Before packing for Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falklands, I did quite a bit of research online. I also had a recommended packing list from Lindblad Expeditions, with whom I was traveling.

The bugger is that you can read several articles on packing for Antarctica, but they give you varying answers. You don’t entirely know how you should have packed till you’re there!

For the most part, I felt I packed appropriately. However, there were several things I wished I had brought, and other things I could have left at home.

So, without further ado, here’s what I wish I had known about packing for Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falklands.

Sunscreen and Sunglasses

I know, I know, you’re going to the ends of the world and it’s not like Antarctica is the best place to get a tan. But trust me on this.

We lucked out with very good weather for nearly all of my trip. We even had sunshine most days! Aaaaand there was a lot of snow and open water, both of which can reflect that sunlight back to you.

Even with sunscreen on my face, I ended up with a mild sunburn my first day out adventuring. (And we all know how cute those raccoon eyes are for your bucket list travel photos…) After that, I applied a liberal amount of sunscreen before every outing.

The gift shop onboard did sell sunscreen, but I had heard they ran out after the first day or two… So if that right there tells you anything.

I also recommend taking at least one backup pair of sunglasses, especially if you have sensitive eyes. I know it’s only a three-week trip (or even shorter depending on which itinerary you choose). But one pair broke about halfway through, and I would have really been struggling if I had only brought one pair!

The zodiac cruises can get pretty chilly with the wind, possible sea spray, and being on the water near icebergs. Even if I was comfortable on land, I often needed an extra layer on the cruises.

Lightweight Base Layers

After eight years working in Alaska on fishing boats, I figured I knew how to deal with a cold and wet environment. So, thinking like Alaska, I brought my thickest Under Armour base layers, as well as a couple lighter ones.

But again, we mostly had great weather. I was generally comfortable in just a light layer with the parka Lindblad provides. On the coldest days or chilly zodiac cruises, I wore an extra fleece.

Often, though, I was moving around and it was sunny, so the thicker base layers were too much. This was especially true for the couple hikes I did!

Regarding pants, I had a lightweight base layer, a thick pair of fleece pants, and a thin pair of compression leggings for outings. (I had travel pants for the hours spent on the ship.) I only used the base layer once underneath the fleece pants when it was particularly windy out on deck. Though I only wore my leggings underneath my waterproof pants, that was enough. My legs were only cold after a rainy zodiac cruise. But the leggings and waterproof layer were sufficient for the landings and most of the zodiac cruises.

In short, when packing for Antarcitca save the space in your suitcase by leaving your thicker layers at home and focus on thinner clothes and an extra fleece.

This is also helpful because…

Consider Bringing Laundry Soap

I had read before my trip that laundry onboard is expensive. As such, I planned on doing laundry only once about halfway through the trip to save on cost. However, the laundry bag was too small to fit half my clothes, and they really weren’t kidding when they said it’s expensive!

It’s not a set amount per load, as I had thought it was, but rather a cost per item. Each shirt was $2, pair of pants was $4, pair of underwear was $1.50, pair of socks was $1, etc. You can see how quickly that adds up!

But if you bring some laundry soap you can wash at least some of these items in your room to save money. There was even a laundry line in the bathroom onboard the National Geographic Explorer to hang your clothes when you’re done. (If you’re sailing on a different ship, you may want to consider bringing a clothesline, just in case.)

Because I was using the leggings so much, I washed those in the room. I left the socks and thicker items for the laundry as I knew they’d take so long to dry. Thinner base layers and faster drying undies (think Exofficio) may prove useful for not only your suitcase capacity, but also doing laundry in the room.

Have a Nicer Outfit or Two

I was not prepared for this on my trip… The Lindblad Expeditions packing list specifically says there is no need to bring formal attire – it’s an expedition after all. Having never been on a trip like this, I took them at their word and didn’t bring anything other than casual clothing. My nicest outfit was a pair of travel pants with a plain Eddie Bauer tee shirt.

And this wasn’t a problem! No one was judgey about my attire. So if you don’t have room or weight in your suitcase, you certainly can get by with all casual clothing.

That said, the naturalists and staff were dressed up for the recaps and captain’s dinner. Many of the guests brought a nice outfit for those occasions as well. Given that everyone else was dressed nicely, I often felt a bit out of place, even if the attire wasn’t an expectation.

You don’t have to go fancy! Think a simple skirt or dress, or church slacks with a dressier top. One or two outfits is plenty, and it gives you the option of snazzing up a bit without adding much to your suitcase.

Renting Boots and Raingear

Again, having come from Alaska fishing boats, I am well stocked when it comes to boots and raingear! I had seen the option of renting gear. But I was spending enough on this trip and I already owned the gear, so why pay extra to rent? Valid thought. But here’s what I didn’t know…

For one thing, it takes up quite a bit of room in your bag, especially the boots. If you’re concerned about packing space and weight, that extra bit for the gear rental can save you quite a headache.

