Visit All 7 Continents
Ticked off in December 2024
Six continents take planning; the seventh takes a ship, two days on the Drake Passage and a little nerve.
The adventure
Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania can all be reached on an ordinary holiday. Antarctica is different. There are no scheduled flights, no hotels and no permanent population, and the continent you are trying to reach is larger than Europe, buried under ice up to nearly 5 kilometres thick.
That is why the seventh continent is so often the last. First comes the Drake Passage, where the swell can throw a ship around for two days. Then one morning there are icebergs on the horizon, and soon a Zodiac grinds onto a pebble beach on the Antarctic Peninsula. You step ashore among gentoo penguins, and suddenly you belong to a small group of people who have stood on every continent on Earth. The other six feel like the warm-up.
Why it’s epic
- Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, driest and, on average, highest continent, and the only one with no permanent population.
- The 1959 Antarctic Treaty sets the whole continent aside for peace and science.
- Asia and Africa are a short flight from the UK, via Istanbul's Asian shore or Morocco, while Oceania means Australia, New Zealand or the Pacific islands.
- Your Antarctic landing comes with penguins, seals and whales, rather than a passport stamp.
What it is
Setting foot on all seven continents means including Antarctica, which is usually the last and most expensive.
How to do it
Six continents can be ticked off with ordinary trips; Antarctica is usually reached by expedition cruise from Ushuaia in Argentina between November and March.
Top tip
Last-minute cruise deals in Ushuaia can be much cheaper than booking a year ahead.
Need to know
- Antarctic voyages run from November to March, mostly from Ushuaia in Argentina, with some fly-cruises from Punta Arenas in Chile.
- Expedition ships book up a year or more ahead, though discounted last-minute berths are sometimes sold in Ushuaia.
- Insurance for Antarctica must include emergency medical evacuation, which many standard policies exclude.
Do it yourself
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My experience
7 Continents
Alongside wanting to visit all 196 countries I also want to reach all 7 continents. Technically you can visit every country without visiting every continent as Antarctica is not classed as a country, but where is the fun in that?
Antarctica
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