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17 Awesome Things to Do in Antarctica (2024 Guide)

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  • Last Updated: March 28, 2024

From kayaking with whales to swimming in the caldera of an active volcano, here are 17 awesome things to do in Antarctica.

There is no other destination on the planet more incredible, overwhelming or epic as Antarctica.

The ‘White Continent’ has been a pinnacle for explorers, adventurers and travellers for generations, and as sustainable tourism improves, more opportunities are available for people to visit the bottom of the earth.

While some people may think a trip to Antarctica involves sitting on a cruise ship and looking through binoculars, the truth is if you choose the right company your experience down there will be as active and exciting as you could ever imagine.

Things To Do In Antarctica

Table of Contents

Camping Under the Stars

Go kayaking, visit a science research station, take the polar plunge, skiing on snowy mountains, cross the drake passage, practice your photography, climb antarctica’s tallest mountain, learn about the history of whaling and science at deception island, scuba diving in antarctica, whale watching, trek to the south pole, run a marathon, hang out with penguins, send a postcard from port lockroy, study with polar experts, drink vodka at the southernmost bar in the world, save this pin for later, the best things to do in antarctica.

The best things to do in Antarctica reads like an ultimate bucket list for just about any traveller.

Kayaking with humpback whales, cruising between enormous icebergs, hanging out with thousands of penguins – these are the kinds of experiences that will stay fresh in your mind forever.

We visited Antarctica with an expedition company at the beginning of March with a willingness to try anything that came up, and walked away with more memorable moments than we ever could have imagined.

READ MORE: Check out our ultimate destination guide all about travel to Antarctica!

Some activities on this list can be experienced by joining a regular passenger expedition from Ushuaia, while others require years of planning and dedication.

No matter your ambitions, any adventure down there will be life-changing.

If you’re getting ready for a trip, or even just thinking about it, don’t miss out on these 17 epic things to do in Antarctica.

After our very successful tour to Antarctica this season, we are going to be running another exclusive adventure down to the Peninsula in 2025, this time crossing the Antarctic Circle! Check out the tour page if you’d like to learn more.

Lenticular Clouds What To Do In Antarctica

If you’re anything like us, you love camping. And there’s no place more unique to sleep under the stars than in Antarctica.

Armed with a high-quality bivy sack and warm clothes, camping in Antarctica will no doubt be something you talk about for the rest of your life.

Of course being in a place as volatile and extreme as Antarctica means the weather is a serious concern.

That’s why it’s important to go with a company that has safety as its number one priority, and also has the kind of equipment suitable for this adventure.

You might not have the best sleep, but nothing will ever beat waking up to sunrise on the snowy continent or watching the stars glow above you.

Out of all Antarctica attractions, camping under the stars is one experience no explorer would dare miss!

Camping In Antarctica Things To Do

It’s hard to beat a good day of paddling around on a calm sea, surrounded by stunning scenery and good friends.

Whether you’re doing it in the Galapagos Islands or on a coastline in Europe, kayaking is always an amazing experience.

If you want to do something different though head to the polar regions, and kayaking in Antarctica is by far the most fantastic place to do this.

Kitted out in a dry suit and cold-water kayaks, head off into remote coves for the closest encounters with the marine life possible.

Nothing will take your breath away quite like watching a humpback whale breach right next to your kayak – one of the best things to see in Antarctica!

EXCLUSIVE – We have partnered with the world’s top polar tour operator, Quark Expeditions, to offer readers of NOMADasaurus a very special deal on any trip to Antarctica or the Arctic! Contact us ( [email protected] ) if you’d like to learn more about this exclusive Quark Expeditions discount.

Whale Watching Things To Do In Antarctica

Being one of the most remote places on earth, there is a lot of cutting edge research being conducted in Antarctica.

And the cool thing is if you join an Antarctic Peninsula expedition , you can visit a few of the active stations.

One of the most famous, and popular, places in Antarctica is the Vernadsky Research Station .

This Ukrainian base has a long and colourful history dating back to 1947, when it was first established as a British station.

Over time it was transferred to the Ukrainians, and the scientific focus was primarily on the weather and climate.

It is here where they discovered the hole in the ozone layer !

The Ukrainians happily open their doors to visitors, and with a small-group trip you can have a tour of the base led by one of the scientists.

A wonderful insight to what life is like in Antarctica, and the amazing work being conducted there.

A visit to a research station is part of the Antarctica sightseeing experience!

Vernadsky Station Things To Do In Antarctica

If you’re looking for one of the coolest things to do in Antarctica (literally), why not consider going for a swim in some of the world’s coldest waters?

Known as the polar plunge, this quick dip in one of the planet’s most extreme destinations is definitely something that will get your heart racing.

While some companies do this by letting you jump in off the back of the ship, our trip with One Ocean Expeditions gave us the opportunity to run in from the beach on Deception Island – that means we swam in the caldera of an active volcano in Antarctica!

Yes, the water is cold, and yes you’ll be shivering, but there will be guides standing by with safety lines, dry towels, and if you’re lucky even hot chocolate and Baileys or rum and hot apple cider.

This might not be for everyone but we encourage you to step out of your comfort zone.

Will you ever again have an opportunity to do this? Take the polar plunge and enjoy the stunning sights of the vastness and calmness of the ocean – it’s absolutely an Antarctica must-see!

Polar Plunge Things To Do In Antarctica

If you’re a real daredevil and fancy yourself a bit of an expert skier or snowboarder, you can choose to shred the slopes at the bottom of the earth.

Choosing a special expedition at the beginning of the season, you can skin up to the top of some peaks on the Antarctic Peninsula and carve your way down, with epic

You will need experience in ski touring, but skiing in Antarctica could be the hardest challenge in riding the slopes on every continent on the planet.

There are two ways to visit Antarctica – you can take an expensive charter flight to King George Island, or you can travel by cruise ship.

For those with a sense of adventure, sailing from the tip of South America to the Antarctic Peninsula should not be missed!

This stretch of sea, known as the Drake Passage , has the reputation for having some of the most dangerous seas in the world.

Huge oceanic currents flow through the relatively-narrow channel, churning up rough waves and large storms.

Despite the bad rap, the Drake Passage isn’t as dangerous as it used to be, thanks to much better ship-building techniques and satellite weather monitoring.

Still, the two-day journey is quite an experience, and the bragging rights of crossing the Drake Passage is well worth the adventure.

Drake Passage Things To Do In Antarctica

Antarctica is the kind of place where it is almost impossible to take a bad photo.

You can literally just point your camera in any direction, snap the shutter, and it will likely be a picture you would want to hang on your wall.

If you want to take your photography to the next level though , you’d be hard pressed to find a better place to practice than in Antarctica.

Luckily if you sign up for a journey with Quark Expeditions they employ a professional photographer-in-residence that will not only give you pointers in the field to capture the best shots, but also give workshops and talks back on the ship for further inspiration.

While you can get away with a cheap point-and-shoot or a smartphone, it’s best to purchase a decent camera for your expedition to Antarctica .

Icebergs Photography Things To Do In Antarctica

If you’re on a mission to climb the world’s seven summits, the most difficult one to achieve (in terms of logistics) is Mount Vinson in Antarctica .

Summiting this 4897m high massif is not for the normal traveller, and months of preparation and training must be taken before even considering it.

It takes a minimum of 14 days for a full expedition, if the weather and your body cooperates, but this mission is something you’ll remember forever.

There’s more to the Southern continent than just hanging out with penguins and whales – one of the most interesting things to do in Antarctica is learn about the human history that has developed in the harsh conditions.

Before Antarctica became an internationally-protected region, hundreds of boats would head to the marine-rich waters to hunt for whales.

The protected bay of Deception Island , which is actually an active volcano, became one of the major bases for sealing back in 1820, before aggressive techniques almost wiped the species out.

In the 1900s whaling for oil was growing at a rapid rate and processing plants were eventually established on Deception Island in 1912.

When new technologies led to better ship-based processing, production increased exponentially, almost collapsing the entire industry. The plants on Deception Island were closed in 1931, which then led to scientific research bases taking their place.

The volcano erupted numerous times in the 1960s and most bases were abandoned, meaning many of the structures on Deception Island have begun collapsing into the earth.

A visit to Deception Island these days allows you to walk through the rusted buildings and experience a true ghost town surrounded by black sand and ash.

Deception Island Things To Do In Antarctica

If you’re the kind of person that loves exploring beneath the surface just as much as above, then scuba diving in Antarctica is one of the most unique places you can do it.

Rich marine life, crystal clear waters and shimmering icebergs give views that are hard to find anywhere else in the world.

Scuba diving in Antarctica is not for the average beginner diver however.

You must be an open water advanced diver with your dry-suit certification and over 20 logged dry-suit dives before you can apply to join a diving expedition in Antarctica.

READ MORE: Check out our brand new resource on the most interesting Antarctica facts you’ll be amazed to learn!

