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Is the Arctic Circle expedition sending chills down your spine? Congrats, you are an average human, because Arctic Circle is not any ordinary place. Let’s gain an insight into the Arctic Circle.
Arctic Circle is not a landmass or a country; it’s an imaginary line or a circle, which surrounds the northernmost tip of the earth.
The center of the Arctic Circle is the North Pole, a major point on Earth and geography’s favorite location.
Enough of geography lessons, now if you get an opportunity of visiting the only place on earth, we suggest that you should not turn it down.
The chance of exploring the Arctic Circle knocks on your door once in a lifetime. So don’t miss this beautiful adventure.
7 Incredible Things to Know About the Arctic Circle!
So, if you are planning a visit to the Arctic Circle, you need to know some essential things. Let’s find out some important facts that you should know about the Arctic Circle.
1. Where exactly is the Arctic Circle?
As mentioned earlier, the Arctic Circle is an imaginary line, so it includes parts of 8 different countries, and these are Greenland, Norway, Alaska in the United States, Canada, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland.
From an individual opinion, and if you are tight on the budget, you can visit any of the countries you like or is closer to you.The Arctic Circle is full of ocean and ice, and it is recommended that you begin your journey from Iceland, as it is more convenient for tourists and first-time visitors.
You must be wondering that after entering the Arctic Circle, what else is there to see apart from the vastly spread Arctic Ocean and ice caps of different sizes? There is a lot more to see and do for visitors in the Arctic region.
2. How to reach here?
Now that you’ve had an idea of where the Arctic Circle is, moving forward, it is vital to know how an individual can plan their journey.
The first thing you need to see is the proximity to the Arctic Circle from the countries mentioned earlier. You can reach any of the Scandinavian countries by any means you like via air or by ship or cruise, whatever suits your needs.
After reaching the nearest country from the Arctic Circle, you can have the dream journey of your life and travel on a Cruise!
But there are two variances of cruises that take tourists on the Arctic Circle expedition. One category of the cruise was formerly used as ships and was later modified for tourism purposes. And the latter one is a luxurious cruise.
The features and amenities of both cruises are different; the only similarity will be the view. On the first cruise category, the facilities are of a basic type.
The accommodation capacity of the ship is somewhere around 80-100, with few thrilling elements. If you want to explore the Arctic Circle like travelers and scientists used to do, then this is the cruise for you.
Coming to the luxurious cruise, well, this one will give you a king-size experience. The accommodation capability of this cruise is double that of the previous one.
There are lots of other amenities like modern cabins, a better crowd, and an overall extravagant environment, but yes, these are pricier. But if comfort and luxury are important to you, then this is the right cruise for you.
If you are wondering about the things to do on the cruise apart from staring at the polar region; you can gather historical information as there are guides who provide such information; also, you can play board games and read books.
The estimated expense of sailing in the Arctic Circle on a cruise can range from $1000 and go on to $30,000!
3. Fun Facts about the Arctic Circle!
Arctic Circle is a stunning region, and similar in its facts, let’s explore some fun facts of the area!
- Arctic Circle is the region where the sun does not set for some days; this Arctic phenomenon is known as the midnight sun. The same happens for months during winters when the sun doesn’t rise for quite a while, and the region remains in complete darkness.
- The Arctic Circle is located at 66° 33′39″ north of the Equator. But during the summer solstice, when the day has the most sunlight, the northern hemisphere pole axial tilt is around 23.4o towards the sun. And the same event happens during the winter solstice. This phenomenon occurs twice a year in both hemispheres.
- The Arctic Circle is very widely spread, but it is still 1600 miles away from the North Pole, which is not even the coldest point in the Arctic region, and the Arctic Ocean is the smallest in the world.
- The Arctic region is the home to the Svalbard global seed vault, which appears like a big cuboid box and seems like a prop item of some sci-fi movie. But the vault has seed stored in it, which has been designed to survive any natural disaster. The idea of making a vault from the future perspective is quite impressive.
- The region is listed among the top unexplored places on earth because not even a million people try to visit this region in a year because of several reasons. But many organizers are adding more facilities for making this tour an easy one. Even National Geographic is involved in the expedition planning.
- The Arctic Ocean icebergs are melting at a rapid speed from the last ten years, which is a matter of concern. Still, as the oceans have thinner ice layers, it has opened up voyage routes for ships and helps in efficient trading between different countries.
4. Places to visit
Roaming around on your cruise and watching icebergs can get boring if you continue to do so for days. So, if you are visiting the Arctic Circle, then exploring some exciting places is what you need to do.
- Svalbard- As mentioned earlier, do visit this time machine-looking block, and get to know about the different types of seeds that are stored here. Explore this deserted place and the advanced thinking of the scientists.
