Packing List for Antarctica

As Antarctica is a less travelled destination than others, it can be daunting to plan what to pack. Our Antarctica expedition was 16 nights and operated by the Norwegian company, Hurtigruten.

Here is our advice on what a passenger would require in their suitcase when heading to Antarctica!

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What to Pack

Included by Hurtigruten:

• Waterproof jacket with hood to keep
• Knee high waterproof muck boots to use while on expedition

Outerwear

• Warm jacket to wear under the provided shell
• Warm hat
• Warm gloves

Clothing

• Underwear and socks for each day on board
• Base layer (shirt and pants)
• Comfortable pants to wear under waterproof pants (jogging pants would do)
• Waterproof pants
• 3 or 4 pairs of pants to wear on the ship
• 4 or 5 shirts to wear on the ship
• 1 or 2 sweaters or hoodies to wear on colder days on the ship and as a layer for landings
• 2 or 3 collared shirts for seated dinners (optional)
• 2 or 3 sets of workout attire (optional, if planning to use gym)

Footwear

• Pair of shoes to wear on the ship
• Pair of running shoes to wear on the ship and/or to exercise
• Hiking boots to wear on excursions (optional)

Other

• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Camera and waterproof case if required (check this review from our friend at sidecarphoto)
• Entertainment (books, cards, Netflix shows, etc)
• Sea sickness medication (optional – many passengers used wrist bands; we had success with Transderm patches scopolamine from our doctor)
• Water bottle
• Backpack (waterproof if possible)
• Credit card for cruise ship purchases (ie. Laundry, souvenirs, beverages, etc.)

That’s it in a nutshell. If you do not have these items, the gift shop on board carries everything you need, at fair prices, in our opinion (compared to what these items would cost in Canada). We did a little bit of hand-wash laundry from time to time and our clothes dried within the day. Feel free to send us a message if you have any questions about packing! Bon voyage!