Antarctica is a bucket-list destination for many travelers. And as one of the most remote places on Earth, it’s not easy to visit. That’s why it’s vital to travel with a tour company that knows how to navigate the tumultuous Drake Passage and get you to the best sites for meaningful and memorable experiences.
The best expedition cruise companies have that level of expertise developed over years of traveling throughout the Antarctic region, which is why they’re my top picks for a guided trip to Antarctica.
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1. National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions has been taking travelers to Antarctica since 1966, giving the tour company almost six decades of experience on the White Continent. Each of its ships have been designed to help guests remain comfortable during the challenging journey to Antarctica: National Geographic Endurance and National Geographic Resolution feature a patented X-Bow design for smooth and quiet travels in tough conditions, while the certified ice-class National Geographic Explorer and National Geographic Orion vessels are built specifically for maneuverability and comfort while voyaging through the region’s polar waters.
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Tours include opportunities for wildlife watching and the flexibility to explore by kayak, Zodiac, or on foot alongside an expedition team of researchers, photographers, naturalists, and scientists. Travelers not only experience the destination but also work to help preserve it as citizen scientists, collaborating with scientists on research and conservation work through the company’s Visiting Scientist Program. That could include everything from monitoring a supergroup of fin whales to tracking and researching snow algae blooms along the Antarctic Peninsula.
Notable Antarctica itineraries include the 12-day Voyage to Antarctica with kayaking in coves alongside penguins and snowshoeing or skiing across sea ice, the 18-day Antarctica and Patagonia: Legendary Ice and Epic Fjords trip that features hiking among the “horns” of Torres del Paine National Park and special access to Karukinka Natural Park, and the 22-day Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falklands tour that explores traditional Falkland techniques and features the possibility of “parking” the ship in the fast ice for a once-in-a-lifetime walk over the sea ice.
2. Quark Expeditions
Quark Expeditions took the first commercial passengers to the North Pole in 1991 and followed that up with the first passenger voyage to the Far Side of Antarctica in 1992. In 1996, it began a circumnavigation of Antarctica for commercial passengers, the first-ever voyage of its kind. With a focus on polar-only travel, the company is more than experienced in those regions.
The company’s smaller ships (138 to 199 passengers) can get places where larger vessels can’t, and its 6:1 guide-to-guest ratio is the highest in the industry, with an expedition team whose backgrounds include marine biology, history, glaciology, and geology. Guides get guests off ships and exploring, whether that’s in a helicopter, on a Zodiac or kayak, or by foot.
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Quark Expeditions’ new Antarctic voyages include Antarctica by Helicopter: Icebergs, Mountains, and Remote Lands, a 12-day trip that provides access to rarely visited eastern regions of the Antarctic Peninsula like the Antarctic Sound and the Weddell Sea, and Antarctic Marine Mammals: The World of Whales and Seals, an 11-day trip in partnership with the Friedlaender Lab at the University of California, Santa Cruz, on which guests can learn from and assist leading marine mammal experts in collecting whale behavior data and tracking migratory species. The Emperor Penguin Quest: Expedition to Snow Hill trip is also back after a brief hiatus.
3. Ponant
Ponant was founded in 1988 by officers of the French Merchant Navy. The company focuses on small-ship cruises that can explore less-visited destinations.
Its Le Commandant Charcot was the world’s first luxury icebreaker, taking travelers to spots like the geographic North Pole and the Pole of Inaccessibility. Designed to feel like a yacht, it includes a spa in partnership with Biologique Recherche, a dedicated snow room chilled to 14 degrees Fahrenheit with fresh powder snow, and other wellness spaces where floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the icy landscape outside.
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Another Ponant ship, L’Austral, was designed by acclaimed French architect Jean Philippe Nuel and offers plenty of comforts for passengers. Sustainability is a key focus for the company, which will debut its Swap2Zero (Sustainable, Wind Assisted Propulsion, Zero Emission Ready) zero-emission transoceanic ship in 2030.
Ponant’s high-end Antarctica cruises include its 12-day Emblematic Antarctica sailing that features sea kayaking and hiking, the 19-day Great Austral Loop cruise that travels from the Falkland Islands to South Georgia to Antarctica, and the memorable Emperor Penguins of Weddell Sea excursion. The company’s expedition cruises always include a team of naturalist-guides and experts, and Ponant does everything it can to make Zodiac boat expeditions and other activities accessible to everyone.
4. Aurora Expeditions
A B-Corp-certified expedition travel company with more than 30 years of expedition experience, Aurora Expeditions offers small-group expeditions (about 130 passengers) to Antarctica on state-of-the-art expedition vessels like the Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle. The company is committed to sustainable travel practices and eco-friendly operations, with a fleet purpose-built for low-impact exploration. That means elements like fuel-efficient engines, advanced waste management systems, and sustainable sourcing practices onboard to minimize the company’s environmental footprint.
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Each expedition doubles as a floating research platform, where passengers can participate in citizen science programs and educational workshops led by marine biologists, oceanographers, and conservationists. Activities on Aurora’s Antarctica cruises include daily Zodiac excursions for wildlife viewing, guided hikes, and unique adventures like ice camping, kayaking, and even scuba diving on select trips.
