Antarctica, a vast territory belonging to no one nation, is a continent of extremes: the coldest place on Earth, the windiest, the driest, the most desolate and the most inhospitable.
Now, it’s also a choice destination for tourists.
All around Half Moon Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula, blocks of ice of all sizes float by on a calm sea, their varying forms resembling weightless origami shapes.
On this strip of land, that juts out of the Antarctic Polar and towards South America, visitors can see wildlife normally only viewed in zoos or nature documentaries along with spectacular icy landscapes.
The ethereal shades of white that play across the pillowy peaks change with the light, acquiring pastel hues at dawn and dusk.
South African tourist Cathy James poses for a photo after an interview with AFP on half Moon Island, Antarctica. (Photo by Johan ORDONEZ / AFP / RSS)Barbijo penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) are seen at Orne Harbour in South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. (Photo by Johan ORDONEZ / AFP / RSS)View of glaciers at the Torres del Paine National Park in Magallanes region, Chile. (Photo by Johan ORDONEZ / AFP / RSS)View of an iceberg on Half Moon island, Antarctica. (Photo by Johan ORDONEZ / AFP / RSS)Barbijo penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) are seen at Orne Harbour in South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. (Photo by Johan ORDONEZ / AFP / RSS)Tourists travelling on the Hurtigruten hybrid expedition cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen, visit the Chiriguano Bay onboard boats, in South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. (Photo by Johan ORDONEZ / AFP / RSS)Norwegian Daniel Skjeldam, chief executive officer of the Hurtigruten hybrid expedition cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen, poses for a photo after an interview with AFP at Orne Harbour in South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. (Photo by Johan ORDONEZ / AFP / RSS)
