The seventh continent is unsurprisingly a bucket list trip for many travellers, but it's hard to fully comprehend what you're really signing up for, especially when it can often be spoken about as more of a tick box than an experience. It is an achievement to have visited, for sure - I can now say I've been to all seven continents, walked amongst colonies of penguins that live exclusively in the southernmost reaches of the world and I was even one of the first people to ever lay eyes on the largest iceberg currently in existence! But none of this really encompasses what it actually feels like to be there. These achievements are about me, not about Antarctica, and that's looking at it completely backwards; it's not me that's impressive for having been, it's Antarctica itself which is impressive - more so than any other place I've ever been.

I read somewhere a phrase that sums this up quite well: Antarctica is indifferent to humanity. Personal achievements, flaws or interests don't belong in a place so entirely governed by nature. It's not a hostile environment; penguins are perfectly happy to waddle by without fear or agression towards any shivering onlookers, provided you don't stand in their highways. It's just that humans are entirely irrelevant to the sheer majesty of the Antarctic world. Nature is in complete control, and we are reduced to insignificance. On a planet that we have colonised almost to the point of destruction, this is extremely humbling, eye-opening, soul-altering. Nowhere is this realisation more profound than when witnessing A68, an iceberg twice the size of Luxembourg at 5,800 square kilometers. Stretching from horizon to horizon and towering 60 meters above our ship, the sight was almost incomprehensible to the human eye, certainly uncapturable by cameras, and impossible to describe. We were but a speck of red floating beside an entire world in its own right, immovable, impassable, affecting the very gravity of the region, disrupting the system of water currents around the entire continent purely by its existence, a physical embodiment of the power of the place. 

From the largest to the smallest, icebergs define the landscape, which is no surprise since Antarctica contains 90% of the world's ice. It is said that it's impossible to take a bad picture in Antarctica, as everywhere you look are spectacular formations, ranging from the purest white to the deepest blue, many with a collection of pengiuns adorning the top. Gentoos are the most commonly seen, but chinstraps and adelies abound too. With a bit of luck, a majestic emperor may even be spotted. Weddell, crabeater and elephant seals can be found lounging around, while the predatory leopard seal usually remains in the water, always ready for the chase. Further from the land the whales take control; orcas rule the food chain, gentle humpbacks breach the surface putting on a show, while minkes shy away from boats but their blows are often visible. 

All creatures, even down to the tiniest microorganisms, play an important and valued role in the ecosystem. In between sightings on deck, the expedition team run lectures about all aspects of the Antarctic region, from geology to history to biology, covering all animal species and even plants (spoiler: there are two plant species on the entirety of the continent!). The staff are incredibly experienced, knowledgeable and skilled; not only are each of them experts in their own field, they are also captivating story-tellers with unique personal perspectives and limitless passion for what they do. Their ethos is based on a quote from Baba Dioum:

"In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught." 

An Antarctic expedition is full of lessons in every sense; this truly does lead to love, and travellers quickly find themselves ambassadors for the region and its proctection. And ambassadors are needed - Antarctica may be indifferent to us, but it is not immune. While there are limitations in place for the number of tourists on land at any point, demand is growing, and it is therefore imperative that travel is undertaken in the right way. Fortunately the major companies providing these expedition cruises are at the forefront of sustainable travel, with carbon-neutral voyages and bans on single-use plastics. G Adventures, Hurtigruten, Quark and Silversea Expeditions all provide specialised vessels to transport you to the most remote areas and bring you closer to unforgettable experiences.

Seeing a destination and experiencing it are two very different things. These are not cruises as you know them; you are not a passive passenger, you are an intrepid explorer. We cannot forget that the conditions those first pioneers encountered a century ago are still prevalent today, and Antarctica is as brutal as it is beautiful. But with the most highly skilled crews on the seas at the helm, your safety is in capable hands. The focus is on getting out there, with zodiac excursions to mountainous islands, snow covered bays and fields of brash ice, as well as opportunities for kayaking, snow-shoeing and even camping on the ice. This is more than just travel. This is the ultimate adventure, the peak of exploration, and will leave you forever changed.

And if you're still not convinced, take inspiration from Shackleton himself, and "do just a little more than one should expect".

For more inspiration, visit our Antarctica Cruises pages.