Tag: antarctica

Epic Adventures

Why birdwatching in Antarctica is about more than just penguins

Ask anyone to name an Antarctic bird and nine times out of ten they’ll answer ‘penguin’. It’s hardly a surprise really: few birds have better PR than penguins, and you’d have to have a heart of stone to be immune to their charms. So when I travelled south to the ice it was impossible not […]

Read More
Planning & Tips

The 50 best books about Antarctica

For writers, Antarctica has proved an almost inexhaustible source of inspiration. This means that finding the best books on Antarctica can be a challenge. With that in mind, we’ve produced a reading list to help you navigate your way through the bookshelves, by setting out our 50 favourite Antarctic books.  From biographies of the early […]

Read More
Planning & Tips

Antarctic vs Arctic: Which Should You Visit?

When it comes to mind-blowing destinations, the Antarctic and Arctic regions undoubtedly top many travellers’ bucket lists. With landscapes built of towering glaciers and sweeping ice sheets filled with spectacular wildlife, both of these polar destinations will leave you in awe at their sheer beauty. Whilst many people group the Arctic and Antarctic regions together […]

Read More
Planning & Tips

Ten photography tips to get the most out of your Antarctica trip

I’ve been lucky enough to travel as a professional photographer to some of the most far flung destinations on our planet. From Patagonia and the Galapagos Islands to the Canadian Arctic and Greenland, the list goes on – and yet it’s Antarctica that captures my heart most. Antarctica draws you in like nowhere else. It […]

Read More
Planning & Tips

Should I choose a cabin with a balcony for my Antarctic cruise?

Cabins with balconies might not sound like an obvious choice if you’re heading to an icy destination like Antarctica, but they’re becoming an increasingly popular option for polar expedition cruising. In this article we’ll discuss how having a balcony cabin can let you enjoy your very own private piece of Antarctica.  Do all expedition ships […]

Read More
Planning & Tips

What’s it like to sail on an X-Bow ship?

In the past few years, it’s been possible to spot a new type of ship cruising through the Antarctic ice. They look like no other ship in the polar fleet, or even any other ship you might have seen. Their bows curve down into the water like a bird dipping its beak for a drink. […]

Read More
Planning & Tips

Should I buy or hire kit for Antarctica?

Here at Swoop, we often get asked about the pros and cons of buying kit vs hiring kit for an Antarctic adventure. As a passionate polar traveller and a packing obsessive, let me provide some clarity! An expedition cruise trip to Antarctica may require some cold weather gear you don’t already own, though it’s often […]

Read More
Epic Adventures

Does South Georgia belong on your Antarctic itinerary?

Heralded as the ‘Galapagos of the Southern Ocean’, the stunning island of South Georgia is packed with both history and wildlife. For anyone who has ever watched a David Attenborough series on heaving king penguin colonies or battling elephant seals, it is likely to have been filmed on this remote island. My first trip to […]

Read More