Climate and When
to go
Travel to Antarctica is only possible from November through until mid-March.
During this time the days are long and hopefully the conditions are good.
Temperatures are often surprisingly reasonable. The major consideration
is usually the wind, which can obviously reduce temperature somewhat.
Rainfall is not really a concern; indeed Antarctica is the driest continent
on earth. Because of the relatively short window of opportunity for travel
and with only a limited number of berths available, Antarctic cruises
do tend to book up a long way in advance. If you are specific about the
vessel and date required you should look at making a reservation up to
a year in advance. Visits to the Falkland Islands are possible throughout
the year; however conditions can be harsh from April to October.
Getting There
Getting to Antarctica takes time. Firstly you need to travel to Buenos
Aires (See Argentina section for details of this). You then need to fly
further south to Tierra del Fuego and the town of Ushuaia. Setting sail
around 6pm you should hope to arrive at the peninsula early in the morning
two days later. It is possible to fly to the Falklands, there are regular
departures with the RAF from Brize Norton and there is a weekly flight
through Chile via Santiago and Punta Arenas.
