The Polar Lands, Confounders of Adventurers with Educational Travel Collaborative, L.L.C.

The polar regions have challenged human endurance and ingenuity for millennia - but this challenge has also resulted in an enduring fascination with the region for individuals the world over. The worlds poles are warming, and human and animal lives there are under threat - getting to know and understand these environments is the first step to working towards a solution!

The Earth's Endangered Final Frontiers

The Arctic and Antarctic have tested our physical limits, and pushed the boundaries of human understanding, for centuries. Let us support you in crafting your own journey.

The Arctic and the Antarctic are not conventional educational travel destinations, but they are profoundly important to understanding some of the issues that are most critical to our planet at this time - resource extraction, wilderness management, conservation, indigenous relations, global logistics and security, and, of course, climate change. As avid explorers of the world's poles, we can help you plan independent travel or professional excursions to these vital and dynamic destinations.

Arctic

A Variety of Experiences and Access Points

Russia, Canada, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland have territory that extends beyond the arctic circle, with varying levels of infrastructure and unique frontier communities throughout. Because of this, it is much easier to access the Arctic through traditional means of travel than it is to set foot on Antarctica. Having traveled through all of these countries, our team is uniquely positioned to help you decide on how to access this epic region based on your goals, timeline, budget, and other factors.

Independent, Guided, or Both!

Because there are human settlements near and even beyond the arctic circle in numerous states, Arctic travel lends itself uniquely to a variety of travel styles. While you'll need an expedition ship if you want to navigate the frozen waters too far north, that isn't the case if you want to fly into some of the exceptional frontier towns in this part of the world and try your hand at snowshoeing, dogsledding, working alongside local indigenous communities, or documenting the impacts of climate change. Travelers to the arctic can choose to make their own way or to book guided travel for a short period of their independent travels, providing flexibility in terms of activities undertaken as well as duration and cost.

Antarctica

The Polar King of Biodiversity

Antarctica, taken back to its ancient Greek roots, translates roughly as "without bears." You won't see polar bears down south, but, largely due to the absence of these mega-predators, you will find concentrations of penguins, seals, and marine mammals that the Arctic cannot match. In addition, you can engage more closely with this wildlife on land without the need for protection from bear attacks - in the wilderness, the Arctic is all about bears - Antarctica is about everything else.

The Classic Untravelled Continent Experience

There's something to be said for the expedition ship experience. Reenforced steel cutting through the ice as you navigate one of the world's harshest climates, heading out on kayaks or zodiacs to explore more closely with wildlife or land on sure. We can help you plan out what is meaningful to you - whether it is the most conventional of options, or you want to run the Antarctic Ice Marathon - we've got the contacts to make that happen and the expertise to ensure you are equipped!

Estimated Costs and Pricing

Every itinerary is different, tailored to what you want to do and see, and your speed and style of travel. That said, these ballpark figures provide a solid estimate of what all-in costs would look like, including our fees, international airfare, and day-to-day meals and expenses. Estimates are for one traveler, see our pricing and design page for more information on small groups, and pricing differences for gap year travelers versus shorter-term travel.