When to visit the Antarctic & the Arctic

Antarctica

• There is no access to Antarctica outside of the austral summer (Nov-Mar) as there are temperatures well below zero, fearsome winds, months of total darkness, and pack ice which reaches up to 1,000km beyond the edge of the continent.
• Frigid November is not the best time to see baby animals in Antarctica. It’s too cold for seal pups, and penguins are only just starting their courtships. Dec-Jan are the peak months for little ones, particularly on South Georgia and the Falklands.
• Ice and snow are replaced by mud later in the season. November has the most pristine snowscapes, the recently calved icebergs are at their most exquisite, and the continent feels truly untouched.
• If you’re hoping to cross the Antarctic Circle, avoid November as the pack ice still remains. Those visiting in late February and March will have the clearest passage – though it’s never guaranteed.
• Mid-Dec to mid-Feb are the warmest, lightest and busiest months. Book well in advance if you want to visit Antarctica during this period, and expect to see other ships competing for landings.

Arctic

• From October to March, much of the Arctic becomes icebound, and ships cannot pass. Darkness descends as the Polar night begins – making sightseeing a difficult prospect.
•  For enormous icebergs, avoid traveling later in the season when they are melting away. The new icebergs choke the Arctic seas in spring and early summer, when the land is covered in unspoiled snow.
• If you’re worried about the cold, spring and autumn are not the best times to book an Arctic cruise. July and August enjoy the warmest weather and sunniest days.
• Tiny, baby polar bears can be seen emerging from their dens in Canada in March. However, it’s at the far end of the season when they make it close enough to the water’s edge to be seen from a ship.
• Narwhals are best seen in the high summer, from May-July. In late August to September, you stand a greater chance of seeing playful humpback whales.
•  If you want to circumnavigate Spitsbergen, the late summer is best as the ice melts. But don’t leave it too late – by late September the northern shores will be iced in again. However, you might catch the first glimpses of the Northern Lights at this time.