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Does the soundtrack to your next adventure feature the calls of seabirds and waves purling along a rocky fjord-lined coast? If you answered yes, it’s time to explore the endless reel of snow-capped icebergs, towering frozen glaciers and vast stretches of wilderness that a polar expedition beholds.
There is nothing more exciting than embarking on what is sure to be your furthest journey from home to visit the most unexplored ice-filled regions on earth. Since journeying to the end of the earth is likely a first, travel with peace of mind alongside Quark Expeditions, the leader in polar adventures.
Now it’s time to find out what adventure awaits with the top 7 most exciting polar expeditions, that will undoubtedly deliver the richest travel experience you will ever have.
1. Sea Kayaking Along the Coast of Ilulissat, Greenland
Glide through mazes of sea ice in this explicitly intimate way to engage up close with the most beautiful fjord system in the world. Admire the untamed beauty of Greenland’s rugged landscape from a unique perspective at water level. Sea kayaking is the perfect excursion to ignite your senses into the surrounding polar elements, so make sure to bundle up with plenty of thermal layers from head to toe.
Best Viewing Locations: While your sea kayaking the icy waters of Greenland you should definitely add the magnificent vistas at King Oscar Fjord and Botanikerbugt to your viewing itinerary.
2. Gaze Under the Aurora Borealis in Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland
Believed to be the most isolated town in Greenland, Ittoqqortoormiit is one of the best locations on earth to see the natural phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis. More famously known as the Northern Lights, seeing this incredible explosion of multi-colored lights sweep across the night sky makes for a truly unforgettable polar experience.
Best Time to Visit: September and October. Later in the season brings increased darkness that improves visibility.
Nearby Attractions: The Hvalsey Ruins which houses the last written record of Greenlandic Norse culture and Greenland National Park, the largest national park in the world.
3. Float in a Hot Air Balloon Over the North Pole
Take standing at the top of the world to a whole new level by floating 30 metres above the constantly shifting ice below instead. The most surreal way to get a birds-eye-view of the ice-covered terrain of the North Pole as you on hold tight to the basket edge on a tethered hot air balloon ride.
Best Time to Visit: June and July. The sun shines for 24-hours providing optimal viewing opportunities
4. Take a Helicopter Ride Above Patagonia, South America
The perfect chance to enjoy a warmer option for a polar expedition with astounding aerial views. Hover over the Patagonian landscape on a helicopter tour of amazing sights like blue-tinted icebergs, the breathtaking Chilean fjords, and rugged shorelines abundant with wildlife. Make sure to bring a camera with a long-distance lens because you’ll want to relive every view from the rainforest to the snow-covered mountains.
Best Time to Visit: March, the end of Patagonia’s summer season is the ideal time to explore the region with warm weather conditions.
5. Visit the “Wildlife Capital of the Arctic” in Spitsbergen, Norway
Visiting the island of Spitsbergen is the ultimate expedition for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts alike. Known to be where the iconic polar bear roam, Spitsbergen and its surrounding waters are also home to walruses, whales, seal, arctic foxes, muskoxen, and over 30 bird species like the arctic puffin. One thing is certain, there’s so much amazing wildlife visitors never know where to point their camera!
Best Time to Visit: May through August, when the ice melts making it easier for ships to navigate the icy waters and polar bear sightings are most common.
Suggested Read: Best things to do in Norway
Explore: Best Selling. Norway Tour Packages
6. Take a Polar Plunge into the waters of the Antarctic Peninsula
Get your adrenaline pumping and mind racing as you take a leap of faith into perpetually freezing waters of Antarctica, the coldest place on earth. Venturing to Antarctica, the land of extremes is the perfect location to make a fearless plunge into the icy unknown water of the Arctic Ocean. Make this once in a lifetime experience your own and play it safe wearing a dry suit or bear it all in nothing but a swimsuit!
Best Time to Visit: October through March, which is late spring to early fall in Antarctica.
7. Go Zodiac Cruising in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica
Keep your eyes open for minke whales as you cruise among the icebergs in a heavy-duty inflatable vessel called a Zodiac. Remote and isolated locations become accessible as the Zodiac lands directly onto the ice-strewn beaches to transfers you ashore to start your polar expedition. See the world like never before with this exclusive chance to walk the ice with waddles of Adelie and Gentoo penguins.