Government of Canada
Level 2Exercise a high degree of caution
Updated: Sep 24, 2026 Source
Last successfully checked: Oct 1, 2026
Last update: October 11, 2026
Updated dailyIs It Safe to Travel to Antarctica Right Now?
Only for experienced travelers
6 5.8 out of 10
Safety Score
Limited data — score leans on a cautious regional baseline.
Last updated: October 11, 2026 5% data coverage
Antarctica has a provisional safety score of 5.8/10 as of October 11, 2026, tentatively rated as High caution — with limited data behind it, so treat this as a cautious estimate rather than a confident verdict. It ranks 195th out of 248 countries worldwide. The biggest concern is crime (5.0/10), while the strongest area is conflict (5.9/10). It combines 5 government travel advisories and is recalculated daily.
What are the safety risk areas?
Crime 5.0/10 When a pillar has low data coverage, its contribution to the overall score is reduced or excluded.
Health 5.0/10 When a pillar has low data coverage, its contribution to the overall score is reduced or excluded.
Governance 5.0/10 When a pillar has low data coverage, its contribution to the overall score is reduced or excluded.
Environment 5.0/10 When a pillar has low data coverage, its contribution to the overall score is reduced or excluded.
Conflict 5.9/10 When a pillar has low data coverage, its contribution to the overall score is reduced or excluded.
Indicator-level detail
Crime 5.0/10 When a pillar has low data coverage, its contribution to the overall score is reduced or excluded. · Moderate · Coverage: 0%
Health 5.0/10 When a pillar has low data coverage, its contribution to the overall score is reduced or excluded. · Moderate · Coverage: 0%
Governance 5.0/10 When a pillar has low data coverage, its contribution to the overall score is reduced or excluded. · Moderate · Coverage: 0%
Environment 5.0/10 When a pillar has low data coverage, its contribution to the overall score is reduced or excluded. · Moderate · Coverage: 0%
Conflict 5.9/10 When a pillar has low data coverage, its contribution to the overall score is reduced or excluded. · Moderate · Coverage: 25%
See how these scores are calculated on the Methodology page.
Community Sentiment
CommunityHave you been here? Rate this destination
This turns into a community safety score once 5 people have voted — a real-world check on the data-based score above. No votes yet: add yours below to help build it.
Community estimate — does not affect the safety score.
Thanks for your input!
Your calibration was recorded. The community estimate updates once a day.
Couldn't record your vote right now — please try again later.
What do governments say?
Sources (5)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to travel to Antarctica in 2026?
The data available for Antarctica is thin, so treat this score with caution: as of October 2026 it stands at 5.8/10, provisionally classified as High caution based mostly on regional patterns rather than country-specific evidence. The score is an uncertainty-weighted (Bayesian shrinkage) geometric mean of five pillars: conflict (30%), crime (25%), health (20%), governance (15%) and environment (10%).
A weak pillar drags the overall score down more than a strong one lifts it, and the mix also folds in a calibrated consensus of government travel advisories. Thin or stale data pulls a country's score toward a cautious regional baseline instead of guessing — see our methodology page for the full statistical detail.
conflict (5.9/10) is Antarctica's strongest pillar, while the score is pulled down by health (5.0/10) and above all by crime (5.0/10). This pillar reflects violent crime, theft and organized criminal activity — a low score calls for extra street awareness, especially outside the main tourist areas.
It combines 5 government travel advisories and is recalculated daily.
What is the biggest risk when traveling to Antarctica?
No single factor stands out as critical for Antarctica: its relatively weakest area is crime at 5.0/10, close to the global mid-range. This pillar reflects violent crime, theft and organized criminal activity — a low score calls for extra street awareness, especially outside the main tourist areas.
Its strongest pillar is conflict at 5.9/10.
What do government travel advisories say about Antarctica?
As of October 2026, Antarctica has 5 government travel advisories on record. The prevailing guidance is to exercise increased caution when visiting Antarctica; the strongest current warning — exercise increased caution — comes from United States and Canada.
How does Antarctica compare to nearby countries?
| Country | Score | Conflict | Crime | Health | Governance | Environment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antarctica | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| French Southern Territories | 5.5 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Bouvet Island | 5.5 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| South Georgia | 5.5 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | 5.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
Related Countries
In the same region
Similar safety scores
How has the safety score changed over time?
Loading chart…
Where does the data come from?
- advisoriesFresh
Travel advisories from 5 governments: US State Department, Government of Canada, Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and New Zealand SafeTravel
Checked: Oct 11, 2026