Telephone Ship communications use International Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT), often for a significant fee ($5 to $8 per minute). Coverage can be disrupted based on location and weather/atmospheric conditions. Iridium phones also work in Antarctica. Standard mobile phones don’t work at sea or in Antarctica. Ask your operator. Time There are no time zones in Antarctica. The summer sun stays up as long as 20 hours a day; in winter it’s the reverse. Most ships’ clocks are based on ports of departure/disembarkation. AArgentina GMT/UTC minus three hours AChile GMT/UTC minus four hours Tourist Information All tour operators provide visitors with information on their journey. Many also offer lectures on Antarctic topics while underway so that visitors make the most of their cruise. International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO; www.iaato.org) offers a wealth of information as well, as do national polar programs, the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT; www.ukaht.org) and Antarctic Heritage Trust (www.nzaht.org). Travelers with Disabilities The physical challenges of shipboard life, Zodiac boats and icy landing sites can make Antarctica difficult for everyone, no matter their physical limitations. Nevertheless, disabled travelers may be able to make special arrangements with a tour operator, especially if an able-bodied traveler accompanies them. Check with tour operators to see whether they can meet your needs (some ships, for example, have elevators and helicopters). Visas No single government controls Antarctica, so visitors do not need visas. All tour operators, yachts, researchers and independent expeditioners of countries that are signatories of the Antarctic Treaty must have a permit from their country (permit rules vary). ACruise-ship passengers are covered under permits applied for by the operator. AJapanese nationals must register with their Ministry of the Environment if they are on a tour authorized by any country other than Japan. AYacht passengers/crew, expeditioners, researchers and anyone visiting by air should check with their
national government to ensure their paperwork is in order. If uncertain about your status, check with your tour operator. Also, you may need visas for countries you visit before/after your cruise. Volunteering There are no volunteering opportunities in Antarctica to speak of for the layperson. The scientifically trained can come with permitted science projects, potentially as volunteers; check directly with science groups or universities, such as the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (http://caslabs.case.edu/ansmet/). Work Scientists usually go to Antarctica on specific research proposals. Support personnel are selected by national programs (usually hiring only citizens or work-eligible people). Contact your country’s national Antarctic program. The US is Antarctica’s largest employer; personnel are hired by private contractor Lockheed Martin (www.lockheedmartin.com) through Leidos (www.leidos.com). It recruits about 600 people for US bases, from chefs, clerks and hairstylists to construction workers.
Transportation Transportation Getting There & Away Most visitors reach Antarctica via group tours on a ship, but there are some alternatives. Selected tours can be booked at www.lonelyplanet.com/bookings. Entering Antarctica No single government controls Antarctica, so visitors do not need visas; visas may be required, however, for countries visited before or after a cruise. See Directory, Visas, for information on permit requirements. CLIMATE CHANGE AND TRAVEL Every form of transport that relies on carbon-based fuel generates CO2, the main cause of human-induced climate change. Modern travel is dependent on aeroplanes, which might use less fuel per per person than most cars but travel much greater distances. The altitude at which aircraft emit gases (including CO2) and particles also contributes to their climate change impact. Many websites offer ‘carbon calculators’ that allow people to estimate the carbon emissions generated by their journey and, for those who wish to do so, to offset the impact of the greenhouse gases emitted with contributions to portfolios of climate-friendly initiatives throughout the world. Lonely Planet offsets the carbon footprint of all staff and author travel. Air Flights to the Interior Getting There & Away Getting Around
Flights to the Interior Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions (ALE; www.antarctic-logistics.com) was formerly the pioneering tour operator Adventure Network International, which was the first company to offer flights to Antarctica’s interior. Using Ilyushin IL76 aircraft, ALE flies from Punta Arenas, Chile, to its runway at Union Glacier (4½ hours). An older, secondary runway is 70km southeast at Patriot Hills. ALE’s private camp (opened in 2010) sits at the base of Mt Rossman. AEmperor penguin rookery US$45,750 AVinson Massif with guided climb US$42,350 ASouth Pole fly-In (four hours at 90°S) US$49,750 AGuided 12-day ski trip across the last degree to Pole US$63,250 Antarctic Company (TAC; www.antarctic-company.info) operates Ilyushin IL76 aircraft from Cape Town to Novo Airbase (six hours), 15km southwest of Russia’s Novolazarevskaya Station in East Antarctica. TAC also provides support for nongovernmental organizations, private expeditions and adventure travelers. ASouth Pole and Emperor Penguins: €50,000 White Desert (www.white-desert.com) flies 12-passenger Gulfstream G-IV and Ilyushin IL76 aircraft from Cape Town to Novo Airbase. It uses a temporary camp, powered by wind and solar energy, and offsets flights with a carbon program. It's geared toward luxury with high-end fiberglass sleeping pods. ADay trip €12,000 AEmperor penguins €48,000 AEmperors and the South Pole €68,000 Flights to King George Island Aerovías DAP (%+56 61 261 6100; www.dapantartica.cl; O'Higgins 891, Punta Arenas, Chile) flies from Punta Arenas, Chile, to Frei Station on King George Island (South Shetland Islands) in summer (weather permitting), using 10-passenger Beechcraft King Air turboprops and 70-passenger BAE-146s. ADay visit US$5500 AOvernight visit US$6500 Fly-Cruise Antarctica XXI (www.antarcticaxxi.com) flies from Punta Arenas, Chile, to Frei Station on King George Island (1½ hours) using 70-passenger BAE-146 aircraft. Passengers transfer to 68-passenger Ocean Nova or the 100-passenger Hebridean Sky for several days of cruising the South Shetlands and Antarctic Peninsula before their return flight. Fares begin at US$4695. Several other cruise companies also offer fly-cruises. Overflights Australia’s Qantas airlines uses Croydon Travel (www.antarcticaflights.com.au) to offer day-long flights over the continent (with guides) on a Boeing 747 once or twice per summer. Flights depart from Sydney or Melbourne. All seats, except Economy Center, rotate. Prices range from Economy Center A$1200 and Economy Premium A$3300 to First Class A$8000.
