The Right Gear From Head To Toe

The very nature of the area that you are travelling to means that it is important to take the right gear on your Antarctic Cruise. Having the right gear, means you can keep warm, dry and safe whilst exploring the beautiful world of Antarctica. Most Antarctic Cruises will provide you with pre departure information which will include a recommended kit list. Certain items may also be provided for you on your Antarctic Cruise for example Parka Jackets are provided on all Antarctic Cruises with Hurtigruten and some Antarctic Cruises with Exodus, wellington boots are provided on all Antarctic Cruises with G Adventures.

Below we have prepared some information about some of the more essential items to take with you on your Antarctic Cruise. This list is not exhaustive by any means, but is designed to get you to start thinking about the things you may already have, or that you may need to get hold of. Having the right kit on your Antarctic Cruise will maximise your enjoyment of this unique environment

Heads & Hats

It all starts at the top, ensuring you keep your head warm will mean that the rest of you will keep warm too! A good quality and warm beanie hat will keep you nice and toasty. However as the other gentleman in this picture demonstrates some people prefer to wear lined baseball caps which keep the sun off your face, but offer more limited coverage for your ears.

For people who wear glasses we also recommend not taking your brand new expensive designer set and instead take a set that sit comfortably and securely.

Base Layer

Getting your base layers right will make keeping warm easy. We would recommend at least 3 layers before your outer jacket including a thermal base layer. Having many layers also means that as the weather changes you can change with it. When the sun shines on your Antarctic Cruise the temperatures can be very pleasant indeed as these two ladies are perfectly demonstrating. However very quickly the Antarctic can become cold and then it is important to have the layers to put back on and keep you nice and toasty. The layer before your jacket we would always recommend to be good quality fleece.

Jacket / Parka

Perhaps the most important part of the kit you will take with you on your Antarctic Cruise is your jacket. The great news is that parka jackets are provided on some Antarctic Cruises! However it is not on all and many people prefer to have their own as well. We would recommend speaking with an expert from a mountain shop about buying the right jacket but ensure what you are purchasing is warm, waterproof and windproof.

The other item this gentleman is wearing is a rucksack and we would highly recommend taking one. When you are out and about its a handy tool for keeping extra layers in in case the weather turns cool, as well as a bottle of water and maybe a snack if you are on a longer excursion.

Trousers & Boots

Being out and about all day, getting in and out of zodiac boats and walking around means comfortable walking trousers are essential. We would recommend trousers with water resistance, as when you get in and out of zodiac boats it is often into the shore waters so the bottoms of your trousers will get wet.

Wellington Boots are great for getting in and out of the zodiac boats and for walking in the snow. Some Antarctic Cruises provide this so check before you pack them! For once on shore Good Walking Boots are also an essential. The surface you will be walking over will be uneven and boots with good grips and ankle support will make getting about much easier.

Cameras and Binoculars

Two absolute essentials for Antarctic Cruises are a good camera and good binoculars. The Antarctic is a photographers dream with so many beautiful and amazing things to photograph. However even if you are just an amateur snapper you will still manage to take home many memorable pictures. We would recommend a good quality camera as being disappointed with your photos upon your return home would be a real shame. It doesn't have to be the latest SLR, there are many good quality point and shoot cameras that will do the job well. We would recommend a camera with a good zoom as not everything you want to photograph will be right in front of you. That leads onto taking a pair of binoculars, being able to view things far away will mean you catch some amazing sights that you may not have otherwise seen.