Looking for a bucket list adventure?
Why not go to one of the most isolated places on earth? Antarctica.
Since the first tourists set foot on the continent in the 1960s, traveling to Antartica is much easier and even more luxurious today.
The Antarctic experience can satisfy a variety of traveler’s desires:
For the science geek, the Lindblad cruise ships, partners with National Geographic, support scientific study. The photographers and passengers are able to engage with the marine researchers conducting studies while on the ship. Currently, the Lindblad ships are studying leopard seal habitats in relation to global warming. Head scientist, Greg Marshall, is the onboard expert. He spends his time updating guests with photos and live footage of the study’s findings. This once-in-a-lifetime hands-on experience can be yours for under $12,000. For more information, see expeditions.com.
For the activist, Abercrombie and Kent offers a twelve-day trip focusing on the e ffects of climate change. The all-inclusive price of $9,895 grants you a private charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, Argentina – the southernmost city in the entire world. From Ushuaia, you will board Le Boreal, a 199-passenger ship with a private balcony outside every room. Dr. James McClintock, a marine biologist, brings his valuable climate monitoring equipment to the Palmer research station. You will have the opportunity to tour the facility, learn about the research and even visit the Antarctic Peninsula and take the Zodiac boats to different islands full of penguins! For more information, visit abercrombiekent.com.
Finally, for the cruise enthusiast, Celebrity Cruises offers a fourteen-night cruise through Antarctica. It begins at Cape Horn and Elephant Island, where British explorer Ernest Shackleton and crew fled to safety in 1916 when their ship, Endurance, was destroyed. The passengers on this ship do not actually step foot on the continent of Antarctica, but they will make stops at Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands to see the penguins and in Puerto Madryn, Argentina (the wildlife sanctuary site of sea elephants and whales). Aboard the cruise ship, you have the opportunity to taste the menus of nine different restaurants and be wowed by circus performances. During these two weeks, you will make new friends to sightsee with during this incredible expedition. Visit celebritycruises.com and explore the options. The packages begin at $2,249.