‘If you can explain Antarctica, you’ve never been there.’
That was the quote from our captain, Jorn Bowitz, as we set off on our voyage to the White Continent.
Most associate the remote location with early explorers – Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen – or with nature documentaries following the wonderful animals that call it home.
But you really can visit the magical place – the coldest, windiest and driest on Earth – for yourself.
Imagine waking up on a ship surrounded by icebergs, camping in the snowy wilderness and kayaking among the exhalations of humpback whales.
You can also take part in a polar plunge, board small zodiac boats to search for leopard seals and collect samples for science research.
I was lucky enough to be invited by HX Expeditions to take part in its ‘Highlights of Antarctica’ cruise, along with my husband.
And after 10 days at sea I can confirm it really is hard to put the continent’s raw, unfiltered beauty into words – but I’ll give it a good try.
I was lucky enough to be invited on this ‘once–in–a–lifetime’ trip with HX Expeditions. Pictured: The morning I woke up on a ship surrounded by icebergs
Our ship, the MS Fridjof Nansen, is a hybrid–powered, purpose–built expedition vessel with capacity for 530 passengers
This magical place is the coldest, windiest and driest on Earth. And there’s hardly anyone else there!
To get to Antarctica you first have to make your way to Ushuaia, at the southernmost tip of Argentina.
Here, we boarded the MS Fridjof Nansen, a hybrid–powered, purpose–built expedition vessel with capacity for 530 passengers.
From here, it takes around two days at sea before you notice a lone, white peak appearing on the horizon – the first sighting of Antarctica.
These 48 hours involve crossing the notorious Drake Passage, a stretch of ocean that can either be relatively calm – known as the ‘Drake Lake’ – or infamously wavy, known as the ‘Drake Shake’.
While we experienced waves up to 23 feet (seven metres) high – the ‘middle range’ for the passage – there are whispers of previous expeditions battling enormous swells measuring 56 feet (17 metres).
During this time the crew, consisting of experts, researchers and historians, put on a range of lectures that covered the first Antarctic explorers, the wildlife we could expect to see and the excursions on offer.
But despite the anticipation build–up, nothing can prepare you for the first morning waking up surrounded by icebergs.
After days of dark, broody waves we were greeted with a calm sea, peppered with enormous chunks of floating ice boasting an indescribable glacial blue.
Nothing will beat the experience of looking out your window and seeing enormous chunks of ice floating past
It wasn’t not long until the tranquil was disturbed by tiny figures leaping out of the water’s glassy surface – our first sighting of the adorable penguins that live there
These creatures have such a fantastic personality, and you can expect to see plenty of them on the trip
It’s breathtaking, especially when you remember just how far you are from civilisation. It’s the world’s last truly pristine region – a place untouched by man – and it’s a privilege to bear witness to it.
However, it’s not long until the tranquil is disturbed by tiny figures leaping out of the water’s glassy surface – our first sighting of the adorable penguins that live there.
‘Though so much has been written about them, penguins always excite fresh interest in every one who sees them for the first time,’ James Murray, biologist on Shackleton’s expedition, once wrote.
The next few days were a whirlwind of adventure. We took part in ‘cruising’ expeditions, where we boarded small zodiac boats that zipped us around the ice, and ‘landings’, when we took our first steps on Antarctica.
A highlight for me included kayaking around the icebergs – an unforgettable experience that was the most surreal two hours of my life.
We also took part in a polar plunge, which involved stripping down to our swimming costumes and leaping into the frigid sea.
But the most memorable evening had to be when we took boats to a small nearby island, pitched tents and camped for the night. Nothing will ever compare to sleeping on Antarctic snow, listening to the sound of ice carving and the pit–pat of tiny penguin feet.
Guests are also given the option of sleeping in a bivvy – a small, single–person bag that protects you from the cold while allowing you to gaze at the sky.
A highlight for me included kayaking around the icebergs – an unforgettable experience that was the most surreal two hours of my life
Nothing will ever compare to sleeping on Antarctic snow, listening to the sound of ice carving and the pit–pat of tiny penguin feet
We saw plenty of humpback whales on the trip. Pictured: A mother and her calf who spent some time around our ship
In January, when we visited, it doesn’t get truly dark on the frozen continent, allowing us to sit up until the early hours staring in awe at the glacial amphitheatre that surrounded our campsite.
Throughout our five days in Antarctica there were continuous shouts of excitement from other passengers whenever someone spotted a humpback whale from the ship.
Some were even lucky enough to get up close to the gentle giants while out kayaking or on the zodiac boat trips. How to spot them? Listen for their magnificent exhalations as they breach the surface for air.
Aside from the excursions and experiences, the cruise has plenty to offer in terms of science – leaning into the company’s pledge to combine travel with knowledge and adventure with responsibility.
The ship boasts a dedicated science centre filled with curiosities including killer whale skulls, sperm whale teeth, walrus tusks and rock samples.
