Chill Out On The Best Antarctica Cruises

By Brenda Lee


The reason why so many of these types of tours depart from Ushuaia, Argentina is because it is the closest place to the peninsula on this continent, one of the most beautiful and easiest to get to areas. There are several other departure choices such as Punta Arenas, Chile. The Antarctica Cruises that visit the Ross Sea can either depart from New Zealand or South Africa.

The Antarctic Peninsula is the place to go for travelers who want to lay their eyes upon the iconic icebergs and glaciers that are depicted in so many movies. The great thing about this area is that it is one of the easiest to get to on the continent, and it is also considered the most picturesque. In addition to all the wonderful wildlife, travelers also get to see the famous Deception Island as well as a range of icy mountain peaks.

One a cruise like this, a traveler can expect to be spending a minimum of six days if one is traveling by plane to the departure point. The trips that sail to the continent usually require at least ten days, and trips usually go for as long as eighteen days. These longer tours are necessary to get the most out of the Weddell Sea, Falkland Islands, and South Georgia.

It takes a strongly reinforced hull to withstand the battering that ships get in waters like this. Most of the cruise ships are small since this is the safest and most maneuverable way to traverse the waters, and some ports don't allow bigger ships. An important consideration is that only 100 people are allowed to disembark at once, so groups larger than that have to visit the land in rotations.

There are plenty of hikes that more active travelers can take, as well as gorgeous excursions to just relax. Those who want to get as close as they can to the wildlife might consider looking for a trip that including kayaking. Skiing and camping are other great options when it comes to getting the most out of this beautiful area.

When thinking of the Antarctic, one rarely tends to think of it as a desert due to the fact that it is frozen solid, but that is in fact what it is. At less than two inches of precipitation per year on average, it has less annual precipitation than the Sahara desert. The other notable extremes of the continent are most obviously the cold, getting as low as -129 degrees Fahrenheit, and the high coastal winds reaching up to 200 miles per hour.

Although there are some of the most iconic creatures that live on land in this area, they rely heavily on underwater creatures to feed and survive. It is in the sea where most of the animals in the Antarctic live. This is a great place to see whales, seals, and seabirds.

Penguins are by far the most famous seabird in this area. While there are seventeen species that live underwater, only four of them actually breed on the land. The best place to see them is in the water since that is when they are at their most graceful.




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