Polar Regions

Ends of the earth

Beyond the coasts of South America, an outlying archipelago of over 700 islands offers a stepping stone to Antarctic exploration. A destination for the historians among us, trips to The Falklands feature walking tours through the capital, Stanley, covering key events including the defining 80s conflict. Pair these islets with South Georgia, however, and the focus turns to the flightless flocks waddling sandy seashores. King penguins, and their unmistakeable orange feathers, reign over rocky headlands in these parts, alongside whales, seals and sea lions. Further south, such abundance in the animal kingdom is replaced by the striking beauty of a harsh Antarctic environment. 

Seventh heaven

A luxury afforded to few at a time, cruising to the seventh continent is a journey to almost another world. An ice-white landscape as far as the eye can see, visit the Ross Sea Ice Shelf – thought to be the size of France – and Ross Island, where the huts of early explorers stand frozen in time, remnants of the race to the South Pole. Across pristine waters, the rugged volcanic rocks of Franklin Island, once a shield volcano, are reached by Zodiac; though the most alien of landscapes are spotted from the skies. Soar over the McMurdo Dry Valleys by helicopter to take in the Mars-like scenery below.

Wild things

Glacial grandeur and wandering wildlife characterise the dizzying heights of the Arctic. To explore the northernmost part of our planet is to sail into the cinematography of an Attenborough documentary, where polar bears prowl in search of seals sliding effortlessly through the ice-cold waters. The late summer months bring the best opportunities for whale watching ahead of migration, while the Canadian sea cliffs of Lady Franklin Island are the place to look for wild walruses. Birds of a feather flock together on the uninhabited Apatok Island, a reminder that these parts were once reserved only for history’s most intrepid explorers.