Safari to the Antarctic Peninsula

accessed by boat from Argentina or by plane from Chile

The Antarctic Peninsula is the section of the great southern continent that projects around 1400 km (870 mi) northwards, to reach within 1000 km (620 mi) of South America, separated by the infamous Drake Passage.

The peninsula is actually a string of rocky islands that is covered by an ice sheet to form an apparently continuous landmass. It extends over an impressive 522,000 sq km (202,000 sq mi), about 80% of which is under permanent ice. That’s about the same size as Spain.

The peninsula was the first part of Antarctica to be discovered in 1820, almost simultaneously by Russian and British ships, with the latter claiming the territory. Although the area was almost certainly exploited by sealers during the 1800s, it was not until the early 1900s that proper survey expeditions were mounted.

Present day ownership of the territory is disputed between Argentina, Chile and the UK, but treaties prevent any country from enforcing their claims. There are dozens of research stations dotted up and down the peninsula.
The landscape of the Antarctic Peninsula is mountainous, with peaks rising above 2800 metres (9200’), surrounded by the usually frozen Weddell Sea to the east and the more often clear Bellingshausen Sea to the west.

The peninsula experiences the mildest climate of anywhere in Antarctica, with the warmest month of January reaching 1C (34F) and the coldest month of June averaging around -20C (-4F). Rainfall is greatest at the tip of the peninsula, at around 40 cm (17”) per year, dropping to around 25 cm (10”) on the southwest side and just 10 cm (2.4”) to the southeast.

The milder climate in this region enables the survival of several hardy plant species, mainly lichens and mosses, as well as the continent’s only two flowering species, Antarctic hair grass and Antarctic pearlwort.

The surrounding waters are rich in krill, which drives a food chain topped by sea-birds; chinstrap, gentoo, emperor and Adelie penguins; leopard, Weddell and elephant seals; Antarctic minke, dwarf minke and killer whales.
The Antarctic Peninsula is by far the most visited part of the continent, mainly by ships heading down from Ushuaia in southern Argentina or fly-cruise options out of Punta Arenas in southern Chile. Longer itineraries also visit South Georgia and the Falklands.