Time, space, experience

An excursion to the White Continent or a secret ski party, travel diaries now seek the exotic, writes Akshara Srivastava

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The journey to Antarctica has long been defined by the Drake Passage, a 965-odd-km-long notoriously rough stretch of sea separating South America's Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands of the White Continent.

For decades, enduring its unpredictable waters was considered the rite of passage if penguin-land was your destination. Today, while this frontier of travel remains as adventurous, and surreal, it has become a notch easier to navigate. Instead of sailing through the treacherous crossing, travellers have the option of flying from Punta Arenas in Chile to King George Island before boarding an expedition vessel that sails along the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The result is a journey to the southernmost tip of the planet that retains the rawness of the destination, while removing one of its most daunting barriers.

An eight-day, seven-night expedition can cost upwards of $30,000 (about ₹27 lakh) per person, depending on the vessel and onboard amenities, says Juan Cristobal Del Pedregal Bravo, senior commercial director at Chile-based Antarctica21, which organises these air-cruise expeditions.

The remoteness of the destination comes with responsibility. Landings are tightly controlled, travellers move in batches, shoes are disinfected, and strict environmental protocols govern every step ashore — no sitting or touching any surface on the land for risk of contamination; no wandering beyond the flagposts that mark the trails; no photography; and no going near the wildlife.

"Even clothes are inspected to ensure that no foreign material is introduced to the place," says Shefali Jain Mishra, a travel executive who went to Antarctica for 10 days last year. Those were days when she truly disconnected from the rest of the world — an ultimate luxury more and more people appear to be seeking.