Regarding boots…

I had packed my XtraTufs that were one size larger with the intention of wearing my Bama Socks in them. These socks, which look more like slippers, are thicker for insulation, and moisture-wicking. They’re great when you’re on an Alaskan fishing boat in winter!… But it was frankly excessive for this trip. Even in just hiking socks, my feet weren’t cold when we did our outings. I also didn’t realize how much hiking we could do, and the larger boots were a bit clumsy given the rocky and uneven terrain.

There’s something else to consider which I hadn’t been forewarned about. Biosecurity is a huge deal, especially in South Georgia! There is a massive effort on these trips to prevent the spread of seeds and biological material between landings so as not to spread invasive species from one area to another. By renting gear, you know it’s clean when you’re issued it onboard, and you don’t have to worry about cleaning it before you go home.

What I recommend…

If I had it to do over, I’d still take my rain pants and jacket simply because I’m familiar with them and how they fit. (I have a booty and sometimes pants don’t fit me well, so taking my own is a comfort thing.) If you have a pair of rain gear that you’re very comfortable with, you could take those, just be sure they’re washed well before you go on your trip.

I wouldn’t, however, have taken my boots. Even if I had taken my normal size of XtraTufs, they would have been difficult regarding the biosecurity checks. The tread of those boots, which is one of the reasons I love them so on boats and at home, is a bugger to clean out on these trips! There are so many grooves and dips where seeds and penguin guano can hide, and all of those have to be scrubbed squeaky clean between each and every outing. Cleaning your boots can become a part-time job.

Fortunately during my trip, I was able to borrow an extra pair of boots from the ship. (They use Boggs boots.) They were much easier to clean than my Tufs because the tread isn’t as deep. If you already have a pair of boots with easy-to-clean tread and you’re willing to sacrifice the space and weight, you may prefer to take that pair with you. If not, I highly recommend enduring the rental cost and making it easier on yourself! You’re on vacation, after all, and I’m sure you’d rather be enjoying cocktail hour than scraping penguin poop from your boots with a paperclip.

That XtraTuf tread is pretty fantastic!…and also pretty fantastic at trapping penguin poop…

Details to Consider for Your Backpack and Gear

All those biosecurity details come to play not only with your raingear, but with any gear you plan to take ashore for your outings. And yes, they are picky!!

Whether it’s your waterproof pants, your jacket, or your backpack, take a look at how much Velcro and mesh is on the outside. (For example, my rain pants have Velcro around the bottom so I can cinch the ankles tight.) While helpful for wearing and using the gear, Velcro and mesh make a lovely place for seeds and biologicals to hide… which means they’re harder to clean.

I’m not saying don’t have any exposed Velcro, mesh, or nylon straps on your gear. But I am saying take that into consideration when it comes to what gear you’d like to take. I packed a Grundens waterproof backpack for the trip, which I loved because it’s spacey and has outside pockets! But it was a lot of mesh to look over and inspect before going ashore in South Georgia.

Whatever you take, definitely make sure it’s clean of biologicals before you leave home for your trip or you’ll have to clean it on the ship. Pro tip: if you buy it new it’s definitely clean before your trip. 😉

Trekking Poles

When looking at packing lists, trekking poles kept popping up as an item to bring. I was hesitant, not only because I wasn’t sure how much I’d actually use them, but because I then didn’t have room in my bag. Would I really need them??

This is another area where renting gear can be helpful. You’ll have them if you need them but not have to lug them all the way to the ends of the Earth. On the National Geographic Explorer, there were some trekking poles we could borrow for a specific hike or outing. Of course, you don’t get as much say in what kind of pole you get, but it’s nice to know the option is there.

We had a few landings and hikes where poles were recommended, especially when there was ice. The staff were good about warning us of this ahead of time. In the end, I didn’t end up needing a walking stick or trekking poles for any of my outings. That said, I didn’t do some of the hikes where they were strongly recommended.

I also was hesitant to take them because I knew I’d have a couple cameras to be juggling and didn’t want to be messing with poles too. If you don’t have camera gear to juggle, poles won’t be such an ordeal for you.

That said, if you don’t have strong balance or if you anticipate doing the longer hikes, you may prefer to have a pair of trekking poles. Actually, if your balance is a bit sketch I definitely recommend taking or renting poles. There were some areas with larger rocks or loose snow to traverse.

The high-tech biosecurity tools used on the ship — paperclips! There’s also a bucket with scrub brushes, and a boot dip you step into both leaving and re-entering the ship.

Blister Kit

This was something I didn’t see on any other packing list, but I wish I had taken some bandaids specific to blisters. Though the Boggs I borrowed fit me well, there was a part at the back that rubbed and I ended up with a blister on my heel. Fortunately this was in the last couple days of the trip, but it certainly affected how much walking/hiking I was willing to do as I didn’t want to worsen it.

Rain boots aren’t exactly the most comfortable shoes for hiking anyway, but often the wet landings or hiking terrain commanded rain boots, not hiking boots. So if you plan to hike, and especially if you’re renting boots from the ship, do yourself a favor and take some bandaids and blister bandaids as a precaution.