One of the most incredible experiences in Antarctica is being able to see huge pods of whales up close at any time of day.

During our adventure we were lucky enough to see minke whales, orcas and humpbacks surrounding our ship and zodiacs.

The kayakers had an even more amazing encounter, when nearly a dozen humpback whales came into the Gerlache Strait, swimming and breaching right next to them!

The most common species of whales found in Antarctica are humpbacks, orcas, minkes, blue, sei, sperm, fin and right whales.

Seeing some of the largest creatures on the planet with the backdrop of snowy peaks and icebergs is by far one of the best things to do in Antarctica.

The best time to see whales is late season. You can learn more about this in our ‘ when to visit Antarctica ‘ guide.

Whale Watching Things To Do In Antarctica

Arguably one of the planet’s most remarkable, and dangerous, adventures, an expedition to the South Pole is sure to make even the most intrepid explorer giddy with excitement.

Just like climbing Mount Vinson, this is not the kind of journey that should be taken lightly, and you will need to do years of training and preparation work to be ready for it.

There is no guarantee you’ll make it, and it might just be the toughest thing you ever do, but if you’re up for the challenge trekking to the South Pole is definitely the most epic adventure in Antarctica.

For those super-fit travellers with an affinity for ticking things off a list, there’s always the opportunity to run a marathon in Antarctica.

Many long-distance runners love the idea of completing a marathon on every continent, and luckily there is an organised event held on King George Island every year exactly for this.

Once you’ve trained and are feeling ready, you can sign up for a special marathon journey that starts off with the race, before eventually continuing on to explore the rest of the Antarctic Peninsula.

If there’s one thing everybody wants to do when they visit Antarctica, it is hang out with penguins.

Luckily this incredible experience is just about guaranteed no matter how and when you visit!

There are 6 types of penguins in Antarctica (Emperor, Adelie, Gentoo, Rockhopper, Chinstrap and Macaroni) , and you can find millions of these cute creatures wandering around the continent.

Personal and environmental responsibility says you have to stay more than 2 metres away from all wildlife, but with the penguins down in Antarctica being unfamiliar and unfazed with humans, don’t be surprised if some of them walk right up to you.

Penguins Things To Do In Antarctica

Out on Wienke Island, in the harbour of Port Lockroy, is the one of Antarctica’s most curious attractions, the Penguin Post Office.

Port Lockroy is home to a museum and science base, as well as the post office where you can send a postcard to your friends and family abroad.

Imagine the kick your grandma will get from receiving a postcard all the way from Antarctica!

When you’re not out on zodiac excursions and camping adventures, one of the most educational things to do in Antarctica is to spend time learning from the scientists, biologists and historians that accompany the Quark Expeditions journeys.

These men and women are the best of the best when it comes to Antarctic knowledge, and being able to learn from them during your expedition is what makes a trip to Antarctica so worthwhile.

Whether you’re into marine life, birds, history or environmental impacts, hanging out with these experts will change your perspective of the white continent forever.

Science Things To Do In Antarctica

In case you didn’t know, the winters are long and dark down in Antarctica, so some of the scientists at Vernadsky Research Base have taken up the fun hobby of distilling vodka.

Rather than keep all the liquor to themselves, they like the idea of sharing tit around (typical Ukrainians), and now you can buy a shot of their homemade booze in the southernmost bar in the world!

For only USD$3 grab a shot and throw it down, and add it to your list of the most epic things to do in Antarctica!

Vernadsky Station Bar Things To Do In Antarctica

This article was published as part of our partnership with One Ocean Expeditions. All thoughts, opinions, and incredible activities we did are, as always, our own.

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Alesha and Jarryd

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

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The ultimate guide to camping in antarctica (2024), how to travel to antarctica responsibly (must read), 23 antarctica photos that will inspire your next adventure, 9 thoughts on “17 awesome things to do in antarctica (2024 guide)”.

Wow, exploring Antarctica sounds like a dream! I can’t wait to read about your firsthand experiences and recommendations after six incredible trips to such a unique and remote destination.

Exploring Antarctica is an unparalleled adventure, and this guide captures the essence of its beauty and wonder! Our firsthand experiences highlight the top activities for an unforgettable journey.

WOW, this blog post made me really excited. Would you mind sharing some of the companies that you like? Or have heard are good. I will most likely be traveling alone, so I am a little worried about cost, but I can put in a fair amount, just not 25K or above….

Thanks. I love all the pictures too.

Thank you so much. Glad you liked our article. There are a lot of companies going down to Antarctica. Travelling along is no issue at all. We have been down there a few times now and there have been lots of solo travellers. Everyone makes friends with everyone. It is really nice. You can look at a triple cabin which will bring your costs down. Best option is to do your own research and see which company suits your budget the best. We recommend Quark Expeditions but I know this may be on the high end of pricing. All the best and happy travels.

Antarctica is probably the most pristine continent in the world. It’s also one of the least visited, having only about 5,000 visitors per year. Personally I have never been, but this looks so cool I might take a trip to Antarctica as soon as I can. 🙂 I have just one question wasn’t it cold there for a polar plunge?

Hi Annia, It definitely is a pristine continent. We hope you get to Antarctica one day. It is incredible. The water was very chilly when we did the polar plunge. We couldn’t feel our toes. 🙂

Oh meant to say! Incredible photographs too. They all look stunning and I love the one with the clouds towards the start and also the one with the reflections and ice.

This definitely sounds like one of the most epic trips to do and great work on getting into the water. Do you know what the temperature was?

This is now high on my bucket list of things to do and thanks for the company recommendation as well.

Vavv. Very good there. If ı make money one day, I want to see there. Thanks

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south pole tourist attractions

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Places to Visit in Antarctica

  • Places To Visit

Tourist Places in Antarctica

Here are some of the best places to visit in antarctica:.

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Other Attractions

South shetland islands.

South Shetland Islands

The South Shetland Islands are amongst the top attractions and places to visit in Antarctica. Located on the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, these groups of islands are also home to the unique Deception Island and an active volcano. The islands offer breath-taking views of ice sheets, icebergs and glaciers, and it is here where you can find thousands of penguins flocking around. The interior black sand beaches on the South Shetland Islands are also sites of several research stations and ancient whaling stations that you can pay a visit to. Location: 120 kilometres north of the Antarctic Peninsula Highlights: penguin colonies, research stations, Deception Island, elephant seals, icebergs

Antarctic Peninsula

Antarctic Peninsula

Drake Passage

Drake Passage

South Georgia

South Georgia

Falkland Islands

Falkland Islands

Lemaire Channel

Lemaire Channel

Port Lockroy

Port Lockroy

King George Island

King George Island

Ice Cube Research Station

Ice Cube Research Station

Colossal Penguin Colonies

Colossal Penguin Colonies

Trinity Church

Trinity Church

Blood Falls

Blood Falls

Deception Island

Deception Island

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  • Landmarks and Monuments

21 Antarctica Landmarks

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Harsh, remote and brutally cold, Antarctica is a continent of utter extremes where only the toughest survive. Yet, since the great rush to reach the mythical South Pole in the early 20th century, Antarctica has captivated explorers and scientists worldwide. Today, you don’t need to be a hard-core adventurer to explore Antarctica. The White Continent is the ultimate soft adventure travel destination, with regular cruises in summer.

Antarctica is the coldest and driest place on earth, making it a bucket list destination. There are a surprisingly large number of landmarks in Antarctica dotted all over the white continent. Whether it’s braving the elements and trekking to the South Pole like Roald Amundsen in 1911 or exploring one of the many research stations, these are the top Antarctica landmarks.

1- Tsarsporten

2- deception island, 3- neko harbour, 4- penguin colonies, 5- mount vinson, 6- ross ice shelf, 7- mount erebus, 8- blood falls, 9- cape renard, 10- onyx river, 11- robert falcon scott’s discovery hut, 12- lenin’s bust, 13- shackleton’s hut, 14- trinity church, 15- vernadsky research station, 16- shackleton’s grave, 17- grytviken whaling station, 18- port lockroy post office, 19- the south pole, 20- king george island.

  • 20 Antarctica Landmarks

Antarctica landmarks Neko Harbour three gentoo penguins on ice

Antarctica, South Georgia & Falklands Odyssey (Ocean Endeavour) – Learn from the experts about marine biology, glaciology and Antarctic history, with optional kayaking and ice camping.

Natural Landmarks In Antarctica

Antarctica Map

Even though the continent of Antarctica is well known for its desolate snowy plains and icy glaciers, the continent has a surprisingly large number of hidden gems.

One of which is Tsarsporten, a massive naturally-formed arch that serves as the gateway to one of the continent’s very few beaches, Norvegiabukta.

It’s no surprise that Antarctica lacks beaches, given that the average temperature on the continent’s around -60 °C in the summer.

Tsarsporten is so remote not even Google Maps can find it.

