Travel

Antarctica

Antarctica is a throwback to the last Ice Age on Earth - a pristine wilderness in the most remote region in the world. It is amidst this solitude that adventurous travelers will discover a landscape that lingers in the memory. With towering mountains, bulky glaciers and luminous, dreamlike icebergs, carved into curious shapes, Antarctica reminds those who visit it of the overwhelming power of nature. No two travelers will ever see the same icebergs forged in exactly the same form - such is the unfathomable and austere beauty of this massive continent.

Antarctica is the largest remaining wilderness on Earth and is still relatively untouched by the destructive forces of humanity. It covers an area of 13.7 million square kilometres around the South Pole and is covered with an ice sheet four kilometres deep. Still uninhabited on a permanent basis, over 25 different countries have set up over 80 research stations on the continent.

In terms of climate, Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth and holds the record of the world's lowest-recorded temperature, -89 °C. This frozen desert has very little precipitation, though heavy snowfalls are not uncommon on the coastal portion of the continent, where snowfalls of up to 1.22 metres have occurred in less than 48 hours. Because of its higher elevations, eastern Antarctica is colder than its western counterpart, though temperatures across the continent vary from lows of -80 °C to highs of 15°C.

Travellers to Antarctica should come prepared with sunscreen and sunglasses, as sunburn is often a health issue across the continent. The snow surface covering the continent reflects almost all of the ultraviolet light falling on it, which can cause sunburn in as little as 15 minutes. On the topic of light, the Aurora Australis (or southern lights) is visible in the night sky near the South Pole at night, while sun dogs (bright spots that appear beside the Sun) are often visible during the daylight hours.

These vacation packages include Antarctica