Kayaking Among Icebergs
Seeing Antarctica From a Penguins Point of View
To experience Antarctica up close and personal, there’s really no better seat than the one in your kayak, just inches above the water, navigating among icebergs and glacial ice dating back 30,000 years.
Gliding through an otherworldly landscape with a small team, led by our expert guides and occasionally joined by a family of playful penguins or seals, this is about as intimate and magical as it gets.
Beginning with the 2023-24 season, we will be offering 2 distinct kayaking programs. Details below.
Immersive Kayaking – $895
Limit 10 participants*
This program is designed for those more experienced guests who want to kayak as much as possible during their voyage. Immersive Kayaking is limited to 10 participants, with a dedicated kayak guide and safety Zodiac. Immersive paddlers will have the opportunity to kayak during most excursions and landings, weather and conditions permitting.
* Advanced booking is highly recommended
Discover Kayaking – $250/outing
Participation Varies by Voyage*
This program is designed for those guests who just want a taste of the Antarctic kayaking experience. Each participant kayaks once per voyage in a group of 14 with a dedicated guide team and safety Zodiac. Total number of available kayaking spots on each departure will vary by itinerary length and weather, but we aim to get groups on the water at every opportunity.
*Advanced booking is recommended. Additional outings can be purchased on board, space permitting.
*Advanced Booking Requires 20% Deposit: *Because the number of kayaking opportunities will vary by voyage, we are setting the pre-booking availability for Discover Kayaking very conservatively, with 28 spots for Adventures in Antarctica and FSG voyages, 42 spots on Celebrating Antarctica voyages, and 56 spots on Circle Crossing voyages. In the event that additional spots are available on board, we will offer them to any interested pax, on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Details:
Anyone 14 or older, in reasonably good health and with even a small amount of paddling experience is welcome to join. Our kayaks have a per person weight limit of 260 lbs.
Prior to your first kayaking adventure, our guides will do a thorough job of handing out and explaining all your gear, as well as the basic rules of operating an ocean kayak.
Typical excursions last anywhere from 1-3 hours.
We Provide:
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) tandem (two-man) kayaks with paddles, dry suits, personal floatation devices (PFDs), and pogies (neoprene gloves.)
You Provide:
Guests pre-booked on both of our kayak programs should read and follow the detailed preparation notes sent prior to departure. Make sure to bring warm layers and a keen sense of adventure!
Kayaking was Magical
The kayaking experience was magical. Being eye level with the whales and ice was truly breathtaking.
Wonderful Kayaking Experience
They kayak guides provided a wonderful, safe and informative kayaking experience. Their soothing confidence helped me really relax and enjoy the ride.
Kayaking FAQ
Over the seasons we have operated two different kayak programs – each based on a specific ship. What we’ve found is that not all guests want the same experience. Some are looking to make kayaking the focus of their voyage, getting out on the water as much as possible. Others just want to try it out and get a taste of the experience. So, we decided to create program options that meet the varying desires of our guests.
IMMERSIVE KAYAKING – This program is designed for those paddle-minded guests who want to kayak as much as possible during their voyage. Immersive Kayaking is limited to 10 participants, with a dedicated kayak guide and safety Zodiac. Immersive paddlers will have the opportunity to kayak during most excursions and landings, weather and conditions permitting.
DISCOVER KAYAKING – This program is designed for those guests who just want a taste of the Antarctic kayaking experience. Participants kayak once per voyage in groups of 14. Total number of available kayaking spots will vary by itinerary length and weather, but we will attempt to get passengers on the water at every opportunity.
Yes. While both programs may go out on the water simultaneously, we will make every effort to guide the two groups in different directions in order to maintain the peace and tranquility the smaller groups create. Each group will have its own guide(s) and safety Zodiac.
Participant limits will vary by itinerary. The Discover Kayaking program can accommodate 14 people per each instance of kayaking – we conservatively expect that to result in a minimum of 28 spots for Adventures in Antarctica and FSG voyages, 42 spots on Celebrating Antarctica voyages, and 56 spots on Circle Crossing voyages. Please note that all kayaking is dependent on weather and sea conditions. If additional spots become available, we will accept signups on board on a first-come, first-served basis. In the unfortunate event that we are able to take less people than have booked, we will assign spots in the order of bookings, and issue a full refund to anyone who does not get to participate.
We make every effort to offer the kayaking activity on every excursion if time and environmental conditions allow. An example of a time restraint: if for some reason we are delayed in getting to our excursion location due to having stopped to view Orca or Humpback along the way, and we are only left with an hour for an excursion, we may decide to offer a zodiac cruise in that allotted time, to best make the most of the delayed situation.
Any excursion or activity opportunity is always determined by wind, weather and ice conditions, particularly with kayaking. It is not limited to the act of simply kayaking on the water, we also have to take in to account the calm weather required for getting the kayaks and zodiacs on and off the ship.
Yes. Each program will have its own guide team and dedicated safety Zodiac.
No. Polar Latitudes provides High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) tandem (two-person) kayaks. These kayaks have a per person weight limit of 260 lbs.
Yes. For each kayaking program, available pre-booking spots will be displayed. Registered partners will be able to book both options online.
Booking in advance is always recommended. With a limit of 10 spots per voyage, we expect Immersive Kayaking will sell out well in advance of departure. If you are interested in our Discover Kayaking program but aren’t sure, we will accept sign ups on board for any available spots on a first-come, first-served basis.
I am currently booked on a departure that has no availability in the Immersive program. Can I switch departures?
- Yes! If you would like to move to a departure that has Immersive kayaking availability, we will be happy to transfer your booking with no rebooking fee. Your new invoice will reflect the difference in trip price.
I booked Discover kayaking and there are not enough available spots on board.
- In the unlikely but unfortunate event that we are able to take less people than have booked, we will assign spots in the order of bookings, and issue a full refund to anyone who does not get to participate.
I booked one program, but now that I’m on board I would prefer to switch to the other program.
- Guests who booked Discover Kayaking are welcome to switch to Immersive Kayaking provided space is available on board. Program price difference will be charged on board.
- Guests who booked Immersive Kayaking are welcome to switch to Discover Kayaking, provided space is available on board. There will be no refunds issued for the difference in program price.