Premium A$3300 to First Class A$8000. Passengers move about the plane for views from several vantage points. But you get what you pay for: some tickets don’t provide direct window access at any time, so you may have to look over someone’s shoulder. SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL All of the cruise companies listed, most of the yachts, and many of the air operations, are members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, which promotes environmentally responsible travel to the continent. Its website lists guidelines for vessel operators and visitors. Quark Expeditions works with a carbon-credit trading company to offset emissions from its ship Ocean Diamond (the first carbon-neutral Antarctic cruise). Natural Habitat Adventures offers carbon offsetting as well. Flight-adventure company White Desert does the same with its flights, and will even offset your flights to Cape Town, where they are based. Sea Nearly all visitors arrive by sea, most of them by ship from Ushuaia, Argentina. Cruise Ships The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators has a full list of cruise operators serving Antarctica. Abercrombie & Kent (www.abercrombiekent.com) Operates 199-passenger boats. All balcony cabins; luxury travel. Aurora Expeditions (www.auroraexpeditions.com.au) Polar Pioneer carries 54 passengers and is equipped with Zodiacs for shore landings. Activities include scuba diving, polar snorkeling, kayaking, mountaineering, photography workshops and camping. Fly-sail expeditions available. Bark Europa (www.barkeuropa.com) Three-masted tall-ship Europa with professional crew of 14 plus 48 ‘voyage crewmembers;’ trips include one from Ushuaia to Cape Town. Compagnie du Ponant (www.ponant.com) Sails 244-to 264-passenger luxury boats; French operator. Fathom Expeditions (www.fathomexpeditions.com) Various small-ship cruises, with occasional kayak add-on offered. Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten (www.hlkf.de) Luxury ice-strengthened ships: Hanseatic (188 passengers); Bremen (164 passengers). Occasional Ross Sea/Macquarie Island trips. Heritage Expeditions (www.heritage-expeditions.com) Cruises to the Ross Sea side of Antarctica and Macquarie Island from New Zealand. Holland America (www.hollandamerica.com) Cruise-only (no landing) trips; four days in Antarctica.
Lindblad Expeditions (www.expeditions.com) National Geographic Orion (102 guests) and National Geographic Explorer (148 guests). Offers kayaking. Mountain Travel-Sobek (www.mtsobek.com) Offers kayaking, fly-cruise packages. Natural Habitat Adventures (www.nathab.com) Offers carbon-offset tours, including some to Antarctica. Oceanwide Expeditions (www.oceanwide-expeditions.com) Sails small vessels with occasional Weddell Sea or Ross Sea trips; scuba diving, helicopters. One Ocean Expeditions (www.oneoceanexpeditions.com) Akademik Ioffe (96 passengers) and Akademik Sergey Vavilov (107 passengers). Kayaking and camping. Quark Expeditions (www.quarkexpeditions.com) Sails 108-to 486-passenger ships, including a carbonneutral cruise on Ocean Diamond. Snowshoeing (free), camping, kayaking, skiing and climbing (for a fee); fly-cruise packages. Students on Ice (www.studentsonice.com) Tours for high-school and college students. WildWings Travel (www.wildwings.co.uk) Bird-and wildlife-focused tours; some to NZ sub-Antarctic Islands. Zegrahm Expeditions (www.zeco.com) Antarctic Peninsula cruises on several vessels; occasional Ross Sea cruises. Yacht Cruises Several hundred fare-paying passengers visit Antarctica by yacht each year. Although the national Antarctic programs cannot regulate yacht tourism – since Antarctica is open to everyone – permits are required and most research stations require advance notice of several weeks or even months for a visit. Visitors on