Roll, roll up for the greatest wildlife show on earth - choose a fly-cruise, destination South America and then set sail for the Antarctic for whale watching, snowcovered icebergs littered with a vast array of different types of penguins, massive seal colonies and a cacophony of sea birdlife including the mighty albatross. The Antarctic during the summer months becomes a veritable breeding and feeding ground and plays host to all of the above due to its krill rich waters and warmer climes. All you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the show!

A cruise around the Antarctic can not fail to be one of the most impressionable experiences of your life and need no longer be a dream for those who have yet to venture there. Several cruise lines include the awe inspiring Antarctic in their cruise itinerary, heading south from the stunning Falkland Islands and then across the Polar Circle.

Antarctic Cruise Lines

Azamara cruises

Celebrity cruises

Hurtigruten

Silversea cruises

Ports of Call

Your itinerary is usually subject to local weather and ice conditions but landings may include Deception Island, Cuverville Island, Neko Harbour, Paradise Harbour, Waterboat Point, the Lemaire Channel, Petermann Island, Port Lockroy (home to the British Antarctic Survey), Wilhelmina Bay, the Antarctic Sound otherwise known as Iceberg Alley and Brown Bluff.

Shore Excursions

When you land, you might be lucky enough to experience penguins going about their daily business - preening themselves, building rocky nests, grooming their young, sliding on their velvety bellies down snowy slopes, and plunging into the sea where they metamorphasize into sleek underwater missiles.

Six varieties of seal live in the Antarctic making up the majority of the World's seal population. Vast colonies of seals can be viewed on the craggy banks, basking on the ice. They come out of the water to breed but then return to the icy depths to feed and can even be seen sleeping just below the surface.

Take a shore excursion in a zodiac (as seen to the left) to marvel at these incredible beasts before returning to the warmth and comfort of your ship.