March is not a very common time to travel to Antarctica. The weather, while unpredictable all year round, tends to get colder and the daylight quickly shortens as the continent starts to plunge into winter. Every season, no matter the destination, has its own draws as well as its downfalls. We were lucky to not only travel in this more quiet travel month, but on a cruise that was the Marine Mammal themed expedition.
As winter was approaching, this often meant the whales of the Antarctic are most visible and active, and boy did they put on a show for us! I’ve never been much of a wildlife or animal lover, aside from my dogs and cats. However, it’s hard not to be fascinated by all of the animals you get to see and more importantly learn with a team of expedition guides and scientists on board that are so patient about the creatures.
A moment I will never forget came over the intercom while crossing the Drake Passage. Killer whales had been spotted off the ship bow. The rush to grab jackets, binoculars and more and race to the outside decks was audible throughout the ship. These orcas put on a show! We spent at least an hour watching pod after pod approach the ship, swim next to us, under the ship and in front of us. The scientists on board argued afterwards if we saw 103 or 105 in total.
Day 2 of our cruise was not even in Antarctica yet, and we received a highlight of the trip. Officially, we saw fur seals, leopard seals, weddell seals, crabeater seals, killer whales, minke whales, fin whales, humpback whales, gentoo penguins, adelie penguins and so many more! Even if wildlife isn’t a strong focus of your trip planning, take a look at what each time of year is known for and what sounds the most appealing to you. And if you love whales, aim for that March time frame.
Kevin got right on our request and had us booked within the week
Linda Cummings
1 day ago
The info on the website was laid out very well. I did some comparisons with other tours and found Adventure Life met a lot of what I wanted in an Antarctica trip at the cheapest price. Requested a quote on Claudia contacted me right away. She answered a lot of questions the I had via email even though she offered to discuss via phone call. I’m more of an email person so appreciated how she accommodated that and answered all my questions. And when I was ready to book, she quickly got the ball rolling with getting our spots reserved on the trip my friend and I wanted. Thanks again, Claudia!
Hazel Araza
1 day ago
(1) great information on the website and throughout all the "materials." (2) Jane Packer is great: knowledgeable, responsive, takes a personal interest and tone, seems to care about the customer as a person not a sale.
Larry Bethune
1 day ago
great people doing a wonderful job to make our voyages happen.
trudy
2 days ago
For our first trip to Costa Rica, Adventure Life designed a tour that meets the interests, ecological and adventure, of our party; but also takes into account our physical limitations sine we are all septuagenarian. We are looking forward to the trip.