Antarctica's
South Pole

 

Why the South Pole is special

It is one of the rarest, most isolated and least frequented travel destinations on the planet.

South Pole
tips & insights

Standing on earth's bottom

Adventure travelers who have had the good fortune of obtaining permission to visit this famous destination were understandably thrilled to have been able to experience standing over the world's southernmost point.

Marker

The South Pole is sometimes marked by a red and white striped post (see photo).

Fast circumnavigation
If a visitor walks around that marker, he can rightfully claim that he went around the world in just several seconds.
Marker becomes inaccurate
It has to be moved occasionally to stay accurate. The icecap in which the post is inserted slowly but surely edges toward the sea.

Before you pack your bag

Bear in mind what you face:

Temperature
The South Pole is cold, bitterly so. Antarctica's interior is the coldest place on earth. Temperatures have dropped as low as -89°C (129°F) in the austral winter.
Wind
It can be quite windy. Occasionally gale force winds exceed hurricane statistics. 
Altitude
The locale's three kilometer (two mile) altitude could cause altitude sickness. And, whatever the medical emergency, the South Pole could be inaccessible to outside help.
Barren
Except for the station's structures, vehicles and inhabitants, there's little to see but a monotonous white landscape.
Money
The cost of visiting the South Pole will derail most budgets.

But, all said, the adventure of a traveler experiencing the South Pole is priceless.

Daylight

It lasts up to 24 hours in the southern hemisphere summer (peaks on December 22). In deep winter (peaks on June 22), the sun never rises. 

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