Maria Leijerstam got to Antarctica
by ship and aircraft, using the same logistics system most modern Antarctic expeditions rely on. In simple terms:
- Commercial flight to South America
She first flew from the UK to Chile (usually Punta Arenas), which is the main international gateway to Antarctica.
- Chartered flight to Antarctica ✈️
From Chile, she boarded a specialized Antarctic flightoperated by a polar logistics company.
- The aircraft landed on a blue-ice runway in Antarctica (Union Glacier Camp area).
- Internal Antarctic transport
Once on the continent, she and her equipment were flown by ski-equipped aircraft to her starting point at Hercules Inlet.
- Start of the expedition ♀️❄️
From Hercules Inlet, she began her human-powered journey, cycling and hauling her sled all the way to the South Pole.
This combination—
commercial flights → chartered polar flight → ski plane—is standard for explorers today, since Antarctica has no ports or public airports.