Largely undiscovered and untouched by tourism, this inhospitable continent attracts only the bravest and hardiest of travelers. However, the lucky few that make it to Antarctica are in for one of the most unforgettable trips of a lifetime.

In this article, we’ll take a look at 7 of the coolest things you can strike off your bucket list by visiting Antarctica, and hopefully we’ll give you a better idea of how to plan your trip to the White Continent!

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Paddling with Giants in Antarctica

There are few wildlife experiences as exhilarating as a close encounter with a whale. Even more incredible is meeting a whale at eye level from a kayak. Now add the beauty of the pristine Antarctic environment and you have something truly amazing. To enjoy an exceptional experience like this, you first need to book an Antarctic expedition cruise with kayaking. Whale encounters from a kayak are not necessarily closer than whale encounters from a Zodiac or the ship itself, but being down at sea level in your own kayak with a gigantic whale is a much more intimate and humbling experience. Read on to learn more about kayaking with whales in Antarctica.

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Visit the Most Important Places along the Route of Endurance

Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance expedition (1914-1917) is regarded as one of polar history’s greatest stories of survival and heroism. The name of Shackleton’s ship, Endurance, seems appropriate as he and his men endured incredible dangers and hardships during their time in Antarctica and South Georgia. On an Antarctic expedition cruise, you can comfortably follow in Shackleton’s footsteps at some of the most important places along his historic route.

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Visiting an Antarctic Research Station is a Cruise Highlight

Life at an Antarctic research station can be challenging. In addition to contending with the harsh polar environment, crew members must endure living conditions that are both incredibly isolated and unrelentingly social. Applicants usually must pass a comprehensive psychological exam. Luckily, you don’t have to sign up for six months or a year as a crew member to get a taste of life at an Antarctic research station. You can simply take an expedition cruise. Most Antarctica cruise itineraries will include at least one station visit. Here are some of the most popular research stations you could visit on your expedition cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula.

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Antarctica is a must on every adventurer’s bucket list. Travel the last discovered continent aboard the luxury m/v Sea Spirit with Poseidon Expeditions: an expedition cruise to experience the abundant wildlife, dramatic polar scenery and the remarkable geology. Sparkling glaciers rise from the deep blue waters form intricate mazes at sea, while snowy mountaintops and various rock structures act as a backdrop to the ever-present ice.

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The Subantarctic Island Where Monsters Still Exist

You are in a Zodiac and the highly anticipated moment of your first step ashore on South Georgia is fast approaching. As the objects on land become clearer in your view, you realize they are moving. The landscape is alive. Your Zodiac pulls up to a sandy beach and you disembark. Before you is a phalanx of restless animal bodies, some rotund and blubbery, some sleek and furry. Your eye is drawn to a gigantic figure looming commandingly over the throng. A sonorous, gurgling bellow is heard above the din of groans and howls. “That’s the beachmaster,” the expedition leader says. “Stay clear of him!” This imposing fellow is the first of many huge elephant seals you will see on your Antarctic cruise to South Georgia.

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The polar regions are the ultimate destination for active travel lovers. From hiking to camping and kayaking, every expedition day is filled with unscripted adventures and new worlds to conquer. A kayak can take you right where the action is, allowing you to venture further into the maze of ethereal glaciers and towering icebergs, paddling in the placid waters along with whales, penguins, and marine mammals. You’re in for dramatic scenery, close encounters with the abundant wildlife and a chance to become one with nature.

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You might have heard about the possibility of camping on cruises to Antarctica, or perhaps you know someone who has done it. But what is this craziness all about? Why would anyone want to go camping in Antarctica? Still more puzzlingly, why would anyone leave behind a comfortable bed on a perfectly good cruise ship to spend a night outside on the ice?

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Whales Likely to Be Seen on an Antarctic Cruise

The Southern Ocean is one of the most biologically rich bodies of water in the world. Constantly stirred up by wind and currents, a steady supply of nutrients contributes to prolific blooms of microscopic plankton, which become so thick in summer they can be seen from space. The plankton is food for prodigious swarms of Antarctic krill (small, shrimp-like creatures), which can reach densities of 30,000 individuals per cubic meter. These, in turn, are hunted by a diversity of marine mammals, including some of the largest predators on Earth.

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What’s Inside the Arctic and Antarctic Circles?

Maps of the world show many lines that seem to have nothing to do with the world itself. What’s more, the crossing of these geographical lines is often accompanied by a good deal of ceremony and celebration on cruise ships. Special significance is often attached to the crossing of the so-called Polar Circles. You might be asking, what are these circles? Where are they and why do they exist? And most importantly, how can I cross them and what will I find on the other side?

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