Antarctica – For Those Seeking the Extraordinary

Written on Wednesday, September 4, 2019 by Emma Whiting Travel

Remote. Untrammeled. Spectacular. An Antarctica expedition cruise is one of the most exhilarating adventures on Earth. There are many reasons for a trip to Antarctica. See scores of penguins and whales, an entire museum of colossal and magical ice forms defying description, and discover the dashing history of the Heroic Age of Exploration.

The number one draw for most Antarctic wildlife cruise travelers is: penguins. Gentoo, Adelie, chinstraps in the thousands; rockhopper, macaroni and king penguins in the Falklands; and king penguins at a staggering scale in South Georgia. Penguin behavior is endlessly fascinating.  In the Antarctic spring, hundreds of gentoo penguins parade before us, reestablishing their bonds, mating, staking their claims, and thievishly stealing stones from one another for their nests. And you’ll be astounded by the spectacle of their massive rookeries in the height of the nesting season—with thousands of parent pairs and, depending on your departure date, downy chicks. The photo ops are simply incredible. And while penguins are delightful in films and nature documentaries, the “3D” experience of being literally there among them, watching the often-madcap business of penguin life being lived around you is simultaneously uplifting and humbling: the animal kingdom indeed.

When Lars-Eric Lindblad, now considered the father of eco-tourism, led the first-ever citizen-explorer expedition to Antarctica 1966,  he invented the category of expedition travel. Along with him were 57 pioneering individuals, intrepid travelers, ready to embrace the notion of going where only professional explorers or scientists had gone before. Over the subsequent 50+ years since, under the direction of his son, Sven Lindblad, Lindblad Expeditions collective polar intelligence has grown exponentially through consecutive voyages. As a result, they know Antarctica to a greater degree than any other company voyaging there. Learn more about them HERE

 

Curios about the Arctic? Read our blog to find out more