Viking Traveller 2nd Issue

ANTARCTICA
SEEING ANTARCTICA FOR
THE FIRST TIME will steal
your breath away. Few places
on Earth are this vast and
otherworldly, with raw, sculpted
landscapes awash in blue and
white. This is nature at its most
flawless—an experience sure to
transform you.
THE IDEAL TIME TO EXPLORE
IS THE ANTARCTIC SUMMER
which starts in November,
when the cold, windy weather
turns to 24-hour sunlight
and temperatures rise to a
comfortable 0˚ Celsius. In this
season the ice melts, unlocking
seaways that were frozen in
winter. This is the optimal time
to visit, often with relatively
open water, clear weather and
endless views.
TRAVEL
ANIMALS BUSTLE AND THRIVE
under the midnight sun, as
native penguin and seal species
compress the cycle of life into
a short season, and migratory
birds and whales take advantage
of the ocean’s rich bounty. Each
day affords a new opportunity to
witness nature at work.
AS MEMBERS OF IAATO, we
abide by all their regulations to
ensure safe, responsible visits to
Antarctica.
ANTARCTIC EXPLORERS
It took until the 18th century for two different
parties of explorers, those of British naval officer
Robert F. Scott and Norwegian Roald Amundsen,
to reach the South Pole within five weeks of each
other. The teams went head to head, setting off
in 1911, in a dramatic journey that resulted in
victory for Amundsen and tragedy for Scott.
The story of the stranding and subsequent
rescue of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew
while attempting to traverse the continent is one
of history’s great triumphs of survival. In 1914,
Sir Ernest Shackleton set out with 27 men on
Endurance, the ship that later became trapped
in ice for 10 months, on the Imperial Trans-
Antarctic Expedition to transverse Antarctica
via the South Pole. While his mission failed,
Shackleton brought all 27 of his men back alive,
a feat that entrenched his leadership qualities in
international Polar Exploration lore forever. To
watch a video about Roald Amundsen, go online:
viking.com/expeditions/video/all
viking.com
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