PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to Antarctica .. 2Map .................................. 415 Top Experiences ........ 6Need to Know ................. 14If You Like ........................ 16Itineraries ........................ 18Planning Your Antarctic Adventure ..................... 21Regions at a Glance ....... 26

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTAND ANTARCTICA

Antarctica Today ............ 138History ............................. 140Environment ................... 158Wildlife ............................. 168Antarctic Science ........... 193

History Antarctica, unlike any other continent, was postulated to exist long beforeit was actually discovered. The ancient Greeks, beginning with Pythago-ras, believed the earth to be round. Aristotle refined the idea, suggestingthat the symmetry of a sphere demanded that the earth’s northern regionshould be balanced by a southern region – without it, the top-heavy globemight tumble over. This idea of earthly balance gave rise to the namewe give the southern continent today: Antarktos, or ‘opposite Arktos,’the constellation in the northern sky. In Egypt, Ptolemy agreed that geo-graphical equilibrium required an unknown southern continent; a maphe drew c AD 150 showed a large continent linking Africa and Asia.

Explorers from the 15th and 16th centuries, like Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan, and James Cook in the 18th century, skirted the landsthat rim the Southern Ocean, and slowly the peri-Antarctic archipelagoswere discovered. But it wasn’t until the 19th century with Fabian von Bell-ingshausen’s circumnavigation and the far-flung activities of sealers andwhalers that the continent itself was sighted in 1820 with humans landinon its shores in 1821. The race to find seals and whales heated up – andultimately to explore and map the new terrain. Antarctica’s heroic age of explorers from the 1890s to the 1920s intensified the push for geogra hic and scientific exploration, and encompassed Roald Amundseert Scott’s dramatic first and second attainments of the S uth P le

In 1954, Australia established the first permanent science station on the continent and by 1957–58, during the International Geo hysical Year,

i i 46 b Thi di i i d h

The term ‘antarctica’ was used as a Latin adjective, but

the proper name ‘Antarctica’ can

be traced to one man. Edinburgh mapmaker John G Bartholomew

(1860–1920) first used the term to

label a map of ‘the unexplored

south polar continent’ that he

published in an 1890 atlas.

Wildlife The isolated, seemingly barren continent of Antarctica is home to astounding variety of wildlife – including many species found nowhelse on Earth. Many animals have evolved special characteristics that uniquely suited to life on and around the Ice, and fossil records shbizarre extinct life forms and even dinosaurs (p 95 ).

Today, the wild Southern Ocean contains blooms of zooplankton aphytoplankton which support a wealth of fish, crustaceans and squThis food chain, with its rich swarms of krill, leads to top predatowhales, seals and seabirds, and of course, those ever-fascinating pguins. Since the Southern Ocean encircles Antarctica, much of this ceptional wildlife lives around the entire continent.

See also the full-color Wildlife Guide (p 185 ) for more on Antarcanimals.

Whales Whales (cetaceans) generally have long lifespans and are essentially vided into baleen whales (of which the blue whale is the largest atoothed whales (dolphins, sperm whales and orcas). Baleen whales strout small crustaceans like krill through the fibrous a een ates thine their jaws.

ntarctica’s whale species typically migrate north to warm watersISCO

VER

Y

Adventure Antarctica’s surreal remoteness, extreme cold, enormous ice shelves and mountain ranges, and myriad exotic life forms in-variably challenge you to embrace life fully. Everyone – scientist, support worker, gov-ernment o cial and tourist alike – who comes to this isolated continent, must ‘earn’ it, whether by sea-voyage or ight. Ice and weather, not clocks and calendars, determine the itinerary and the timetable of all travel here. Expect experiences unlike any other, whether whale-watching across the open sea, spying a penguin rookery, or framing that perfect photograph of an awe-inspiring ice-form. Today, it’s even possible for visitors to climb Antarctic peaks, or

kayak icy waters. But there is nothing quite like the craggy crevasses of a magni cent glacier or the sheer expanse of the polar ice cap.

