Polar and Expedition Destinations

What connects the polar and expedition destinations on TalkTravel?

Antarctica and its offshore Antarctic Peninsula form the southern cluster: uninhabited cruise destinations, governed under the Antarctic Treaty. The Arctic here is the comparison page for four northern gateways — Svalbard, Greenland, Alaska, and the Canadian Arctic with its own page.

Four British Overseas Territories in the middle of the South Atlantic form the third cluster: Ascension, St Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and Tristan da Cunha. Each has its own, often restrictive entry regime, unrelated to the neighboring territories.

What all eight share is what sets them apart from an ordinary long-haul trip: no resort hotels, no continuous flight network, but instead an expedition ship or a rare scheduled flight, booked months in advance. TalkTravel covers this world region despite the small number of travelers: Antarctica cruises counted around 113,500 guests in 2025/26 according to IAATO, while the four South Atlantic territories together have barely more residents than a large cruise ship carries passengers.

One pattern shapes the whole world region: the Antarctica season of November to March falls in the Southern Hemisphere summer, while the Arctic season of June to September falls in the Northern Hemisphere summer — anyone wanting to see both poles needs two separate trips, roughly half a year apart.

Sources: International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) · International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO)

How do Antarctica, the Arctic and the South Atlantic territories differ?

Antarctica and the Arctic lie in opposite halves of the year: anyone booking an Antarctica cruise in November sees the Southern Hemisphere's early summer with the first penguin chicks; anyone traveling to the Arctic in November encounters the polar night.

There are also big differences within the four South Atlantic territories: St Helena has its own airport and around 4,400 residents, Tristan da Cunha has no airport and only 222, and South Georgia has no civilian population at all. Ascension combines both extremes with a military airport that only serves the civilian route to St Helena.

Sources: International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) · Adventure Canada · Tristan da Cunha Government · Poseidon Expeditions

Why are the best travel months for the Arctic and Antarctica exactly opposite?

Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula: Southern Hemisphere summer, November to March

From November to March, pack ice retreats far enough to allow Zodiac landings. December and January bring chick season; February and March are considered the best time for whales.

The Arctic and Canadian Arctic: Northern Hemisphere summer, June to September

Longyearbyen has midnight sun from 20 April to 23 August, Resolute Bay from 30 April to 13 August. The Northwest Passage is navigable only from late August to late September because of sea ice, a narrower window than Antarctica's five-month season. Northern lights are best seen between October and April.

Ushuaia and Punta Arenas (southern summer season) and Longyearbyen and Iqaluit (northern summer season) throughout the year

Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station USHUAIA MALVINAS ARGENTINAS (5 km, 22 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station CARLOS IBANEZ DEL CAMPO INTL (18 km, 42 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station LONGYEAR (4 km, 27 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station IQALUIT CLIMATE NU (2 km, 34 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.

The South Atlantic territories: not a weather window, but a flight or ship schedule

St Helena is reachable year-round thanks to the weekly flight. Tristan da Cunha follows around ten ship sailings a year, mostly November to April; South Georgia follows the Antarctica season.

St Helena (Jamestown), Ascension (Georgetown) and South Georgia (Grytviken) throughout the year

Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station ST. HELENA IS. (5 km, 436 m), auf 6 m umgerechnet. Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station ASCENSION AUX AF (5 km, 85 m), auf 3 m umgerechnet. Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station GRYTVIKEN (0 km, 3 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.

For both poles on one trip, only separate planning works: an Antarctica cruise between November and March, an Arctic trip between June and September. That's not a matter of distance but of the calendar.

Sources: International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) · Adventure Canada · Tristan da Cunha Government · Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI)

Which 8 destinations belong to the polar and expedition destinations, and what do they offer?

Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula

Antarctica, at 14.2 million km², is the fifth-largest continent on Earth, with no permanent population and no state: the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 reserves it for peace and science. The Antarctic Peninsula, with its offshore South Shetland Islands, is the actual destination of practically every Antarctica cruise, with landing sites such as the Lemaire Channel and Paradise Harbour and colonies of thousands of penguins packed into a small area.

The Arctic: the comparison page for four northern gateways

On TalkTravel, the Arctic is not a single destination but a comparison page for four gateways to the Arctic Ocean: Svalbard from mainland Norway, Greenland with the icebergs of Ilulissat, Alaska with the only continuously drivable road to the Arctic Ocean, and the Canadian Arctic with the Northwest Passage. It is classified as a subregion, not as a standalone destination.

