The other large aspect of this destination is the ice. Who knew ice was so cool (pun intended)!? Before this trip, I had not experienced this staple of the polar. The farthest north or south I’d been before this trip was 58 degrees north and it was during its meltiest period. I have seen a couple glaciers, but they have been small, very receded or far away. Antarctica was the opposite, it was abundant and up close. I hope I never forget the sight and sound of a glacier calving.
Ice is so beautiful. It can tell a story 100’s of years old. As a scientist through college, this aspect fascinated me. Air gets trapped in the snow as it melts and turns to ice, meaning we can tell the composition of the atmosphere from thousands of years ago by digging down into the ice. Ice melts quicker underwater than the section that’s in the air and as these bergs melt, their center and equilibrium can shift which can result in an iceberg turning. I wish we were lucky enough to have seen this turn occur in real time but we did see plenty of relatively freshly turned ice. Ice is so dynamic.
Ice is so essential. I had no idea the extent ice plays in the ecosystem. Icebergs sometimes appear sterile and lifeless, but that’s not the case. Ice algae can grow in-between ice crystals or on the underside of an iceberg which plays an important role in primary production and in the marine ecosystems. Small fish avoid predators by hiding in ice holes, invertebrates come to feed on nearby krill and seabirds occasionally nest on icebergs. When you start to understand the greater picture, you appreciate the vast beauty of ice.
The agent had great response to questions and coordinated well to create an itinerary that met our expectations.
Bob Sunshine
1 day ago
Very responsive to all questions
Teresa Cardoso
2 days ago
Kelly and Rhenee were excellent to work with on planning our trip. The logistics all worked smoothly and everyone was friendly and on time. Our accommodations were very good, particularly the incredible Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine! Our guides on every excursion were outstanding and made the hikes memorable! Overall we had a wonderful trip with incredible memories!
Scott Gibson
2 days ago
Adventure Life is definitely a first-class safari tour company, and our representative was Franny Friesz. First of all, she responded immediately after we contacted Adventure Life. We told Franny that we had never been on a safari, and she was more than eager to offer a mountain of information about the trip. She informed us fully about all the ups, downs, and all arounds! She even prepared a number of packages for us to review -- even after we made changes to the areas we wanted to explore. Friendly, helpful, professional, and extremely knowledgeable -- these words describe Franny, and what a wonderful trip she prepared! We couldn't have asked for better service than Franny of Adventure Life. We HIGHLY recommend her and her outstanding company! Bon Voyage!
Prima Burke
3 days ago
The staff at Adventure Life made planning my family's trip to the Galapagos Islands as easy as possible. They listened to what we were hoping to experience and made thoughtful suggestions about how to accomplish our vacation goals while meeting the needs of travelers ages 17-76! They patiently answered questions and follow up questions in the months leading up to the trip. They helped us trouble shoot and customize the trip in every way possible. The logistics involved in traveling from Boston to the Galapagos are innumerable. The Adventure Life staff helped us arrange every detail and the team they assembled in the Galapagos was tremendous. I have never done a trip this big before and after working with Adventure Life this time--would not hesitate one second in working with them again.