Wildlife This continent, preserved by the Antarctic Treaty, is home to some of the world’s most extraordinary species, adapted to life in their unique home. Some migrate far and wide, like the enormous whales, others re-main close to the continent, like the Wed-dell seal and the emperor penguin. Mil-lions of seabirds skim the Southern Ocean, the world’s most abundant ocean…species like far- ung albatrosses and petrels circle these waters. Antarctic wildlife is generally

Welcome to Antarctica

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

2

PAGE

137GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so youcan make sense of what you see

Need to Know Area

» 14.2 million sq km – almost double the size of Australia

Visitors » Tourists (2011): 26,519 » Staff (2011): 2101 » Ship crew (2011):

17,725 » Scientists & logistics

support (summer): 4500

High Season (Dec & Jan)

» Expect up to 20 hours of sunlight each day, and the main influx of Antarctic visitors

» Days are the warmest the continent will see

» Penguins hatch eggs and feed chicks; seabirds soar

Shoulder (Nov & Feb-Mar)

» November: the ice breaks up and penguins court

» February and March: prime time for whale-watching, and penguin chicks are fledging

Low Season (Apr-Oct)

» Continuous sunrise and sunset bring fantastic skies, bracketing midwinter, when 24-hour darkness reigns

» Winterovers find aurora australis, isolation and extreme temperatures

When to Go

#

#

#

#

#

Cold climatePolar climate, below zero year-round

Antarctic PeninsulaGO Nov–Mar

Grytviken, South GeorgiaGO Oct–Mar

South PoleGO Dec–Jan

South Shetland IslandsGO Nov–Mar

Ross IslandGO Dec–Mar

Your Budget Budget less than US$10,000

» Cruises start at US$4500 for 10-day voyages (three days for the sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula) with quad accommodations and shared bathrooms

» Fly-overs start at AU$999

Midrange US$10,000 to US$30,000

» 20-day voyages (Falklands, South Georgia, sub-Antarctic islands, Antarctic Peninsula) start at US$12,750

» Higher-end cabins: from US$16,000

» Fly-cruises start at US$10,000

Top End more than US$30,000

» High-end tours include 20-day cruises with balcony suite (US$32,995), inland flights to South Pole (US$42,950), and guided climbs of Vinson Massif (US$38,000)

14

Antarctica’s various regions are surprisingly diverse. The encircling Southern Ocean, with its rough-and-tumble sealing and whaling history, offers superb wildlife viewing, and the adventure of a magnificent sail. The Antarctic Peninsula, with its warm climate (for Antarctica!), combines super ice formations with the continent’s most abundant seals, penguins, seabirds and whales.

Those rare few who make it to the Ross Sea side encounter well-preserved history, and experience dramatic land- and ice-scapes, like the towering Ross Ice Shelf, the bizarre Dry Valleys and steaming volcano Mt Erebus East Antarctica

Southern Ocean Wildlife History Adventure

South Georgia & Falkland Islands Vast seasonal colonies of seals, penguins and seabirds cram the shores of these isolated, windswept islands. Some beaches are so packed you won’t even be able to land…content yourself with Zodiac-cruising alongside, as beachmaster seals defend their turf.

Southernmost Outposts Imagine the early days of southern exploration as you visit museums in Ushuaia and Stanley before heading

regions at a glance

26

I SBN 978 -1 -74179 -459 -5

9 781741 794595

99825

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antarctica-5-cover.indd 2antarctica-5-cover.indd 2 10/08/2012 11:20:07 AM10/08/2012 11:20:07 AM

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Alexis Averbuck

SouthernOcean

p30

PeninsulaAntarctic

the South PoleEast Antarctica &

p107

p71

p89Ross Sea

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z ................. 204Transportation ............... 207Glossary .......................... 210Index ................................ 218Map Legend .................... 223

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO

HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

ON THE ROAD

GETTING THERE & AWAYMost visitors reach Antarc-

ca via group tours on a ship, ut there are some alterna-

es. Some tours can be

pioneering tour operator Adventure Network Inter-national-network.com)first company to offer flights to Antarctica’s interior.

provgovernmeprivate expedventure travelers» Queen Maud Land

Meet the emperors (10days) from €23,000

Pole to coast (10 days)

(www.white flies 12-pas-

senger Gulfstream G-IV and Ilyushin IL76 aircraft from Cape Town to Novo Airbase. It uses a temporary camp, powered by wind and solar energy, and offset flights with a carbon program.

