Antarctica - A Truly Unique Vacation Experience

By Ethan Robinson

Antarctica or the White Continent is home to just a few inhabitants and has only undergone limited exploration. Anyone up for a challenge is free to go experience this area at the southern tip of the world as it is not the exclusive property of a single person. Damage to the Antarctica terrain is practically nonexistent as humans have not been able to ruin Antarctica even as several millennia have passed. Besides a research lab here and there and plentiful wildlife not much else resides in the area. Top vacation destinations now include Antarctica because it offers the beauty of nature at its finest.

The entire continent of Antarctica is about twice the size of and almost completely fits within the Antarctic Circle. A plane ride is the usual mode of transport to this continent as water surrounds the area. However, cruise ships have recently discovered the allure of this destination, and now you can reach Antarctica through a multitude of cruise lines offering itineraries to this continent. A film of ice as well as snow coat the continent landscape and averages around 6000 feet in thickness. This is nearly 90 percent of all ice found earth.

Antarctica ice masses are of special interest to other nations as this is how they check on future weather conditions. Antarctica glacier behavior is observed by scientists as a way of telling whether climate changes have started. Oddly enough wildlife in the region abound even with the forbidding climate and rugged land and so scientists are able to observe lots of them. The presence or absence of food supply for the wild animals together with the level of ice and water determine the animal population.

Measuring 7380 feet Antarctica is the continent that looks down on all the others. The climate in Antarctica is really dry and the temperatures are freezing. A desert and this continent receive just about the same rainfall in a given year. However the climate has recently been transformed which explains the now increased snowfall volume in the area. Scientific professionals also believe that climate change is behind the recent breaks in the arctic continent that have led to their disappearance with two occurring five years apart in 1995 and 2000.

Antarctica is home to wild animals like seals and penguins and some whales plus other delightful creatures. Gigantic squids can likewise be observed within Antarctica waters. Small marine crustaceans abound in spring months so this also means humpbacks and whales come out more often and tourists will have no problems catching sight of them. This is when most penguin chicks begin to hatch too. Weddell and Leopard seals dot the icy landscape while Albatrosses come flying all around in the sky.

Antarctica is truly someplace special. With research stations put up in the area there is more info shared to the world by scientists regarding the continent. As new info on Antarctica become available the people wanting to visit the place also grows too. The great number of people asking about Antarctica vacations has resulted in cruise lines opening up additional itineraries for the area.

If you are interested in visiting Antarctica to see its many wonders for yourself, you can plan a cruise vacation to this destination. Many cruise lines are offering their own versions of an Antarctica vacation so you can find a wide selection of vacation styles to choose from. It is important to note that most ships that cruise to this region are smaller and the travel window is more limited that it is with other destinations. If you picked Antarctica for your next holiday out then better buy tickets early. - 29868

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