- Northwest Passage- It is a sea route that connects the Arctic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, and you will get the opportunity of witnessing the raw beauty of the Arctic region. Just be a little prepared as the temperature and weather can be rough and bother your expedition.
- Lapland- This beautiful place is located in Finland, and you can witness the incredibility of Lapland by seeing numerous reindeer and small cozy cabins. The scenic beauty of this place looks like it came straight from a movie; it is also known as the unofficial home of Santa Claus.
- Nunavut- This fantastic place lies within the Canadian boundary, and the reason why you should visit this place is that it covers most of the Arctic Archipelago and important islands and bays. You can see and do lots of things here, like exploring the community, dog sledding, parks, and kayaking, etc.
- North Pole- Don’t let your efforts of exploring the Arctic Circle go in vain because ending your journey without visiting the North Pole will be a shame. Don’t forget to take a photograph for your memorabilia, as not many people get the opportunity to see the top of the earth.
Apart from these exotic places, there are several other countries like Norway, Alaska, Iceland, Greenland, etc. Visit any of the countries you like and explore these fantastic places.
5. Things you can do in the Arctic Circle!
Apart from gazing at the aurora borealis and the white paradise of Arctic Circle, there are a lot more fun activities for you to do. Let’s explore some!
- Skiing- for ice sports adventurers’, skiing is one favorite activity to be done in the Arctic Circle region. There are numerous shops and tour guides who offer you skiing equipment, so make the most of your trip and ski in paradise.
- Kayaking- another nirvana-filled sport to try in this wonderland is Kayaking. Imagine kayaking between the huge icebergs and the Blue Ocean. But this sport can be done only during summers as during winters, the ocean is frozen, and darkness prevails in the region.
- Camping- You can camp in any of the countries you like and enjoy the view of the vast ocean, massive icebergs, northern lights, and mountains. Play some music, build a bonfire, enjoy your drinks, and have the best trip of your life.
- Zodiac cruising- This is similar to sailing, but in a smaller boat, so that you can sail between the narrow lanes of huge icebergs and witness its audacity. The boats are inflatable ones, so you can have an idea of their size, and don’t worry, there will a guide with you for your safety.
Apart from the activities as mentioned earlier, there are other things you can do like hiking amidst the mighty mountains, and ice fields, photography as the northern region is quite photogenic, sailing, dog sledding, and gazing at the lights of the north.
If you are visiting the Arctic Circle from Canada, there are several activities for you to do here. You can find it here!
6. When to visit?
The winters in the Northern zone can be harsh and is not the right time for traveling and exploration, especially the Arctic Circle. The days are darker, and the windy storms are occurring more frequently.
The right time to visit the region is during the summer and from June to August. The summer temperatures are favorable and welcoming for the tourists, as the maximum temperature is around -10oC.
In the north pole, the sun remains in the sky throughout the months. This season is the peak time and tourism boosts during these months.
The only drawback you are likely to face is the crowd and the absence of aurora borealis.
So if witnessing the northern lights is on your wish list, then you need to visit the Arctic Circle during the spring season in March and early April as you are likely to witness a lesser crowd and a better view of the northern lights.
7. Wildlife of the Arctic Circle
Yes, there’s wildlife in both the Arctic and Antarctic Circle. You have a higher probability of witnessing the polar bears, over 15 species of reindeer, walrus, arctic foxes, muskox, hare, narwhals, also known as the unicorn of the sea, beluga whales, and lots of other animals.
The wildlife of the northern region has over 5500 species of animals, which is a fantastic fact. And it would help if you were very careful while wildlife gazing, maintain a reasonable distance, and try not to create a distraction as most of the animals are carnivores.
The fun fact here is that the population of wildlife in the Arctic region has crossed the human population. You can gather in-depth information about Arctic wildlife here!
Closing Thoughts
As we saw, the arctic circle marks one fantastic place, and if you get the chance to explore it, don’t miss it for travel’s sake. We hope that the facts have made you excited about the region. So without wasting any more time, plan your next trip to the Arctic Circle and have the few best days of your life!
Visit and around the Arctic region and witness the majestic beauty of this beautiful place, but always be careful and travel in groups as it is still more fun and adventurous.
For doubling up the fun of your journey, try to spend a day in the ice hotel. If you are in countries like Sweden, Finland, Norway, or Canada, you can have a similar experience of staying in the frozen palace, just like Elsa did!
But keep in mind, It is highly essential that you brush up on the knowledge as you plan any trip to the Arctic. Some of the most notable topics are; the northern temperate zone, the arctic zone and arctic circle cross, the canadian arctic, the earth’s axial tilt, and polar night north of the Arctic.
Take the opportunity of tasting your drinks from the ice glass, eat food in an ice bowl, and sleep on the ice bed. The ice hotel looks like a movie set as it is enormous and magical.
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Last Updated on by Sanjana