The Adventure Fleet

Camping ashore on the Antarctic ice is an unforgettable experience. We provide all the gear and you bring along a sense of adventure. It’s an optional activity on many of our Antarctic voyages aboard both the Akademik Ioffe and the Akademik Sergey Vavilov. There is no need to book in advance, and there is no additional charge for camping - all the equipment is included in the voyage fare.

Our overnight camping activity continues to be enormously successful. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a small and unique group of people that can claim to have spent the night on the ice in Antarctica. Our strict environmental guidelines for camping have allowed us to receive special permission for this activity.

Our equipment is first-rate and the experience of your guides is enhanced by the high guide to passenger ratio whilst camping. Throughout your voyage, the first priority will always be safety. Your expedition leader will utilize all resources and experience at their disposal to ensure we have the opportunity to camp however, weather, ice and other conditions may necessitate the cancellation of this activity.
 
When the decision to camp has been made, the staff will brief those interested on the activity as well as explain the conditions to expect onshore. We will also explain and demonstrate the supplied equipment.

We will generally leave the ship after dinner approximately 9:30 pm and will return to the ship as soon as people start waking up, usually around 6:00 to 7:00 am the next morning. If we are on shore and the weather deteriorates, or ice moves in, it may be necessary to break camp, AT ANY TIME, and return to the ship.

Overnight temperatures will usually be around +2C to -2C, with an exceptionally cold night
around -5C.

Supplied Equipment:

Bivvy bag or Tent
Sleeping bag (Mummy bag or Barrel bag)
Sleeping bag liner
Sleeping mat
Bathroom facilities
 

Suggested Clothing:

Moisture is your biggest enemy and the clothes you wear ashore will most likely be damp with perspiration from setting up camp. Bring a separate change of clothes for sleeping. Synthetic material is superior to cotton. A pair of long underwear, longsleeve shirt and socks is recommended. Some folks like to wear a toque or beanie and gloves as well. It is important that you do not wear too many clothes in your sleeping bag and never wear boots!