Greenland is one of the last frontiers on earth! It is the most sparsely populated country in the world and there are no roads connecting any towns. Therefore, travelers must travel around the country by boat or plane.
PlanetD explores Greenland on the Spirit of the Sea, a 14-day adventure that starts north of the Arctic Circle and winds its way to Reykjavik, Iceland!
With science season almost upon us, many of you are wondering, do I go to the Arctic Circle before going to Antarctica? We have been fortunate enough to visit both poles and have found them both to be amazing adventures.
North Pole or South Pole? How to choose your polar expedition
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We took away memories that will last a lifetime, and we must admit that we love the Arctic and Antarctica equally. But there are many differences between these two destinations, and to help you decide, we thought we’d showcase the similarities and differences between the last two frontiers on Earth.
Wildlife
When visiting the poles, you will have the opportunity to see incredible wildlife in both destinations. However, in Antarctica, you have a better chance of interacting with wildlife. Since humans are not natural predators in Antarctica, these animals are not afraid to see humans.
When we landed on the continent, penguins walked right up to us to say hello. When we camped in Antarctica, whales surfaced right next to our zodiacs and kayaks, and seals slept a mere 10 meters in complete contentment.
They didn’t mind us being there at all, and were actually curious about what we were doing in their little corner of the world.
Antarctica had some of the most amazing wildlife encounters we have ever had in our lives. We have never been so close to so much wildlife.
However, the Arctic is also home to some amazing wildlife! We’ve always wanted to see polar bears in the wild, and here you can do just that. At Churchill, you can get up close and personal with these majestic creatures.
We haven’t been there yet, but will be seeing polar bears this summer, which we are very excited about.
While in Greenland, we found much less contact with wildlife than we did in Antarctica. Whales and seals are still hunted for meat, and they avoid ships and humans at all costs.
When expedition leaders do spot a whale in Arctic waters, they usually dive in long before we arrive. That’s not to say we don’t see wildlife, it’s just different.
If you want to see icebergs and glaciers, both of these destinations are extraordinary. We couldn’t actually decide which destination had better ice!
Antarctica has huge glaciers disintegrating directly into the Antarctic Peninsula, and we spent a day sailing through an iceberg graveyard where we witnessed huge chunks of ice sitting at the bottom of the bay as the waves created the most unique sculptures.
The glaciers of Antarctica are huge and indescribable. You have to see them with your own two eyes to truly appreciate their size.
We visited Alaska before going to Antarctica, and while we thought Alaska was impressive, the Antarctic glaciers tower over the north.
Everywhere we went, there were towering walls of ice. Large chunks of ice fell into the water, creating huge tsunamis, each iceberg more impressive than the next.
Alaska may not rival Antarctica when it comes to glaciers, but Greenland does. Greenland has the largest polar ice cap after Antarctica, and glaciers here are very active.
Jakobshavn Isbræ Glacier is actually the largest glacier in the Northern Hemisphere and is where the iceberg was born. The iceberg is so large that it floats all the way to the United States.
The iceberg from which the Titanic sank is believed to have come from here!
The Arctic is home to a rich and interesting culture of Inuit people who have lived in harsh conditions for centuries.
Many still live whaling in canoe dugouts, dog sledding across glaciers in search of caribou, and burying shark and puffin meat to ferment underground to survive the long winters when hunting is not possible.
Polar adventure homes
Small settlements in Greenland
You can visit remote hamlets, Viking ruins and Inuit settlements. This is one of the last true cultural experiences on earth. While much of the world has abandoned their traditions and cultures, the northerners still live as they always have.