yachts must follow the same rules as those aboard cruise ships; see the IAATO website (www.iaato.org), which also lists additional yachts. Yachting agencies Club Croisiere Pen Duick (www.club-croisiere.com) and Ocean Voyages (www.oceanvoyages.com) manage a number of Antarctic yachts. Evohe (www.evohe.com) A 25m steel ketch that sails with 12 passengers. Golden Fleece (www.goldenfleecexp.co.fk) This 19.5m steel schooner is skippered by Jérôme Poncet, a highly experienced Antarctic yachtsman; IAATO member; eight passengers. Kotick (www.kotick.net) A 15.8m steel sloop; IAATO member; five passengers. Le Sourire (www.lesourire-expeditions.com) A 19.6m aluminum cutter; IAATO member; eight passengers. Northanger (www.northanger.org) A 15.6m steel ketch; four passengers. Ocean Expeditions (www.oceanexpeditions.com) Australis: 23m steel motor sailor, nine passengers; Philos: 14m steel schooner, five passengers; IAATO member. Pelagic Expeditions (www.pelagic.co.uk) Pelagic: 16.5m steel sloop, six passengers; Pelagic Australis: 23m aluminum sloop, 10 passengers; IAATO member. Sarah W Vorwerk (www.sarahvorwerk.net) 16m steel sloop; eight passengers. Seal (www.expeditionsail.com) A 17m aluminum cutter; six passengers. Spirit of Sydney Expeditions (www.spiritofsydney.net) An 18m aluminum cutter; eight passengers; also operates Icebird. IAATO member.
Tiama (www.tiamaexpeditions.com) A 15.2m steel cutter; six passengers. Tooluka (www.tooluka.com) A 14.2m steel sloop; six passengers. Vaihéré (www.vaihere.com) A 23.9m steel schooner; 10 passengers; IAATO member. Xplore (www.xplore-expeditions.com) A 20.4m steel cutter-rigged sloop; eight passengers. Resupply Vessel The 114-passenger French resupply ship Marion Dufresne sails from Réunion to France’s Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (Crozet, Kerguelen, St Paul and Amsterdam Islands), to deliver personnel and provisions to research stations. Guides accompany tourists (about eight to 12 per rotation) on landings; the voyage lasts a month. Fares start at €8670; obtain full details and book with Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (TAAF; www.taaf.fr). SAILING RESOURCES AThe Antarctic Pilot (8th edition; 2014) Britain’s Hydrographer of the Navy; the most comprehensive resource; available from New York Nautical (www.newyorknautical.com) and online. ASailing Directions (Planning Guide & Enroute) for Antarctica (10th edition; 2014) US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (www.nga.mil) ASouthern Ocean Cruising (2007) Sally & Jérôme Poncet; available from Environmental Research & Assessment (www.era.gs) Tours All cruises and packages are guided tours. You can also book through third-party organizations, such as universities, to have particular expert guides. Harvard Museum of Natural History Travel Program (www.hmnh.harvard.edu/travel) Has topnotch guides and small groups. GETTING AROUND Zodiacs, generically known as RIBs (rigid inflatable boats; other name-brands are Naiad, Avon and Polarcirkel), are the backbone of tourist travel once in the Antarctic. These small (nine to 16 passengers) inflatable boats powered by outboard engines have a shallow draft, which is ideal for cruising among icebergs and landing in otherwise inaccessible areas. Zodiacs are very stable in the water, and are designed to stay afloat even if one or more of their six separate air-filled compartments are punctured. Zodiac safety: ANo smoking.
AWear a life jacket. AWet-weather gear is critical, as is a waterproof backpack (or waterproof bag inside the pack), because of the boat’s flying spray. AUse care entering and exiting Zodiacs. ACheck with your driver before standing, and follow all crew instructions. Tour operators can fly inland using small ski planes and helicopters. Check ahead to see what is offered by your operator.
