Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions

GENERAL GUIDANCE

What is your cancellation policy related to COVID-19?
As of the 2022-23 season, ALE is reverting to our standard Terms & Conditions. This means that our normal cancellation and refund policies apply. We strongly recommend that you take out trip cancellation insurance that includes COVID-19 coverage, to cover all eventualities.

What is ALE doing about COVID-19?
As countries around the world adjust to living with COVID-19, we have updated our COVID procedures to align with current best practices. Our updated procedures: recognize the role of vaccination and mask wearing in reducing health risks, respect regulations applicable to Antarctica and to the countries in which we operate, use pre-departure tests to minimize the risk of bringing COVID-19 into our operations and Antarctica, and respect individual choices around other precautionary measures.  Read More

Do I need to be vaccinated to book an ALE Experience?
Yes – ALE requires all travelers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19* to travel to Antarctica. Read More

Does it matter what vaccine I have?
You may have any WHO-authorized COVID-19 vaccine.

What if I do not fully complete my course of vaccination (i.e. I only received the first dose)?
Unfortunately, you will not have met our vaccination requirements and will not be able to travel to Antarctica with ALE.

What proof of vaccination will you accept?
You will need to provide a certificate from your vaccination provider. This must include the following:

Your name
Name of vaccine
Date of vaccination doses
Name of healthcare professional or vaccination provider

What can I do to reduce the risk to myself?
It makes sense to reduce your risk of infection by always following good hygiene practices, in particular:

Avoiding unnecessary close-contact
Mask wearing in close-contact situations,
Frequent hand sanitizing

BEFORE DEPARTING HOME COUNTRY

Will I need a negative COVID-19 test before departure from my home country?
ALE does not require you to take a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or antigen test before departing from home but airlines or countries on your flight route may require it. Check international travel requirements carefully, to ensure you meet any requirements.

What happens if I test positive before departure from my home country?
Please contact the ALE office as soon as possible. You may not be able to travel internationally.

Do I need to be vaccinated to travel to or within Chile?
Chile has its own vaccination requirements, separate from those of ALE. Where vaccination is required, certificates must be validated in advance, through an online portal, mevacuno.gob.cl. Once validated, a Chilean ‘Mobility Pass’ is issued. We recommend you apply for a Mobility Pass before leaving home. Read More


Where can I find out about the current COVID situation in Chile and the requirements for travel to/from Chile?
You can check your country’s COVID-19 information center or Chilean embassy website. Once you are in Punta Arenas, our staff will help you comply with any local requirements. Additionally, the following Chilean government websites have current information:

https://chile.travel/en/traveltochileplan (Spanish/English/Portuguese)
https://www.gob.cl/pasoapaso/  (in Spanish)
https://www.minsal.cl/ (in Spanish)
* * Travel requirements are subject to change and vary by country. It is your responsibility to investigate and know the requirements of your home and transit countries for both departure and return. The IATA travel center and some airline websites provide guidance. ** 

PUNTA ARENAS, CHILE

What precautions do you recommend while traveling to Chile?
Lingering effects from COVID-19 are causing international travel disruptions, including long airport line ups, canceled and delayed flights, and lost luggage. We recommend taking the most direct route and allowing plenty of time in your itinerary for these eventualities. Consider hand carrying necessary items and putting an air tag in your checked luggage to help track it, if it gets lost.

Will ALE require me to quarantine?
No – ALE will not require you to have a period of quarantine in Punta Arenas before departing for Antarctica. However, Chilean or Antarctic regulations may require a period of quarantine.

What precautions do you recommend while I am in Punta Arenas?
For the safety of all guests, you are expected to take reasonable measures to reduce your risk of exposure to COVID-19 while in Punta Arenas. You are also expected to follow all local health regulations. If you test positive in Punta Arenas, then you will not be permitted to board the flight to Antarctica.

Will ALE be testing for COVID-19 in Punta Arenas?
Yes – ALE’s testing in Punta Arenas is a key element of our COVID-19 management strategy, to reduce the likelihood of an infected person traveling to Antarctica. Read More

If I'm vaccinated, do I still need to get tested?
Yes – Testing is a key part of our COVID strategy, to reduce the likelihood of an infected person traveling to Antarctica. Read More

Why do I need so many days of testing before traveling to Antarctica?
The average incubation period of the omicron variant of COVID-19 is between 3-5 days. Sequential testing over several days in Punta Arenas gives us the best chance of picking up an infection acquired shortly before leaving home or in transit to Antarctica.

What happens if I test positive in Punta Arenas?
Participation in your Experience depends on negative testing. If you test positive, you will not be allowed to board your ALE flight to Antarctica. In addition we will follow all local regulations on contact tracing

What if I don't want to be tested or miss a test?
If you do not complete ALE’s testing process, you will not be permitted to board any ALE flight.

Where can I get a COVID-19 test before I fly home?
These labs provide COVID-19 testing in Punta Arenas and Santiago.

