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Going to Antarctica? Top Tips on What to Pack for a Stress Free Trip
There is no doubt about it, packing for a trip to Antarctica is quite a challenge. If you are taking a charter flight from Punta Arenas, it becomes evermore difficult as you will be restricted to:
- 1 one carry-on measuring 55cm x 35cm x 25cm not to exceed 8 kgs.
- 1 checked bag not to exceed 23 kgs.
- 1 small personal bag/purse/laptop bag
It is definitely a case of Pack Light, Pack Right!
It helped me considerably that Silversea provided a complimentary waterproof insulated hooded parka which was perfectly designed to withstand the demands of the trip. Make sure you leave enough room to take it home if you want to keep it after the trip!
A top quality waterproof rucksack big enough to take camera gear and a few essentials for expeditions was also thoughtfully provided.
SILVERSEA - Complimentary Gear for Antarctica Cruises
- A Waterproof Parka
- A Waterproof Rucksack
- Kayak Gear
- Walking Poles – they are always available at zodiac landings.
- A Bathrobe
You are also able to hire insulated rubber BOGS boots which have a good grip – great for wet landings and walking on the ice and snow. Hiring rather than bringing your own frees up a lot of space and means you are certain to keep your feet nice and dry – essential in such an inhospitable climate. Just make sure you get the size right when you order them.
You are able to hire all sorts of other items of kit from the Ship to Shore Traveler, but it is expensive, it takes a while for the deposit to be returned to you after the trip and I really don’t think it is worth it. It is nicer to have your own kit and it doesn’t take up much room or weight allowance.
Packing is always a personal thing, but lived experience is what Love toWander aims to share, so for what they are worth, here are my packing tips.
You won’t need to pack any dressy clothes for formal nights – no-one dresses up on expedition cruises. Men don’t even need to take a jacket. I found a pair of black trousers and a small selection of blouses/tops worked really well for the evenings.
The Essentials
In addition to the complimentary kit and hired boots, this is what I would say is essential gear for a trip to Antarctica.
- Waterproof over trousers with legs that unzip open for getting them over your boots easily
- Sunglasses, sun hat and sunscreen – the Antarctic light is very bright
- Swimsuit(s)
- 2 sets of thermal underwear
- Mid Layers – lightweight technical fabric/fleece tops/trousers. It’s all about layering and a variety of weights are useful for coping with sudden changes in the weather.
- Travel Sickness Precautions – eg travel wristbands/travel sickness pills/patches
- Plenty of socks – you will need to wear a couple of pairs inside your boots and they take time to dry fully after washing
- A buff – eg fleece – to keep your neck warm
- A glasses cord – great for water rafting/kayaking – you really don’t want to lose your glasses/sunglasses!
- A warm hat
- Waterproof insulated fingered gloves
- Photography gloves
- Hiking shoes/boots with a really good grip
- Binoculars
- US dollars – for purchasing souvenirs etc.
- Mosquito Repellent (for Chile)
Glad I Packed
There are a few items that I was really glad I had with me. I wouldn’t label them essential, but they are definitely worth considering:
- Binoculars
- A ‘Phone Sling – great for keeping your ‘phone (I.e. camera) safe on a zodiac.
- Worsted wool sheepskin lined mules, with rubber soles. These were great for slipping on and off easily in the mud room and kept my feet toasty warm on board the ship.
- Thin Fleece Gloves – for warmer days
- Hooded technical fibre long sleeved top with thumb holes – useful for pulling your insulated coat on quickly without riding up the sleeves. The hood was useful with a hat on top and a buff over that to keep my ears warm on very windy days.
- 2 pairs of moisture wicking Patagonia Pack Out leggings. These wash and dry quickly, are easy to pull on and off and have a great pockets on the legs for keeping your phone and cruise card handy.
- https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/product/womens-pack-out-hike-tights/21975.html?dwvar_21975_color=BLK
Photography Gear
If you are a keen photographer, your camera will be a priority – but it takes up a lot of weight and space. Don’t forget:
- A couple of spare batteries as battery life is short in extreme cold and you need to carry a spare with you close to your body to keep it warm. If you have 3 batteries, you can leave one on charge in your suite. The ship on board doesn’t carry large stocks of different makes of camera batteries!
- Spare memory cards
- I found a waterproof strap on camera bag really handy on the zodiacs. Mine is from Wandrd.
- You can hire big lenses on board to save you carrying them – talk to the photographer. It might well be possible to make arrangements for the kit you are interested in and reserve it in advance?
Carrying camera equipment on a zodiac in difficult weather conditions is not easy. Antarctica is very cold – and handling a camera efficiently with cold hands is extremely difficult. I found my iPhone indispensable and frequently chose it over my big camera for ease. The LIVE mode and video mode were very useful and I found them easier to activate than equivalent settings on my camera.
Souvenir I am Glad I Bought
I found a pretty orange hand knitted ear warmer headband in Dalcahue – perfect for keeping the Antarctic chill away later in our trip in Antarctica.
