[Antarctica Wiki] My personal travel favorites in the Arctic and Antarctic

I am often asked which trip to the Arctic and Antarctic I would choose for myself. Hmmm, that's a difficult question to answer, because I've chosen all the trips myself, which says a lot about how much I like them. As a professional travel agent—for over 30 years now (phew!)—I always keep my clients' individual wishes in mind. And those serve as a beacon for my travel research.

Today, I'm going to focus solely on my personal favorites. It was difficult for me to narrow it down to just ten trips, but I managed it!

Major Antarctic expedition: Weddell Sea explorers intensively

This route is unique and no other operator dares to offer it!

The28-day expedition takes a wide arc through theWeddell Sea and crosses the Antarctic Circle— unlike all other Antarctic voyages—on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula. You can rest assured that you won't encounter any other ships there.

In addition to truly untrodden paths, here you can follow in the footsteps of several historical expeditions of discovery, such as

• the German Antarctic expedition of 1939–1941 near Neuschwabenland
• the Second German Antarctic Expedition 1911-1912 at the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf
• Ernest Shackleton's legendary endurance expedition on Elephant Island

Weather and ice conditions permitting, visit the emperor penguins on Snow Hill Island and also the islands of the British Territoryof South Georgia AND the Sandwich Islands.

That's already enough highlights for one trip, but we can do even better: Your classic and rustic expedition ship MS Ortelius(only 108 passengers, highest ice class) is one of only five ships in the polar regions that has two helicopters on board for breathtaking panoramic flights overthe snow-white, vast ice desert and landings on pack ice floes.

Of course, you will also encounter the "usual" wildlife: orcas, humpback and minke whales, leopard seals, Weddell and crabeater seals, as well as various species of penguins and countless seabirds.

All the highlights of Antarctica in one trip

I think that if you're going to Antarctica, you should do it properly. You shouldn't have to choose between regions; you can visit them all in a reasonable amount of time. Otherwise, you'll be spoiled for choice.

The extensive expedition on the new and comfortable MS Hondius(max. 170 passengers) lasts 22 daysand takes you to all the highlights of the region:

You are visiting

• the "very British"Falkland Islands,
• the (king) penguin coloniesof South Georgia,
• thesouthern Orkney Islands,
• Elephant Island,
• theAntarctic Peninsulaand
• As the icing on the cake, you will also cross theAntarctic Circle at66° 33′ 11”.

Excellent value for money!

Arctic: Hudson Bay in Canada: Polar bears, beluga whales, and lots of birds

Every summer, when the ice in Hudson Bay begins to melt, you can watch polar bears migrating along the coast. These majestic kings of the Arctic use the summer months to hunt and rest while they wait for the ice to return.

At the same time, thousands of beluga whales gather in the warm, shallow waters of Hudson Bay. These fascinating marine mammals, known for their sociable pods and melodic songs, come here to give birth and raise their young.

We have put together several special travel packages for you:
You will stay in one of the National Geographic Unique Heritage Lodges with only 8 rooms, located directly on Hudson Bay and accessible only by seaplane.

On another trip, you will also spend two nights in a tundra tent camp on Schmok Lake – with a little luck, even under the Northern Lights. Renowned National Geographic photographer and Explorers Club member Jad Davenport will introduce you to the secrets of nature, wildlife, and Northern Lights photography.

Basecamp trips to Antarctica: camping, kayaking, and other sporting activities

A Basecamp trip is no ordinary expedition to Antarctica. It will challenge you physically, but you will be rewarded with unique experiences. The program includes many sporting activities such as kayaking, snowshoeing, hiking, as well as photography workshops and camping under the open sky (all included in the price).

Once you arrive in Antarctica with your expedition ship, it becomes your floating base camp. While anchored in the Southern Ocean, you will set off daily on exciting activities on land or on the water, often away from the classic Antarctic routes. This allows you to experience the seventh continent in a particularly intense way.

We offer three Antarctic base camps:

Arctic: Spitsbergen – Arctic landscapes, sea ice, and wildlife

This expedition will show you some of the most spectacular places around the northern Norwegian archipelago of Spitsbergen.