ANTARCTICA

What is ALE doing to protect me from COVID in Antarctica?
Mandatory vaccination and pre-departure screening should reduce the likelihood of a COVID-19 positive individual getting to Antarctica. This will allow us to use a balanced approach, employing common-sense measures without onerous requirements. Read More

Will ALE be doing any testing in Antarctica?
ALE will not be doing any routine testing in Antarctica but tests will be administered, where clinically indicated, to persons experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

Will ALE have testing facilities at remote camps?
Yes – ALE will have the ability to test for COVID-19 at Union Glacier and all of our remote camps.

Will I have to wear a mask?
No – You will not be required to wear a mask, but we highly recommend you do so in closed spaces where close contact cannot be avoided. Staff will wear masks in these situations. To be effective, masks must be worn properly at all times, covering both your mouth and nose.

Will I have to share a sleeping tent?
Yes – All of our Antarctic accommodations are dual occupancy.

What if I do not feel well in Antarctica?
Tell any staff member immediately if you feel unwell. They will refer you to our medics, who will make an assessment, test you for COVID-19 if clinically indicated, and decide on any necessary treatment.

Does ALE still plan for the season to be fun and an experience of a lifetime?
Yes! ALE believes the 2022 season will be one for the books, filled with all the exciting, adventurous, and awe-inspiring experiences that are part of a visit to Antarctica.

As a founding member of International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), we are committed to sustainable Antarctic tourism.
 
ANTARCTIC TREATY & US LEGISLATION
Antarctica is protected under the Antarctic Treaty, as a natural reserve dedicated to peace and science. ALE operations are planned and conducted so as to have no more than a minor or transitory impact on the Antarctic environment. Our operations comply with the Antarctic Conservation Act which formalizes US adherence to Antarctic Treaty and Protocol requirements and as a US company, we are bound by US legislation governing Antarctic activities.
All ALE operations meet the requirements of Article 8 and Annex I of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty and the provisions of U.S. 40 CFR Part 8, “Environmental Impact Assessment of Non-governmental Activities in Antarctica; Final Rule”.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS & PERMITS
All proposed Antarctic activities must undergo an environmental impact assessment. ALE holds a multi-year Initial Environmental Evaluation assessed by the US Environmental Protection Agency and a Waste Management Permit issued by the NSF Office of Polar Programs. Each year we submit annual Advance Notification to the US Department of State.
All visitors to Antarctica are required to have authority from a relevant government. Guests on ALE experiences are fully covered by our authorities and permits. Some governments require their citizens to inform them of their trip to Antarctica. We will let you know if yours is one of those governments.
Some of the expeditions and projects that we support will need to have their own permit because they are on a route or undertaking an activity that is not covered by ALE’s environmental documentations. We will help to guide you through the process, should your expedition require its own permit.

VISITOR GUIDELINES
Our guests play a crucial role in helping us care for the Antarctic environment. Visitor Guidelines provide practical steps to help each traveler minimize his/her impact.

BIOSECURITY
Non-native species are one of several major threats to biodiversity – globally and in the Antarctic. ALE takes biosecurity seriously, making every effort to prevent the introduction of non-native species.
We ask all visitors to clean their equipment thoroughly before travelling and follow the guidelines outlined below:

• Don’t Pack a Pest
• Biosecurity Equipment Cleaning Guidelines

All groups providing their own food, cargo, crates, store rooms, shipping containers, vehicles, and aircraft are required to follow best practices for vehicle cleaning, food importation into Chile, aircraft disinfection, and cargo handling, as outlined in:

• COMNAP-SCAR Non-native Species Checklists Poster

REDUCING OUR FOOTPRINT

• Our camp is solar powered and sleeping tents are passively heated by the 24-hour sunlight
• Gray (waste) water is minimized through the use of sanitizing hand gel and sponge bathing at our camps
• Spill mats and specially designed, sled-mounted fueling stations prevent accidental snow contamination when refueling vehicles and aircraft
• Visitors can help us reduce waste by following IAATO’s Waste Reduction Guidelines

WASTE REMOVAL

• All garbage is removed from Antarctica. Nothing is burned. Nothing is buried
• Empty fuel drums are recovered and removed from Antarctica
• All human waste – urine and feces – is removed from Union Glacier Camp for appropriate disposal in Chile
• Where practicable solid human waste is removed from field camps, including at Mount Vinson and within one degree of the South Pole
• Gray water is strained before disposal in designated sites
• We currently re-cycle cardboard, paper, tin and aluminum cans, other metals and some plastics. We continue to explore new re-cycling opportunities in Punta Arenas, Chile

WILDLIFE PROTECTION

• Equipment is cleaned prior to departure for Antarctica to prevent the accidental introduction of diseases or alien species
• All poultry products are certified by the Chilean agricultural service to be free of Newcastle’s Disease
• We follow established aircraft and Emperor Penguin Colony Visitor Guidelines to minimize our impact when visiting emperor penguin colonies

MOUNT VINSON

• We work closely with guides and climbers to keep Mount Vinson pristine
• ALE Vinson Rangers manage base camp and oversee activities on the mountain
• All garbage, leftover food and fuel are removed from the mountain
• Toilet facilities are provided at Vinson Base Camp. Solid human waste is flown to Union Glacier Camp for removal from Antarctica
• Climbers bag and pack out solid human waste from the mountain and use designated urine/gray water sites at intermediate camps
• All climbers are required to follow our Vinson Waste Guidelines.