The southernmost continent and the coldest and driest region on Earth, Antarctica offers warm and unbelievable once-in-a-life adventure that is sure to blow away the expectations of even the most experienced travelers. Combining the endless wilderness with the beauty of gleaming white ice, sapphire blue waters and majestic snow, the appealing ‘White Continent’ is a nature lover’s dream to come true. Do not forget your cameras to take outstanding photos while among the penguins, seals and seabirds!
The land on the South Pole, Antarctica is a frozen, windswept continent (with a huge area of about 14 million square kilometers), surrounded by the Southern Ocean and divided by the Transantarctic Mountain chain, which is about hundred years old. The 98% of it is covered with ice. Vinson Massif, 4,876 meters tall, is the continent’s highest peak found in West Antarctica, while Mount Erebus (3,794 meters at height) is an active volcano in East Antarctica, noted for its massive eruption in 1970.
Most travel to Antarctica is either by sea or, less frequently, by small plane. Tourist ships typically begin the journey to Antarctica through southern Argentina or Chile, countries that have an easy access to the continent. A trip to Antarctica is only available between the months of November and March, when the pack ice has broken up and the 20 hours of sunlight per day brings warmer temperatures. Many tour companies run Antarctica cruises, offering a wide range of polar travel options, itineraries and expedition trip reviews.
Antarctica Sightseeing Cruises
The most popular Antarctic vacations are sightseeing cruises. The last-frontier ice desert of Antarctica dazzles around 45,000 annual visitors looking for a true adventure to the world’s most spectacular wilderness. Trip highlights range from kayaking in protected waters amid abundant marine life and paddling around icebergs as penguins swim nearby to enjoying magnificent views of the ever-changing mountains and the dramatic, surreal landscapes. Watching humpback whales is a great bonus.
Some cruises do allow visitors to make landings and explore the landscape. Such visits are usually short due to the harsh temperatures. There are also tour operators who present pursuits for the daring and adventurous. Such kind of tours are just encouraged for those who are definitely into outdoor sports like skiing, climbing and trekking.
Among the top hotspots in Antarctica would be the Deception Island, a collapsed volcano, forming a pure refuge, with its main attraction being the Pendulum Cove famous for its thermally heated water.
Getting personal with penguins
If you’ve ever wanted to be the one to boast that you have actually observed polar animals in their native habitat, Antarctica is the best choice, a dreamscape destination, where penguin populations are counted in the tens of thousands in some rookeries.
‘They are extraordinarily like children, these little people of the Antarctic world, either like children, or like old men, full of their own importance and late for dinner, in their black tail-coats and white shirt-fronts – and rather portly withal,’ says Cherry Garrard about penguins.
Antarctica offers amazing opportunities to have a close-up look at the varied Penguins that have become the continent’s number one attraction. But to get personal with these unique creatures one should be smart. Antarctica’s visitor regulations require that you stand at least five meters away from the penguins in order not to disturb them. Do not forget that loud sounds make penguins nervous, so keep quiet!!!