After traveling to Antarctica in early January, here’s my take on what I would pack and what I would leave behind on my next trip.
An Antarctica voyage is a once-in-a-lifetime trip and an extremely remote one at that. Packing for such an excursion can be daunting, even for seasoned travelers. While preparing for our trip in early January 2024, I found the list we were provided by the expedition helpful and I would recommend you consult it first.
Pro Tip: if you have to purchase new gear, REI is my favorite place to do so. For our trip, I only removed the tags if I ended up wearing or using an item, so at the end of our trip, I could return any new, unused gear. This allowed me to pack a few extra items in case the weather was colder than expected, but not incur the financial cost if I didn’t need them. For additional context, the weather for our expedition was primarily in the 30s, and our trip provided hooded parkas with a down jacket lining.
An Antarctica voyage is a once-in-a-lifetime trip and an extremely remote one at that. Packing for such an excursion can be daunting, even for seasoned travelers. While preparing for our trip in early January 2024, I found the list we were provided by the expedition helpful and I would recommend you consult it first.
Pro Tip: if you have to purchase new gear, REI is my favorite place to do so. For our trip, I only removed the tags if I ended up wearing or using an item, so at the end of our trip, I could return any new, unused gear. This allowed me to pack a few extra items in case the weather was colder than expected, but not incur the financial cost if I didn’t need them. For additional context, the weather for our expedition was primarily in the 30s, and our trip provided hooded parkas with a down jacket lining.
TO PACK
(aka - do not leave home without!)
1. Waterproof and Buoyant Cell Phone Case
While we spent some time on land each day while we were in Antarctica, we also spent a lot of time on the water. We were shuttled from the ship to land on Zodiacs and often half of the daily itinerary included a guided Zodiac ride through the ice fields search for wildlife and soaking up the vast landscapes. Some of my favorite photos were taken on my cell phone while out on the water. One way to feel confident pulling out your phone with gloves while out on the unpredictable open water is to have a waterproof and buoyant cell phone case. I packed this one from Amazon and cannot tell the difference between the photos I took with or without the case.
2. Dry Bag
For the same reasons I used a waterproof and buoyant cell phone case, I used a dry bag for our daily excursions. It kept our extra layers and digital camera secured while zooming around on Zodiacs or during wet landings. The 35L bag was the perfect size and doubled as my carry-on. My choice of dry bag was confirmed when one of our naturalist leaders was spotted using the same one.
3. Medicine Pouch
Many people travel with a bag containing their prescriptions and their preferred over-the-counter medication regularly, but I confess that I did not do this myself until my trip to Antarctica. The availability of medications (certainly prescription medications!) is limited to what the onboard physician has in their office. In order to avoid making an appointment for minor seasickness, congestion, aches, and upset stomachs, a stash of your favorite over-the-counter medications in pill form turned out to be a huge convenience.
4. Buff/Neck Gaiter
Of all the cold-weather accessories I brought with me, I was most grateful for the buff I purchased at REI. Also known as a neck gaiter, the fleece part of this one did an excellent job at keeping my neck warm and the top section was used to cover my head and ears under my hat for extra warmth. The combination of the wicking and fleece material meant it dried quickly and I did not overheat.
5. Swimsuit
Yes, a swimsuit. One of the highlights of our expedition was the opportunity to participate in the polar plunge. As it sounds, it consists of a jump into the below-freezing Antarctic waters. Before you say you would NEVER do it, you will want the option to do it and you do not want to have to do it in gym clothes (though you can). Also, some ships will have a sauna or hot tub which can be used on sea days and it does not take up much room in your suitcase.
6. Slip On Sneakers
This is an item that I wish I had brought on my cruise. The ideal shoe for the ship is one that you can take on and off easily and is nonslip for walking on deck. When the captain or expedition leader announced the presence of wildlife around the ship or when changing out of the waterproof boots in the small confines of the mudroom, tying shoelaces quickly became a hassle.
While we spent some time on land each day while we were in Antarctica, we also spent a lot of time on the water. We were shuttled from the ship to land on Zodiacs and often half of the daily itinerary included a guided Zodiac ride through the ice fields search for wildlife and soaking up the vast landscapes. Some of my favorite photos were taken on my cell phone while out on the water. One way to feel confident pulling out your phone with gloves while out on the unpredictable open water is to have a waterproof and buoyant cell phone case. I packed this one from Amazon and cannot tell the difference between the photos I took with or without the case.
2. Dry Bag
For the same reasons I used a waterproof and buoyant cell phone case, I used a dry bag for our daily excursions. It kept our extra layers and digital camera secured while zooming around on Zodiacs or during wet landings. The 35L bag was the perfect size and doubled as my carry-on. My choice of dry bag was confirmed when one of our naturalist leaders was spotted using the same one.
