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Adventure Travel to Mondo's Antarctica or ArcticTravellers do not visit Antarctica during the winter (our summer) months when polar ice blocks ship traffic and temperatures plunge into the negative degrees. Most companies offer cruises from November to March. Antarctica cruises bookings should be made as early as possible since the best cabins are usually reserved one year in advance. A major highlight is the penguins, colonies of several hundred thousand can be found nesting and chattering away throughout the area.
Our Antarctic and Arctic Recommendations
Antarctica Classic - M/S Expedition
Antarctica Classic - M/S Expedition 11 Days
A true adventure to the world's most remote wilderness is our 11-day Antarctica Classic expedition focusing on the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula, home to some of the planet's most impressive wildlife and dramatic landscapes..more.
Antarctica
Antarctica Classic - M/S Expedition 14 Days
Explore the rugged, remote South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula, home to some of the continent's most dramatic landscapes and impressive wildlife. See huge penguin rookeries rubbing shoulders with seal colonies, while Orcas and whales ply the waters offshore. Cap this unforgettable journey with a visit to vibrant Buenos Aires. more
Antarctica Exploration
Antarctica Exploration
- 11 days
Cruise aboard the MV Ushuaia to one of the last remaining wildernesses on our planet today: Antarctica, the fabled White Continent. Antarctica is an untamed territory of wild, natural beauty, as well as a land of superlatives: the world's fifth largest continent, the coldest place on earth, the highest average altitude, the lowest humidity ...more.
Arctic - In Search of The Emperor Penguin
Arctic Highlights - Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland
Sailing from Spitsbergen to Greenland, follow the ice's edge always on the lookout for wildlife. Navigating south, explore this remote landscape not only by ship but also on foot and by zodiac. This journey highlights the contrast and change in the Arctic....more.

The Arctic is a land unlike any other, its natural wonder is a constant source of inspiration. With an indigenous culture thousands of years old, the cultural traditions of the Arctic are a rich blend of harsh survival and a spiritual tie to the land. While both Antarctica and theAntarctica - Travel - Adventure - Tours Arctic are home to a rich variety of marine species, only an Arctic cruise will reveal the eclectic mix of cultures, a plethora of blooming wild flowers and an abundance of fascinating land animals.


10 things you must see/do in Antartica or the ArcticAntartica or the Arctic

Antarctica - You can tell your friends that you visited the bottom of the world and walked on a continent which was 98% covered by ice.

Antarctica - Explore a continent of massive icebergs, some the size of office towers. Here you will find the oldest, windiest, driest, iciest and highest of all the major landmasses in the world.

Antarctica - There is a definite connection to the Galapagos islands where wildlife is still unafraid of people and seals and penguins focus on rearing their young and avoiding predators. Here you can enjoy polar animals in their natural environment and take advantage of some of the most incredible wildlife viewing in the world.

Antarctica - Take a helicopter ride to see the Emperor penguins.

Antarctica - One of the few places in the world where you can dive among the icebergs and snorkel with the leopard seals.

Antarctica - Sail the Drake Passage, the roughest stretch of water in the world.

Antarctica/Arctic - Kayak up to icebergs for a better view or camp overnight on the ice. Experience the ultimate ocean adventure and paddle the ruggedly beautiful Arctic Ocean around Baffin Island or Ellesmere Island.
 
Arctic - Stay 200km within the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden at the Ice Hotel which is made entirely of ice. This hotel has been constructed and re-constructed winter after winter and guests can stay during the coldest months of the year. It is world famous for its unique concept, its fantastic works of art and its extraordinary experiences.

Arctic - Visit Inuvik, land of the midnight sun and enjoy 24 hours of sunshine, here the sun never sets during the summer months making the concept of day and night become blurred

Take an amazing hike on the South Shetland Islands to photograph the abundant wildlife on this island full of research stations.


When to go....

So the million dollar question, when exactly is the best time to go? The answer is hopefully below. Lets just say that we have never had a client return from Antarctica with any regrets....... the choice is yours.

November:
  • This is the most adventurous time to visit Antarctica when you can see it at its most undisturbed form.&search_in_description=1 As the season goes on, the landing areas become impacted and muddy. Some operators tend to discourage November voyages as temperatures tend to be colder and polar ice is still breaking up so access to some areas may be limited. However, the cold temperatures also offer the most impressive icescapes, pristine snow and breathtaking scenery.
  • Wildlife is not as plentiful as later in the season, but it is a good time to see the penguins mating.
  • There are fascinating courtship displays in the penguin rookeries and travellers can see the penguins at work building their nests.
  • Winter ice begins to melt and break up, creating new landscapes of sculpted ice and pristine icebergs.
  • Seals visible on ice and shorelines.
  • Spring wildflowers blooming on the Falklands and South Georgia Islands.
  • Scientists at the research stations welcome their first visitors of the season..
  • Elephant and fur seals establish their breeding territories.
  • Fur seal courtship most active on the South Georgia Islands.
December to January:
  • Warmest months and longer days with the most sunlight (up to 20 hours a day),
  • Penguins begin hatching, and vessels are typically fully booked many months in advance.
  • Wildlife is most plentiful during this time. Especially penguin chicks.
  • Wildlife is in full swing as temperatures warm and activity levels rise.
  • On South Georgia and the Falklands the fur seals are breeding and the first penguin chicks emerge.
  • Longer days create great light conditions for fabulous photo opportunities.
  • Seal pups are visible on South Georgia and the Falklands.
  • Antarctic chicks hatch.
  • Whales increasingly visible.
February to March:
  • Beautiful sunrises and sunsets create stunning photo opportunities.
  • Whale sighting at its best.
  • Penguin chicks begin to fledge.
  • Falklands' chicks leaving the nest.
  • Fur seals increasingly common on the Antarctic Peninsula
  • A risk that other wildlife may have head off to sea
  • Better access to areas further south as ice starts melting
  • Less waiting time for zodiacs
  • Penguin rookeries at their busiest, with the adult birds feeding their chicks

Mondo's Arctic and Antarctic

Antarctic
Arctic
When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable. - Clifton Fadiman
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