Luggage Choices

Where I come from, suitcases on boats are bad luck, not to mention there’s no space to store roller bags in the stateroom. So with that in mind, I packed up my gear in my beloved North Face Base Camp Duffle. But luxury cruise ships certainly aren’t cramped fishing boats. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that our berths aboard the National Geographic Explorer have plenty of under-the-bed storage for our luggage, including large roller bags.

I love that my North Face duffle has backpack straps, so I could heft it onto my shoulders and walk around.

That said, there were also several times where we were standing still for several minutes. It was too awkward to keep setting my bag down and lifting it up, so I’d keep it on my back. I was also “turtling” with that bag on my back and my smaller carry-on backpack on my front. Needless to say, it was a lot of weight to be holding while standing still. There were also a few times we had a couple hundred yards or so to move with our luggage, which can be quite a distance with about 65-lbs of luggage

Considering the crew were in charge of getting our luggage on and off the ship, I can’t speak to how easy or difficult my duffle was compared to the roller bags. And I appreciated that my bag was more weather resistant considering it was a rain/snow mix when we landed in Ushuaia.

If I were to do this trip again, however, I’d go with a large roller bag next time. It would certainly make the hotel and airport transit easier… And I’d be less of a hot mess while traveling!

Camera Gear

There were several things I packed for this trip that I barely used. But by golly I had packed it initially because who knows if I’ll ever be able to get back there!

Pack the long lens! Or at least seriously consider it. I would have had to get a different camera bag to take my Nikon 200-500mm lens with me, so I didn’t pack it. Also, onboard the National Geographic Explorer there’s a B&H locker where you can borrow gear. I was able to borrow a few longer lenses during my stay, so it wasn’t an issue. But if you’re unable to borrow a long lens, you may be left wishing you had a bit more reach out of the lens you brought.

I had packed my 18-200mm, a 35mm and 50mm prime, and a 105mm macro. The 18-200 was generally enough for the shots I wanted, but I definitely was happy to have the longer lenses available! I rarely used the 35 and 50 primes, mainly because I didn’t want to be regularly changing lenses in the field. The 105 macro was great for appreciating the lichens on land or getting artsy shots of the charts on the bridge. I perhaps could have used it more for good animal portraits. But again, I didn’t want to change lenses in the field much. If I were to go again, I’d take the 18-200 and the 105 macro, but consider leaving my primes behind.

Waterproof Options

I had packed an Aquapac waterproof case for my DSLR in case of rain or sea spray, in addition to a rain jacket. But even on the rainy days, the rain jacket was sufficient. Unless you’re really attached to your waterproof DSLR case, save yourself the space and just take the rain jacket. You can also bring a hand towel from the stateroom and drape it over your camera for protection or to wipe off the raindrops.

I do, though, strongly recommend taking a waterproof camera! This could be a GoPro, Olympus Tough, or a weather-sealed Olympus DSLR. If you have to choose, I’d say go with the GoPro. My Tough I used for snapshots, like documenting the menus (because the food was amazing!). But I got much more mileage out of my GoPro!

No matter what you take, consider taking a floating handle/grip or long neckstrap in case you drop your camera. My DSLR strap is long enough to wear crossbody. I also had something to make my Tough and GoPro float when I was on zodiac cruises. The last thing you want is to drop your camera and it disappear into the dark depths below!

Some of the camera accessories I took. The case and dome on the left weren’t very helpful. But I do recommend the Storm Jacket and floating attachments on the right!

Speaking of GoPro gear…

I had taken a dome for split underwater shots. I used it a couple times, and I was happy I had the option. But frankly it’s bulky, and it was a bit cumbersome trying to use both that and my DLSR in the zodiac. It’s an accessory to consider. But if you’re not super committed to split shots, save yourself the luggage space and leave it home.

Anticipating our possibility of kayaking, I had taken a chest mount for my GoPro. But this, too, I could’ve left home. It was a bit much to get it over my parka, so I didn’t end up using it.

The gear I used the most for my GoPro was a small tripod, which I definitely recommend! A simple GoPro tripod or GorillaPod will do. The GorillaPod was useful to wrap around the rail for a timelapse of sailing past icebergs. And a small tripod will let you leave it on the beach or near activity to capture wildlife or time-lapses.

Final Thoughts

There’s a lot to consider when packing for Antarctica! Between the clothes, laundry expense, and appropriate gear, it’s a lot to juggle for a 50-lb checked baggage limit.

And if I may give you one more thing — pack plenty of moisturizer! The air down there is super dry. I was applying face lotion several times a day and still peeling at the edges. So a deep moisturizer, like a night cream or rosehip oil, and whatever oil or leave-in conditioner you prefer for your hair will come in handy!

I hope this list has provided some tips on what’s worth luggage space when packing for Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falklands. Feel free to leave a comment below with questions. Or, if you’ve been on a trip before, is there anything else you recommend?

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