Antarctic Polar Circle Cruises

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Anyone who dreams of the White Continent has the ultimate goal of crossing the Antarctic Circle, following in the footsteps of the greatest explorers of the poles. The legendary invisible line is an integral part of the dream of an Antarctic getaway. When you reach 66°33' latitude, you're in a new world that only a lucky few will experience.

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Highlights - Antarctic Circle

Seeing the legendary yet invisible line of the Antarctic Circle. is a dream come true. Here are five things you should know about it before your Antarctic cruise.

Explore Antarctic Circle

Encounter with the sentinel of Antarctica: the emperor penguin

Zoom on the Weddell Sea

Highlights - Antarctic Circle

Seeing the legendary yet invisible line of the Antarctic Circle. is a dream come true. Here are five things you should know about it before your Antarctic cruise.

66°33’49,978’’

This is the latitude of the parallel of the Antarctic Circle. It marks out and covers just about the entire Antarctic continent. However, it cuts off the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, Enderby Land and Wilkes Land.

History

British navigator James Cook crossed the Antarctic Circle for the first time in January 1773. The explorer even went down to 71°10' latitude south. However, he didn't get close enough to the coasts of the White Continent. He concludes that the Terra Australis was nothing more than a legend. It wasn't until 1819 and 1820 that three explorers claimed discovery of the White Continent: Russian Captain Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, British Captain Edward Bransfield and American sealer Nathaniel Palmer. However, there's no evidence that they set foot on the ice floe.

The Antarctic Treaty

The Antarctic Circle is covered by the Antarctic Treaty. This protects all territories south of the 60th parallel. It prevents any territorial claims and prohibits nuclear tests on these lands, as well as any military presence or radioactive waste disposal.

The midnight sun

During the December solstice, the sun shines for 24 consecutive hours. This is when we can observe the midnight sun. On the contrary, during the June solstice, we witness the polar night. Darkness reigns for 24 hours.