Travelling to Antarctica is expensive and time consuming. Most visitors want to feel Antarctica's terra firma under their feet, but for those with less time and money flightseeing is a good alternative. Qantas reintroduced overflights in 1994 and they have quickly become very popular. The Boeing 747-400 aircraft do not touch down on the continent but offer spectacular views of the glaciers, icebergs and mountains. The aircraft don't descend below 3050m (10,000ft) or 610m (2000ft) above the highest terrain within 185km (115mi), whichever is the higher, and they run their engines at less than one third of the full power, reducing noise, pollution and providing better views. The flights depart from Melbourne and Sydney, and plans are underway for a service out of Perth. No passport is required for these 12-hour flights since they are regarded as Australian 'domestic' air travel, and they feature on-board lectures and videos. Overflights were discontinued for 15 years after an Air New Zealand DC-10 crashed into 3795m (12448ft) Mt Erubus on Ross Island on November 28, 1979, killing all 257 people aboard.

Three countries operate airstrips on the continent - Argentina, Chile and Britain - but none have facilities for private or commercial landings. All private landings need advance permission which is almost impossible to obtain. The more than 50 aircraft wrecks strewn across the continent are testament to the perils of Antarctic aviation.

Curiously, the collapse of the Soviet Union has directly led to the huge increase in tourists coming to Antarctica. Since the late 1980s, ex-Soviet scientific academies have been desperate for hard currency and have leased their ice-strengthened and ice-breaking research ships to Western companies at very attractive rates. The kinds of packages available on these cruises varies according to the amount of time at sea, the degree of on-board luxury and the port from where the vessel departs. The number of tourists aboard the ship is an important factor in your cruise choice and can be anywhere between 38 and 400, but anything beyond 150 is ridiculous. Members of IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators) pledge that they will not land more than 100 people a time at any one site, but this is violated from time to time.

The only way to access Antarctica independently is by private yacht and even these craft are increasingly offering passage for fare-paying customers. The French seem to like arriving at Antarctica by yacht and most yacht-based tours of the region are offered out of France. But sailing to Antarctica is serious stuff and yachties should not be flippant about the perils. In the last 30 years about 150 private sailing vessels have anchored at Antarctica. The Antarctic gateway cities are: Cape Town (South Africa), Christchurch (New Zealand), Hobart (Australia), Punta Arenas (Chile), Stanley (Falkland Islands) and Ushuaia (Argentina). From any of these ports, count on at least a 12-day voyage, and be aware that some operators will include as many as three nights in South America as part of a 14-day Antarctica itinerary. It takes around 2 days to sail from these gateway ports to the Antarctic Peninsula, and 3 or 4 to non-Peninsula destinations.

Zodiacs, the inflatable outboard-powered boats popularised by French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, have revolutionised Antarctic travel. They are safe, stable and ideal for cruising among icebergs and landing in otherwise inaccessible areas. Even if one or more of a zodiac's air-filled chambers is punctured it will stay afloat. Landings are either 'wet', meaning you'll have to step into the water before getting onto dry land, or 'dry', meaning you'll step straight onto dry land. In practice, however, all landings are 'wet'.

Once on terra firma, getting around comes down to trusty footwork and the leg-speed of the tour group you're trudging around with. It's far better to dress in a series of thinner layers than in a single very heavy coat, jumper or pair of pants - air is trapped and warmed between these layers. A simple windproof/waterproof jacket is much better than a bulky outer layer, and aboard ship you'll be most comfortable in regular jeans and the like. Good ski-style gloves and knee-high waterproof boots are essential, as are good-quality UV-filtering sunglasses, lip balm and sunscreen. High-tech synthetic fabrics are readily available and are often better than wool or cotton. Brightly coloured Polartec garments are de rigueur aboard ship and are favoured by expedition staff. Also good are fabrics like Capilene and polypropylene, especially for long underwear.