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Kayaking in Antarctica is the most amazing, epic, mind-blowing experience! It’s truly a once in a lifetime feeling and is very hard to put into words. While it’s truly amazing, there are definitely things to know before committing to kayaking in Antarctica. For instance, how to choose sea kayaking versus a paddle excursion, what to wear kayaking, how difficult it is, etc.
In this blog we’ll dive into everything you need to know about kayaking in Antarctica and our top tips for doing so!
If you haven’t read them yet, you should also check out our blogs on:
- “How to visit Antarctica”
- “What do you actually do in Antarctica?”
- “Cost to visit Antarctica + key money-saving tips!”.
What is it like kayaking in Antarctica?
Kayaking in Antarctica is an unbelievably thrilling experience and honestly made me feel like a total badass. It’s a crazy feeling being so close to the water and the wildlife beneath the surface.
We’ve loved kayaking in places like Vietnam and the US, but kayaking amidst whales, seals, and the rest of the Antarctic wildlife was an absolute dream for us. I truly don’t think our Antarctic experience would have been complete without this excursion!
Getting ready to kayak
There are quite a few preparations that go into a kayaking excursion. Prior to the day of our excursion we were fitted for gear, assigned a paddling group and given a lengthy safety briefing.
On the morning of our excursion we got all geared up in our layers and layers of clothing, put all of our things in a dry bag and headed to the zodiac boats. Our group was the first group to get to kayak and all of us were as giddy as can be.
Once we were all loaded in the zodiac boat we cruised out to where we would kayak. It was pretty cool watching the kayaks trail behind the zodiac boat as we cruised. Once we were away from the cruise ship and in our kayaking spot, we had another briefing from our guide and zodiac safety boat driver.
They then brought the kayaks up to the side of the zodiac boat one-by-one and we very carefully sat on top of the side of the boat and slid into the kayak. Once we were handed a paddle we were off!
The kayaking experience
Once everyone in the group was situated in a kayak we had yet another safety briefing with our guide. This is where we learned things like what to do if a leopard seal gets close, how to huddle the kayaks together to make us look like a bigger object, etc. This all sounds a little scary but it’s just precautionary.
After that thrilling chat is when the real fun began! We paddled as a group around the massive icebergs, dodging the beautiful floating sea ice along the way.
We explored coves where resting seals lined the shore, learned what salp was and spent the rest of the time pinching ourselves that this was actually happening. Scott and I got in trouble a couple times for straying from the group and being off in our own world, but it was honestly so hard to focus while being that immersed in the wild!
As we paddled along it felt like we were gliding on ice, completely one with nature. When we would stop paddling and be still for a second the silence was deafening. There were no sounds other than the occasional peep from wildlife, and it was surreal to be so connected with the most remote place on earth.
The whole excursion was about 2 hours long and we certainly weren’t ready for it to end. Once it was time, we carefully got back into the zodiac boat and headed to shore for a landing.
At the exact time we were heading out a whale came right up to our zodiac boat and it was like the cherry on top of such an epic morning.
How to choose Sea Kayaking vs Paddle Excursion
When we first saw the excursion brochure we were very confused on “Sea Kayaking” versus the “Paddle Excursion.” While this blog is called “Kayaking in Antarctica,” we are actually referring to our Paddle Excursion experience.
Sea Kayaking program
The Sea Kayaking experience is a big commitment, not only financially but time-wise. If you are part of the Sea-Kayaking program on a ship, you break off from the rest of the ship and kayak at each location (weather permitting). This means sometimes twice a day, often 8 or more times per trip. That is A LOT of kayaking in my book. This means that while your shipmates are going on zodiac cruises, you will be kayaking. It also means that while you’ll still have some time on land, it will usually be a shorter landing than your shipmates have.
To be a part of the Sea Kayaking program you definitely need a basic level of fitness and solid kayaking experience. It can be absolutely epic but can also be physically exhausting.
- Sea Kayaking Pros: keep physically active, experience wildlife very close to the water, be a total badass
- Sea Kayaking Cons: forgo time on land, more difficult for photography, physically exhausting, sometimes fewer wildlife spottings
Overall, Sea Kayaking is pretty hard core and a big commitment. You need to know that you want kayaking to be the #1 priority during your experience.
