What if you’re looking for something that’s truly different, a place where few other travellers have gone before? The Antarctic is certainly an unusual choice, but definitely not one you’ll regret if you’re looking for somewhere totally unique and untouched by global mass tourism.
Why Travel to Antarctica?
Antarctica is one of the only real wildernesses left on the planet and it’s one that very few people get to see with their own eyes. Reaching it is difficult and travelling around once you’re there is also tough – but there are, of course, vessels that are capable of navigating the treacherous waters.
There’s an air of exclusivity about Antarctic trips, partly because there still aren’t many of them and partly because of the expense of joining a cruise here. However, there’s no reason why you can’t save up the money to go on an Antarctic voyage if you work hard – take a look at what a company like G Adventures offers if you’d like an idea of where you can go for your money.
The main reason to travel here, though, is to enjoy the spectacular scenery and to spot the incredible wildlife that has adapted to live in some of the world’s harshest conditions. If you’re a nature fan, this is definitely one destination that should be on your list.
Antarctica Travel Booking Resources
These are my favourite companies to use when I travel.
• Search cheap flights with Skyscanner.
• Find the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
• Get reliable travel insurance through World Nomads.
• Browse Antarctica expeditions, tours and cruises with G Adventures.
Cost of Visiting Antarctica
No one is going to deny that Antarctic voyages can be pricey – you’ll need a few thousand pounds to be able to afford even the cheapest of them. However, when you compare this to the money you’d need to save for, say, an extended trip travelling around south-east Asia, it’s really not that unachieveable.
For instance, many travellers will have to put away £3,000 to £6,000 to be able to fully enjoy a year of exploring without working, especially if they need to budget for flights within that amount. When you look at it in this way, it makes saving for an Antarctic tour seem more achievable.
Granted, most Antarctic cruises aren’t more than three weeks long, but this can have its advantages too. For instance, only taking a month to travel can give you more time to gain valuable work experience, while still having the trip of a lifetime to look forward to.
Memories to Last a Lifetime
The main reason why Antarctic trips are so appealing to those with an adventurous spirit is that they offer you the chance to go somewhere that few other people have been – and to see incredible sights that you just can’t find anywhere else in the world. Sailing past towering icebergs, observing huge penguin colonies on the islands and watching as whales breach the surface in their dozens are just a few of the things you can look forward to.
You’ll also be following in the footsteps of some of the world’s greatest explorers – Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton are just a few of the adventurers whose astounding stories form part of the Antarctic’s fascinating past.
A trip here will allow you to appreciate just how courageous these men and their teams were, and give you the chance to understand what they must have gone through as they trekked across this amazing continent where no one else had been before.