We’ll be looking at some of the most compelling arguments as to why you should be adding the frozen continent to your bucket list by highlighting what makes this such a unique experience start to finish. Your point of departure is the end of the world in adventure movies and novels, the Intrepid traveler is always looking to reach the horizon to explore beyond the known end of the world. Now, modern mapping technology means that we’ve done a pretty thorough job exploring the globe, but due to its harsh climate and it’s extremely remote location, Antarctica remains the next best thing. And while there are a few different routes you can take to get there, including departures from South Africa, New Zealand and Chile, most agree that the Argentinian port city of Goose With is the way to go. Generally considered to be the southernmost city in the world, it’s been dubbed El Fin del Mundo, which translates to the end of the world to those for whom the word Argentina brings to mind. Images of sunny weather and rain forests. You’re in for a surprise while Argentina to the north is indeed subtropical.
Why is the climate out of a mild tundra? It never gets particularly cold or hot. The landscape is rugged and distinct. Northern anesthetic and breathtakingly beautiful. The small town of colorful homes is backed by dramatic dark green forest. And soaring snow capped mountains. It’s a perfect stepping stone before you embark on your great adventure into the relative unknown. The voyage itself, once not so long ago a trip to Antarctica was reserved for the most daring season and adventurous of travelers. It was a domain of the explorer, not just the outdoor enthusiast, though modern technology and dedicated travel companies have made the southernmost continent far more accessible in recent years, you’re still sailing the same path taken by early pioneers. You’re a lot more. Comfortable, safe and well equipped in these pioneers were, but it’s nonetheless an epic experience. You’re reaching back through time and connecting with these brave pioneers and you can really feel that history as you cross these unforgiving waters, gaining a whole new appreciation for the endeavor they undertook nowadays. Crossing the Drake Passage takes about two days, and the experience typically falls into two categories, smooth sailing on the Drake Lake, or the Drake Shake, which is a nickname for extremely rough seas, but honestly. It’s all part of the adventure crossing the Drake Passage comes with serious bragging rights and makes for a once in a lifetime experience. During the trip. You’re also able to see all manner of wildlife and some pretty incredible sunsets.
How many destinations can you name for which getting there is a trip unto itself? The landscape? This is perhaps the single biggest draw to the frozen continent, though it is a land of Sky, rock, ice, snow, and frigid cold water. Those elements come together. In a way that Hudley captivates.
Imagine heading out in a kayak and navigating your way through icebergs. Impossibly white ice giants, jagged monoliths that sliced through sea and sky. The experience isn’t unlike exploring a massive outdoor museum. Except here the artwork consists exclusively of sculptures crafted by the hands of time and the elements, both the size and shapes of the icebergs inspire. Or if we’re going out exploring, that means the weather is. Good, and so you’ll be slowly making your way through calm water. It’s an almost meditative experience. Of course, now that high resolution digital cameras are reasonably affordable, and given that the picture quality on smartphones has come as far as it has, photography is another big reason to consider making the trip. Antarctica is utterly unique. You won’t find comparable photo OPS anywhere else in the world. The landscape that stretches before you is unreal and begs to be captured. Oh, and we haven’t even mentioned the night sky.
Free from light pollution off the dock, the Antarctic sky comes to life in magnificent fashion. Depending on where you visit, you may even get to see the elusive Aurora australis and tuck tuck his own southern lights. Wildlife animal lovers, this one for you Antarctica might not be home to many humans, but it’s by no means inhabited here in this inhospitable land. A wide array of animals have adapted to not only survive in the harsh conditions, but thrive, and with so. Little human influence or meddling, they live in relative peace. This is their land due to the extreme climate and permanent ice. Antarctica isn’t known for its abundance of greenery as such, with the exception of krill and phytoplankton. Herbivores are essentially non-existent. Birds are among the most common animal sightings in Antarctica, highlights being the beautiful snow petrels and the wandering albatross, which boasts the longest wingspan on the planet. The continent is also home to orcas and blue whales. The former can be spotted across the globe, but Antarctica is among the places where killer whales are found in the largest number.
Of course, two of the biggest draws, at least in terms of wildlife, are the Penguins and seals here in Antarctica. Both are abundant but guaranteed to get plenty of time with each in terms of Penguins and tactical, is home to 1 assortment of species including adeliz, emperors, chinstraps, kings, gentoos, macaroni, and rockhopper. As for. Seals commonly seen in Antarctica include Weddell seals, southern fur seals, crabeater seals, leopard seals, and southern elephant seals. That’s a lot of seals. You get a continent to yourself by escaping the modern world. Our planet is massive and full of or inspiring sites, both natural and human. Made realistically, one could spend their entire life traveling the globe and still not see at all. With the world population quickly approaching a billion, however. It can be hard to find destinations that don’t bear the distinct mark of human activity, even in national parks and other such popular nature type destinations.
Their popularity is an app to make them relatively crowded. That’s the beauty of Antarctica. For starters, the continent has only 1000 to 5000 residents. Depending on the season, with none of them permanent. The human footprint here is very minor, being limited to a few dozen scientific outposts and bases. Even though travel to Antarctica has increased nearly. 10 fold since the early 1990s, the total number of visitors remains under 50,000, and that’s for the entire continent. For context, consider that the Grand Canyon National Park receives over 6 million guests over the same time period. The lack of humans and human activity in Antarctica translates to a land of incomparable peace and quiet. It’s wild in a way that’s extremely rare in this day and age. It feels special, like your own little secret. It’s vast. Emptiness, mammoth glaciers and barren landscape overwhelmed in the best possible way. Visiting Antarctica is not only an opportunity to immerse yourself in one of the world’s most extreme environments, but also offers an incredibly cleansing and cathartic dose of perspective.