Guests can book onto a science boat, which involves going out to collect data and phytoplankton samples which contribute to a citizen science program.
They are also encouraged to take part in whale monitoring and seabird surveys, which support international research initiatives.
HX Expeditions, in conjunction with the University of Tasmania, even offers an online Antarctic Course that guests can take part in before their journey.
HX Expeditions has strict rules in place about how many people can take part in a ‘landing’ at once, to prevent overcrowding
Spotting a leopard seal was another highlight, and seeing them in their natural habitat was a privilege
Many guests on–board said they booked the trip to celebrate a retirement or to mark a milestone birthday
‘It makes a completely different experience if guests understand a little bit more about what they’re seeing,’ environmental scientist Dr Jeanne de Lépinay told me.
‘How did this glacier form? How is it evolving? What is this penguin doing? It makes a vast difference to know these things – and that’s what most of our guests are coming for.’
Antarctic expeditions, which start at £7,974, are obviously not cheap. I’m keenly aware of how lucky we are to have been invited on this incredible trip.
But I truly believe it’s worth considering as a special holiday – whether it’s to celebrate an occasion, for a honeymoon, or something that you spend years saving up for.
Other guests said they booked the expedition to mark a retirement, to tick off their seventh continent or after receiving a bonus at work.
One couple even got engaged on the Antarctic ice, while others said they were ‘getting old’ and wanted to go on an adventure while they were still in good enough health.
Whatever their reason for coming, every single person left this alien place completely awestruck.
The two days that it took to navigate back through the Drake passage were filled with story swapping and reflections on a once–in–a–lifetime expedition.
The Zodiac boats allow guests to get up close to the local wildlife, while maintaining strict rules about distance
Throughout our five days in Antarctica there were continuous shouts of excitement from other passengers whenever someone spotted a humpback whale
The ship boasts a dedicated science centre filled with curiosities including killer whale skulls, sperm whale teeth, walrus tusks and rock samples
Some guests were even in tears, completely overwhelmed by the experience and the emotions it generated.
Yes, there are cheaper places to travel, but none boast the sheer isolation or cold beauty of Antarctica – a place visited by less than one per cent of the world’s population.
Nowhere else in the world can you depart feeling completely and utterly moved – as if it has truly changed you as a person.
When it comes to choosing who to travel with, HX Expeditions is the oldest and most experienced cruise company in the polar business, and will soon celebrate its 130th anniversary.
Anyone booking its standard Antarctica package can expect all–inclusive food and drink, including house wines and classic cocktails, as well as all cruising and landing excursions.
Those who upgrade to a suite can also enjoy signature drinks, as well as unlimited reservations in Lindstrom – its on–board fine dining restaurant.
There is a supplement for camping overnight, kayaking or taking part in a snowshoeing experience.
‘I think this is one of the most special places on Earth,’ expedition leader Marie Klopstad told me. ‘It’s completely different to anywhere else.
Nowhere else in the world can leave you feeling completely and utterly moved – as if it has truly changed you as a person
An up–close shot of a leopard seal showing off its teeth. The team members on board told us they can eat up to 10 penguins a day
Yes, there are cheaper places to travel, but none boast the sheer isolation or cold beauty of Antarctica. Pictured: Me and my husband
Expedition leader Marie told me the reason she comes back ‘again and again and again’ is the sheer amount of ice here
‘It has this rawness that we don’t have left in many places. It’s quite overwhelming in the sense of how much wildlife – and ice – there is here.
‘That is, personally, the reason that I come back again and again and again – the ice.
‘I think it’s important to see these places, because if you learn about them, you understand how important they are.
‘You end up in this little bubble here and nothing can prepare you for it.
‘You can research, and you can read, and you can see pictures, but nothing will ever compare to being here.’
For those concerned about environmental impact, HX has very strict rules in place for Antarctica expeditions.
It is mandatory for all guests to wear special rubber boots during any excursions, no sitting or kneeling on the ice is allowed and there are rigid rules in place regarding how close you can get to wildlife.
All guests are gifted a reusable water bottle and waterproof jacket on board, and there is a ‘Green Stay’ programme in place which sees the company give a donation for every night guests choose not to have their cabins cleaned.
Those who upgrade to a suite (pictured) can also enjoy signature drinks, as well as unlimited reservations in Lindstrom – their on–board fine dining restaurant
The ship boasts a heated swimming pool, two outdoor hot tubs and a sauna where guests can relax
When it comes to choosing who to travel with, HX Expeditions is the oldest and most experienced cruise company in the polar business, having just celebrated its 130th anniversary
This maps shows the route for the ‘Highlights of Antarctica – flights included’ excursion with HX Expeditions
And for anyone worried about the Drake Shake?
‘The ship has stabilisers that counter 60 to 70 per cent of the rolling motion of the waves,’ captain Jorn said.
‘The ship can handle a lot…it’s more our cargo that we’re thinking about.’
For more information, visit HX Expeditions.
