Antarctica
The idea of Antarctic travel is perhaps never more appealing then in the heat of the summer, although the fifth-largest and most isolated continent is only accessible to visitors from November through March, during its own summer season. During this time, temperatures on the islands and coastal regions can rise as high as 57 degrees Fahrenheit and daylight lasts for 24 hours, in stark contrast with 24 hours of darkness and negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit in winter. The continent is often divided into the Antarctic Peninsula, East Antarctica, West Antarctica, the Ross Sea, and the South Pole.
Antarctica is actually the driest continent on Earth and is classified as a desert. It is home to migratory birds and penguins, but no reptiles, land mammals, or plant life. Since there is virtually no permanent civilization on the continent except for a number of scientific bases, visitors are often delighted that the penguins are largely unafraid of humans.
Visitors can arrive by plane, cruise ship, or sailboat, but passage is often arduous and expensive. Chartered sailboat trips can take anywhere from three to six weeks from South America. Cruise ships often offer day trip excursions to the Antarctic Peninsula or Antarctic Islands. Ice-capable aircraft can land on one of the 28 airport landing facilities for those who wish to participate in a land expedition. Very few people have the opportunity to travel to Antarctica, but those who have visited this remote continent say it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience in a land like nowhere else on Earth.
Antarctica is actually the driest continent on Earth and is classified as a desert. It is home to migratory birds and penguins, but no reptiles, land mammals, or plant life. Since there is virtually no permanent civilization on the continent except for a number of scientific bases, visitors are often delighted that the penguins are largely unafraid of humans.
Visitors can arrive by plane, cruise ship, or sailboat, but passage is often arduous and expensive. Chartered sailboat trips can take anywhere from three to six weeks from South America. Cruise ships often offer day trip excursions to the Antarctic Peninsula or Antarctic Islands. Ice-capable aircraft can land on one of the 28 airport landing facilities for those who wish to participate in a land expedition. Very few people have the opportunity to travel to Antarctica, but those who have visited this remote continent say it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience in a land like nowhere else on Earth.
Antarctica
