Information on the Antarctic Peninsula, Lemaire Channel, Hope Bay, Paradise Bay and Wiencke Islands

Deciding what time of year is "best" to visit Antarctica really depends on your specific interests. Would you rather see penguin chicks or icescapes in their most pristine splendor? Or perhaps you are looking most forward to sighting whales throughout the trip. This guide will help you determine the right time for your adventure.

Weather is, of course, unpredictable. However, it is good to be as prepared as possible for what you might experience on your expedition. This guide will help travelers know what to expect for weather conditions on an Antarctica cruise.

Adventure Lifer Sullivan shares her wisdom about what to pack on a tour of Antarctica. Obviously, you need to be prepared for cold weather, but to be truly prepared for Antarctica, read this.

Booked a trip to Antarctica? Now what? From what gear to pack to the best times of year to go, our FAQ article will answer some of the most commonly asked traveler questions. This will hopefully help you feel better prepared for an adventure of a lifetime to the Great White Continent!

In the morning we took the zodiacs to Gold Harbour where huge elephant seal males grunted and sneezed and fought each other for the nearby females.

One of the highlights of any expedition into the Antarctic waters is whale-watching. These majestic creatures can be spotted breaching the water in magnificent displays as they blast air and water high into the sky. If you’re lucky, they might even swim close to your ship.

One type of animal symbolizes the frozen landscape: the Spheniscidae family – aka. penguins! These flightless birds are specially adapted to survive in the bitter cold of the the Antarctic southern ocean.

From small snow petrels to the great wandering albatrosses, the seabirds of Antarctica are some of the most well adapted species on the planet, thriving in the strong sub-zero winds and icy waters of the polar region.

The seals that populate the southern ocean flourish in the nutrient rich waters of the Antarctic. With diets that range from krill and small fish to even penguins and other seal pups, they are expert divers and can be seen lounging or breeding on the ice when they are not immersed deep beneath the pack ice hunting for food.