Three-day safari €25,200 Emperors and mountains

Emperors and the South

KingGeorge Island

(www.da flies from

Arenas, Chile, to Freion King George IsShetland Island(weather pe10-pasK

Transportation

PAGE

28

PAGE

203

28

Look out for these icons:

Our author’s top recommendation

Every listing is recommended by our authors, and their favourite places are listed first

A green or sustainable option No payment

required

SOUTHERN OCEAN . .30USHUAIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31CAPE HORN . . . . . . . . . . . 37ISLAS DIEGO RAMIREZ . . 38FALKLAND ISLANDS . . . . 38Stanley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42East Falkland . . . . . . . . . . . 46West Falkland . . . . . . . . . . 48ANTARCTIC CONVERGENCE . . . . . . . 49SOUTH GEORGIA . . . . . . . 50SOUTH ORKNEY ISLANDS 59SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Elephant Island . . . . . . . . . 62King George Island . . . . . 62Penguin Island . . . . . . . . . 64Nelson Island . . . . . . . . . . 64Greenwich Island . . . . . . . 64Half Moon Island . . . . . . . 64Livingston Island . . . . . . . 65Deception Island . . . . . . . 65Sail Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68OTHER PERI-ANTARCTIC ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Heard & McDonald Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Macquarie Island . . . . . . . 69New Zealand’s Sub-Antarctic Islands . . . 70

ANTARCTIC PENINSULA . . . . . . . . . 71CENTRAL PENINSULA . . 74Charlotte Bay . . . . . . . . . . 74

On the Road

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

Cuverville Island . . . . . . . . 74Danco Island . . . . . . . . . . . 74Rongé Island . . . . . . . . . . . 74Neko Harbor . . . . . . . . . . . 74Useful Island . . . . . . . . . . . 74Waterboat Point . . . . . . . . 75Paradise Harbor . . . . . . . . 75Port Lockroy . . . . . . . . . . . 75Anvers Island . . . . . . . . . . 76Melchior Islands . . . . . . . . 77Booth Island . . . . . . . . . . . 77Lemaire Channel . . . . . . . 78Pléneau Island . . . . . . . . . 78Petermann Island . . . . . . . 78Yalour Islands . . . . . . . . . . 79Argentine Islands . . . . . . . 79SOUTHERN PENINSULA 79Detaille Island . . . . . . . . . . 79Adelaide Island . . . . . . . . . 80Marguerite Bay . . . . . . . . . 81Stonington Island . . . . . . . 81NORTHERN PENINSULA 81General BernardoO’Higgins Station . . . . . . . 82Astrolabe Island . . . . . . . . 82Hope Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Joinville & D’Urville Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Dundee Island . . . . . . . . . . 83Paulet Island . . . . . . . . . . . 83Brown Bluff . . . . . . . . . . . . 84WEDDELL SEA . . . . . . . . . 84Vega Island . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Devil Island . . . . . . . . . . . . 85James Ross Island . . . . . . 85

Seymour Island . . . . . . . . 86Snow Hill Island . . . . . . . . 86Ronne Ice Shelf . . . . . . . . 86Filchner Ice Shelf . . . . . . . 87Halley Station . . . . . . . . . . 87

ROSS SEA . . . . . . . . . .89Cape Adare . . . . . . . . . . . . 91Possession Islands . . . . . . 92Cape Hallett . . . . . . . . . . . 92Cape Washington . . . . . . . 92Mt Melbourne . . . . . . . . . . 92Terra Nova Bay . . . . . . . . . 92Drygalski Ice Tongue . . . . 93Franklin Island . . . . . . . . . 94Nordenskjöld Ice Tongue 94Dry Valleys . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94Ross Island . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Ross Ice Shelf . . . . . . . . . . 106

