If you want to go through a, shall we say, distinct and REALLY memorable experience in your traveler life, know that traveling to Antarctica (it can also be called Antarctica) is an excellent decision. The continent has by far the most extreme characteristics: it is the furthest, coldest, highest and also the windiest. To give you an idea, in an Antarctic winter it was already registered -93ºC, which would obviously make it impossible for the craziest adventurer to visit. The good news is that the summer in a certain part of Antarctica is not THAT cold for there standards and the temperature usually varies between 0ºC and 9ºC.
The Antarctic Peninsula – a region located to the north of the continent – has the best weather conditions for a visit and is marked by the presence of many animals, huge ice walls and the icebergs that fill the frozen sea.
Tours to the mainland usually depart from the ports of Punta Arenas, or from Ushuaia in Argentina. Here are some very cool reasons for you to pack your bags and get the best out of this tour!
1. Get out of the ordinary
It’s really cool to go to parties, eat in good restaurants, roast in the sun on a paradise beach or feel the nice chill of a walk through the streets of Paris or London. However, anyone looking for something new, in the broadest sense of the term, should travel to Antarctica, after all, you can’t go to an ice continent every time.
2. Watch the icebergs
The blocks of ice that stand out by the sea are an attraction for everyone in Antarctica, especially when they are observed under the incidence of sunlight or with the characteristic lighting of the sunset. The size of the icebergs varies, some are small but others are really impressive.
In early 2017, scientists detected that an iceberg measuring approximately 5,000 square kilometers – a size that is equivalent to 1/4 the area of Wales – is close to breaking off Antarctica. The fact causes concern as it could raise the level of the oceans by approximately 10 centimeters.
You certainly won’t see a block of ice of that size there, but be sure you’ll find others that are very large and in various shapes!
3. See the penguins up close
In Antarctica you will also be able to observe penguins up close – one or the other walking, or a colony of them – and see how they feed, reproduce and interact with each other and with the surrounding nature. This is certainly one of the most interesting points of the expedition!
4. And the other animals…
On the mainland, visitors will be able to see other animals, as the fauna is vast: there are dozens of species of whales, seals, sea lions, sea lions, etc.
5. Contemplate a unique look
One of the most interesting activities on trips to other countries, or even cities, is to make photographic records of historical monuments and natural landscapes that draw attention and are different. Just imagine having the opportunity to photograph and keep in memory the white immensity of the Antarctic continent and all the natural wonders of the surroundings.
6. Feeling isolated in the world
To go to the continent of ice is to leave the world of skyscrapers, stop feeling the smoke of cars and factories, or listening to the noise of engines and horns to breathe the purest air of all continents and absorb positive energy. from the place
At some point in life we have that desire to “run away from everything” to think about life or even get away from the routine for a while. There are good places to isolate yourself in the world , however, Antarctica is the most unique of them all. You bet!
7. Pass through the Drake Sea, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet
On the sea route to reach Antarctica, vessels must pass through the dreaded Drake Sea, located between Tierra del Fuego and the Antarctic continent and which marks the meeting of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Identified as the most dangerous in the world, the sea has waves of more than 10 meters high, hurricanes and huge blocks of ice in the way.
But don’t worry: the boats that take visitors to the Antarctic Peninsula are prepared to face such adversities. As much as you feel butterflies in your stomach every now and then, it’s the beautiful landscapes along the way that will stay in your memory.
8. Meet explorers of different nationalities
Adventurers and travelers from all over the world looking for ‘out of the box’ tours are interested in discovering the natural riches and understanding the mysteries of the frozen continent. It will be very interesting to make friends with these people while dealing with the extreme and atypical situations during the tour.
9. Go through abandoned places
Financial crises due to wars and obvious weather difficulties are the main factors for the failure of these bases. Port Leigh and the Port of Grytviken, located on the island of South Georgia, are among the abandoned places.
10. Dive
It may seem like a joke, but it’s not! In moments of exploration it is suggested a short dive in the icy waters. So, look?
11. Discover the interior of a frozen volcano
In the northwest region of the Antarctic Peninsula there is an island – Deception Island – with an entrance to a volcano, which is made by a kind of portal of 150 meters. This is perhaps the only example of an active volcano in the world – the last activity took place in the 1970s – where travelers can access its interior.
12. Absorb rich information about nature
Your trip to Antarctica will reserve moments of great learning about nature preservation, astronomy, marine life and of course, the history of the continent. On the ships themselves, there are libraries and specialists who give lectures on these and other very interesting topics.