Tsarsporten is on Peter Island, a volcanic island 450 kilometres (280 mi) off the Ellsworth Land coast claimed by Norway.

important landmarks in antarctica deception island

Deception Island is Antarctica’s number one tourist attraction with over 15,000 annual visitors.

Part of the South Shetland Islands, Deception Island is the exposed part of an active shield volcano with a diameter of 30 km.

Ships can sail into the flooded caldera and the volcano’s centre through a narrow channel at Neptunes Bellows.

It’s a bit of a thrill to be in the caldera, knowing that the volcano last erupted violently in 1970.

Deception Island (62°57’S, 60°38’W) is off the Antarctic Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands.

landmarks in antarctica Neko Harbour

Named after Neko, the Scottish whaling ship and floating factory stationed here from 1911 until 1924, Neko Harbour is a prime spot in Antarctica to spot a massive glacier and Gentoo penguins.

Neko Harbour is a haven for all sorts of animal species and, thanks to its relatively easy accessibility, a great destination to experience many of Antarctica’s famous features all in one place.

Belgian explorer Adrien de Gerlach discovered Neko Harbour in the 20th century.

Neko Harbor (64°50′S 62°33′W) is an inlet on Andvord Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula.

landmarks in antarctica penguins two gentoo penguins

Perhaps the continent’s best-known landmark and certainly its most captivating and entertaining, Antarctica’s large penguin colonies draw thousands of visitors to the continent every year.

Whether it’s emperor penguins on Snow Hill Island, chinstrap penguins on Gourdin Island or adélie penguins on Devil Island, be prepared to be shocked at the sheer size some of these colonies can reach.

Easy to spot and very much unmissable, large colonies of penguins can be found all over the continent.

The best way to observe them up close is on an expedition cruise where you’re allowed on land.

Antarctica famous landmarks graph of seven summits

The tallest peak in Antarctica and one of the world’s seven highest summits, Mount Vinson is one of the world’s most challenging mountains.

Although it’s not technically difficult to climb, it’s windy and cold; the average temperature of the range is about minus 20 degrees F (minus 30 C).

It’s also expensive to attempt to summit this 4,892m (16,050 feet) behemoth, and only around 1000 people have reached the summit.

Mount Vinson (78.6341° S, 85.2135° W) is in the Ellsworth Mountains, 700 nautical miles from the South Pole.

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Antarctica important landmarks

Antarctica has no shortage of icy peaks and glaciers to give you chills just looking at them.

However, few sights are as perplexing and colossal as the Ross Ice Shelf.

Spread across a vast area about the size of France and over a kilometre thick in some places, the Ross Ice Shelf is a landmark of Antarctica that must be seen to be believed.

Forming part of a large ecosystem of birds, whales, penguins and seals, Roald Amundsen reached the Ross Ice Shelf en route to the South Pole in 1911.

Cruise along the vertical front of the ice shelf, where you might see the occasional chunk of ice dropping into the ocean up close.

The Ross Ice Shelf covers the southern section of the Ross Sea and is within the Ross Dependency claimed by New Zealand.

antarctica landmarks mount erebus

The mountain is an outstanding natural landmark in Antarctica.

The world’s most active and southernmost volcano, Mount Erebus is a popular Antarctic landmark famous for its lake of lava that can reach temperatures up to 1,700 °F (927 °C).

The terrain is inhospitable and Mount Erebus was the site of the tragic 1979 Air New Zealand crash, which claimed all 257 passengers and crew on board on 28 November.

Marvel at the ice caves and chimneys shaped by the constant magma and toxic volcanic gas billowing out from the volcano’s caldera, or hike to the top on a guided expedition if you’re experienced enough.

Mount Erebus is on Ross Island overlooking McMurdo research station.

Located in Antarctica’s bizarre McMurdo Dry Valleys, the natural phenomenon known as Blood Falls is as important scientifically as it is striking to look at.

The reddish, blood-like colour of Blood Falls is due to the large amounts of iron oxide in the area, with Australian geologist Griffith Taylor the first to discover this strange Antarctic landmark back in 1911.

A window into a world left alone to evolve for over a million years fully protected from outside influences, Blood Falls attracts scientists and geologists from all over the world.

Blood Falls flows from the tongue of the Taylor Glacier in Victoria Land.

Antarctica top landmarks

Located in the Antarctic Peninsula, what many refer to as Antarctica’s most beautiful region, Cape Renard amazes visitors with majestic snow-topped peaks, thundering glaciers and razor-sharp cliffs.

Its distinctive Una Peaks, also known as Cape Renard Towers, rises almost vertically into the air.

The cape and the surrounding region is a haven for spotting all sorts of birds, penguins and whales.

Cape Renard has inspired many intrepid adventurers and explorers since it was discovered in 1898 during the Belgian Antarctic Expedition led by Adrien de Gerlache.

Una Peaks (65.1067° S, 63.9406° W) guards the northern entrance to the Antarctica Peninsula’s Lemaire Channel.

top landmarks in Antarctica mountains at dawn

As Antarctica is covered in thick layers of ice year-round, you would be surprised to learn that the continent has several rivers and streams that do not freeze over during summer.

Antarctica’s Onyx River is the continent’s largest and longest, flowing toward Lake Vanda while gradually picking up salt in the ground, turning the river into a saltwater flow.

Not only is the river an incredible sight, but the desolate-looking Wright Valley through which the river flows is starkly different from the ice-covered image most people associate with Antarctica.

The Onyx River flows from the Wright Lower Glacier to Lake Vanda.

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Historic Landmarks In Antarctica

Erected during Robert Falcon Scott’s famed first expedition, which stretched from 1901 till 1904, Robert Falcon Scott’s Hut or Scott’s Hut as it’s also known, has been a historic landmark in Antarctica ever since.

After Scott’s expedition, the hut played a significant role in many subsequent expeditions during the early 1900s, serving as a staging post and scientific base before the construction of more permanent research stations.

Today visitors can tour the perfectly preserved hut and get a glimpse of what life must have been like for some of the first explorers ever to set foot on the continent.

Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery Hut (77°50′45″S, 166°38′30″E) is on Cape Evans on Ross Island.

With a long list of countries that have either funded expeditions to Antarctica or set up research stations on the continent, Antarctica’s landscape is dotted with all sorts of quirky buildings and monuments dedicated to various people.

The quirkiest and most out of place is Lenin’s Bust, a statue erected in 1958 next to the Soviet Union’s Pole of Inaccessibility research station.

Lenin’s Bust is one of few artificial structures still visible after layers of snow blanketed most of what the Soviets built before they deserted the station in 1958, after only 12 days of researching meteorological patterns.

The Pole of Inaccessibility is at the continent’s furthest point from the coast.

Lenin’s Bust (44° 41′ 39.79″ N, 10° 31′ 58.88″ E) is at the Pole of Inaccessibility.

Shackleton’s Hut served as the base for Sir Ernest Shackleton during his Nimrod expedition to Antarctica, which lasted from 1907 till 1909.

Much like the hut of Robert Falcon Scott, whom Shackleton accompanied during Scott’s discovery expedition, Shackleton’s Hut is a historically significant landmark in Antarctica.

Located at Cape Royds, Shackleton’s Hut is well taken care of and is an excellent representation of the cramped quarters lived in by the men of Shackleton’s expedition.

Shackleton’s Hut (77°33′11″S 166°10′06″E) is at Cape Royds on Ross Island.

Trinity Church famous landmarks antarctica above a snowy ground

The world’s southernmost Eastern Orthodox church, Trinity Church, was built in Russia during the mid-1990s and transported by ship to its current location near Bellingshausen Station, Russia’s permanent Antarctic outpost.

Perched atop a rocky cliff, the church is manned year-round by monks of the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra monastery, which is considered the most important Russian monastery of all.

The church can accommodate up to 30 visitors and performed the first-ever wedding in an Antarctic church, making it a significant landmark in Antarctica.

Trinity Church is on King George Island.

famous antarctica landmarks woman in red jacket in front of Vernadsky Research Station

There are 70 research stations in Antarctica, thanks to the continent’s scientific significance worldwide.

The Ukrainians have operated Vernadsky Research Station since it was transferred to them by the British, who built the station in 1947.

The station is famous for discovering the hole in the earth’s Ozone layer, among other significant scientific discoveries.

The research team at the station took it upon themselves to start distilling and selling vodka, effectively creating the world’s southernmost bar.

No doubt the liveliest spot in Antarctica, the Vernadsky Research Station welcomes visitors with open arms.

Be sure to check it out whenever you’re on the continent and don’t forget to bring along a bra, as donating one will earn you a free shot of vodka.

Vernadsky Research Station (65˚15’S, 64˚16’W) is at Marina Point on Galindez Island in the Argentine Islands Archipelago.

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Antarctica landmarks Shackletons Grave

During his Antarctic expeditions, Sir Ernest Shackleton paid many visits to South Georgia Island.

He completed one of the most famous journeys in Antarctic history on this island, sailing from London aboard the Quest.