Paddle Excursion
The Paddle Excursion option is the kayaking experience we chose and would 10/10 choose it again. Unlike the Sea Kayaking program, the paddle excursion is a one-time kayaking excursion during your expedition. While we definitely wanted more when our paddle excursion was done, this option gave us the best of both worlds for the trip.
Instead of missing out on landings and zodiac cruises every day, we forwent one zodiac cruise in exchange for this experience and still had ample time for a landing. The only bummer was that we were assigned a group and that group was assigned a location, so we couldn’t choose where we kayaked (though it’s truly epic at all locations).
Another great thing about the Paddle Excursion is that it’s done in inflatable kayaks that are nearly impossible to tip over, and kayak experience is not required. So if you want to start a new hobby while you’re checking things off your bucketlist, this is for you!
- Paddle Excursion Pros: great for all skill levels, get to experience a bit of everything, less physically exhausting
- Paddle Excursion Cons: only get to kayak once and you can’t choose the location
Sea Kayaking vs Paddle Excursion Overview
Here is an overview of the key differences to help you decide on which to sign up for:
| Info | Sea Kayaking | Paddle Excursion |
|---|---|---|
| Cost (2020 w/ Quark Expeditions) | $995 | $295 |
| Number of times on the water | Daily (weather permitting) | Once |
| Experience required | Yes | No |
| Type of kayak | Hard shell, sit in-water | Inflatable, sit-on-top |
| Double vs single kayaks | Single and double | Double only |
Cost of kayaking in Antarctica
It costs $295 per person to participate in the Paddle Excursion and $995 for the Sea Kayaking program. (Prices from the 2020 Quark Expeditions season)
>>Read about all the costs of visiting Antarctica and key money-saving tips!
Where can you go kayaking in Antarctica?
There are many places to kayak in Antarctica and your options will depend on your particular expedition. A few places where our boat offered kayaking were Mikkelson Harbor, Danco Island and Wilhemina Bay. No matter where you kayak in Antarctica it will surely be epic!
How hard is kayaking in Antarctica?
Kayaking in Antarctica was not nearly as hard as I expected it to be. The water was quite calm and the kayaks we used in the Paddling Excursion felt really sturdy and were easy to navigate. Since this excursion was a one-time thing and we were in a double kayak, it was actually a pretty relaxing adventure.
The Sea Kayaking program, on the other hand, is very physically exhausting and should not be underestimated.
>> Check out another epic adventure in Antarctica – the ULTIMATE Polar Plunge! Plus all of the once-in-a-lifetime things to do in Antarctica!
What to wear kayaking in Antarctica
If you’re like me, being cold or uncomfortable can absolutely ruin an experience. That said, knowing what to wear for our kayaking excursion was super important to me. Here’s what I wore for our kayaking experience. (I layered up a bit more than Scott did because I’m paranoid of being cold, but I was very comfortable the whole time minus my hands getting a bit cold.)
First and foremost, the crew provided us a dry suit, booties, gloves and a life vest – all of which are mandatory to wear.
Besides that, though, it’s up to you to make sure you’re warm and insulated. So for base layers I wore one layer of thermal underwear (top and bottom), a pair of leggings, a dry-fit long sleeve, a jacket and snow pants. All together it was three layers on both top and bottom underneath my dry suit. I’m sure if I had better quality thermals I could have done less, but I did the best with what I had.
In addition to base layers I also wore:
- 2 pairs of wool socks
- Neck warmer
- Beanie
- Extra layer of gloves
- Hand warmers inside the gloves (we actually didn’t have any of these but thank goodness our sweet guide shared hers with us!)
It sounds like a lot, but being comfortable truly makes the experience so much more enjoyable!
Is kayaking in Antarctica safe?
Yes! It is absolutely safe to kayak in Antarctica. The cruise companies take many precautions to make the experience as safe as can be. First of all, kayaking expeditions are subject to weather and sea conditions, so they don’t even take you out if the sea is too choppy or dangerous. When the weather is good enough to go out, the water is pretty calm. It honestly feels similar to kayaking in a lake because the water around the Antarctic Peninsula is decently protected.