The Canadian Arctic: Nunavut with an Inuit majority

The Canadian Arctic is practically identical to Nunavut, a territory founded on 1 April 1999 with around 43,000 residents across 1.84 million km², of whom 84.3% are Inuit. Travelers come for the Northwest Passage, where John Franklin's expedition failed in 1845 and which Roald Amundsen only fully navigated between 1903 and 1906, and for the northern lights over the tundra.

Four British territories in the South Atlantic

Ascension is an 88 km² volcanic island that has never had a native population, with around 800 contract employees from the military and administration. St Helena, 122 km² in size, was Napoleon's final exile and has around 4,400 residents, the "Saints." South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands have no permanent civilian population, but over 100,000 breeding pairs of king penguins and the grave of Ernest Shackleton. Tristan da Cunha, with 222 residents, is considered the most remote inhabited island in the world.

Sources: International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) · Adventure Canada · Tristan da Cunha Government · Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) · Ascension Island Government

What types of trips are available for the polar and expedition destinations?

Expedition cruise: the dominant type of trip

The classic ten- to twelve-day cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula from Ushuaia is by far the most-booked trip type in this world region; it combines Zodiac landings, lectures from polar experts, and landings at penguin colonies. In the north, smaller expedition ships around Svalbard and Greenland play a similar role, coordinated through the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) rather than through IAATO.

Fly-cruise: skipping the Drake Passage

Anyone wanting to avoid the often rough two-day crossing of the Drake Passage flies from Punta Arenas in around two hours directly to the research station on King George Island and boards an expedition ship there; an eight-day package costs from around US$ 13,795 per person. There is no comparable fly-cruise option for the Arctic, because there is no single short strait like the Drake Passage standing in the way.

The rare land trip: Canadian Arctic by air

Of the eight destinations, only the Canadian Arctic can also be visited without a ship: Canadian North flies from Ottawa to Iqaluit, from where smaller regional flights continue on to Inuit communities such as Pond Inlet. Such land trips combine northern lights stays between October and April with cultural and hiking programs, without the logistical effort of a ship voyage.

Pure ship travel with no flight option: Tristan da Cunha and South Georgia

Because of the steep terrain, Tristan da Cunha has practically no chance of its own airport; its only connections are the fishing supply vessels MV Lance and MFV Edinburgh, each carrying at most 12 passengers, plus the larger SA Agulhas II once a year. South Georgia likewise has no airport and is reachable only by expedition ship or sailing yacht, on a route registered in advance with the GSGSSI government.

Ascension and St Helena fall in between: St Helena has had its own scheduled flight since October 2017, while Ascension only has the one civilian connecting flight from there, and larger cruise ships call at both islands only occasionally, due to the lack of sheltered harbors.

Sources: Adventure Canada · Antarctica21 · Tristan da Cunha Government · Wikipedia · Canadian North

Which routes connect several polar and expedition destinations on one trip?

Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula: the classic three-stop combination

On the way from Ushuaia or Punta Arenas to the Antarctic Peninsula, expedition ships usually first connect the Falkland Islands and then South Georgia; the Falkland Islands themselves belong to the South America world region but are the usual first leg. Operators such as Poseidon Expeditions sell the 21- to 23-day combination for the low season from around US$ 17,195 per person.

St Helena and Ascension: the only flight combination

Airlink connects St Helena and Ascension once a month with a civilian connecting flight; the Ascension leg is booked separately through the finance department of the Ascension government. It is the only direct, plannable connection between two of the four South Atlantic territories.

The great Atlantic crossing: Cape Town, Tristan da Cunha, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula

A handful of expedition ships cover a roughly 24-day route between Cape Town and Ushuaia each year, connecting up to four of the eight destinations: via Tristan da Cunha and the uninhabited island of Gough to South Georgia and on to the Antarctic Peninsula. A reverse version connects the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha and Gough on the way from Puerto Williams to Cape Town.

What can't be combined: the Arctic and Antarctica on one trip

Because the Antarctica and Arctic seasons never overlap in any month, no operator offers a trip through both regions. Within the Arctic, however, Northwest Passage cruises do connect Greenland with the Canadian Arctic, usually between Nuuk and Resolute Bay.