The ship broke down and forced him to disembark in South Georgia on 4 January 1922, where he died of a heart attack.

His widow chose South Georgia Island as the site where he’d be buried.

Shackleton’s Grave, near the now-defunct Grytviken whaling station, is the place to toast (ideally with whiskey) the explorer at his final resting place.

Landmarks in Antarctica Grytviken

Established in 1904 by Norwegian Explorer Carl Anton Larsen, the Grytviken Whaling Station on South Georgia Island was once the main location for all land-based whaling in the Southern Hemisphere.

Now abandoned, the whaling station is a popular stop for cruise ships and near Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Grave.

Norwegian sea captain, Carl Anton Larsen, set up a whaling station in 1904 to extract oil from the meat, blubber and viscera. They hunted whales and elephant seals and used the meat and bones for fodder and fertilizer.

Now a ghost town, all that remains is a cemetery, cinema, church and the South Georgia Museum.

The museum has whaling, sealing and Falklands War exhibits displayed in the former home of the station’s manager before whaling ceased in 1965.

Grytviken Whaling Station (54.2811° S, 36.5087° W) is on South Georgia Island in South Georgia, a British Overseas Territory.

Famous landmarks in Antarctica timber building surrounded by penguins

One of Antarctica’s most visited landmarks is the Port Lockroy Post Office, which is the southernmost post office in the world.

It’s a popular cruise-ship stop and you can write an old-fashioned letter and mail it from the post office while gazing at the Gentoo penguins wandering about outside.

There’s a small gift shop that sells Antarctic souvenirs.

Port Lockroy Post Office (64º49’S, 63º30’W) is in Port Lockroy Harbour on Wienke Island on British Antarctic territory.

Leopard seal sleeping

The South Pole is the most southern point on earth.

Much like it was during the rush to reach the South Pole, trekking across the endless miles of ice and snow whilst being battered by freezing wind is still as challenging and dangerous as ever.

Months of preparation and an experienced guide are crucial to reaching the South Pole, and while many fail along the way, those that make it are left with unforgettable memories.

Crabeater seal landmarks of Antarctica Paradise Bay Crabeater seal

Several countries have research bases on King George Island, including the USA, China, Chile, Uruguay and Russia.

Of all the things you’d expect to find on the harshest and most desolate continent, a marathon is undoubtedly the last event you’d imagine.

The island hosted a rock concert performed by Metallica back in 2013 and is where the King George Island marathon has occurred since 1995.

Despite the extremely challenging conditions and the massive logistical effort it takes to reach the starting line, over 100 runners participate in the event every year.

King George Island (61.9882° S, 58.0196° W) is in the South Shetland Islands.

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Top 10 Antarctica Landmarks, Wonders & Attractions To See

Antarctica attractions: top 10 things to see in antarctica, 1. mcmurdo dry valleys, 2. brown bluff, 3. the lemaire channel, 4. mount erebus, 5. the ross ice shelf, 6. the antarctic circle, 7. snow hill island, 8. the vinson massif, 9. the geographic south pole, 10. south georgia, what to see in antarctica.

From the cliffs, icebergs, and ice-shelf ramparts of the coast to the unbelievably wild depths of its Polar Plateau, Antarctica presents one of the most utterly extraordinary landscapes on Earth with natural wonders aplenty that have to be seen to be believed.

Throw in the magnificent wildlife hubbub along its shores and ice fronts, the traces of bygone explorers, the flawless night skies and Southern Lights—well, let’s just say the White Continent makes for mind-bogglingly rewarding travel.

When it comes to such a vast continent—and the equally remarkable Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands readily combined on a cruise—it’s tough to define a short-and-sweet list of the very best Antarctica landmarks, natural wonders and tourist attractions. But that’s just what we’re attempting to do in this (ambitious) roundup of veritable Antarctica highlights that shouldn’t be missed!

Given the challenge of winnowing down the vast number of Antarctica tourist attractions to behold to a mere ten, it’s true enough that you could easily swap in others on the following list. But, without question, these landmarks and locations rank among the most extraordinary highlights of the frozen continent.

Some of the most enigmatic natural attractions in Antarctica, the McMurdo Dry Valleys constitute the continent’s largest expanse of mostly ice-free ground: the greatest of the so-called “Antarctic oases,” covering some 1,900 square miles (4,800 square kilometers) to the west of McMurdo Sound. The Transantarctic Mountains wall these broad defiles in and help establish their drastically dry climate: by preventing glacial incursion, by casting them in a rainshadow, and by sweeping them with strong (sometimes hurricane-force) and parching katabatic winds. These dry valleys, which include the Taylor, Wright, and Victoria, are frigid deserts that appear to have essentially received no precipitation for some two million years.

Among their many striking landmarks are the seasonal meltwater flow of the Onyx River, the über-salty Don Juan Pond, and the undeniably sinister-looking Blood Falls. The latter is a crimson cascade flowing out of Taylor Glacier onto the ice of West Lake Bonney. Its waters drain a subglacial saltwater pool long sealed off from oxygen, where microbes convert iron to a soluble form; that soluble iron reacts with oxygen when the water is exposed to air, producing the gory hue of the falls.

Set on the Tamarin Peninsula, Brown Bluff is a striking example of a tuya: a flat-topped, mesa-like volcano that owes its form to eruption under ice cover. Its rusty cliffs, contrasting eye-catchingly with the tuya’s snow streaks, incorporate volcanic bombs, and overlook a cobble-ash beach supporting a large colony of Adélie penguins (as well as some gentoos).

Famously photogenic—enough that it’s earned the nickname of “Kodak Alley” or “Kodak Gap”—the Lemaire Channel forms a mountain- and ice-edged strait between the Antarctic Peninsula and Booth Island. Some seven miles long and less than 2,000 feet across at its narrowest point, the Channel presents sublime scenery with its rock/ice/water mosaic, notable landmarks including the twin basalt spires of the Una Peaks that lord over the northern entrance. Icebergs are common sights, especially early in the summer (when they sometimes clog the Channel), while later in the season you’ll often spot whales cruising here.

The 12,448-foot crown of mountainous Ross Island in the Ross Sea, Mount Erebus is the only known active volcano on the Antarctic mainland—and the southernmost active volcano in the world! This commanding fire mountain, an icy stratovolcano, looms to a summit crater glowing with one of the planet’s relative handful of lava lakes. Cruises to the Ross Sea can serve up memorable views of Mount Erebus, a rare chance to witness one of the greatest geological wonders of Antarctica.

Speaking of the Ross Sea, the biggest of Antarctica’s many ice shelves—where continental glaciers draining the ice sheet nose out onto the ocean—covers much of its southern half, covering close to 200,000 square miles (508,000 square kilometers). The roughly France-sized Ross Ice Shelf, the above-water ramparts of which loom as high as 160 feet (50 meters), was known as “The Barrier” by early Antarctic explorers such as Ernest Shackleton, and is fed by glaciers flowing off the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The sight of its white wall becomes branded into the memory of anyone who sees it.

Unlike the Ross Ice Shelf, the Antarctic Circle is invisible. Yet crossing this latitudinal boundary demarking the Antarctic realm proper is a special thrill, one a relatively few people ever experience. Indeed, not all cruises to Antarctica make it past this circle of latitude, as the northern segment of the Antarctic Peninsula—the most-visited destination on the White Continent—extends north of it.

This snow-capped, ice-edged isle off the Trinity Peninsula along the Antarctic Peninsula’s Weddell Sea coast is remote and hard to reach, but nonetheless very much a coveted destination. That’s because Snow Hill Island is one of the foremost natural wonders of Antarctica, host to the northernmost rookery of emperor penguins—the largest and best-known of all penguin species—in the world: some 4,000 breeding pairs. Emperors are famously hardy birds: the only penguins to breed during the Antarctic winter. While most breeding colonies are terrifically remote, following timetables that don’t allow for easy viewing by tourists, Snow Hill Island provides a rare chance to see these iconic creatures in the flesh.

The colony resides on the ice off the southwestern coast of Snow Hill Island, and some tours will attempt to reach it—via expedition vessel and helicopter—early in the season when emperor chicks are still likely to be seen.

The high point of Antarctica, the Vinson Massif provides the spectacular, 16,050-foot culmination of the White Continent’s loftiest mountain chain: the Sentinel Range, part of the larger system of the Ellsworth Range along the Ronne Ice Shelf. Climbers aiming to complete the Seven Summits—topping the highest peaks on every continent—have Mount Vinson as their chief goal here, but there are other mighty mountains in the Sentinels, including 15,919-foot Mount Tyree, 15,883-foot Clinch Peak, and 15,820-foot Corbet Peak.

The Geographic South Pole must be the single most famous landmark in Antarctica, yet comparatively few tourists make the trip here. But it’s certainly possible to do so during the summer, whether you’re just flying over or touching down and visiting on foot or by skis. The Ceremonial South Pole close to the actual geographic pole provides a classic photo op with the flags representing the original nations signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, and meanwhile the U.S.-run Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, the local research base, is its own attraction.

