So you’ve decided to visit the most remote continent on Earth – congratulations, you’ve made the best decision of your life! But how do you prepare and pack to visit such a cold wilderness? Never fear, below is my tried and tested complete packing list to keep you warm and prepped for the epic adventure you’re about to embark on.
What to wear in Antarctica
Despite its reputation as having one of the harshest conditions on Earth, there is no need to stress about what to wear. This is because One Ocean Expeditions (and most good operators) will provide the high quality insulated outerwear needed for the weather. You only need to pack sensible warm clothes to layer underneath.
For my 11-day cruise I packed:
- Sunglasses
- Beanie
- Insulated good quality gloves
- Fleece jacket
- 5 x long sleeve tops
- 10 x warm socks
- Jeans thermal
- 3 x tights (to layer under my jeans)
- Thermal singlet (for under my top and fleece jacket)
- Comfortable hoodie for around the boat
- Boots (that I wore hiking in Patagonia). Keep in mind you will not wear your shoes off the boat and are provided with proper gumboots that are thoroughly cleaned each departure to avoid interference with the ecosystem.
How cold does it get in Antarctica? While I was there it did not fall under -10, but it has been reported dropping to -20 in summer. One Ocean Expeditions provides high-quality equipment made specifically for these conditions. This was another criteria I looked for when choosing my Antartica cruise as I did not want to have to purchase these items myself.
Included in price:
- Waterproof bib pants
- Waterproof insulated jacket
- Gumboots
- Walking poles
- Binoculars
What I looked like off the boat in Antarctica
On your first day on the boat you’ll be given a full briefing on all the equipment you’ll be using and how to properly wear all the gear they provide.
There are a few miscellaneous items to pack:
- Swimwear for if you take the polar plunge
- Dry bag for if you go kayaking
- Passport (the cruise company organizes your visa in advance)
- Toiletries
…and, of course, a penguin suit (optional I guess 😂)
Electronics to bring to Antarctica
So you’ve got all your clothes sorted – now its time to pack your camera gear! It’s so important to capture this once in a lifetime experience so make sure you’ll well equipt to shoot it all. I brought with me:
- Canon 60D (a DSLR is a must, shoot in RAW)
- Remote shutter release
- 18 to 55 and 50 to 200mm lens
- 2 TB Lacie rugged hard drive
- Extra batteries for the camera (they drain way faster in the intense cold)
- Extra SD cards
- GoPro and GoPro selfie stick
- Tripod
- iPhone 6 (Lifeproof case)
- Laptop although there were Macbooks onboard
I was 6-months into backpacking full-time by the time I departed for Antarctica and was living out of a 15kg backpack. I was so surprised that with layering, I actually didn’t need to buy extra clothes or gear for this trip. Definitely keep this in mind when you’re trying to visit Antarctica for as cheap as possible.
If you have any questions about my time in Antarctica, feel free to comment below or send me a message on Instagram.