ANTARCTICA : EXPLORE THE EDGE OF THE WORLD 2022 ACTIVE & ADVENTURE | 5
As a species , humanity has an inherent need to discover . Deep within our souls , this undeniable urge , this gnawing compulsion , tempts us to step foot onto foreign lands and traverse wild terrains in order to peer wide-eyed at the unknown . In the past , this instinct drove mankind to the Arctic Circle , the Mariana Trench , the top of Everest and the moon — and some might think there ’ s nowhere else to go . And they would be wrong .
To many , Antarctica may as well be the end of the world . Roughly the size of the United States and Mexico combined , the 5.5 million square-mile continent doubles in size in the winter when the coastal waters freeze . Save for the occasional research station carved into the ice , it is entirely devoid of humans . It is the driest place on Earth , the coldest place on Earth , and winds here can race up to almost 200 miles per hour , stronger than a category 5 hurricane .
PHOTOS
TOP : ZODIAC TOUR
BOTTOM LEFT : KING CORMORANT COLONY IN THE BEAGLE CHANNEL
BOTTOM RIGHT : HUMPBACK WHALE
And yet , it is the true destination for modern adventurers , for those who still yearn to discover . Thanks to numerous cruise lines with Antarctica itineraries , from rugged expeditions to luxurious small-ships , you can set foot on the frozen shores of the unknown . Those who do make this journey obtain much more than bragging rights over their friends . They are often lost for words , struggling to describe the unearthly landscapes , the fearless wildlife . They become emotional , passionate about the details , because this is an experience that has changed them forever . As it will do to you . Here are a few highlights that await you at the end of the world .