Glossary
Behind the Scenes SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK We love to hear from travellers – your comments keep us on our toes and help make our books better. Our well-travelled team reads every word on what you loved or loathed about this book. Although we cannot reply individually to postal submissions, we always guarantee that your feedback goes straight to the appropriate authors, in time for the next edition. Each person who sends us information is thanked in the next edition – the most useful submissions are rewarded with a selection of digital PDF chapters. Visit lonelyplanet.com/contact to submit your updates and suggestions or to ask for help. Our awardwinning website also features inspirational travel stories, news and discussions. Note: We may edit, reproduce and incorporate your comments in Lonely Planet products such as guidebooks, websites and digital products, so let us know if you don’t want your comments reproduced or your name acknowledged. For a copy of our privacy policy visit lonelyplanet.com/privacy. OUR READERS Many thanks to the travelers who used the last edition and wrote to us with helpful hints, useful advice and interesting anecdotes. WRITERS' THANKS Alexis Averbuck I offer untold gratitude to Diana Laird who inspired me to live on the Ice and always shares her science and friendship unstintingly. Rachel Averbuck reminded me to go – and remains a faithful guide in life's bardos. David Zapol brings intelligence, enthusiasm and humor to all things Antarctic and otherwise. Warren Zapol shared his erudition and hilarious OAE anecdotes, yet again. Meredith Hooper was generous with Antarctica tips and OAE cat names. Thank you to Jenny, Jacob, Carrie, Patti and David for their unfailing support. Amanda Lynnes from IAATO shared their prodigious information. COMNAP provided up-to-date data on the Antarctic research stations. Andrew Lewis from Geoscience Australia helped me sort out the Poles (and, yes, there are more than two). Gratitude, finally, to Peachy Ryan, Lola, Ruthie, Amelia, Oren, Redmond, Eli, Eva, Romy, Elliot, Noah, Timothy and Amias for their constant illumination and inspiration. I dedicate this book to Evelyn Averbuck who inspires me to live my largest life. Cathy Brown I’d like to thank my kiddos for always being supportive as I take off to end-of-the-world destinations, my dad for never missing a chance to make it known how proud of me he is for ending up a travel writer, and Juan and Ignacio of Tierra Turismo for friendship, great wine, Guns and Roses karaoke, asados, magical lupine fields, Tolhuin randomness and basically the best road trip ever helping me to know their beloved
Tierra del Fuego. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Climate map data adapted from Peel MC, Finlayson BL & McMahon TA (2007) ‘Updated World Map of the Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification’, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 11, 163344. Cover photograph: Blue iceberg and chinstrap penguins, Scotia Sea, Mark J Thomas / Getty Images © THIS BOOK This 6th edition of Lonely Planet’s Antarctica guidebook was researched and written by Alexis Averbuck, and Cathy Brown researched the Ushuaia, Argentina section. The previous edition was also written by Alexis, with Carolyn McCarthy researching the Ushuaia, Argentina section. The 4th edition was written by Jeff Rubin, with John Cooper contributing to the wildlife section. This guidebook was produced by the following: Destination Editor MaSovaida Morgan Product Editor Amanda Williamson, Catherine Naghten Senior Cartographer Corey Hutchison Book Designer Mazzy Prinsep Assisting Editor Sarah Bailey, Victoria Harrison, Saralinda Turner Cover Researcher Naomi Parker Thanks to Hannah Cartmell, Liz Heynes Ebook thanks to Andrew Bigger, Ruth Cosgrove, Julie Dodkins, Blazej Hadzik, Craig Kilburn, Chris Love, Wayne Murphy, Jacqui Saunders, John Taufa, Glenn van der Knijff, Yanxiang Wang, Juan Winata.
OUR STORY A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born. Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Franklin, London, Melbourne, Oakland, Beijing and Delhi, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’. OUR WRITERS Alexis Averbuck Antarctica Alexis has travelled and lived all over the world, from Sri Lanka to Ecuador, Zanzibar and Antarctica. In recent years she’s been living on the Greek island of Hydra and exploring her adopted homeland; sampling oysters in Brittany and careening through hill-top villages in Provence; and adventuring along Iceland’s surreal lava fields, sparkling fjords and glacier tongues. A travel writer for over two decades, Alexis has lived in Antarctica for a year, crossed the Pacific by sailboat and written books on her journeys through Asia, Europe and the Americas. She's also a painter – visit www.alexisaverbuck.com – and promotes travel and adventure on video and television. https://auth.lonelyplanet.com/profiles/alexisaverbuck Cathy Brown
Cathy Brown Argentina Cathy is a travel writer (Lonely Planet, OARS, Luxury Latin America) and editor (Matador Network). She lives in the Andes of Argentine Patagonia with her three kids where she hikes, gardens, drinks Malbec, works with medicinal herbs and indigenous cultures, and is building a straw bale house. She's passionate about any adventure travel, which includes surfing, rafting, skiing, climbing, or trekking, and works closely with the Adventure Travel Trade Association. https://auth.lonelyplanet.com/profiles/cathybrown STAY IN TOUCH lonelyplanet.com/contact AUSTRALIA Levels 2 & 3, 551 Swanston St, Carlton, Victoria 3053 %03 8379 8000, fax 03 8379 8111 IRELAND Unit E, Digital Court, Rainsford St, Dublin 8, Ireland USA 124 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607 %510 250 6400, toll free 800 275 8555, fax 510 893 8572 UK 240 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8NW %020 3771 5100, fax 020 3771 5101 twitter.com/lonelyplanet facebook.com/lonelyplanet instagram.com/lonelyplanet youtube.com/lonelyplanet lonelyplanet.com/newsletter Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd ABN 36 005 607 983
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