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Svalbard’s 12 Most Iconic Animals
Each of our Arctic regions offers its own distinct and unforgettable features: Greenland boasts mountainous shorelines and record-setting fjords, Northern Norway is renowned for the aurora borealis and historic masted schooners, and Svalbard (especially Spitsbergen) is where you're most likely to encounter a variety of Arctic wildlife.
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Visa to Argentina for Antarctic Expedition Travelers (2025 Guide)
Introduction
Argentina is the main gateway for travelers heading to Antarctica, with most expedition cruises departing from the southern city of Ushuaia. Whether you’re flying in through Buenos Aires or connecting domestically, knowing Argentina’s visa requirements is critical for a smooth journey before and after your polar adventure.
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10 Books and Films To Prepare for your Antarctica cruise
Exploring the Wonders of the Deep Sea
The deep sea remains one of the most mysterious and least explored regions on our planet. With its vast, dark expanses and unique ecosystems, it continues to captivate scientists and adventurers alike.
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11 Seals You May See in Antarctica or the Arctic
1. Weddell seals – These seals are known for their calm demeanor and spend most of their lives beneath the Antarctic ice. Although they need to come up for air, they can remain underwater for up to 45 minutes. Weddell seals can dive to depths of 610 meters (2,000 feet) in search of food. These vocal animals usually have one pup annually and can grow up to 3 meters (10 feet) and weigh 544 kg (1,200 lbs).
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The Enchanting Islands of Svalbard
Svalbard is an Arctic archipelago situated between the North Pole and the Norwegian mainland, offering visitors some of the most stunning wildlife and landscapes in the world. Here we explore seven of the most visited Svalbard islands, highlighting the many wonders that draw people back year after year.
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10 Illuminating Facts about the Northern Lights
In Roman mythology, Aurora was the goddess of the dawn. The term "borealis" is derived from the Greek word for "wind." Thus, "aurora borealis" translates to "dawn wind," commonly known as the Northern Lights. This natural phenomenon has captivated humanity for millennia and remains a major attraction in the Arctic, with numerous cruises dedicated to witnessing this mesmerizing light display.
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8 Scientific Wonders of the Arctic
The Arctic’s frozen landscape not only contains scenic gems, it also prompts fascinating advances in research. Here are some of the eight best.
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Circumnavigating Spitsbergen
Many of our expedition cruises focus on specific areas of the Arctic or Antarctica, delving deep into local wildlife and other natural highlights. However, some programs aim to provide a broader survey, visiting a variety of sites to offer guests a wider perspective.
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The Ultimate Traveler’s Guide to the Arctic and Antarctica
Sunrises or sunsets? Coffee or tea? Polar bears or penguins?
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A Look Into the International Research Stations of Antarctica
In 1902, William S. Bruce, along with a team of naturalists, explorers, and sailors, embarked on the first Scottish expedition to Antarctica’s South Pole aboard the Scotia. The Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (SNAE) aimed to establish the continent's first meteorological station and explore its largely undocumented biological, topographic, and meteorological features.
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Adélie penguins in the Ross Sea - Antarctica
The Adélie penguin population in the Ross Sea has reached its highest numbers in 30 years, with up to a million breeding pairs during the summer. This accounts for about 38 percent of the entire Antarctic Adélie population.
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Arctic Seals
Owing to the large landmasses that populate the Northern Hemisphere, the Arctic boasts the most diverse wildlife among the planet’s polar regions. Some of the most captivating Arctic animals are the marine mammals found just offshore.
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The Wildlife of Antarctica’s Seas and Skies
Antarctica is one of the most pristine environments on Earth, home to whales, penguins, seals, and birds, providing nature lovers with a treasure trove of wildlife memories to take back home.
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9 Facts about the Greenland Shark
The Greenland shark, or Somniosus microcephalus, is one of many fish that inhabit the waters around Greenland, though this is not the only area in which the shark resides. These sharks, sometimes referred to as “gray sharks” or “gurry sharks,” can also be found in the north Atlantic Ocean near Iceland, Norway, and Canada.
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The Arctic Hare: Easter Bunny
Although the Arctic hare’s stern expression might make it seem like the least amused member of a serious tribunal, this polar animal is actually one of the most charming creatures on the planet – especially when Easter Sunday comes around.
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Antarctic Icon: 44 Facts About the Emperor Penguin
What polar bears are for the Arctic, emperor penguins are for Antarctica. These flightless aquatic birds are probably the most recognizable animals in the southern polar regions and certainly among the most popular wildlife attractions for our passengers.
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Polar Cruises: The Ultimate Icebreaker
Travel is one of life’s great eye openers. It brings you into contact with new people and perspectives, challenges old assumptions you haven’t held to the light in years, and invites you to make unexpected discoveries about the world around you – and most of all, yourself. Added to which, you get to visit places you never knew you loved until you saw them.
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A Bug’s Life in Svalbard
When you think about Svalbard wildlife, you might imagine reindeer, Arctic foxes, polar bears – the primary animal attractions that draw passengers to an Arctic cruise. But in fact, the Svalbard archipelago is a thriving location for over 1,000 species of terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates: animals that lack backbones. Despite this richness of life, however, these invertebrates are only found in the Isfjord and Kongsfjord areas of these wonderfully diverse islands.
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Port Lockroy: History, Post Office, and Resident Penguins
Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the stunning coastlines, fjords, and other natural wonders of Antarctica, overlooking the man-made attractions nestled in between.
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Arctic and Antarctic Basecamp Cruises – Choose Your Own Adventure
There’s an astonishing variety of activities to choose from when planning an Arctic trip or Antarctic cruise, which can be a bit overwhelming. How do you choose just one voyage over another when you want to experience everything? Happily, you don’t have to give up one activity for another. Basecamp cruises have you covered.