Why Do People Visit Antarctica? The 10 Irresistible Reasons

Why do people visit Antarctica, it’s literally at the end of the world – but of course, that’s part of its allure. if you visit Antarctica you’ll find a whole new world waiting for you, offering you the opportunity to expand your horizons and challenge yourself. It’s a unique place that you’d be lucky to see at least once in your lifetime and here are 10 irresistible reasons for visiting Antarctica.

 How We Choose to Get There

The journey to get there is rather tiring, with many flights and connections.

However, when you embark on the Antarctica cruise expedition liner, all the worries of your busy urban life will disappear, bringing you closer to pristine nature and its icy-cold beauty.

So if you long for new discoveries, take the plunge and explore the untouched beauty of Antarctica. We guarantee you’ll be filled with wanderlust after reading our 10 best reasons to visit Antarctica!

1. Adventure

The moment your feet touch the ice sheet of the Antarctic Peninsula, you will start your exploration of a whole new world, simultaneously harsh and cold as well as astoundingly captivating.

A day spent in Antarctica will make up for weeks of our daily routine, as it is filled with an endless list of new experiences and the natural beauty of your surroundings. 

In fact, hopping onboard an expedition liner is an adventure in itself, since it’s anything but ordinary! You might leave South America, visit the Falkland Islands, and hunt penguins and Antarctica’s icebergs.

You can go ashore in a zodiac boat from the cruise ship, and you can also take sightseeing flights over the pole and much of the white continent.

2. Cold

Vacationing in cold destinations isn’t everybody’s first choice – unless you’re going on a skiing holiday or specifically want to enjoy a white Christmas. But visiting Antarctica is special, but it is, unfortunately, cold all year long.

But the good news is that as long as you’re prepared and dressed appropriately, there’s no reason why the antarctic chill should scare you off. If you plan your Antarctica outfit properly, you’ll be comfortable, warm, and you’ll be able to enjoy the sheer beauty of your surroundings.

In fact, many people argue that experiencing extreme cold is actually good for you, as it allows your thinking to become more clear and sharp.

The theory is that extremely low temperatures, as opposed to scorching weather, make you far more alert and awake, allowing you to really absorb every detail of your environment.

But are you up to the Polar Plunge? Yes, it’s just as it sounds – a quick dip in and out of the black and freezing arctic water!

3. Photography

Anyone with a camera will enjoy a trip to Antarctica. Even if you aren’t a super skilled photographer, your shots will be amazing, owing to the astounding beauty of your location.

But if you are seriously into photography, then you may need a waterproof bag, zoom lenses mounted on separate bodies, and polarizing filters so that you can get the shots you’re looking for.

In addition, you probably won’t need to carry a tripod, since there’s pretty much always sunshine in Antarctica and modern cameras will easily just adjust higher ISO settings to ensure that they’re suitable.

4. Silence

Although there are still many tourists around, one of the most unique attributes of Antarctica is the fact that it’s amazingly silent, allowing you to relax your mind and enjoy the peace of the surrounding nature.

The sounds you will hear are likely to be the blowing of the wind, the lapping and crashing of the ocean, and maybe – if you’re lucky – some little penguins chattering away nearby. All this without the distractions of city life!

5. Icebergs

What do we know about icebergs? Well, they are big and dangerous, and of course, everyone remembers the tragic tale of the Titanic.

However, they’re also incredibly deceptive, as the majority of their mass hides under the surface of the water – in fact, only 10% is visible.

Their sheer size is absolutely captivating and it’s hard not to just gaze out at them just to take in their magnitude – it’s the kind of sight that tends to put everything else into perspective.

Not to mention the photographs! They’re bound to be incredible, and in addition to carrying with them wonderful memories of your Antarctic adventure, they’re sure to end up framed. 

6 . Wildlife

Unsurprisingly, Antarctic wildlife isn’t quite like anything you’ve probably experienced before – certainly not in warmer climates, but not even at the North Pole.

Usually, exceptionally cold temperatures, water, and ice make us think of polar bears – but don’t be mistaken! Polar bears actually stick to the Arctic – not Antarctica – and will only really be found in the North Pole.

The South Pole, on the other hand, is a prime destination for wildlife spotting.

It is home to a variety of magnificent animals, including several species of penguins (including gentoo penguins), albatrosses, whales, crabeater seals, a black-browed albatross or two, sea lions, and dolphins.

Wildlife sightings here are so exciting! Humpback whales migrate to Antarctica in summer to forage and it’s not at all unusual to have humpback waves burst out of the water beside your (seemingly) small Zodiac boat!

The wildlife is well protected, and visitors aren’t allowed to get anywhere near the animals so as to avoid disrupting their habitats and lives more generally.

But that’s okay because all you really need to do as you visit Antarctica is watch them do their thing – you’re sure to be captivated by their beauty.

7. A Scientific Haven

Antarctica is a treasure trove for those who are into researching climate change, as this place offers rather stable weather, the absence of light and noise pollution, and a starry night sky – what could be better than that?

Even those who are casual observers are sure to be absolutely captivated by their surroundings.

There is also a well-known landmark – the Ukrainian Vernadsky Research Station – which welcomes visitors and even offers access to the world’s southernmost bar!

So even if you’re not interested in the scientific perspective and don’t live and breathe Antarctica, the stars, the wildlife, and the sheer exhilaration of exploring one of the few places in the world that not many people have stepped foot on, makes

8. Remoteness

Many travelers argue that the majority of the most popular tourist destinations are scattered around Europe, Asia, the USA, and Africa. But overcrowding, extreme weather, especially heat waves, are giving holidaymakers a rethink about the Mediterranean and other hot climate destinations.

And although not everyone might love the thought of a holiday where you go to Antarctica instead of the Med, the chance to be truly alone on our overcrowded planet is a life-changing experience.

Most Antarctic cruises head down the Drake Passage and around the Weddell Sea and it’s in these remote stretches of water that you being to understand just how big and different planet Earth is at its polar extremes.

9. Climate Change

The Antarctic Peninsula is currently home to more than 1600 glaciers and across the Antarctic Ice Sheet, scientists have counted more than 1,100 ice caps.

But we know that the polar regions of our planet are under threat from global warming as we move into a new geologic era and that the magnificent ice caps are melting.

The depth of the solid ice is lessening, especially the sea ice, as the temperature of the antarctic sea water rises over time. So don’t wait, make sure you visit Antarctica and see this incredible wilderness and its wildlife before it’s too late!

10. Nostalgia, Romance, and History

Of course, you won’t be the first to set out on an Antarctic expedition. Part of the romance of a visit to the white continent is an opportunity to learn about the ‘heroic age’ of antarctic exploration.

The heroism of the explorers of one of the world’s most remote destinations is another way of getting us out of our comfort zone and completely changes our perspective of incredible explorers like Roald Amundsen, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Sir James Clark Ross, and Robert Falcon Scott.

It’s one thing to listen to boring lessons at school about famous explorers, but it’s completely different on a cruise ship and seeing with your own eyes the wildness and sheer expanse of the Antarctic peninsula.

Once you’ve crossed the enormous seas of the Drake Passage, we promise you’ll never think of these explorers in the same way again!

Final Thoughts

A visit to Antarctica will make you find it hard to believe that the continent is even part of the same world you come from, boasting a kind of wildness and sheer beauty that is hard to describe.

Antarctica will fill your heart with its magnificence and uniqueness, opening your eyes to a whole new view of planet Earth.

Don’t wait for the best moment to have a trip of a lifetime. Book your Antarctica cruise today and get ready for new experiences and the trip of a lifetime!