It used to be that traveling to Antarctica meant playing Russian roulette with your life.聽Tourism to the coldest, driest, and windiest place on Earth started in earnest in the 1950s, but even 15 years ago, getting there was a challenge. These days, trips to the continent can be tackled with (relative) ease. Just look at the numbers鈥攍ast year, 37,405 visitors made the trip south, compared with 10,000 in 1999 and zero in 1914. 聽
Still, it鈥檚 the most remote and forbidding stretch of wilderness in the world, exponentially more difficult to reach than nearly every other landmass. You鈥檒l need a 聽and you'll have to follow the , which prohibits tampering with the ecosystem in any way. I鈥檝e been to Antarctica four times, and if you want to step foot on the bottom of the world, I can safely say that you have only five options to get there.
#1: Become a Villager
The least expensive (and longest-term) way to reach Antarctica is to work for one of the Antarctic research stations. The United States National Science Foundation (NSF) operates three bases on the continent: Palmer, Amundsen-Scott South Pole, and McMurdo. But you don鈥檛 have to have to be a scientist to land a gig. They need operational support such as cooks, plumbers, snow shovelers, pilots, and forklift drivers. Lockheed Martin is the private contractor that operates the U.S. Antarctic research facilities. Check 聽for available positions.
#2: Be an Artist or a Writer
According to the , working on an artistic project that will 鈥渋ncrease understanding of the Antarctic and help document America鈥檚 Antarctic heritage鈥 could land you free round-trip airfare and accommodation in Antarctica. They want people focused on long-term projects (sorry, journalists) and have hosted writers, filmmakers, and even instillation artists.
#3: Scientists Wanted
The government will also pay for scientists able to prove that their research will benefit from traveling to Antarctica. Check the 聽to see a complete list of funding opportunities.
#4: Sail In聽
Most people get to Antarctica via tour operators who assist with logistics. They tend to use boats, which are the most economical way to make the journey, though trips still cost from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. Ushuaia in Southern Argentina is the preferred port of disembarkation (and a worthwhile destination in and of itself). You鈥檒l travel past penguins, icebergs, and through the notoriously choppy Drake Passage before you get to Antarctica. Any operator worth his salt is a member of the , which promotes environmentally responsible travel to the continent.
#5: Fly the Icy Skies聽
If you want to ski the South Pole, climb Vinson Massif聽(the highest peak in Antarctica), or visit the continent鈥檚 vast interior, you have to fly. Because no commercial flights exist, you'll have to go through a private logistic operator. 聽is based in Cape Town, South Africa,聽and flies to a Russian base called Novolazareskaya (Novo for short). 聽flies from Punta Arenas, Chile, to Union Glacier, a small base where they kick-off guided expeditions. But you won鈥檛 find a ticket for less than $20,000 for a spot on their freakishly powerful Russian jet, ,聽that lands on a three-mile-long, blue-ice runway.