The spectacular Antarctic island of South Georgia—part of a British Overseas Territory with the South Sandwich Islands, set in the Scotia Sea at the frontier between the South Atlantic and the Southern Ocean—makes a genuine highlight of a stopover on certain White Continent itineraries. Once home to whalers and a base of research, South Georgia lacks a permanent human population now, and can hold its own with any island in the world for scenery and wildlife. Snow- and ice-swaddled mountains rear past 9,000 feet, walling in fjords and backdropping beaches that support globally significant pinniped and seabird rookeries.

Home to a number of penguin species—including the king, second-largest of all penguins after the emperor—as well as leopard and fur seals, South Georgia is perhaps best known for supporting the single largest colony of southern elephant seals in the world. These biggest of all pinnipeds—males may reach 20 feet and weigh more than 10,000 pounds—breed here in December and January, the gigantic bulls battling it out to control turf as the dominant, bloodied “beachmaster.”

The beautiful desolation of the South Pole, the iceberg clutter of the Lemaire Channel, the grand faces of the Ellsworth Mountains, the seal and penguin dramas of South Georgia’s seaboard: The magic of the Antarctica tourist attractions we’ve highlighted above transcends the power of language. These are places to make an effort to see firsthand.

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  • 2.1 History
  • 2.2 Climate
  • 3.1 By plane
  • 3.2 By ship
  • 3.3 By sailboat
  • 4 Get around
  • 5 See and do
  • 11 Stay safe

Antarctica is the coldest and driest place on Earth, and surrounds the South Pole . Tourist visits are costly, demand physical fitness, can only take place in summer (from November to February), and are largely limited to the Peninsula, Islands and Ross Sea . A couple of thousand staff live here in summer in some four dozen bases mostly in those areas; a small number stay over winter. Inland Antarctica is a desolate plateau covered by 2–3 kilometres (1.2–1.9 mi) of ice. Occasional specialist air tours go inland, for mountaineering or to reach the Pole, which has a large base. Wildlife needs access to the sea and is confined to the coasts.

Regions [ edit ]

south pole tourist attractions

Understand [ edit ]

south pole tourist attractions

History [ edit ]

About 15 million years ago, the mountain chain connecting South America to Antarctica sank under the ocean, and a new continent was born. Cold sea currents now enclosed Antarctica completely and its climate became intensely cold.

18th century explorers probed the dangerous southern oceans only to encounter a vast barrier of ice: they could hardly tell what was islands, what was a larger land mass, and what was just ice. The first sure sightings of the mainland were in 1820, by Russian, British and American ships all at about the same time. Whaling and sealing vessels began to hunt in the seas here, and explorers mapped the coast. In 1897, a Belgian expedition overwintered in Antarctica and this was the start of the "Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration", culminating when Roald Amundsen and his crew reached the South Pole in December 1911. Robert Scott arrived a month later but never made it back to the coast.

Nations began setting up bases and claiming parts of the continent, while conducting scientific work. There was a particular effort at collaboration in the "International Geophysical Year" of 1957/58, and this led to the Antarctic Treaty of 1959. The Treaty makes the continent a scientific preserve, suspends all territorial claims, and prohibits military activity here. This Treaty has stood the test of time, and today Antarctica has no border controls, mines or quarries, missile silos, fish canneries, or any settlements beyond small collections of prefabs. Some four dozen bases are occupied year round or seasonally by a transient population, numbering a few thousand in summer and perhaps a couple of hundred in winter. Only 10% could be described as "researchers"; the great majority are support and logistics staff to make the research possible. A couple of settlements style themselves "towns" and children have been born there. One base, McMurdo, even has a bus service; its route passes close to where Scott and his men perished in 1912.

Climate [ edit ]

Antarctica is a desert: the winds are cold, so they carry little moisture, and inland precipitation averages 50 mm (2 inch) a year, the same as the Mojave in California. And yet Antarctica is covered in ice 2–3 km thick. In a warmer climate the snowfall would run off in streams or evaporate, but here it just builds and builds. As Antarctica also has the strongest and most persistent winds of any continent, the snow (or bits of ice small enough to be carried by wind) is constantly moved around and as research stations act as artificial impediments to the free movement of air and snow, there is always the danger of those becoming "buried" by snow, requiring various techniques to avoid or at least delay this process. The bedrock beneath the ice is mostly low-lying (though there are several mountain ranges) – in fact some of the rock is actually several hundred meters below the sea – but add all that ice and most of the continent is at high altitude; the South Pole itself is 2835 m (9301 ft) above sea level. This makes a very cold climate colder still, with inland summer highs of -15°C (5°F) and winter lows below -80°C (-112°F), and thin dry air. The icecap is moving, very slowly on the plateau, faster as it descends to the coast to form glaciers and floating ice sheets which calve into county-sized icebergs.

The coast, especially the Peninsula and its nearby islands, have a slightly less harsh climate, which means their seas are not frozen in summer. This is crucial for wildlife: penguins, seabirds and seals all depend upon open water. It also means that ships can approach, bearing supplies and tourists, from November through February.

Read [ edit ]

south pole tourist attractions

Films and TV documentaries show Antarctic scenery and wildlife, but don't get you into the minds of the early explorers. The following are all available to order online.

  • Alone: The Classic Polar Adventure , by Richard E Byrd, 1938.
  • At the Mountains of Madness by HP Lovercraft, 1936. The earliest science fiction/horror story to take place on the continent, detailing the adventures of a geological expedition to Antarctic Mountains, where the researchers discover something so inconceivable that they lose their minds.
  • Antarctica , by Kim Stanley Robinson, 1997. Science fiction account of 21st-century Antarctica and the impact of global warming.
  • Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage , by Alfred Lansing, 1959.
  • Endurance , by Caroline Alexander, 1998.
  • A First-Rate Tragedy: Robert Falcon Scott & the Race to the South Pole , by Diana Preston, 1999.
  • Mawson's Will , by Lennard Bickel, 1977.
  • North Pole, South Pole: Journeys to the Ends of the Earth , by Bertrand Imbert, 1992.
  • Scott's Last Expedition: The Journals , by Robert F. Scott and Beryl Bainbridge, 1996.
  • Shackleton , by Roland Huntford, 1975.
  • South Pole: 900 Miles on Foot , by Gareth Wood and Eric Jamieson, 1996.
  • The Worst Journey in the World , by Apsley Cherry-Garrard, 1922.
  • Terra Incognita , by Sara Wheeler, 1997.
  • South , by Ernest Shackleton, 1919.

Get in [ edit ]

south pole tourist attractions

Antarctica has no immigration or border controls , but visitors to any land or sea south of 60°S need permission from an Antarctic Treaty member country. Your tour / cruise organiser will take care of this but those travelling independently should apply six months in advance.

By plane [ edit ]

Only five places in Antarctica can handle large, wheeled aircraft suitable for intercontinental flights in potentially hazardous conditions:

  • Villa las Estrellas ( TNM  IATA ) on King George Island, 200 km north of the Antarctic Peninsula. This has a gravel, all-seasons runway, and receives 2-hour charter flights from Punta Arenas between December and February. These flights require clear skies, with around 85% of them proceeding as scheduled. This is a common transfer point for visitors joining small-ship cruises of the islands and Peninsula.
  • Marambio Base is on Marambio Island in the Weddell Sea, some 100 km south of the tip of the Peninsula. It's open year-round, though it's prone to fog in December and January. This large base acts as the support centre for all the Argentine stations in the region.
  • McMurdo Station on Ross Island has two such airfields, receiving flights from Christchurch , New Zealand that take four hours, but the strips are only open in November and December. It was intended that the newer "Phoenix" airfield would have a longer season than the "Ice Runway", but this hasn't worked out. McMurdo is a transfer point for visitors from Australia and New Zealand heading to the South Pole, using ski planes from its third airfield "Williams".
  • Union Glacier is a privately-run summer airfield on the desolate plateau of West Antarctica . It receives flights from Punta Arenas and from Cape Town . Most visitors are transferring to and from the South Pole, but this airfield is also a base for climbing Mount Vinson and for the Antarctic Marathon.
  • Wolfs Fang ( WFR  IATA ) is a privately-run summer airfield in Queen Maud Land, East Antarctica , which receives medium-sized business jets from Cape Town . Guests transfer via Whichaway Camp to ski-aircraft to the Pole and elsewhere.

In 2023, there are no standard commercial flights to any of these airfields, but see their details above for flight package tours. Onward flights into Antarctica use various small to medium aircraft such as the Twin Otter. All the bases have access to a ski runway or at least a helipad.

Sightseeing overflights from Australia by Antarctica Flights spend three hours over the continent. Prices range from AUD $8000 for first-class down to $1200 for a centre economy seat with no guaranteed window access.

The Qantas regular flight between Sydney and Johannesburg passes close enough for a glimpse of Antarctica.

