I consider myself to be a pretty light packer, but planning for Antarctica was a bit daunting. Luckily, living in Montana helped prepare me for the trip as I already owned lots of cold-weather clothing. My goal for the more than two-week-long trip was to bring only a carry on suitcase and a small backpack and I successfully achieved this goal! There are no shops in Antarctica, so if you forget something, you can not just make purchases on the go! Ushuaia, however, is a good town to rent things in and I actually rented a parka, gloves and waterproof pants before boarding the ship. Most ships will give you information on where to rent gear in Ushuaia, and most of these outfitters will deliver gear directly to the ship. This certainly helped lighten the load of my suitcase!
Here are some of the things I brought with me, that I think are important for a warm and comfortable trip:
A few pairs of base layers/long underwear are a must-have! You can wear these as layers under your other gear. They also make great pajamas and are quick dry so you can wash them in your sink and re-wear them!
Polar fleece jackets! I brought three, which was probably too many, but a polar fleece added a nice layer underneath the parka for extra warmth. When it was sunny I took off my parka and was super warm in just this jacket.
Wool or synthetic fiber socks to keep your feet warm! The rubber boots provided by the ship are not very well insulated, so socks provide warmth and extra padding.
A bandana or a Buff for your face and head. I used this when we were making landings to cover my face against wind and also my nose against the smell of the penguins!
Ski goggles to keep out the sun and wind. Sunglasses are good but can fly off your face if it is windy or if you are moving around on the zodiac.
A bathing suit for the polar plunge.
A good camera to take plenty of pictures!
Antarctica was not as cold as I expected, but maybe that is because I am used to living in a colder climate!
Kelly and Rhenee were excellent to work with on planning our trip. The logistics all worked smoothly and everyone was friendly and on time. Our accommodations were very good, particularly the incredible Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine! Our guides on every excursion were outstanding and made the hikes memorable! Overall we had a wonderful trip with incredible memories!
Scott Gibson
1 day ago
Adventure Life is definitely a first-class safari tour company, and our representative was Franny Friesz. First of all, she responded immediately after we contacted Adventure Life. We told Franny that we had never been on a safari, and she was more than eager to offer a mountain of information about the trip. She informed us fully about all the ups, downs, and all arounds! She even prepared a number of packages for us to review -- even after we made changes to the areas we wanted to explore. Friendly, helpful, professional, and extremely knowledgeable -- these words describe Franny, and what a wonderful trip she prepared! We couldn't have asked for better service than Franny of Adventure Life. We HIGHLY recommend her and her outstanding company! Bon Voyage!
Prima Burke
2 days ago
The staff at Adventure Life made planning my family's trip to the Galapagos Islands as easy as possible. They listened to what we were hoping to experience and made thoughtful suggestions about how to accomplish our vacation goals while meeting the needs of travelers ages 17-76! They patiently answered questions and follow up questions in the months leading up to the trip. They helped us trouble shoot and customize the trip in every way possible. The logistics involved in traveling from Boston to the Galapagos are innumerable. The Adventure Life staff helped us arrange every detail and the team they assembled in the Galapagos was tremendous. I have never done a trip this big before and after working with Adventure Life this time--would not hesitate one second in working with them again.
Jennifer Howard Schroeder
3 days ago
Kevin got right on our request and had us booked within the week