Antarctica:
Antarctica has been declared off limits to development and exploitation, which is excellent for the wildlife. However, Antarctica is extremely remote and extremely COLD. More tour companies are taking people there on boat cruises, (about 12,000 per year), but these are very expensive. You are unlikely to get on a tour for less than $4,000. Other tours can cost as much as $25,000. If you have this kind of money, you will be treated to such activities as frolicking with penguins and watching all kinds of other animals such as seals and whales playing and acting up. About the half the world's seals live in Antarctica.
This is an amazing trip for rich people who love nature, or adventure addicts who will mortgage their home for a chance to climb freezing cold unclimbed peaks.
Global warming is affecting this ice continent as much as it is affecting the other continents. Some very large chunks of ancient glaciers have already broken off and fallen into the frigid seas.
This page last updated March 26, 2000.