Antarctica

The Antarctic is a place of climatic extremes. Each year the area of Antarctica doubles as the pack ice in the seas surrounding the continent freezes solid in winter. The Antarctic summer (November to March) is the best time to visit. The sea ice has retreated, so it is possible to get to the continent itself and the wildlife is plentiful and active. During summer on the Antarctic coast, the daily temperature is usually about 0oC to 5oC.

Any time in summer is a good time to go and there is always something to see. In December you are more likely to see massive icebergs in the water and for the ship to have to crash through plates of ice on the water’s surface – if you want spectacular ice, this is the time to go. Penguins abound and are nesting their eggs. In January the penguins are hatching and there will be plenty of action around the colonies with penguin chicks galore and skus circling overhead waiting for the chance to swoop. In February the mammals will be out in force – seals, orcas, humpback whales and minke whales abound.

The Arctic

The Arctic is a wild and rugged place with extreme weather conditions. The Arctic summer (late June to September) is the best time to visit the areas of the Canadian and Scandinavian Arctic that our expeditions travel to. Daylight hours are long and the ice has retreated enough for us to get close to land where we’ll have our best wildlife opportunities. Polar bears roam the shores and there’s also the chance to see arctic fox, musk ox, walrus and plenty of sea birds. We might also see the phenomenon of the Northern Lights – Aurora Borealis – the spectacular bands, or streamers of coloured light that appear in the sky. During summer, the daily temperature is usually about 2oC to 7oC.