By ship [ edit ]

south pole tourist attractions

Ship is the most common method of visiting the Antarctic, with a sailing season Nov-Feb. The vessels are usually ice-strengthened rather than icebreakers; the latter are stronger but round-bottomed, so they heave about more in the massive waves of Drake Passage, typically 4 meters (12 ft) high, sometimes up to 12 meters (40 ft). Most itineraries are to the Antarctic peninsula and nearby Antarctic islands, and they often also take in more northerly islands such as South Georgia and the Falklands.

Smaller ships (less than 100 passengers) can go where the big ships can't, getting you up closer to the nature and wildlife. Larger vessels are less prone to rough seas but have more limited landing options; both will use RIBs (powered dinghies) to get you ashore or close in among the ice floes. Big ships may have 1000+ normal capacity but be limited to 500 on Antarctic trips. IAATO rules say that at most 100 people may be ashore at any one time: that's mainly so that everyone can be swiftly plucked to safety when (not if) conditions turn dangerous. Larger ships therefore have to segment their landings, so those passengers might only get a couple of hours per day off ship. Smaller ships can get their shore parties out and back in one operation then move on to visit a second location same day. Everything is very dependent on the weather: an onshore breeze (which in these climes will be going on a gale) will send furious breakers pounding onto the landing beach. About a third of landings have to be called off.

Even on a cosy cruise ship, you need warm clothing just to stand on deck let alone get ashore: boots, hoods, glove, water repellent pants, parka, and warm underwear. Most of these items can be bought or hired in Ushuaia, but they might not have your size. So bring whatever you can from your own stock.

Many shipping companies also offer fly/cruises, so you fly one-way or round-trip from mainland Chile. These cost more but save a couple of days each way upchucking across the Drake Passage.

As of 2023, a couple of dozen companies offer trips to Antarctica: others simply act as agents, selling you on to another company and charging a mark-up for their labours. Those listed here are understood to be direct operators, though they may be hiring the vessel with crew and sharing it with other companies. Supply outstrips demand: there is a lot of last-minute availability, but don't be too last-minute as even reaching the port of departure is a major trip in its own right. These companies all sail from Ushuaia unless otherwise noted:

south pole tourist attractions

  • Abercrombie & Kent sail on Le Lyrial (200 passengers max).
  • Antarpply Expeditions on Ushuaia (90).
  • Aurora Expeditions on Greg Mortimer (126).
  • Bark Europa on Europa , a square-rigged sailing ship.
  • Cheesemans Ecology Safaris : flying into King George then onto the 12-passenger Hans Hanson .
  • Compagnie du Ponant on Le Soleal , Le Boreal and L'Austral (all about 260 max).
  • Expedition Cruise Specialists on Expedition (134) and Sea Spirit (114), also from Invercargill on Spirit of Enderby and Spirit of Shokalskiy (both 50), or flying into King George then onto 100-passenger Magellan Explorer .
  • G Adventures also sail on Expedition .
  • Heritage Expeditions also sail from Invercargill on Spirit of Enderby and Spirit of Shokalskiy.
  • Geographic Expeditions sail from Ushuaia or fly into King George or to the South Pole.
  • Hapag-Lloyd Cruises on Bremen (155), and from 2021 on Hanseatic Nature and Hanseatic Inspiration .
  • Hurtigruten sail from Ushuaia and Punta Arenas on Roald Amundsen (500), Fridtjof Nansen (500), Fram (250) and Midnatsol (500).
  • Intrepid Travel on Ocean Endeavour (100).
  • Quark Expeditions also on Ocean Endeavour .
  • National Geographic Expeditions on National Geographic Explorer (148), NG Orion (102) and NG Endurance (126).
  • Lindblad Expeditions sail on the same vessels.
  • Oceanwide Expeditions sail from Ushuaia and Bluff NZ on Plancius (108), Ortelius (108), Janssonius (170) and Hondius (170).
  • Polar Latitudes on Hebridean Sky and Island Sky , plus Seaventure from 2021.

By sailboat [ edit ]

About a dozen charter sailboats, many of them members of IAATO, offer three to six-week voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula from South America. Most offer "expedition style" trips where guests are invited to help out, although usually no prior sailing experience is required. Yachts take individuals on a "by the bunk" basis and also support private expeditions such as scientific research, mountaineering, kayaking, and film-making. Compared to the more popular expedition ships, a small yacht can be more work and significantly less comfortable, but typically allows more freedom and flexibility. For the right people, this can be a far more rewarding experience.

  • Ocean Expeditions . Expedition support yacht Australis purpose-built for high latitudes. Specializing in private or commercial expeditions involving film making, scientific research, adventure activities, wildlife enthusiasts or just an intimate experience of the Antarctic.
  • Expedition Sail . Sailing yacht Seal is a purpose-built expedition sailboat offering private expeditions, support for research, filming, or climbing projects, and also offers "by the bunk" trips for individuals.
  • Spirit of Sydney . Australians Darrel and Cath own and operate Spirit of Sydney , an expedition support yacht for film crews, mountaineers, skiers and snowboarders, sea kayakers, dry suit divers, scientists, sailors of all experience levels, and whale watchers. They typically carry kayaks on board and offer private charters and group trips for individuals.

Get around [ edit ]

south pole tourist attractions

Skis, snowmobiles, tractors, snowcats, helicopters and ski planes are all used to get around Antarctica, and McMurdo on Ross Island even has a bus service. Cruise ships use RIBs / zodiacs (sturdy inflatable powerboats) to ferry tourists between ship and shore; bases close to open water also use these. Bring your own fuel!

The last of the pony- and dog-sled teams retired in the 1980s. It would be neat to bring a few teams over for a "heritage" run, but given the logistics and paperwork necessary, it would probably be simpler to run an old steam locomotive here.

See and do [ edit ]

Antarctica is an amazing place just to look at, with its enormous calving glaciers, icebergs the size of cities, penguin colonies and towering snow-clad mountains. But even just standing there looking is going to involve exertion on your part, elaborate preparation, and a degree of risk. The distinction between seeing and doing is a fine one in many locations, and here it vanishes altogether.

  • In that spirit, the prime thing for you to do in Antarctica is come home safe . Don't do anything, not even just standing there, without having that in mind. How are the sea conditions and the weather? How is your body faring? What about the other people in your group, is everyone accounted for? And what if, what if, what if?
  • The southern aurora , but not in summer. You need full darkness to see it, but in summer the sky is bright even if the sun has briefly dipped below the horizon. You may have more chance on the homeward sailing, as your latitude decreases and the nights lengthen. The same applies to other dark sky sights such as meteors.
  • The midnight sun in midsummer, but only within the Antarctic circle; most of the Peninsula and all of the Antarctic Islands lie north of it. Actually you're going to get fed up with the sun, since it's broad daylight at 02:00 when you need your sleep.

south pole tourist attractions

  • Lemaire Channel is a spectacular section of coastline along the Peninsula. It narrows to 1.6 km, and cruise ships sail through a canyon of cliffs and towering ice. Its waters are remarkably still and populated by whales. It's close to other attractions such as Port Lockroy, Cierva Cove and Paradise Bay so it's on many cruise itineraries, but the channel is sometimes blocked by icebergs, so the ship has to back up and seek another route.
  • Old camps and bases that have been abandoned. Some (such as on Paulet Island) were refuges built by shipwreck survivors, others (as on Deception, above) were summer camps for whaling and sealing. Port Lockroy on the Peninsula was the main British base until they moved to Rothera. It's been converted into a museum. There's a particularly rich collection on Ross Island, as this was historically the main base for exploration towards the pole.
  • Emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) are the 1.2 m creature that stays and breeds here during the harsh winter. Its habitat is stable pack ice within waddling distance of open water - though they may waddle for over 100 km. The largest colonies are on mainland sites that are hard to visit, but there's a small but accessible colony on King George Island, and a larger one at the tip of the Peninsula.
  • Adélie penguins ( Pygoscelis adeliae ) are the ones 50-60 cm tall in badly-fitting tuxedos. They live at the edge of the ice and forage for krill, but in spring (October) they move to ice-free land to breed. Their largest known colony is in the Danger Islands at the tip of the Peninsula, with 1.5 million birds.

