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Antarctica

Antarctica or the White Continent is possibly the most exciting and unique destination that any of us will ever explore. Some 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice, which averages at least 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) in thickness. It is remote, fascinating and beautiful.

Antarctica is earth's southernmost continent, overlying the South Pole. It is the fifth-largest continent in area after Asia, Africa, North America, and South America and is almost twice the size of Australia. Antarctica belongs to no-one, instead it is owned by an international treaty.

On average, Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest continent and has the highest average elevation of all the continents. Since there is little precipitation, except at the coasts, the interior of the continent is technically the largest desert in the world. There are no permanent human residents and there is no evidence of any existing or pre-historic indigenous population. Only cold-adapted plants and animals survive here, including penguins, fur seals, mosses, lichen and many types of algae.

A visit here by boat (there is no other way as a tourist) will be like no other and completely unforgettable.

Visas

Are not required by UK nationals, but you must have a permit which is usually provided by the tour company for the whole vessel.

When to go

From November to the middle of March. At any other time of year it is very dark more or less all the time and even colder than you could possibly imagine (-50 degrees Celsius!).

Getting There

Departures are usually from Ushuaia or Punta Arenas. There is a wide choice of vessel, but most are built for polar exploration and offer quite basic accommodation.

Time Difference

GMT -3

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Antarctica is like nowhere else on our planet