Additionally, each kayaking excursion is done in a small group and with a professional guide. Each group is also accompanied by a zodiac boat for safety in case anything were to happen.
The company we went with also did a lengthy safety briefing beforehand and grouped us based on kayaking skill-level. This also added to the safety of the excursion because no one was uncomfortable with their experience level or struggling to keep up with the group.
How to photograph a kayaking excursion
It will come as no surprise when I say photography can be a bit challenging on a kayak. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible!
As photographers, capturing this experience was very important to us. So in terms of gear we wanted to make sure we covered all of our bases. For wildlife and landscape shots we brought our primary camera, the Sony A7Riii, with our 70-200mm zoom lens. We only brought this out of the dry bag when we were still and even then it was SO nerve racking to do so. For wide-angle shots above water and video/photos underwater we used our GoPro. And for video above water and portrait-mode shots we used our iPhone 11 pro.
>>Read: All of the Travel Photography Gear we swear by!
Other tips for photography on a kayaking excursion:
- Use a dry bag for all of your camera gear. We only kept our phone and GoPro in the bag when we were getting in/out of the kayak, but we kept our camera in the bag the majority of the time.
- Pack a microfiber cloth to clean your lenses. I always tell people a clean lens is the #1 way to up your photography game.
- Make sure you have a waterproof GoPro case and a handle to put it into the water
- Set your GoPro settings to shoot photos in RAW for better quality
- Use a waterproof phone bag – I put this around my neck to keep my phone safe without having to always put it away in the dry bag
- Communicate with your guide – if you want to stop for a photo, tell your guide that you’d like to stop for a second. They will let you know when a good time is.
- Request a double kayak – it is a lot harder to stop for photos and photograph as your go in a single
- Make friends with another boat – everyone is in the same boat (no pun intended) so make friends with another kayak! We made friends with another couple and they took photos/videos of us together and we did the same for them. We then just got the footage from each other afterwards. On that note, just take pics of other boats and make friends afterwards! You can totally make someone’s day this way.
Some of the links above are affiliate links which mean that we may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you.
>>Want to learn more about photography before you go? Check out our self-paced online photography course! Currently 60% off!
Tips for the excursion
- Bring a dry bag for your belongings. We used this anytime we were on a zodiac boat or kayak.
- Pack ample hand warmers – like I said above, the only thing that got cold while kayaking were our hands. Packing extra of these would have made the experience much more comfortable.
- Drink water – Antarctica is a desert, believe it or not, so it’s important to stay hydrated. Do note that once you leave the ship you can’t use the bathroom for 3+ hours, so pace yourself.
- Book in advance – while the sea kayaking fills up the quickest (spots are very limited), the paddling excursion fills up quickly as well. That said, if these experiences are important to you make sure to book in advance.
- Enjoy every minute! The experience goes by way too quickly, so make sure to soak in every single minute.
Kayaking in Antarctica YouTube
We are currently working on all of our Antarctica vlogs for our YouTube channel, and this one covers the experience of kayaking in Antarctica! Subscribe to our channel to see all of our wild adventures down there!
Hopefully this shed some light into what the experience of kayaking in Antarctica is like! It truly is an unbelievable experience that we couldn’t imagine our trip without.
Please comment if you have any comments or questions, and check out the rest of our blogs on the 7th continent!
More Antarctica blogs are here!
- How to visit Antarctica – everything you need to know!
- Cost to visit Antarctica + key money-saving tips
- What it’s REALLY like to go to Antarctica
- Crossing the Drake Passage to Antarctica – how bad is it?!
- The ULTIMATE Polar Plunge – the story of diving into the Antarctic water
All of these blogs are coming soon…
- 10 Reasons to visit Antarctica
- What to wear in Antarctica and not freeze your booty off
- Quarantined in Antarctica – what’s the story??
Make sure to subscribe below to get all of our stories and info on visiting Antarctica straight to your inbox!
XO,
Kylie & Scott
(If you liked this article or have any questions, please comment below! And make sure to follow along on Instagram @LoveHardTravelOften)
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