Here’s Why Polar Latitudes Expeditions’ Halal-Friendly Trip to Antarctica Is Perfect for Muslim Travelers

Muslim journalist and traveller Mariam Amini joins Polar Latitudes Expeditions’ first halal-friendly cruise to Antarctica. From halal food and female guides to ladies-only spaces and communal prayers – here’s an inside scoop of her experience.

Like many travellers, Antarctica has always been high on my bucket list. Its remoteness, the mystery, the untouched nature – there’s nowhere else like it on planet Earth.

Since training as a journalist in 2023, I’ve specialised in covering faith and diaspora culture, with special focus given to the Muslim community and halal travel. So when I first heard about Polar Latitudes Expeditions’ latest offering – a halal expedition to Antarctica, the first of its kind – the excitement immediately kicked in.

“I’m going to find a way to get on that ship,” I’d half-jokingly said to my husband, Christian at the time. Fortunately, after getting the go ahead from my editor at Hyphen, then approaching the team at Polar Latitudes Expeditions, they were able to find us both a spot onboard.

The Drake Passage

The journey to Antarctica is ripe with adventure, so be sure to strap in tight. For us, it took 27 hours just to reach Buenos Aires from London. We stayed in the capital for a night to see in the new year, before flying south to Ushuaia, from which our vessel, the Ocean Albatros departed.

Once we set sail from Ushuaia, it was another two days before reaching the White Continent. First, you have to navigate the Drake Passage – a testing body of water where three oceans meet, widely considered as the world’s most dangerous sea crossing.

I’d never stayed on a boat before and the halal Antarctica expedition was my very first cruise, so it was all a new experience for me and definitely a step outside my comfort zone. Surrounded by nothing but water, it’s easy for your mind to wander.

Thankfully, Polar Latitudes Expeditions’ team of expert guides had arranged a full schedule of wildlife lectures to keep us engaged and entertained. These ranged from interactive presentations about whales and penguins, to a lesson on the vast geology of Antarctica, to citizen science programmes that let you contribute to ongoing research.

The crew onboard were also a great support, making sure that guests were as comfortable as possible and giving tips on how to minimise sea sickness, such as eating green apples and avoiding watery foods like soup.

It would be a shame to let the Drake Passage stop one from experiencing Antarctica. You may even get calm waters, known as the “Drake lake”. Equally, if you get a choppy crossing, or the “Drake shake” as it often gets called, that’s still one heck of a story to tell.

Paradise on Earth

By the time we reached Antarctica’s South Shetland Islands, I was itching to get out and explore. I will never forget the moment we first took in the sheer vastness of that frozen horizon, or the very first time a waddling penguin crossed my path.

As Muslims, we are encouraged to “travel throughout the land and see how He originated the creation” (Quran 29:20). And where best to truly appreciate that beauty, than the world’s largest wilderness ?

It’s hard to fathom the full scale of the Antarctic Peninsula , and what it represents. A true paradise on Earth. “How can anyone look at this and still deny a Creator?” had been Christian’s exact words to me.

The fact that this wasn’t just an ordinary Polar Latitudes Expeditions cruise, – it was a halal Antarctica expedition – made the experience even more fulfilling, because it meant we could appreciate it with others who shared our beliefs.

The Muslim travellers with us were from all over the world. There was a real diversity on board. But there was also a strong sense of unity with all the non-Muslim guests, as if the purity of the place somehow stripped away any differences and labels.

On day three, one of the expedition guides held an intimate reflective reading. She spoke of turbulence and transformation, and the spiritual side of the White Continent. Though it wasn’t coming from an Islamic perspective, it resonated deeply with Christian and I.

Kayaking, Landings & Zodiac Cruises

Like most of Polar Latitudes Expeditions’ standard cruises to Antarctica, the way the halal expedition worked was that we had five full days on the White Continent. Each day was split between two activities off the ship, either a Zodiac boat cruise or an actual landing.

