Top 5 Favorite Moments from my Antarctica Expedition!

As I write this, it is our last full day on the Drake Passage heading back to Ushuaia with Hurtigruten Expeditions. I can finally say that I've visited all 7 continents!

This experience has been amazing to say the least, and being able to share this experience with such a great group of family and friends has made it even more special.

To reflect back on this trip, below are my top five favorite moments from our Antarctica Expedition!

1. Getting through the Drake Passage "Drake Lake" and arriving in Antarctica

 Going through the Drake Passage (which is where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans connect), you can either get the "Drake Lake" or the "Drake Shake." We were blessed on this trip to get the "Drake Lake" which is more calm waters when compared to the "Drake Shake" which can be much more rough. 

 One of of my favorite moments was seeing Antarctica for the first time - it truly was magical. At times I thought, is this real life? Seeing such a remote land, barely touched by humans except for the 1% of the world that sees it was just remarkable.  

2. The penguins!

Our first landing was on Cuverville Island which is where we first encountered penguins, specifically Gentoo penguins. Penguins are my sister's favorite animal so it was a dream come true for her (mine are pandas!) During our sailing, we were lucky enough to see 3 of the 9 different cold climate penguin species: Gentoo, Chinstrap, and Adelie.

3. Zodiac Cruising seeing whales and seals

To get off the ship and get closer to the wildlife, we used zodiac boats. We would need to wear waterproof/resistant pants and the waterproof jacket and boots that Hurtigruten Expeditions provided anytime we left the ship. 

While on the zodiacs through the daily cruising opportunities we had, we were able to see whales, seals, penguins, and birds. I loved seeing all of the wildlife! My favorites were seeing seals hanging out on icebergs and whales being playful in the water.  

4. Kayaking in the Garden of Icebergs

There were several excursions offered by Hurtigruten that were based on a lottery system as everything is weather dependent in Antarctica (so it was not possible to guarantee). Excursions offered on our cruise were camping overnight on Antarctica, snowshoeing, kayaking, photography cruising, and science boat cruising.

My sister and I were fortunate to do kayaking in the Garden of Icebergs (or Iceberg Graveyard) for our excursion and it was fantastic! We saw penguins swimming next to us, kayaked to their colony, and even saw seals. Highly recommend this excursion if you have the opportunity to do it!

5. Doing the Polar Plunge!

On the last day in Antarctica, we were given the opportunity to do the polar plunge from Deception Island during our landing. Half of our group chose to do it and it was definitely a memorable experience. Just think of pins and needles throughout your entire body and not being able to talk properly because your body is just in shock, lol. That was how I felt anyways. But when is the next time you'll be given this chance?! Seize the day!

After doing the plunge off the beach of Deception Island, we put our clothes back on and went on the next zodiac back to the ship. We chose to go to the hot tub and sauna to warm up and it was perfect. In addition, we received an official certificate that we did the polar plunge!

And there you have it, my top five favorite experiences from our Antarctica trip! I highly recommend a visit to Antarctica :)

If seeing the 7th continent is on your bucket list, please feel free to reach out so I can help you check off this incredible destination off your list!