Antarctica or the Arctic? Go behind the scenes with Quark Expeditions

Antarctica and the Arctic are, literally, poles apart, and despite the similarity of their rugged, ice-blanketed landscapes, these Polar destinations each has its own unique topography, climate and wildlife. Did you know that Antarctica is a continent, while the Arctic encompasses parts of Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia? Did you know that no one country has ownership or territorial rights over the Arctic?

So, how well do you know your north pole from your south pole? Locations aside, when selling these increasingly popular expedition destinations, it’s helpful to know the distinct ways in which they differ from each other.

Antarctica by Nicky Souness/Quark Expeditions

Quark Expeditions has been taking tourists to explore these frontier regions for 30 years, and is considered a trailblazer in Arctic and Antarctica expeditions. Specialist knowledge, combined with specialist training to tackle these remote ice-covered lands safely and responsibly, makes Quark Expeditions eminently qualified to share its collective expertise on these two breathtaking wilderness regions of the world.

WHAT’S AT THE NORTH POLE? – the ARCTIC

Some might argue that the most notable resident of the North Pole is Santa Claus, and while the festive season imagery of Mr & Mrs Claus’ snowy and icy home reasonably represents the destination (reindeer and all!), the North Pole actually holds a much bigger story!

Paddling in the Arctic by Nicky Souness/Quark Expeditions

This northernmost region of Earth lies above the Arctic Circle – the latitude where the midnight sun and the polar night converge twice a year, during the December and June solstices.

Quark Expeditions’ Arctic voyages include:

Greenland – the world’s largest island
Spitsbergen – the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, between Norway and the North Pole. Remote and rugged, it is also the domain of the polar bear! Bear Island, a protected nature reserve, is the southernmost island in this archipelago
Seeing the Northern Lights – via Iceland’s mountainous Vestfjords and and Greenland’s remote northeast coast
The Russian High Arctic – discovering remote Russian archipelagos
The High Arctic – exploring the northerly shores of Canada’s Baffin Island and the western coast of Greenland
The North Pole – a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the top of the world

The community of Itilleq in Greenland by Acacia Johnson/Quark Expeditions

LANDSCAPE

The Arctic is well-known for its long, cold winters and short, mild summers. Average temperatures in June range from -5°C (23°F) to +5°C (41°F) and -5°C (23°F) to +10°C (50°F) in July, and can drop further when strong winds or rain are present.

The landscape that makes up the Arctic region is replete with glaciers, tundra, icebergs, snow mountains and fjords – white-blanketed in the colder months and revealing islands, rivers and lakes with extraordinary wildlife and plant life as the ice melts in the (slightly) warmer months.

Polar Bear – Quark Expeditions

Consisting of a number of countries and remote lands, the Arctic topography varies – as do the fascinating cultural elements of an Arctic voyage. For example, the Sami people are indigenous to Arctic Europe and were nomadic reindeer herders. There are still a number of Sami who continue the tradition today, and their fascinating and peaceful culture is in evidence throughout the region.

Reindeer in Svalbard by Acacia Johnson/Quark Expeditions

Reindeer in Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard by Acacia Johnson/Quark Expeditions

WILDLIFE

The Arctic boasts some of the world’s most unique wildlife. Travellers with Quark Expeditions are given the extraordinary opportunity to see everything from Arctic fox, hare and Musk Ox to walrus, polar bears and reindeer.

Bird spotting in the Arctic is amazing – from species unique to the region, to the Arctic puffin who live along the coast of the Arctic Ocean.

Musk Ox by David Merron/Quark Expeditions

GETTING THERE

Quark’s Arctic voyages have various start and end points. Gateway points include Longyearbyen (Svalbard, Norway), Helsinki (Finland), Reykjavik (Iceland), Toronto and/or Montreal (Canada). On some Arctic voyages, a mandatory charter flight is required that will take the group from the departure city to the embarkation point for boarding the ship.

Antarctica by David Merron/Quark Expeditions

WHAT’S AT THE SOUTH POLE? – ANTARCTICA

Antarctica is the Earth’s southernmost continent – almost twice the size of Australia – and is the only continent without a native population. Sitting below the Antarctic Circle, it is our coldest and driest continent, permanently covered by a thick layer of ice. It’s also home to the world’s greatest concentration of wildlife, where penguins, seals and whales are the only permanent residents.

In 1959, the United States, United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and nine other countries negotiated and signed the Antarctic Treaty which agrees to maintain remote and unspoiled Antarctica as a scientific preserve.

Quark Expeditions has been the world leader in polar adventures for over two decades and successfully operated many first-ever passenger voyages to Antarctica, including the Circumnavigation of the Antarctic continent and the first Weddell Sea voyage.

Quark Expeditions’ Antarctic voyages include:

Antarctic Peninsula – the northernmost stretch of land on the continent
South of the Antarctic Circle – seeing quintessential Antarctic wildlife, including penguins, seals, whales and more
The Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and South Georgia – these two British territories in the South Atlantic Ocean present a vivid picture of early Antarctic exploration – and an unparalleled variety of wildlife.
Once-in-a-lifetime fly/cruise expeditions – fly over the Drake Passage before cruising the south of the Antarctic Circle, or fly between Punta Arenas, Chile and King George Island in Antarctica.