Antarctica to the Arctic, remote travel is breaching the last frontiers of Earth

When Francesca Folmi booked her cruise to Antarctica, it was 2019. She was single, had no children or mortgage, and she knew that she would never be as financially free as she was then. Folmi, a trip leader, had ‘lucked out’ leading a few well-paid gigs, and wanted to spend the money on a cruise to Antarctica. Travelling to Antarctica, after all, is an expensive journey. But it’s the trip of a lifetime.

Her cruise set sail in January 2024, and Folmi is just back after 21 days of an ‘indescribable experience’.

Folmi is not alone, and Antarctica is not unreachable any more. Neither is it the only destination that’s making people pull up their sleeves and embark on an adventure to. People are increasingly getting tired of braving the thousands of selfie-stick-wielding tourists at world-famous destinations. No one wants to see the precious days of their holiday meld into chaos.

So, they are turning to remote travel, a 2024 solution.

Rob McCallum, co-founder of EYOS Expeditions, has multiple cruises to Antarctica, the Arctic, and untouched, unspoilt tropical regions every year. He tells India Today that he has seen a large expansion of interest in these expeditions since the pandemic.

“We provide them with unique and tailored experiences in Antarctica, the Arctic and the remote tropical regions… all undertaken in complete luxury aboard a superyacht,” says McCallum.

Geographical barriers are melting into thin air as people try and leave the crowds behind for something more meaningful, more distant.

Leave the world behind

How remote are we talking? Think of the alien landscape of Socotra in Yemen, or camping in a glass igloo in the Russian Arctic as the Northern Lights dance above your head. Or sailing to the White Continent via the Drake Passage as you try to catch a glimpse of the penguins.

Remote travel is all about escaping the madding crowds. This is leading to travellers pushing boundaries and breaking travel barriers.

“In the evolving landscape of travel preferences, a profound shift is noticeable among people, who are increasingly drawn to secluded travel experiences. This inclination to harmonise with nature and engage in moments of introspection marks a societal transformation after the pandemic,” says Hemant Mediratta, chief empowerment officer at OneRep Global. His company represents luxury and ultra-luxury hotels and tourism boards.

Exploring something new, something different, is also making remote travel a hit with millennials.

“Travelling to a secluded destination is something that’s increasingly picking up amongst those looking to find solace, inner peace and seeking enriching experiences,” Priyanka Nijhawan, director, representations at Nijhawan Group, tells India Today. The group represents tourism boards, luxury hospitality brands and attractions.

“Travellers are looking at spending their holiday doing something meaningful away from the crowds, that rejuvenates their soul and acts like a harbinger of adventure, bespoke experiences and at the same time being out of the box,” says Nijhawan.

Let’s start with the one that’s understandably the remotest.

Antarctica

Most visitors to Antarctica book their trips on expedition cruises many, many months in advance. Thanks to the remoteness and unpredictability of the region, it is generally a good idea to plan your trip at least a year in advance. Get yourself a seat on one of the expedition cruises departing from Ushuaia, Argentina; or Punta Arenas, Chile, during the austral summer months of November to March.

There are also fly-cruise options, which involve flying from Punta Arenas to King George Island and joining a cruise from there.

“I was on a round-trip cruise from Ushuaia in Argentina for 21 days. I chose the longest one possible because I thought, if I’m going all the way there, I want to see as much as possible!” Francesca tells India Today.

The Drake Passage, which extends from Cape Horn at South America’s southernmost tip to Antarctica’s South Shetland Islands, serves as the shortest route possible to the White Continent. This passage is among the most dangerous crossings in the world. The Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica, is unbroken by landmass, and mighty winds here rush around the earth unimpeded.

For Folmi, however, the Drake Passage was ‘Drake Lake’! An avian flu made her cruise switch its route, says Folmi, “We got amazing weather the whole way around, and even the Drake Passage was the Drake Lake for us!”

How expensive was her cruise? 15,000 pounds! Convert that to INR, and you’ve got a figure that might send your head spinning (Rs 15 lakh)! Francesca says it was every bit worth the penny.

It was worth Francesca’s five-year wait, indeed.

Teriberka, Russian Arctic

From the southern end of the Earth, let’s take you to the northern edge. Edge? Well, Teriberka, in the Russian Arctic, is situated just 20 degrees south of the North Pole.

If you visit Teriberka during the Polar Winter, you will be met with an expanse of limitless white wherever your eyes go. This ship graveyeard got the first tourists only after the 2014 film ‘Leviathan’ reached the Oscars. Specks of shipwreck break the blinding-white here.

Snowbikes take you to the literal end of the Earth, where land meets the Barents Sea, an arm of the Arctic Sea. The Dragon Beach is known for its glistening black pebbles.

