Tauck Tours prides itself on designing holidays of a lifetime, by going to destinations that are truly off the beaten track. If that sounds like something you are interested in and you really want to go were nobody else has gone before, then their Antarctica Tour may just be the best tour for you. Best of all, Tauck prides itself on its affordability.
Antarctica with Tauck Tours
When you visit Antarctica with Tauck Tours, you will first spend two nights in Buenos Aires, where you will have a chance to warm up. From here, you will cruise aboard one of the newest Tauck yachts, traveling in comfort and style. A team of experts, including oceanographers, naturalists and ornithologists will accompany you to tell you all about this fantastic, cold and most southern continent. You will get to see a part of the world that very few have been able to see before, including the amazing wildlife and the impressive glaciers. Best of all, you will be able to enjoy this in comfort aboard your ship.
All about Antarctica
The first time a human being set foot on the continent of Antarctica was in the 19th century. However, most ancient cultures were very much aware of its existence. Indeed, some believed that the continent was there to ensure Africa and Europe remained balance in terms of weight. The Ancient Greeks knew that there was a North Pole, which meant there also had to be an Anti-North Pole, which would be the Anti-Arctic. This is actually where the name Antarctica comes from.
British explorer Captain Cook, who also discovered some of the world’s more tropical places like Hawaii, is reported to have cruised within a few miles of Antarctica, but he was never able to see it. It is not clear whether this was due to poor visibility conditions, the fact that he wasn’t looking for it, or a simple oversight.
Indeed, the first real sighting of Antarctica was not until 1820. It took a few more years for anyone to actually set foot on it. Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of disputes about who actually discovered Antarctica and when. However, whoever did eventually discover it did so not out of any scientific interest, but rather because there was money to be made in fur.
Fur seals were plentiful on the continent, and this is what interested people to brave the harshest climate of the world. Indeed, trapping became so popular that the fur seal was almost left extinct. There is a sense of karma in the fact that the harsh climate of the Antarctic also took the lives of many fur traders.
Today, it remains a strange place of contrasts. It is the coldest place on the planet, being much colder than the North Pole. At the same time, although 90% of our planet’s ice is found here, it is actually the driest place on the planet. Yes, even drier than any of the earth’s deserts. Additionally, in terms of average elevation, it is the highest place on the planet and the windiest as well.
