by M. A. Hagan

Created on: October 04, 2008   Last Updated: October 10, 2008

Antarctica Travel Guide

When the words "adventure travel" are spoken, most think of Alaska, Moab, Utah, or the New York City subway, not "Antarctica travel". However, journeys to Antarctica are surprisingly possible. Adventure Antarctica travel has become much easier and more affordable in the modern era than ever before. Most trips are in the form of sightseeing tours, or just plain Antarctica cruises.

Yes, there are some cruises that go to the great, white continent.

To travel to Antarctica, most cruises start off in Ushuaia, Argentina, but some will leave from New Zealand and Australia. From any of these suitable places you'll board your ship, typically an ice breaker or an expedition ship like the M.S. Endeavor, and depart for southern waters.
If your departed from Argentina, your cruise will enable you to experience parts of the globe we only see on the Discovery Channel as you sail through Drake Passage and around the infamous Cape Horn. Travelers will behold the beautiful, snow-capped Andes Mountains as they leave South America.

When the cruise ship reaches the Antarctic Peninsula, you'll experience tabular icebergs, hillsides filled with thousands of penguins, and majestic glaciers. With experienced guides, the adventure traveler will be able to traverse the waters of the berg fields via Zodiac and/or kayaks. You'll have the opportunity to see a variety of different wildlife; Adlie penguins, thousands of seabirds, leopard seals, snow and pintado petrels, and possibly even whales. Just think of the stories you can tell your coworkers back at the office after a trip like this.

Most trips run between 10 and 14 days, and cost in the $10,000 USD range, including airfare. Don't despair. You can find some companies or special deals which would enable you to travel Antarctica cheap. It costs an average of $5,000 USD to book a twin cabin, which doesn't include airfare.
The website, www.travelwild.com, offers 10-day cruises that depart from Ushuaia for as little as $3,990. As you can see, great deals are there to be found.
A simple internet search will bring up several companies that offer many packaged itineraries.

The best time to travel to Antarctica is in Mid Summer which is from the middle of December through January.
These are normally Antarctica's warmest months and have 24 hours of sunlight. The constant light creates great lighting conditions for photographs throughout the cruise, especially at midnight. Also during this time of year is when the Antarctic penguin chicks hatch, and fur seals are breeding. Seal pups are visible on South Georgia Island and the Falklands. The Mid Summer trips offer some of the greatest opportunities to see Antarctica's wildlife, and the receding ice pack allows for more exploration.

Antarctica is one of the last, great frontiers of exploration on this planet. Even though it's a little expensive, an adventure trip to the ice covered land is well worth every penny. You'll have memories that will last your entire life. From taking pictures with penguins to kayaking among the glaciers in pristine waters, you'll have experiences that many only dream about. So what are you waiting for?

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