During the eight-day trip, you will mainly explore the beautiful north of Spitsbergen. Among other things, you will head for the impressive Monacobreen glacier, cross Spitsbergen's second-longest fjord, the Isfjord, and visit the island of Chermsideøya, which is known for its Arctic wildlife and picturesque landscape. With a little luck, you will see walruses, kittiwakes, arctic foxes, reindeer, and maybe even polar bears.

This trip is particularly impressive during the summer solstice on June 21. The sun shines here for 24 hours in summer. On this day, it reaches its highest point in the sky. After that, the days become shorter again. You can witness this natural phenomenon on two travel dates (one of which is even conducted bilingually in German and English).

North Pole: To the northernmost point in the world

Who can claim to have been to the North Pole? Only a few people have ever set foot at 90° north. That's another reason why a trip to the North Pole is one of my favorites.

The ultra-modern luxury polar expedition yacht Le Commandant Charcot will take you there. This journey takes you from Spitsbergen to the geographic North Pole. You will sail through the thick, shimmering blue pack ice, observe Arctic wildlife up close on Zodiac excursions, and finally reach the northernmost point on Earth— an unforgettable moment!

Classic Antarctica: South Shetland Islands & Antarctic Peninsula

This trip on the MS Ushuaia is one of my favorites because it is a basic trip to Antarctica without any frills, but with excellent value for money.

On this rustic former research vessel, you will travel with a maximum of 89 other passengers from Ushuaia in Argentina to Antarctica. I can tell you that the atmosphere on the MS Ushuaia is unique! Anyone who has traveled on it returns not just satisfied, but thrilled.

The route takes you through the famous Drake Passage, across the South Shetland Islands to the Antarctic Peninsula. During the ten-day expedition, you will most likely see penguins and seals, as well as enjoy unforgettable impressions of a landscape that is more untouched than almost any other place on Earth.

Flight expedition to the South Pole with a visit to an emperor penguin colony

A trip to Antarctica is a rare adventure in itself – but reaching the South Pole is a rarity that only a few people experience. Only a handful of expeditions travel to the southernmost point on Earth at 90° south. On this expedition, you will fly from Frankfurt to Santiago de Chile and then on to Punta Arenas. A charter flight will then take you to Antarctica in around four hours.

You will take your first steps in Antarctica on a blue ice runway on Union Glacier. Your base camp is also located on this glacier. From here, you will embark on exciting excursions, such as to Drake Icefall, hiking in the Buchanan Hills, or ice climbing at Charles Peak Windscoop.

As soon as weather conditions permit, you will fly to the emperor penguins. You will land on the sea ice, where a camp has been set up for you two to three kilometers away from the colony.

The highlight of the expedition: visiting the geographic South Pole. The flight takes between four and five and a half hours and takes you over the polar plateau—past wind-sculpted snow, deep crevasses, and an endless white expanse.

You will spend two to three hours at the South Pole—long enough to fully experience the moment, but not so long that the cold and altitude at the end of the world get to you.

This expedition offers excellent value for money. However, we also offer comfort and luxury trips to the South Pole (from South Africa).

Northern Lights Tours: Natural Phenomenon in the Arctic

A trip to see the Northern Lights definitely has to be on my list of favorite trips. Seeing this natural spectacle with your own eyes is an impressive experience.

If a trip to see the Northern Lights is at the top of your wish list, I can recommend our Northern Lights packages. We have put together the best offers in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Greenland, Canada, and the USA—with lots of exciting activities such as snowmobile excursions, husky and reindeer sleigh rides, and ice fishing.

I particularly enjoy staying overnight in our comfortably furnished Northern Lights chalets with glass roofs. Here, you can lie back in bed and admire the Northern Lights dancing across the sky through the rounded panoramic windows. To ensure you don't miss a single Northern Lights display, the innovative "Aurora Alert" will wake you up as soon as the celestial spectacle begins.

Arctic: Orcas & Northern Lights in the Norwegian Fjords

The ship alone makes this trip an unforgettable experience. The MS Stockholm —a wonderful former vessel of the Swedish Maritime Administration—can accommodate up to twelve passengers in cozy twin cabins with private bathrooms and portholes.

Spend seven days exploring the remote fjords around Alta in northern Norway – a stunning backdrop of snow-capped mountains, small islands, and crystal-clear water. Zodiac trips bring you up close to the orcas and humpback whales that hunt herring there between November and January.

And when the sun goes down, another spectacle begins: with a little luck, you will experience the dancing northern lights in the sky.