south pole tourist attractions

  • Gentoo penguins ( P. papua ) are 60-80 cm tall with a distinctive white band on the head and trumpeting call. They're mainly sub-Antarctic but are found on the Peninsula.
  • Chinstrap penguins ( P. antarcticus ) are 70 cm with an obvious chin-strap and harsh stroppy call. They're mainly sub-Antarctic but are found on the Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.
  • Tangerine penguins 50-60 cm high, are they Adélies? There are penguin colonies all round the Antarctic coastline, but viewing them from close-up needs a colony near a safe landing beach; so these attract a stream of visitors. You'll smell them first and hear their grating kra-kra kraa? before you see their orange line along the shore. Then as the boat draws closer you realize the orange things are traffic cones . They are there partly to show you the trail (you may be trying to return in poor visibility), but mostly to indicate the line that you must not cross to avoid disturbing the colony. Expect grief if you transgress, and if you do so in January when the eggs are hatching and the chicks are most vulnerable, you'll be busted off further shore trips.
  • No penguins at all at the South Pole, or anywhere on the remote plateau.
  • Other wildlife includes Humpback, Minke, Blue and Orca Whales; Crab-eater, Weddell and Leopard Seals; and Blue-eyed Shag, Southern Giant Petrel, Cape Petrel, and Kelp Gull.
  • Climb an active volcano, Mount Erebus at 3794 m on Ross Island. It's a Stromboli-type volcano so it erupts continuously but without great violence, so you can reach the summit crater with its lava lake.
  • Climb the Seventh Summit , Mount Vinson at 4892 m. The "Seven Summits Challenge" is to climb the highest peaks of all seven continents. The list of seven is disputed: which continent does Elbrus belong to, and does Puncak Jaya in Indonesia supplant the Sunday afternoon stroll that is Kosciuszko? What is universally agreed is that Everest is the highest in Asia and Vinson the highest in Antarctica, and that these two are the most difficult and perilous. Vinson is much less of a technical challenge, you spend little time in the "death zone" above 4000 m, but it's the isolation, the logistics, and the literally perishing cold.
  • While virtually no traveller ever visits Antarctica for its religious buildings, there are several churches in Antarctica . Some tours will stop at one of them.

Buy [ edit ]

There isn't much to buy in Antarctica, and most of the shops are small gift shops and souvenir shops. The largest shop is McMurdo's General Store, which would probably provide you with just about anything you will need in Antarctica.

Coming to the Antarctic marks you as a high-roller; at the very least you'll get some surprising junk-mail and pop-ups. Some cruise passengers have experienced "presentations" that were just pressure-selling of flaky investments, fine wines the quality of filling station Chardonnay, and kitsch artwork and antiques. This is not common on Antarctic cruises, whose passengers are more savvy than most, but as ever caveat emptor .

Eat [ edit ]

south pole tourist attractions

Take advice from your trip organizer on what supplies to bring. You need sufficient and some spare, but not excess which creates deadweight. Take suitable nutritional advice before extended shore trips. The main risk to the average cruise passenger is pigging out at the ship's buffet. If you're living and working on land, though, you'll find you have quite an appetite; the extra manual labor and cold temperatures result in average calorie intake nearly double of normal.

Most food at bases is frozen, dried, canned, or otherwise preserved. It's all ordered in advance and delivered just once a year around January. Fresh produce is limited, and is typically flown into bases weekly for around two months (around Nov-Dec). A large station may have a cook who can work wonderful variations on the same old pasta; small places may just have a microwave. A few bases are experimenting with indoor greenhouses where they grow fresh produce to prepare future long-term space missions or the supply of Moon or Mars bases. While the food produced is a very welcome break from the same-old for the crew, it's far too little to last the winter.

In the field, food must be carried or otherwise transported. It needs to be compact, energy-rich, and dry; anything liquid will freeze solid. Re-hydrating it may be a bigger challenge than heating it. Large campsites may be set up with a makeshift "kitchen" using camping equipment, or even more complete facilities including a range, oven, and even a grill; food at these will be improvised but still pretty decent. The smallest campsites and mobile teams will have to subsist on camping rations including energy bars, pemmican (a dried paste of meat, fruit, and animal fat), and highly-coveted chocolate bars.

Don't eat the wildlife: penguins, seals, bird's eggs, anything... even if it was already dead when you found it. It's illegal due to the treaty, which seeks to protect Antarctic wildlife after 200 years of over-hunting and environmental damage. Equally, don't feed them, however woebegone-cute they look, though there's no rule against leopard seals ( Hydrurga leptonyx ) eating you. It's very rare for them to try, what they're more likely to do is attack and puncture the pontoon floats of your RIB, mistaking their cylindrical black shape for seals.

Drink [ edit ]

south pole tourist attractions

Drinking water requires forethought. In summer near the coast there may be freshwater lakes, but they're full of bird poop plus the odd decomposing penguin. Most of the continent is covered in snow and permafrost, but it must be collected and thawed, both of which take a lot of energy. Meltwater is low in minerals and tastes very flat; you may prefer yours with a dash of salt or syrup.

As in any cold climate, never drink alcohol until you are safely in shelter . It's notorious for generating a false glow of warmth and well-being while your core body temperature ebbs away. Rules for alcohol vary by base, but it's usually available at bases' general stores and bars.

Sleep [ edit ]

Antarctica has very long summer days, 24-hour long within the Antarctic circle. Try to maintain regular sleeping hours, as this continuous daylight disturbs the body clock. There are no hotels or lodges, and research bases won't house tourists. Most visitors sleep aboard their ship, while inland trips (e.g. to the Pole) have camps set up.

Work [ edit ]

It is possible to obtain employment with scientific expeditions and research bases in Antarctica, but there's stiff competition for the small number of posts, only open to citizens of the relevant country. Posts are fixed-term contracts with induction and training before departure for Antarctica. Most positions are summer-only, and less than 10% of staff stay on over winter.

Staffing agencies include Antarctic Support Contract for the US, the Australian Antarctic Program for Australia, British Antarctic Survey for the UK, Antarctica NZ for New Zealand, and South African National Antarctic Programme for South Africa. They also recruit for Subantarctic sites such as South Georgia, Gough and Macquarie.

Stay safe [ edit ]

south pole tourist attractions

Antarctica is an extreme environment, and accidents are unavoidable. Weigh up the risks and your own abilities before committing to a trip.

By sea is how most visitors arrive. The southern oceans are never calm, and often very rough even in summer, with hurricane-force winds and 20 m / 70 ft waves. The ship is designed to handle this so your main risks are three days of upchucking, being thrown about, falling down a stair well, or having heavy doors or items crash into you. Always have one secure handhold, and in severe weather stay in your cabin. Trips won't venture ashore in poor weather but it may deteriorate: be extremely cautious when returning in a zodiac and follow crew instructions on when to hold still and when to cross onto the landing stage. If you fall in, your survival time in these waters is less than a minute.

It's cold even on the continental fringes where most visitors go. Most cruises focus on the Antarctic Peninsula and only travel during the warmest months (late October to March). Temperatures are typically around freezing and can drop much lower, so be prepared. Standard cold-weather gear won't suffice for polar conditions: it needs to be thermally protective, wind- and water-proof, yet still allow good mobility. Seek advice from the trip organiser, and don't assume that anything will be available on ship. But conversely, the operator may prefer to issue everyone with standard kit that they know is reliable. Keeping feet warm is important on a cruise, especially when taking zodiac cruises where you won't be moving very much, taking plenty of wool socks is recommended.

It's even colder and at high altitude inland , even if you're not mountaineering: the South Pole is at 2835 m / 9301 ft.

Intense sunlight and no shelter from it: you need sunglasses and 40+ factor sunblock.

You need to be healthy and moderately fit. If you have a long-term condition such as diabetes it needs to be very well controlled: you're going to be in a stressful environment with lots of disruption to diet, activity, and day / night cycle. A medical evacuation could take days to effect and costs could approach US$1 million.

Altogether, it's hazardous yet safe , so to speak. For sure you need adequate travel / medical insurance, and an annual multi-trip policy is often the best value. This should cover a cruise with shore trips, but might exclude anything beyond. Travel insurers are generally relaxed about standard Antarctic tourist trips - indeed in 2020 one insurer offered the chance to win such a trip if you took out a policy with them. So they're not seeing many claims. Antarctic travellers are healthy and switched on, they pay attention to safety briefings and are not befuddled by alcohol, herbal tobacco or hormonal bravado - altogether they're a safer group than the average ski chalet party.

Respect [ edit ]

south pole tourist attractions

Antarctica has a very fragile environment . Penguins live at the very limit of what is survivable and are especially vulnerable in the brooding / hatching season. Some habitats have extra protection and you may not enter these. Interfering with wildlife is illegal and discouraged. Unless you're a trained researcher, don't approach wildlife closely, and even when viewing from a distance try not to surround animals which might confuse or frighten them. At the same time, don't feed or help animals even if they would die without your help; if you did, it would interfere with the "survival of the fittest" and would have negative long-term consequences.

Leave no trash. Antarctic treaties require the equivalent of leave-no-trace camping . Waste disposal and sewage facilities ashore are severely limited and restricted to permanent bases; researchers in field campsites must pack everything out, including human waste. Practice good hygiene and follow any bio-security advice given, e.g. on boot washing. There's scant risk of introducing a blight upon the Antarctic apple harvest, but you don't want to be trailing penguin poop back to the ship's buffet, or catching norovirus in the washrooms.

The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) is a voluntary organization of tour operators which promotes safe and environmentally responsible tourism in Antarctica. It publishes standards for its members on responsible conduct of visits.

