Approaching the Antarctic Peninsula, the crystalline monoliths of ice and great tabular bergs of the Weddell Sea become clear. A Zodiac (motorized landing craft) takes you closer to the monumental walls of ice, making it all the more amazing to know these glaciers are constantly on the move to the speedy tune of 30 centimeters per day.
In the shadow of their grandeur, the local denizens frolic. Adelies, chinstrap and gentoo penguins by the hundreds, even thousands, will entertain you royally with their behavior – porpoising, tobogganing, parenting and nest maintenance, trundling wet and gleaming from the sea. You’ll be astounded by the spectacle of their massive rookeries. And endlessly amused by their antics. You’ll search the ice floes for Antarctica’s six different species of seals, including the ultimate predator, the leopard seal. Sail through the incomparable Lemaire Channel, dwarfed by precipitous peaks and nicknamed Kodak Alley. And hold your breath as a 40-ton humpback whale surfaces right next to your ship.
In Antarctica, everything is in a state of permanent flux; a slow moving primordial symphony of shifting snow and creeping ice. With the promise that no two expeditions will be alike, your vacation will assuredly be one of the most unique and exclusive experiences of your lifetime. You’ll enter the ranks of the legendary explorers, and the relatively few to date who’ve journeyed there. And depending on where you’ve already traveled, you might even join another mythical society – the exclusive group of travelers who’ve actually set foot on all seven continents. Here is a link if you would like to research Antarctica tours and cruises for 2012.
Planning Your Next Trip with Atlas Travel Center
At Atlas Travel Center, we’ve spent over 35 years helping travelers turn ideas like the one in this post into fully realized journeys. Whether you’re reading this as inspiration for a trip you’re already planning or as the first seed of a travel dream, our advisors are here to take it from concept to confirmation — handling every detail along the way.
What sets Atlas apart isn’t just our longevity in the business — it’s the depth of expertise we bring to every booking. Our agents are specialists, not generalists. Many have personal experience at the destinations they recommend, onboard the ships they book, and with the tour operators they partner with. When you work with an Atlas advisor, you’re getting counsel grounded in real experience, not just what’s on a website.
Why Work with a Travel Advisor in the Age of Online Booking?
Online booking tools have made it easier than ever to assemble a trip — and also easier than ever to make an expensive mistake. The lowest price on a comparison site often omits a resort fee, books a room category you wouldn’t choose if you saw the photos, or locks you into a cancellation policy that offers no flexibility. Our advisors know the inventory, the fine print, and the suppliers well enough to navigate all of it on your behalf.
More importantly, when something goes wrong — a flight cancels, a ship changes its itinerary, a resort overbooks — a travel advisor is the difference between hours on hold with an 800 number and a quick call to someone who knows exactly who to call. We’ve been solving those problems for clients since 1987, and we’re very good at it.
Start Planning with Atlas
Contact Atlas Travel Center to speak with one of our experienced travel advisors. We’re CLIA-certified, ARC-accredited, and have maintained an A+ BBB rating for over 35 years. Whatever kind of travel experience you’re envisioning, we’d love to help you make it happen.