EAST ANTARCTICA &THE SOUTH POLE . . 107EAST ANTARCTICA. . . . . . 110Neumayer III Station . . . . 110SANAE IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110Troll Station . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Schirmacher Hills. . . . . . . 111Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Station . . . . . . 112Syowa Station & Dome Fuji . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113Molodezhnaya Station . . 113Mawson Station . . . . . . . . 114Scullin & Murray Monoliths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Lambert Glacier & Amery Ice Shelf . . . . . . . . 115Larsemann Hills . . . . . . . . 115Vestfold Hills . . . . . . . . . . . 116Mirnyy Observatory . . . . . 117Bunger Hills . . . . . . . . . . . . 117Casey Station . . . . . . . . . . 117Dumont d’Urville Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120Commonwealth Bay & Cape Denison . . . . . . . . 120Leningradskaya Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Concordia Station & Dome Charlie (Dome C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Vostok Station . . . . . . . . . 123Dome Argus (Dome A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124SOUTH POLE . . . . . . . . . . 125

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OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

Alexis Averbuck Alexis Averbuck lived at McMurdo Station through a summer and winter, ex-periencing both townie life and incredible boondoggles. She observed diving emperor penguins and Weddell seals from beneath the ice. She reveled in multi-week sunsets and sunrises reflecting off mountains and sea ice. Midwinter she camped in an ice trench watching the aurora australis. Alexis explored ice caves, flew over Mt Erebus, and, ultimately, made it to the geographic South Pole. And

she made friends. Antarctica changed her life irrevocably. A travel writer for 20 years, Alexis has crossed the Pa-

cific by sailboat, written books on her journeys through Asia and the Americas, and now lives on the island of Hydra. She also specializes in Greece and France for Lonely Planet.

Antarctica inspired her to paint, because some things are simply beyond words. See her work at www.alexisaverbuck.com.

Contributing Author Carolyn McCarthy wrote the Ushuaia section of this book. As well as writing about her favorite destination of Patagonia, Carolyn has contributed to over a dozen Lonely Planet titles. She has also written for National Geographic, Outside and Lonely Planet Magazine. You can follow her Americas blog at www.carolynswildblueyonder.blogspot.com.

Read more about Alexis at:lonelyplanet.com/members/alexisaverbuck

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9835th edition – November 2012ISBN 978 1 74179 459 5© Lonely Planet 2012 Photographs © as indicated 201210 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in ChinaAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

Itiner-aries

Whether you’ve got six days or 60, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travelers.

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ARGENTINA

CHILE

PortLockroy

NekoHarborParadiseHarbor

Ushuaia

CapeHorn

DrakePassage

SouthShetlandIslands

LivingstonIslandDeception

IslandAntarcticPeninsula

ÉÉ

É

É

É#•

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Seven to 14 daysThe Antarctic Peninsula

The Antarctic Peninsula is an excellent introduction to Antarctica and its wildlife, and is the most popular trip to the Ice.

Cruises vary, but generally, starting from Ushuaia, Argentina, your ship crosses the Drake Passage. The duration of the crossing depends on vessel size and the

weather – from as little as 1½ days, to as long as three or four days. You might make your first landing at one of the South Shetland Islands. Popular stops

include Deception Island, an active volcano with a hidden ‘amphitheatre’, which is home to the largest chinstrap rookery in the Peninsula region, and Livingston Island, with its penguins and wallowing elephant seals.

Next, you’ll steam down to the Peninsula. You may take a Zodiac cruise in aptly named Paradise Harbor or along the rumbling glaciers above Neko Harbor, and head to the museum at Port Lockroy.

Homeward bound, keep an eye out for a glimpse of the fabled headland at Cape Horn off port side.

