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| Polar Expedition |  This adventure is not very popular and is for sure not for the faint hearted. What is at issue are the coldest, wildest and iciest places on the Earth and in the same time the last true and unspoiled areas with a unique wildlife and glaciers. Polar expeditions give the opportunity to see polar bears, penguins and whales in their genuine environment. There are such ways of exploring polar regions as cruises, trekking, dog sledding, diving, snow shoeing and kayaking.
This kind of traveling is suitable for beginners. Most companies offer special training in case you decide to try some unusual activities such as dog sledding.
Things to remember before and while polar exploration:
1. Season. Consider time of the year while choosing location and activity you are planning to do. It is better to visit some places in winter as it is safer to travel on solid ice. In other places you will have to wait until warmer period of year for the pack ice to recede. Remember that in some areas winter can lat for 10 month. Polar regions are very large and can be explored only briefly during a few-week period. The further you go the more time your trip will take.
2. Plan beforehand. Reserve your travel plan in advance as polar expeditions are limited due to season and extreme popularity. This means you should plan at least nine month ahead.
3. Safety. Do not believe in sunny calm weather as it can change to extreme cold and snow in few minutes. Always be ready for the emergency situations, take additional survival gear like food, clothing, matches and a tent. Always take snowshoes and skis for longer trips. Pack up a compass and map as snow makes everybody really disoriented. Tell somebody where you are planning to go to ensure quicker rescue if get lost. Be aware of snow bridges across streams and rivers as well as thin ice. If you face any wildlife representative give him the right of way.
4. The day length. During the winter the daylight is very limited. Check information about the sunrise and sunset time before setting off. Consider that high mountains also block the sunlight until early (late). In summer it is light even in midnight and this allows to spend long hours exploring polar areas.
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