Ross Sea Tours

The Most Important Information About Our Ross Sea Trips at a Glance

• Best time to visit: December through February—the only time of year
• Trip duration: 25 to 33 days on board, plus travel to and from the destination—and correspondingly longer for the complete circumnavigation of Antarctica
• Departure: from New Zealand (e.g., Dunedin or Bluff; often via Queenstown) or Tasmania (e.g., Hobart); for half-circumnavigations, from South America
• Ships: small ice-class expedition vessels (usually carrying fewer than 150 guests)
• Highlights: including emperor penguins, Adélie penguin colonies, table icebergs, and Scott's Hut on Ross Island

The Most Remote Destination in Antarctica

While the Antarctic Peninsula is visited by well over 100,000 travelers each year, the Ross Sea is one of the least-visited regions in Antarctica and is reached by only a few expedition ships per season.

The reason lies in the geography: The Ross Sea lies much farther south than the peninsula, is considerably colder, and is covered by sea ice that only briefly breaks up during the Antarctic high summer. This short window of opportunity allows for only a very small number of departures per season worldwide.

What Makes a Ross Sea Expedition Special

The journey begins even before reaching the Ross Sea. The routes pass through New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic archipelagos—Macquarie Island, Campbell Island, and the Auckland Islands—places with an extraordinary abundance of wildlife, including several species of penguins, royal albatrosses with a wingspan of up to 3.5 meters, and densely populated sea lion rookeries. Several of these archipelagos are part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site and are considered a highlight in their own right, even for experienced Antarctic travelers.

In the Ross Sea itself, ice conditions, weather, and wildlife encounters dictate the daily schedule. Zodiac excursions take you past Adélie penguin colonies and table icebergs that would tower over entire cities. Emperor penguins may be spotted in the Ross Sea—their colonies are usually too remote for direct visits, but individual birds or small groups can be seen on the pack ice. On select routes, sea kayaking can also be booked—for particularly immersive nature experiences up close.

The Ross Ice Shelf—larger than France, with its ice edge rising up to 50 meters above the water—is one of the most impressive natural phenomena on the planet.

Ross Island is home to the huts from the Scott and Shackleton expeditions, which have been preserved by the ice for over a century. Today, the same region is also home to major research stations such as McMurdo Station and Scott Base. The expedition team on board—comprising marine biologists, geologists, and Antarctic historians—accompanies every shore excursion and provides historical and scientific context for these sites.

Why the Ross Sea Is Under Special Protection

The Ross Sea is one of the least human-impacted marine ecosystems on Earth. In 2016, 24 countries and the European Union agreed to establish a large-scale marine protected area in the Ross Sea region—at the time, the largest in the world. Its remote location and strict conservation regulations have helped preserve large parts of this unique natural area in a virtually untouched state to this day.

When you travel across the Ross Sea, you’ll get a firsthand sense of why preserving such natural areas is of particular importance to science and environmental conservation.

Before Your Trip: What You Should Know

Travel to New Zealand or Tasmania is part of the trip planning process—upon request, inventia can put together customized travel packages, including flights, hotels, and transfers. Pre- and post-trip itineraries to extend your trip are also available.

To participate in a Ross Sea expedition, you are required to complete a medical questionnaire before departure. These trips do not require peak athletic performance, but they differ significantly from traditional cruises: they involve Zodiac landings in rough terrain, changeable weather, and several days at sea. You are required to have international health insurance that includes medical evacuation, and proof of coverage must be provided.

The language spoken on board is usually English. Consultations and booking services at inventia are conducted entirely in German.

Thanks to their ice class, ice-strengthened expedition ships and polar icebreakers can reach regions that ordinary cruise ships cannot access—which significantly expands the range of itineraries available. Some ships are also equipped with on-board helicopters, which (depending on conditions) allow for landings in hard-to-reach areas. We’d be happy to discuss which route and which ship are right for you in person.