Aurora’s 2025-26 Antarctica season features a range of voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula, with eight new itineraries visiting regions including East Antarctica, the Ross Sea, and the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands and four voyages leaving from new departure points Hobart, Australia; and Dunedin, New Zealand. The season will also include the inaugural voyage of the Douglas Mawson, the company’s newest state-of-the-art, purpose-built expedition ship that will sail more of Antarctica’s regions than ever before. And Aurora Expeditions’ first-ever women-only Antarctic voyage will launch in 2027.
5. Oceanwide Expeditions
Oceanwide Expeditions has three decades of polar expedition cruise experience offering intimate, small-ship journeys to some of the most remote regions in the world. That includes iconic Antarctic locations such as the Weddell Sea, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula. It was named Best Expedition Cruise Operator for the Polar Destinations, Best Medium Expedition Cruise Operator, and Best Expedition Cruise Operator for Sustainability at the 2024 Expedition Cruise Awards.
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Operational flexibility allows the company to react to weather changes and local conditions. With extensive knowledge of the area, Oceanwide Expeditions can adjust plans on the fly and offer guests alternative landing sites and daily itineraries. Its three purpose-built expedition vessels that operate in Antarctica (the largest of which carries up to 170 guests) are smaller than many other vessels and can therefore access more remote areas.
Onboard staff include biologists, conservationists, glaciologists, photographers, and polar historians who share their in-depth knowledge of the polar regions with guests. The family-owned company prioritizes authentic experiences over luxury, helping guests connect with the natural world and enjoy memorable wildlife encounters through sea and land-based activities. Ships operate under an open bridge policy, allowing guests to interact with the captain and crew or use the space for viewing wildlife and photography.
6. HX Expeditions
HX Expeditions has been leading adventure travel trips since 1896 and has more than 20 years of experience operating in Antarctica. The company’s Antarctic fleet includes two hybrid battery-powered vessels: MS Roald Amundsen, the world’s first of its kind; and MS Fridtjof Nansen, the newest addition to the company’s fleet.
Cruises to Antarctica with HX Expeditions now include everything from meals and daily activities onboard to excursions like kayaking through ice packs and snowshoeing across the tundra. The onboard Science Center hosts lectures and workshops that help passengers gain a deeper understanding of the region, and travelers can also contribute to long-term research by taking part in the Citizen Science program led by Dr. Verena Meraldi, the cruise industry’s first on-staff chief scientist.
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New Antarctica trips include Audubon Voyages with a focus on bird conservation. In celebration of 130 years since its first expedition, HX Expeditions will launch the new Explorer’s Route itinerary in 2026, a nine-day journey across the Antarctic Peninsula during which guests will visit the South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Sound, Weddell Sea, Gerlache Strait, and Penola Strait. The company also recently launched a new pre-voyage Antarctica course in partnership with the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies available to travelers 60 days before departure.
7. Poseidon Expeditions
Founded in 1999 as an operator of cruises to the North Pole aboard a nuclear icebreaker, Poseidon Expeditions later expanded to offer trips to Svalbard, Greenland, and Antarctica. Guests can book South Georgia and Falklands cruises or Antarctic Peninsula cruises that travel aboard the 114-passenger M/V Sea Spirit.
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The ship’s smaller size means everyone can go ashore together, avoiding the rotation system required on larger vessels and maximizing guests’ time on land. Poseidon’s “old school” expedition cruising philosophy puts the focus on time spent off ship and immersed in nature via activities like Zodiac cruises, hiking, polar plunges, wildlife encounters, and kayaking. Those experiences are complemented by an onboard “edutainment” program that includes lectures and workshops.
The Sea Spirit blends a feeling of adventure with a high level of comfort, amenities, and service desired by many cruise-travelers, and every guest receives a complimentary polar parka for landings and Zodiac cruises. The company was named Best Polar Expedition Cruise Operator at the 2024 International Travel Awards and will be expanding the Sea Spirit’s austral summer season in the Southern Ocean through April for the 2026-27 Antarctic season.
8. G Adventures
G Adventures has taken travelers on polar journeys for more than 15 years on its Expedition vessel. For the upcoming Antarctica season, it will be introducing a new vessel that will take on the Expedition name, offering 128 travelers an enhanced onboard experience while still preserving the adventurous and welcoming spirit that defines the company’s polar tours.
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Embarking on its first G Adventures departure to Antarctica in October 2025, the new ship will be significantly more fuel-efficient than its predecessor, helping the company in its goals to reduce its environmental footprint across all operations. Initial calculations estimate that the overall carbon footprint per person per day will drop by up to 30% by transitioning to the new ship. The new vessel features a restaurant and bar, presentation lounge, library, fitness area, observation and sun decks, and 70 cabins offering G Adventures’ most modern and stylish accommodations to date, with each featuring either an ocean-facing porthole or window.
Travelers will enjoy the benefits of small-ship sailing, with 11 zodiacs hosting two daily excursions and all travelers having the opportunity to leave the ship at each stop. With at least 14 expedition experts on board (specializing in everything from marine biology to ornithology), the 10:1 passenger to expert ratio gives travelers the opportunity to connect with some of the region’s leading experts and attend daily lectures. The new Expedition ship will operate five Antarctica itineraries, including the 11-day Antarctica Classic, 21-day Spirit of Shackleton journey, and 22-day Falklands, South Georgia, and Antarctica trip.
