Antarctic Circle
Travel Guide

Antarctic Circle Map | Arctic Circle Travel

Antarctic Cruises/Tours

Explore - discover the last frontier on earth. Inhabited by sculptured icebergs, breaching whales and millions of penguins, this profound region will leave an indelible impression. Brochure | Tours Search | Antarctic Classic | Spirit of Shackleton

When to go :
Best: December, January [summertime, usually -2C to -5C]
OK: November, February and March.
Worst : April - October [seriously cold and windy, with world records for both!]

Tour operators offering cruise tours to the Antarctic can be found in our listings here: Antarctic Cruises

Length of stay:
Minimum worthwhile stay in Antarctica, not including flights or sail time: 3-4 days in any area where wildlife is active at that time of year.
Recommended: 1 week or more for a full wildlife experience.

Wildlife Guide:
An Antarctic circle safari is largely a marine based experience. Often these go to South Georgia [in the South Atlantic Ocean], which is bloody cold but not actually in the Antarctic circle.
Sightings will depend on the specific tour and the prevailing weather conditions but you can expect sightings of :

Penguins - colonies of gentoo and chinstrap penguins make up large [no, massive] populations on the shores of Antarctica.

Seals - crabeater, leopard and weddell seals are to be found here chilling out in the water or on the rocky beaches.

Whales - humpback whales [of some vocal repute] and killer whales [highly regarded in Hollywood] are present and may decide to entertain visitors, though unlike the tour guides they have no financial incentive to do so.

Birds - Albatross and Penguins.

Activities Guide:
Shore Visits: to view wildlife from another perspective, to examine geological features or to experience frostbite from close up.

Zodiac inflatable boat trips to get closer to whales, seals, glaciers and icebergs will be on offer from good tour operators.

Sea Kayaking is another less common but more discreet way to get closer to nature.

Indigenous peoples
Yes, Polar Bears
No Penguins
Yes, Whales & Seals
24hr daylight July-August
The word Arctic is derived from Arktos, 'the bear' in Greek, due to the Great Bear constellation above the North Pole.

Why go to the Antarctic Circle?
It has an assortment of incredible wildlife managing to survive in the most extreme conditions on earth, set in a surreal landscape which is purely awe inspiring.

Downside:
- Generally inhospitable climate with negligible habitation means that safe solo travel is impossible.
- Seasickness: most if not all tours to the Antarctic will be via either a largish cruise ship or a specialist expeditionary vessel, but if you're prone to motion sickness then you could have a problem, especially during the rollercoaster Drake Passage section of the 600 miles from South America.
- Cold: those with circulatory problems or a heart condition should take extra precautions against the cold, though summers at the edge of the region are reasonably mild.

Where from:
Get to Antarctica in a couple of days sailing from Ushuaia in Argentina or Punta Arenas in Chile; or a about a week of sailing from Hobart in Tasmania or Lyttelton in New Zealand.
If travelling on a smaller ship make sure that it is a well equipped specialist expeditionary vessel with polar experienced crew.

Cruises may include detours to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.

Ecomessage:
The Antarctic circle currently remains the least spoilt place on earth and yet its creatures are already under threat from global warming. Please ensure that you are travelling with a tour operator who is sensitive to this and be aware that your presence there is as a privileged guest of mother nature.
Tourism in Antarctica is, in fact, having a positive effect on pollution, since it is mostly produced by thoughtless scientists who now have to clean up their act.

Where to go:
This will be decided for you by professional guides on the basis of wildlife and local geology.

Patagonia [Argentina] Pictures | Chile Pictures

More Bugbog wildlife pages:

Galapagos Pictures | Africa Safari Pictures

Madagascar Pictures | Best Safari Wildlife

Namibia Photos | Costa Rica Pictures