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14 to 20 DaysThe Peninsula, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands

This trip includes the popular Peninsula region, home to loads of amazing wildlife and scenery, as well as stunning, historical South Georgia, with its Shackleton con-nections and huge concentrations of king penguins and fur seals. You may also visit the lonely South Orkneys, pass by Shag Rocks, and spend a few days in the fascinat-

ing Falkland Islands, with its captivating wildlife and friendly folk. The route is increasingly popular despite the greater amount of time it requires at sea.

Departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, you may either head straight to the Peninsula and on to South Georgia (which has the advantage of following the prevailing westerly winds), or the route may be done in reverse (which means going against the westerlies, with often heavy head seas). Here, we’ll go with the flow: head south across the Drake Passage, stop in the South Shetland Islands, and then head on to visit the Antarctic Peninsula; see the Antarctic Peninsula itinerary.

After leaving the Peninsula, head east (with following seas, resulting in a faster and more comfortable trip) to the South Orkney Islands, home of early sealers, whalers and bases – provided there’s time and the weather cooperates. Next, cruise past the lonely, wave-thrashed Shag Rocks while looking for their eponymous bird life and occasional groups of whales feeding on the krill-rich waters.

Your first South Georgia landing is likely to be at Grytviken, home to an abandoned whaling station, museum and Ernest Shackleton’s grave.

You won’t be able to miss South Georgia’s spectacular wildlife – it’s everywhere! – but some of the highlights include St Andrews Bay and Salisbury Plain where you can watch the antics of king penguins by the thousand. Offshore Prion Island in the Bay of Isles is an excellent place to spy on the endangered and magnificent wandering albatrosses roosting on their nests.

On the way back to Ushuaia, call in at the Falkland Islands. You’ll probably land at one or two of the outer islands, with their abundant penguins, seals and albatrosses, and spend half a day in the engaging capital, Stanley.

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RossIce Shelf

Dry Valleys

Cape Washington

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Cape Adare

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Macquarie Island

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18 to 28 DaysThe Ross Sea

This is Antarctica to another degree: cold and wind are magnitudes greater, tabular icebergs more abundant, wildlife scarcer. The Ross Sea area enjoys some of Antarc-tica’s most spectacular terrain, and as the explorers’ gateway to the South Pole, the region has the continent’s richest historic heritage: the huts of the British Antarctic

Expeditions led by explorers Robert F Scott, Ernest Shackleton and Carsten Borchgrevink. This itinerary also calls in at the busy US and New Zealand scientific research stations and several of the wildlife-rich peri-Antarctic island groups.

Starting from an Australian or New Zealand port, spend a couple of days rolling across the Southern Ocean, getting your sea legs and watching the abundant bird life. Depending on your route (and the unpredictable weather), you may stop at either Macquarie Island, Campbell Island, or the Auckland Islands, all famous for their breeding seabirds and windswept aspects. After a cruise past the shudder-inducing icebound coasts of the Balleny Islands, try for a quick visit to Antarctica’s first buildings and an enormous Adélie penguin rookery at Cape Adare (if the wind allows). Turn to starboard and head south into the Ross Sea for a stunning view toward the floating, France-sized Ross Ice Shelf. You’ll pass Cape Washington, with one of the largest emperor-penguin colonies in the world.

Next, visit Ross Island, site of Mt Erebus volcano, with its bubbling, steaming magma lake. If you’re fortunate – and the pack ice permits – you’ll hit the historic-hut trifecta, land-ing at Scott’s Discovery hut at Hut Point, Shackleton’s Nimrod hut at Cape Royds and Scott’s Terra Nova hut at Cape Evans, to which Scott and his men would have returned had they not perished on the way back from the South Pole.

Most cruises visit one of Ross Island’s human communities, the sprawling US McMurdo Station and/or New Zealand’s ecofriendly Scott Base for a look at Antarctic scientific re-search and a bit of shopping. A very few with helicopter support offer a quick trip to the Dry Valleys, with ancient wind-formed ventifacts and bizarre lakes and ponds. Then it’s time to turn north, and return to warmer climes.

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