Sources: Poseidon Expeditions · Apex Expeditions · St Helena Tourism · Adventure Canada

Which gateway cities do you travel through to reach the polar and expedition destinations?

Daily scheduled flights from Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile serve Ushuaia and Punta Arenas. Iqaluit is served exclusively by Canadian North from Ottawa.

For the four South Atlantic territories, Cape Town is the pivot point: all ships to Tristan da Cunha depart from there, and most South Georgia combination routes begin or end here. St Helena is reached only via Johannesburg with Airlink.

No route can be planned with a fixed flight time from a particular departure airport: each gateway city is reached via different hubs depending on the starting point.

Sources: Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Canadian North · Tristan da Cunha Government · St Helena Tourism

What applies to entry, permits and health in the polar and expedition destinations?

Antarctica and the Arctic: no visa of their own, but an operator rulebook

There is no dedicated visa for Antarctica; in practice you enter via Argentina or Chile, where the usual rules for Swiss, German and Austrian nationals apply. Instead, the operator's IAATO membership governs landing caps of at most 100 guests per site. In the Arctic, a different regime applies per gateway; Canada, for instance, requires an eTA for the Canadian Arctic, costing 7 Canadian dollars.

Permits in the South Atlantic

Different rules apply to other nationalities; the relevant island administration is the authoritative source.

Health: isolation rather than mandatory vaccinations

None of the eight destinations requires a mandatory vaccination; the CDC additionally recommends hepatitis A and B for the South Atlantic territories. The real risk is isolation: South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha have no emergency services, and medical care is available only on board the ship. That's why IAATO operators and the government of South Georgia explicitly require evacuation insurance.

Sources: International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) · Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) · Ascension Island Government · St Helena Tourism · Tristan da Cunha Government · CDC Travelers' Health

Why are trips to the polar and expedition destinations so expensive?

Why these trips are so expensive

Antarctica and Arctic cruises run on specialized ice-strengthened ships, whose construction and operation cost several times more per passenger berth than an ordinary cruise ship, while IAATO rules allow at most 100 landing guests per site. This small passenger capacity keeps supply tight and prices high, regardless of cabin category.

For the four South Atlantic territories, it's not comfort but the rarity of the connection that drives up costs: Tristan da Cunha has only around ten ship sailings a year, and South Georgia has no scheduled flight at all. Anyone who gets one of the few spots is paying for scarcity; permit fees of £40 to £250 come on top.

Payment is usually made in advance in US dollars or euros, with expenses on board charged to a shipboard account. In the South Atlantic territories, a pound pegged to the British pound serves as the local currency, with almost no ATM infrastructure.

Sources: International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) · Antarctica21 · Poseidon Expeditions · Adventure Canada · Poseidon Expeditions · Tristan da Cunha Government

What cultures shape the polar and expedition destinations?

Antarctica: a history of science rather than everyday culture

Antarctica has no indigenous population; its history is that of the "Heroic Age" of polar exploration between 1897 and 1922, with names such as Shackleton, Scott and Amundsen. In the southern summer, an estimated 5,100 researchers work there, and around 1,300 in winter — the continent's only "population," temporary and without families.

The Arctic: an Inuit majority rather than a minority

In the Canadian Arctic, Inuit culture is the majority, not a minority: 84.3% of Nunavut's population is Inuit, and Inuktitut is an official language alongside English and French. Something similar applies to Greenland on the Arctic comparison page, with around 89.5% Kalaallit; only Svalbard has no indigenous population of its own.

Four tiny communities in the South Atlantic

St Helena is home to around 4,400 "Saints" with roots in Britain, West Africa, India and China. Tristan da Cunha has only 222 people, spread across twelve family names, led by Swain and Green. Practically no one lives permanently on Ascension; around 800 contract employees shape daily life around the military and administration.

South Georgia is the only one of the eight destinations with no civilian population: in 1904, Carl Anton Larsen founded the first whaling station in Grytviken, which closed in 1966. What remains are abandoned station buildings, Ernest Shackleton's grave, and one of the largest king penguin colonies on Earth.

Sources: Antarctic Treaty Secretariat · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria · Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI)

Worth combining

• Antarctica
• Antarctic Peninsula
• Arctic
• Canadian Arctic
• Ascension Island
• Saint Helena
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
• Tristan da Cunha