The Groups Company

Group Tours in the Arctic & Antarctic

The last frontier on earth, and some say the last frontier for travel on the earth (before we start operating group tours in space - watch this space). If you have not pencilled a visit into this white continent into your travel wishlist, then can we highly recommend that you do! Generally, visitors to Antarctica will travel on comfortable Expedition Cruise Ships, often converted ice breakers and spy ships from the cold war! Each of the ships carry Zodiacs (RIBs) on which you can disembark to get up close and personal to the regions unique flora and fauna. Convinced? give us a call!

Here's just a selection of what we can offer in the Antarctic and Polar regions:

Incentive trips, Expedition Cruise ships, Photography Trips, Wildlife Watching

About Antarctica

Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent and includes the South Pole. Geographic sources disagree as to whether it is surrounded by the Southern Ocean or the South Pacific Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean. It is divided by the Transantarctic Mountains. On average, it is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent and has the highest average elevation of all the continents. At 14.425 million km², Antarctica is the third-smallest continent before Europe and Australia; 98% of it is covered in ice. Because there is little precipitation, except at the coasts, the interior of the continent is technically the largest desert in the world. There are no permanent human residents and Antarctica has never had an indigenous population. Only cold-adapted plants and animals survive there, including penguins, fur seals, mosses, lichens, and many types of algae. The name "Antarctica" comes from the Greek ανταρκτικ?ς (antarktikos), meaning "opposite to the Arctic."

Although myths and speculation about a Terra Australis ("Southern Land") date back to antiquity, the first confirmed sighting of the continent is commonly accepted to have occurred in 1820 by the Russian expedition of Mikhail Lazarev and Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen. However, the continent remained largely neglected for the rest of the 19th century because of its hostile environment, lack of resources and isolated location.

The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 by 12 countries. The treaty prohibits military activities and mineral mining, supports scientific research and protects the continent's ecozone. Ongoing experiments are conducted by more than 4,000 scientists of many nationalities and with different research interests. 

Sample itineraries ...