fine. Many ships will provide the heavy parkas. A lot of polar cruises have a minimum age so check with the company but I think 12 would be a great age. I wish I could afford to take my kids!

Quark do a fly/cruise passage where you fly from Punta Arenas.
https://www.quarkexpeditions.com/uk/expeditions/antarctic-express-fly-the-drake

Personally I would say it is a hell of a lot of money to spend on an eight-year old, who probably won't appreciate it as much as, say a 12-year old.

Bear in mind the cruise ships are small, and these trips aren't set up for children. They will probably be the only child there, there aren't creches or kids entertainment. Evening entertainment is usually a lecture/presentation from one of the experts on board (science, ornithology etc.).

Activities include things like hiking trips (usually several hours over snow and ice, not really suitable for small children), kayaking (probbaly won't let children do this), science sessions with onboard experts (not aimed at children), photography sessions (ditto), polar plunge (definitely won't let children do this!) - an eight year old won't be able to do any of those things, so would have to stay behind with one of the parents. So they would be bored, you would miss out...

Perhaps a trip to Iceland instead? Can do cool 'polar' things like wildlife trips and see glaciers, but in a much less intense, more child-friendly environment. You can even take a day or overnight trip over to the east coast of Greenland to see the ice sheet, icebergs etc.

We went on an Antarctic exped trip in Feb/Mar '25.

There was one girl on the trip, she was British and I think around 10 years old. It seemed she generally enjoyed the trip but I think it would be fair to say that for some things she did not engage and instead of, for example watching the penguins, sometime would choose to entertain herself with a phone.

This sounds awfully braggy but we had a similar experience with 2 American girls on a cruise in the Galapagos and I did not see them smile or ever come back, eg from swimming with sealions, with the 'OMG that was amazing' expression the rest of us adults have.

I would say wait a few years to give her the long term memories and a better appreciation of the privilege.

We went across the Drake without too much problem for us (Drake Lake not Drake Shake) but the passenger numbers did thin out so people must have taken to their beds. The all apeared again so no harm done! If I ever go back I'll go across by boat again and not fly.

I’d love to do this

but I wouldn’t take my kids. It’s on my list for when they’ve finally left home!

I went a couple of years ago with Aurora Expeditions leaving from Ushuaia. Fabulous trip - make sure South Georgia is included because it really is amazing.

Aurora have boats with X bows and stabilisers so we did not experience the “Darke Shake” at all - much to my Dad’s disappointment!

it is an expedition so lectures and outings on ribs to land. There were a couple of under 10’s on our trip and they definitely did not appreciate it all. Missed the lectures, bored on land running around being annoying.

I actually think it’s an adult trio really - I’m not sure teenagers appreciate scenery. I think Galapagos would be much better for them.

anyway, it was an amazing trip and I highly recommend doing it as long as South Georgia is on itinerary. Pic of our boat with the amazing bow and some penguins!

I know people who have done it but all have been older as in it’s their retirement gift to themselves. It’s very expensive and only on small vessels so check if children are even allowed, plus you are paying for certain activities which may not be suitable for children. You can do the sail by trips as alternative with a visit to the Falklands, I think I’ll opt for this because I have a long bucket list and don’t want my Antarctica trip to swallow most of the budget

Thanks all, to be clear it's the kid driving it! She has hugely aspirational travel plans, and I love how eager she is to see the world so I do tend to support it.
I was thinking maybe December 2027 when she'll be 10 but it seems like the general consensus was that my gut feel of 12 was about right.

She loves wildlife, and has done lots of extensive game drives, swimming with wild dolphins etc so I think has quite a good idea on what she is in for. We are adventurous travellers, and shes never been in a kids club before for example so that wont be her expectation. She says she's very happy to listen to lectures every night (while I am not sure I am!)

The one thing I am worried about is that maybe a secret motivation to do this as this would be the last continent she has not been too (we are going to Oz in March) and I think she would quite like to say she's done all 7.

I am looking at what we can't do, and at 10 it seems we can't do the Kayaking and Camping. Age limits on that seems rather high at 14 or 16. I really want to do the camping so maybe we wait as honestly I can't see us doing it twice!

I am a bit torn, I will contact a few companies (Love the look of the national geographic cruises) and see what she could do and what they recommend.

@ZoeyBartlett and @Specialnameforanoutingthread tell me more about the Galapagos island! Also on the list

It seems like the kind of trip it’s worth waiting a bit, I want to do the kayaking myself ( though unsure why that’s for older teens only as my dc have kayaked from 7/8)

I did this in 2023 - the youngest person on board was in their 20's so I'm not sure if kids were even allowed. Bear in mind there is only very expensive internet, the only tv in the cabins was on loop, and there is a good bit of time with not much to do as you move from one spot to the next. Unless, like me, you spend those days being violently ill despite ALLL the remedies which did stuff all!! The drake passage was horrendous and I'd not put myself through that again! Def include South Georgia if you do go - amazing place!!

I know! I've read its due to the water temp?

Its seems some ships do and some don't. Which ship/provider did you use?

I am worried about the Drakes passage...

I see not all goes to South Georgia (same as @ZoeyBartlett), how did you decide which cruise to do?

I have done a bit of expedition travelling with children from the age of 3 up.
My children are older now and they don’t really have as many memories or as clear memories of stuff they did before the age of 10.
DS was 8 when we went to the Galapagos only had a couple
of memories of it.

i would say wait a few years.

I doubt they've been kayaking in open seas that are at or below 0 degrees C, in the potential presence of carnivorous sea creatures (orcas and leopard seals). Bit of a different kettle of fish! They will probably also want participants in dry suits, which they won't have to fit children.

Ohh can you tell me more about the Galapagos? What did you do?

I did a trip to Antarctica in 2012 and there weren’t any children on my boat. I went from Ushuaia on the MV Plancius and went in early March, so towards the end of the season (that was due to my availability rather than any other reason).

I don’t think it’s particularly suitable for young kids although presumably there are some ships that do cater to kids. The Drake Passage lived up to its reputation! In addition to being seasick it’s hazardous on board when it’s so rough eg at mealtimes (when I wasn’t to sick to go up) you had to constantly hold on to your plate.glass/cutlery etc as things were going flying.

Most days are spent on the zodiacs cruising around watching wildlife and/or on land watching wildlife or occasionally visiting a hut or research station. I kayaked and also camped on land and both cost more and had to be booked in advance.

it was absolutely incredible and well worth the cost and seasickness/discomfort but I really wouldn’t be doing it with young kids.

I also went tot the Galápagos Islands on the same (extended) trip around South America and they were also phenomenal. I did a week on a dive boat and a week on a small yacht going round the islands. Again I don’t think it’s very suitable for small kids and frankly for the money I’d wait until they’re older so they can appreciate and remember it more.

Ooh I just finished reading Where’d You Go Bernadette which features a trip to Antarctica and made me really want to go!

It was a small cruise ship. I think 140 guests.
Most days were spent on zodiacs going to various islands.
snorkelling with giant sea turtles was probably my favourite thing but there were so many great experiencesHammerhead sharks swimming around a small boat, watching a volcanic eruption from a safe distance, getting spat on by marine iguanas.

Whereabouts are you going to in Australia, would you be able to visit Penquin Island with the penquin parade, great barrier reef, lots of wonderful animals to see there.

We actually dont have the whole thing planned so feel free to give me pointers- slack I know! We have Hamilton Island booked for like 3 or 4 nights to see the Great Barrier Reef.
We saw penguins last month in Cape Town and DD has become much keener on them and we have friends in Perth so maybe we combine the two?