3. Medicine Pouch
Many people travel with a bag containing their prescriptions and their preferred over-the-counter medication regularly, but I confess that I did not do this myself until my trip to Antarctica. The availability of medications (certainly prescription medications!) is limited to what the onboard physician has in their office. In order to avoid making an appointment for minor seasickness, congestion, aches, and upset stomachs, a stash of your favorite over-the-counter medications in pill form turned out to be a huge convenience.
4. Buff/Neck Gaiter
Of all the cold-weather accessories I brought with me, I was most grateful for the buff I purchased at REI. Also known as a neck gaiter, the fleece part of this one did an excellent job at keeping my neck warm and the top section was used to cover my head and ears under my hat for extra warmth. The combination of the wicking and fleece material meant it dried quickly and I did not overheat.
5. Swimsuit
Yes, a swimsuit. One of the highlights of our expedition was the opportunity to participate in the polar plunge. As it sounds, it consists of a jump into the below-freezing Antarctic waters. Before you say you would NEVER do it, you will want the option to do it and you do not want to have to do it in gym clothes (though you can). Also, some ships will have a sauna or hot tub which can be used on sea days and it does not take up much room in your suitcase.
6. Slip On Sneakers
This is an item that I wish I had brought on my cruise. The ideal shoe for the ship is one that you can take on and off easily and is nonslip for walking on deck. When the captain or expedition leader announced the presence of wildlife around the ship or when changing out of the waterproof boots in the small confines of the mudroom, tying shoelaces quickly became a hassle.
TO LEAVE BEHIND
(aka pack these last!)
1. Silk Sock & Glove Liners
Silk sock and glove liners were recommended items on our cruise packing list and I did pack them because they do not take up much space. However, I left the tags on and ended up returning them at the end of our trip. The reality was that my feet and hands did not get that cold because the weather hovered right around freezing temperatures. In fact, it was colder in some parts of the US than it was in Antarctica. My wool socks and gloves were more than enough to keep me warm. I would pack my rechargeable hand warmers and leave the liners behind on the next trip.
2. Hiking Poles
Hiking poles sounded like a reasonable item to pack or rent given the expected terrain of Antarctica (i.e. ice). However, this was another item that I did not use. We stuck to the “medium” hikes offered and did not have any issues with our footing on any of the trails. Another caveat is that I do not hike very often and have never used hiking poles. Also, our ship ended up having some available that we could use if it had been strongly recommended by our expedition leader (it never was!).
3. Wool Thermal Underwear
The cruise recommended that we bring at least two pairs of wool thermal underwear as a base layer. As previously mentioned, it was not very cold in early January. Wool thermal underwear can be expensive ($140 per pair), so buying two pairs can seem excessive if you otherwise live in a moderate climate. If I were packing for another trip, I would bring one pair of wool thermal long underwear and one polyblend pair.
4. Gym Clothes
An Antarctica cruise is the perfect place to rock your finest athleisure. However, packing separate gym clothes was unnecessary on our cruise. Between two daily excursions, naturalist presentations, and the scenery and wildlife the gym quickly became an afterthought. Antarctica is a once-in-a-lifetime trip and, with packing capacity at a premium, specific clothing for the gym can be left at home.
Silk sock and glove liners were recommended items on our cruise packing list and I did pack them because they do not take up much space. However, I left the tags on and ended up returning them at the end of our trip. The reality was that my feet and hands did not get that cold because the weather hovered right around freezing temperatures. In fact, it was colder in some parts of the US than it was in Antarctica. My wool socks and gloves were more than enough to keep me warm. I would pack my rechargeable hand warmers and leave the liners behind on the next trip.
2. Hiking Poles
Hiking poles sounded like a reasonable item to pack or rent given the expected terrain of Antarctica (i.e. ice). However, this was another item that I did not use. We stuck to the “medium” hikes offered and did not have any issues with our footing on any of the trails. Another caveat is that I do not hike very often and have never used hiking poles. Also, our ship ended up having some available that we could use if it had been strongly recommended by our expedition leader (it never was!).
3. Wool Thermal Underwear
The cruise recommended that we bring at least two pairs of wool thermal underwear as a base layer. As previously mentioned, it was not very cold in early January. Wool thermal underwear can be expensive ($140 per pair), so buying two pairs can seem excessive if you otherwise live in a moderate climate. If I were packing for another trip, I would bring one pair of wool thermal long underwear and one polyblend pair.
4. Gym Clothes
An Antarctica cruise is the perfect place to rock your finest athleisure. However, packing separate gym clothes was unnecessary on our cruise. Between two daily excursions, naturalist presentations, and the scenery and wildlife the gym quickly became an afterthought. Antarctica is a once-in-a-lifetime trip and, with packing capacity at a premium, specific clothing for the gym can be left at home.
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