An Expedition to Planet Earth: Inside Antarctic Air-Cruises Behind the Curtain

Max Zaharenkov is the creative director behind “An Expedition to Planet Earth”, our exclusive video series recently launched on YouTube. For over a month, the travel filmmaker journeyed aboard Magellan Explorer, capturing the essence of what it’s like to explore the Seventh Continent with Antarctica21, and to be fully immersed in the last great wilderness on Earth.

“This series is basically a full look behind the curtain, so you will see the obvious things like landings, wildlife, and at the same time you will see things that usually don’t, like the planning, the briefing, the logistics from Punta Arenas.”

In this interview, Max shares what it was like to create An Expedition to Planet Earth web series, reflects on his experience in the White Continent, and explains why this extraordinary destination is truly worth visiting.

How would you describe these series?

Max: This series is about what really happens on an Antarctic expedition, and not the Instagram version. Not just penguins, but the in-between moments, the people, the preparation, the small decisions that actually make this journey work.  

You will see how Antarctica21 operates, how is the cruising, how the guests feel when they slow down and kind of disconnect, because I think the emotions, what people feel during the expedition is priceless, I wish everyone can feel this, and how Antarctica hits everyone differently is crazy, it’s cinematic, but at the same time it’s grounded, superhuman. You will probably recognize yourself in some of the stories.

This documentary is not like a sales video, it’s a real cinematic documentation of how the company operates in one of the most remote and epic regions in the whole world.

What was the most challenging part of this project?

Max: As a travel creator who operates in all seven continents and has visited more than 150 countries, the most challenging part was probably letting go of control. In most productions you plan everything, but here, Antarctica decides. Weather changes, ice moves, wildlife shows when it wants, and you’re supposed to adapt constantly.  

The other challenge was actually not over doing it, so Antarctica is already super powerful, you don’t need to force your emotion or drama, and the hardest part for me was knowing actually when to step back and let moments brief.

The hardest part was accepting that I wasn’t in control. From a production point of view, that’s brutal.

What would you say to travelers looking to visit Antarctica?

Max: Come here curious, come patient, listen to the guides, respect the rules, they exist for a reason, and be ok with things not going exactly as planned. You need to keep in mind it’s nature, a real nature without any planning, so if you’re planning to see whales today, they might not come, because whales are not paid actors.

If you slow down and stay open, Antarctica gives you something way deeper than photos, it changes how you see scale, time, and honestly, probably you can see yourself there.

Is there anything you’d like to add?

Max: For me, this project really highlighted how much responsibility comes with taking people to a place like Antarctica. Every landing, every rule, every decision is always made consciously and responsibly.

What impressed me most about Antarctica21 is how wildly and consistently they take that responsibility seriously. Overall, from the ground team in Punta Arenas, to the crew on the ship, to the expedition leaders, in the field everyone understands that they are not just running trips; they are protecting something that goes beyond everything.

If this series does one thing, I really hope most people understand that Antarctica is not a bucket list. It’s a privilege to visit this place, and it’s something that we all need to treat with care. I stayed on a boat for a month, and every landing was different and unique, you can not predict it.

Don’t forget it’s not a cruise, it’s not a trip, it’s an expedition, and we are not here to plan, we are here to adapt.

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Watch our original web series “An Expedition to Planet Earth” exclusively on YouTube.

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