Antarctica
- Two ways in: by air, or by sea through the Drake Passage
Travel to Antarctica is at an all-time high, but the crowded Antarctic Peninsula—reachable from Argentina in two days—is no longer the only option. East Antarctica, accessed from Australia or New Zealand, offers something closer to what the heroic-age explorers found: fewer ships, towering tabular icebergs, and the best chance to see emperor penguins.
Aurora Expeditions’ purpose-built vessel, the Douglas Mawson, made its maiden voyage in December 2025, departing from Hobart on itineraries that retrace Sir Douglas Mawson’s 1911 expedition. A particularly exciting opportunity is Scenic Tours’ Ross Sea voyage in January 2026, bringing polar explorer Robert Swan aboard as a lecturer. This adventurous journey takes about a week each way and is not without its thrills, transitioning from open ocean to pack ice and navigating the impressive 160-foot walls of the Ross Ice Shelf, which rise dramatically from the cobalt depths below.
Shore excursions offer a wide variety of sights, including Cape Adare, home to a staggering 330,000 breeding pairs of Adélie penguins. Visitors can also explore the preserved huts of renowned explorers like Shackleton, Scott, and Mawson, now transformed into open-air museums that pay homage to the heroic age of Antarctic exploration.
For those who’d rather skip the Drake Passage altogether, White Desert offers a unique travel option, flying guests from Cape Town to a private blue-ice runway in Queen Maud Land. Three exclusive camps—Whichaway, Echo, and Wolf’s Fang—accommodate just 12 guests each. Rates for this luxurious experience start at around $70,000 for eight days, which also includes exhilarating activities like South Pole flights, ice climbing, and even champagne in a glacier bar. With fewer than 500 people visiting the Pole annually, this is not just a trip; it’s a rare experience that affords a glimpse into one of the planet’s last frontiers.