Connect [ edit ]

The top-level Internet domain for Antarctic sites, .aq , is assigned to organizations that conduct work in Antarctica or signatory governments to the Antarctic Treaty. Generally, its servers are hosted elsewhere as Internet access in Antarctica is quite limited . There are no undersea cables to Antarctica; all Internet is provided by satellites, which have limited bandwidth and high latency. Bandwidth is prioritized for scientific research (and even so, for large scientific uploads it's faster to mail a thumb drive), leaving even less for personal use. All websites are slow (especially social media sites, which are throttled because they're in such high demand). Uploading selfies is okay, but video calls, streaming video, and most online gaming is impossible.

Only a few sites in Antarctica have mobile phone service . Argentina's Marambia Base has 4G LTE, while the Chilean, Uruguayan, Australian, and Finnish bases have 2G GSM. Everywhere else, you would have to rely on satellite phones. Along parts of the coast, some services like Inmarsat would work, but as you get further inland, most satellites drop below the horizon. At those latitudes, Iridium satellite phones are the only ones that will work, and they should work excellently since the poles are where the orbits of every satellite overlap. Globalstar does not work (as of 2020) as its satellites can only relay to a nearby ground station, of which there are none close enough to the South Pole; even coverage near South America has been out of commission since 2015.

Post offices are few and far between, but you can send home a postcard (with a truly unique postmark) from the Chilean town of Villa Las Estrellas on King George Island, or from the former British base of Port Lockroy, or from the US or NZ post offices at McMurdo on Ross Island.

south pole tourist attractions

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Top Things to Do in South Pole - South Pole Must-See Attractions

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1. The South Pole

254JohnH

2. Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows

Ceremonial South Pole

Top choice in Antarctica

The resplendent flags of the original 12 Antarctic Treaty signatories surround this red-and-white-striped ‘barber’ pole, capped by a chromium globe, so it offers the perfect photo op. But it’s just for show.

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1. The South Pole

254JohnH

2. Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows

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South Pole / Antarctica Tours

Our trips to the South Pole are unforgettable adventures just waiting to happen. Begin your journey in Argentina and make your way through Antarctic icy waters, discovering the region’s wildlife and sights along the way. The scenery in these parts is unlike anything you’ve seen before.

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Antarctica Classic Tour

  • Ocean Cruise

Antarctica Classic

The trip was Epic. Couldn't think of one negative thing about the trip.

Antarctica Classic in Depth Tour

Antarctica Classic in Depth

G expedition team members are very passionate, professional and knowledgeable!

Antarctic Explorer, Operated by Quark Tour

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Antarctic Explorer, Operated by Quark

The Ocean Adventurer was the perfect ship for the voyage; the expedition team was knowledgable, fun, and took great care of us.

Classic Antarctica - 10 days Tour

Classic Antarctica - 10 days

The food was wonderful, the scenery unbelievable and the small passenger group made us all into friends.

Antarctic Express: Fly the Drake, Operated by Quark Tour

Antarctic Express: Fly the Drake, Operated by Quark

This trip surpassed ALL of our expecations. If you are looking for a high quality experience with like-minded individuals who love nature, wildlife viewing and adventure, Quark is definitely the company to sail with.

Shackleton\'s Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica Expedition (Ocean Endeavour) Tour

Shackleton's Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica Expedition (Ocean Endeavour)

Best of Antarctica: Wildlife Explorer (Ocean Endeavour) Tour

Best of Antarctica: Wildlife Explorer (Ocean Endeavour)

Great trip. One of best ones ever.

Life Returns - Springtime Expedition to Antarctica (MS Maud, 2024) Tour

Life Returns - Springtime Expedition to Antarctica (MS Maud, 2024)

Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica - Ocean Albatros and Ocean Victory 18D/17N Tour

Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica - Ocean Albatros and Ocean Victory 18D/17N

The Ultimate Antarctica Experience - The Peninsula In Depth Tour

The Ultimate Antarctica Experience - The Peninsula In Depth

King Penguins of the Falklands and South Georgia - Expedition Tour

King Penguins of the Falklands and South Georgia - Expedition

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The Great Journey Tour

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The Great Journey

In Search of Emperor Penguins Tour

In Search of Emperor Penguins

Life Returns - Springtime Expedition to Antarctica (MS Maud, 2025) Tour

Life Returns - Springtime Expedition to Antarctica (MS Maud, 2025)

South Georgia Through the Camera Lens Tour

South Georgia Through the Camera Lens

Antarctica / south pole tour reviews.

It is truly a once in a lifetime experience.
This expedition to Antarctica was brilliant and so special. A chance to see the last frontier and the unique flora and fauna of this amazing place. The specialist team were amazing with their insiteful seminars that added to the experience and a shout out to the great crew above and below decks. All-in-all a unique and a very special experience. Thankyou. Steve and Elizabeth
Trip of a lifetime from Quark. Couldn't ask for a better experience - The Ocean Adventurer was the perfect ship for the voyage; the expedition team was knowledgable, fun, and took great care of us; the dining crew and the food were amazing.

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Exodus Travels

"The trip was amazing and the pristine environment in Antarctica needs to be seen and felt to be appreciated. Quark provided a platform to conduct the the trip in a sustainable manner, impeccable procedures to preserve the environment and also good food to enjoy. Thoroughly enjoyable and unforgettable trip. One suggestion for Quark is to clearly advise future participants to cater 2-3 days leeway to allow for flights delay or cancellation due to the changeable weather conditions. There was a 2 days delay for my trip due to planes being unable to land in Antarctica due to accumulated snow on the runway. This caused a frantic rush to change flights and other travel arrangements for many participants aggravated by the limited internet access in Antarctica which could be avoidable or mitigated if the participants were advised of probable delays prior to the trip.

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Intrepid Travel

"The most incredible and adventurous trip of my life! Totally recommended!

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THE 10 BEST Things to Do in Elektrostal

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south pole tourist attractions

1. Electrostal History and Art Museum

south pole tourist attractions

2. Statue of Lenin

south pole tourist attractions

3. Park of Culture and Leisure

4. museum and exhibition center.

south pole tourist attractions

5. Museum of Labor Glory

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7. Galereya Kino

8. viki cinema, 9. smokygrove.

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10. Gandikap

11. papa lounge bar, 12. karaoke bar.

Top Things to Do in Elektrostal, Russia - Elektrostal Must-See Attractions

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south pole tourist attractions

1. Electrostal History and Art Museum

south pole tourist attractions

2. Statue of Lenin

south pole tourist attractions

3. Park of Culture and Leisure

4. museum and exhibition center.

south pole tourist attractions

5. Museum of Labor Glory

south pole tourist attractions

7. Galereya Kino

8. viki cinema, 9. smokygrove.

south pole tourist attractions

10. Gandikap

11. papa lounge bar, 12. karaoke bar.

THE 10 BEST Things to Do in Elektrostal

Things to do in elektrostal.

  • 5.0 of 5 bubbles
  • 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
  • Good for a Rainy Day
  • Good for Kids
  • Good for Big Groups
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  • Budget-friendly
  • Hidden Gems
  • Good for Couples
  • Honeymoon spot
  • Good for Adrenaline Seekers
  • Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

south pole tourist attractions

1. Electrostal History and Art Museum

south pole tourist attractions

2. Statue of Lenin

south pole tourist attractions

3. Park of Culture and Leisure

4. museum and exhibition center.

south pole tourist attractions

5. Museum of Labor Glory

south pole tourist attractions

7. Galereya Kino

8. viki cinema, 9. smokygrove.

south pole tourist attractions

10. Gandikap

11. papa lounge bar, 12. karaoke bar.

IMAGES

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  3. South Pole Expedition

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  6. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Travel straight to the geographic South Pole

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VIDEO

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COMMENTS

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    1. The South Pole. Antarctica is before us, but the getting there is pretty good! We are doing a 5 week trip - two back-to-back cruises. 2. Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows. Top Things to Do in South Pole, Antarctica: See Tripadvisor's 64 traveller reviews and photos of South Pole tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in June.

  10. THE BEST Things to Do in South Pole

    1. The South Pole. Antarctica is before us, but the getting there is pretty good! We are doing a 5 week trip - two back-to-back cruises. 2. Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows. Things to Do in South Pole, Antarctica: See Tripadvisor's 64 traveller reviews and photos of South Pole tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in May.

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    Things to Do in South Pole. 1. The South Pole. Antarctica is before us, but the getting there is pretty good! We are doing a 5 week trip - two back-to-back cruises. 2. Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows. Things to Do in South Pole, Antarctica: See Tripadvisor's 64 reviews & photos of 2 South Pole attractions.

  12. Ceremonial South Pole

    Ceremonial South Pole. Antarctica. Top choice in Antarctica. The resplendent flags of the original 12 Antarctic Treaty signatories surround this red-and-white-striped 'barber' pole, capped by a chromium globe, so it offers the perfect photo op. But it's just for show. Suggest an edit to this attraction. The resplendent flags of the ...

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