In Teriberka, your stay is in a glass igloo where you can look up and see the Aurora Borealis on Lady Luck-favoured nights. Given that this year is particularly good for the light sighting, a trip to Teriberka might be worth the journey. You can drive to Teriberka from Murmansk, the largest city in the Arctic Circle.

If you’re brave enough to visit this part of the world during winter (more on that here), you will be greeted with surreal views, a freezing-cold Barents Sea, and 24-hour nights. And the lights. There are several tours to the Russian Arctic, but like all remote expeditions, book yourself a seat early.

Socotra, Yemen

Famously known as home of the iconic dragon’s blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari), Socotra lies off the coast of Yemen and is one of the world’s last untouched wildernesses. Its landscape is at once unique and biodiverse.

Socotra has largely fended off tourists thanks to just how difficult it is to get to the island.

A trip to Socotra involves flying in from the politically unstable Yemen or from Oman. There is also a weekly governmental charter from Abu Dhabi to Socotra, but you need to book a seat well in advance. It is also essential to be flexible with your plans.

Once you do manage to get to Socotra, and have had your fill of the dragon’s blood trees, spend some time marvelling at its surreal landscapes, pristine beaches, traditional villages; and immerse yourself into the Socotri way of life.

Svalbard, Norway

Perhaps the least remote on this list but still a good flight out of Mainland Norway, Svalbard in the Arctic Ocean is a land of pristine wilderness and breathtaking beauty. Svalbard lies halfway between Norway and the North Pole. It is one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas, and offers you a scene straight out of perhaps ‘Game of Thrones’: rugged landscapes, towering glaciers, and abundant wildlife in the untouched frozen tundra.

The archipelago is home to a diverse array of Arctic species, including polar bears, Arctic foxes, reindeer, and numerous bird species. Polar bears here outnumber the 2,400 humans who live in settlements.

Longyearbyen is the main settlement on Svalbard and is where travellers get their adrenaline shot from glacier hiking, snowmobiling, dog sledding, and even polar bear safaris. Svalbard is home to 3,000 polar bears!

For most people visiting Svalbard this year, the flight from the mainland to Longyearbyen might just come with the dancing lights outside their plane window.

Easter Island, Chile

The Moai statues of Easter Island have held people’s imagination captive for centuries. No one quite knows how these thousand or so statues got to the island, or how they were carved, or why.

What we do know is that these colossal statues were built by the Rapa Nui people, and that the British stole two of them in 1868.

Today, the British Musuem is on the receiving end of social-media ire from Chile, who want their two Moai statues back.

In 1995, UNESCO designated the remote Easter Island as a World Heritage Site.

How remote is too remote? Well, the island, a special territory of Chile, lies 3,500 kilometres from the country. The nearest inhabitation is 2,050 kilometres away, the Pitcairn Islands. Brace yourself for an out-of-the-world experience!

Yaeyama Islands, Japan

Aptly referred to as Japan’s Secret Paradise, the Yaeyama islands are the southernmost and westernmost inhabited islands in the country. The archipelago comprises 23 islands, with Ishigaki, Iriomote, and Yonaguni being the most important ones. These islands are located within the Okinawa prefecture and might look like a slice of the Caribbean in Japan.

The skies here are some of the darkest. On a clear night here, you can see 84 out of the 88 recognised constellations! Yaeyama Islands, especially the Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park, was the first place in Japan that received recognition from the International Dark Sky Places Program.

There are also multiple activities here to spend your time, from marine sports, snorkelling, scuba diving, and – black pearl cultivation. Kabira Bay in Ishigaki is famous for its black pearl farms. This is an ecologically sensitive area and thus, no swimming or water activities are allowed in Kabira Bay.

On the neighbouring Iriomote, the largest island in Yaeyama, you can go hiking or canoeing. The entire island is a national park, and is 90% forest! However, point to note: some of the hiking trails are treacherous for even the experienced hiker, so, start on one only if you are confident enough.

Macquarie Island, Australia

This little speck of land somewhere between New Zealand and Antarctica is best known for its surreal landscape. It’s the only place in the world where you can see rocks from the Earth’s mantle above sea level. It is a tiny dot measuring 50 square kilometre; that’s one-fifth the size of South Delhi, and is home to a million royal penguins.

Imagine running into a million penguins, elephant seals, leopard seals and fur seals on this little island! Only King Penguins on this island are a whopping 2,00,000 in number.

The island earned a spot on the coveted UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997 because of those mantle rocks.

Macquarie Island, also referred to as the Galápagos of the Southern Ocean, is a usual stop on Antarctic cruises originating from Australia or Asia.

There are also cruises that take you on a trip across the various Subantarctic islands, like Snares, Auckland, and Campbell, in addition to Macquarie.

Macquarie is administered by the Australian state of Tasmania and access is restricted only to permit holders.

Bragging rights or leaving the world behind, whatever be the motivation, remote travel is certainly here to stay.