For our first landing site, we hiked up to the top of Orne Harbour. It was a clear day and the shimmering sea was mesmerising. Chalk-white cliffs trailed off in every direction. The air was fresh and full of wonder.

It was the same feeling as the day before, when I was tucked into a double kayak with Christian, rowing through Cierva Cove, Kayaking, along with a separate photography programme are optional add-on excursions to the other inclusive activities.

I can’t speak for the photography programme, but the kayaking was exceptional. There were moments when our group paused just to take in the silence, broken only by the sound of crackling ice.

The ocean had looked like a sheet of glass, with the sun bouncing lazily on its surface. It reminded me of the story of Sheba in the Quran, and how she had found the glass walkway built by Solomon (peace be upon him) to be so clear, she had assumed it was water.

Halal Food

One of the biggest perks of a halal Antarctica expedition is undeniably the catering. All the meat being served on our trip was halal, and there was no pork on board either.

Christian and I are so used to having to compromise when travelling. Unless we’re staying in a Muslim country, we tend to adopt a vegetarian or pescaratian diet. It’s manageable, but sometimes it’s hard to ensure a balanced diet.

So to be able to make our way through the ship’s restaurant, stack our plates with any of the meat dishes that took our fancy, and not have to think twice about it was a novelty.

We, like all the Muslim passengers onboard, also appreciated the food quality. I don’t think any of us had been expecting luxury food items like rib-eye steaks.

On one of the evenings, the crew also hosted a barbecue on the outer deck. Between the sizzling sausages, various burger patties and lamb shanks, we were spoilt for choice.

Again, I was reminded of how lucky I was to be there. Such halal-friendly features in Antarctica of all places simply wouldn’t have been possible on a normal cruise.

Ladies-only Groups

Having so many visibly Muslim women with us on the voyage was also a novelty, as we rarely came across other Muslim backpackers on previous travels to South America.

We enjoyed several dinners with a group of Muslim women who were travelling together, as well as a pair of female Muslim backpackers from Australia. The former had been granted a female guide for all excursions – another perk of a halal Antarctica expedition.

Ladies-only hours in the jacuzzi and sauna were also allocated, ensuring a proper chance to relax for those who craved more privacy.

The women themselves wore hijabs, one wore the niqab, and some had their hair out. It was incredibly affirming to have our needs met in such a remote destination, and it certainly made us all feel more confident in our faith identities.

I loved seeing all the modest swimwear choices sported by my fellow passengers during the infamous polar plunge – a rite of passage for visitors to this frozen continent that sees you jumping into Antarctica’s icy waters.

Communal Prayers

Fittingly, our final day on the halal Antarctica expedition fell on a Jummah (Friday) – the holiest time of the week for Muslims and the day most head to the mosque for congregational prayers.

We wanted to recreate that spirit, and had begun forming a plan to host Jummah prayer a few days prior. That morning, I ended up making an announcement on the ship’s tannoy system, inviting Muslims and non-Muslims to join us for this spiritual moment.

When the prayer time arrived, it started with an adhan recital against the powdery white backdrop. Then, Christian gave a khutbah (sermon) on his journey as a Muslim convert, before we all stood to pray on the ship’s top deck.

I was pleased to see so many non-Muslims among us. The mood was one of peace and euphoria, and that feeling continued long after we began our homeward journey.

Future Expeditions

The White Continent has never been more accessible for Muslim travellers, as it was on Polar Latitudes Expeditions’ first halal Antarctica expedition.

For those of us living in non-Muslim countries, having to constantly voice our needs and ensure things align with our faith can feel like an uphill climb. It’s why I’m so grateful for all the planning and work that went into this, and the initiative shown by Polar Latitudes Expeditions to make Antarctica more halal-friendly for Muslim travellers.

A halal Antarctica cruise means you don’t have to spend time worrying about the smaller details. You can focus on what matters most: enjoying the experience.

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