With average winter temperatures of -40°C and thick ice as far as the eye can see, the North Pole offers the ultimate challenge for any Arctic adventurer. There is only one sunrise every year (in March) and one sunset (in September), otherwise the region has either 24 hours of daylight or 24 hours of darkness.
Debate still rages about who reached the North Pole first. Was it American explorer Frederick Cook in 1908? Or US Navy Engineer Robert Peary in 1909? Or Matthew Henson (the African American son of sharecroppers), who is believed to have taken over from Peary after he became ill?
Despite their incredible adventures, it may be that none of these men or their Inuit teams actually reached the North Pole itself; their accounts are full of inaccuracies and navigational errors. The Pole is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean on shifting sea ice – not an easy place to pinpoint in the early 20th century.
These days, however, modern scientific instruments mark the exact location of the Pole so there will be absolutely no doubt over your achievement in reaching the top of the world.
Did you know?
- The North Pole has no time zone
- The North Pole is in international waters and is not owned by any country, although Canada, Russia and Denmark all wish to claim it (and the oil and gas likely to be found beneath it)
- Polaris, the North Star, is 434 light years above the North Pole. Polaris does not rise or set and stays in virtually the same spot all year round making it a key navigation marker
- The water underneath the North Pole is over 4000 metres deep
- The sea ice covering the North Pole is up to 10 feet (3 metres) deep but the area covered by the ice is shrinking, reaching a record low in 2017. Some scientists believe that the area could be navigable in the summer months by 2050
- The first woman to travel to the Pole, Ann Bancroft, did so in 1986. She was part of the first expedition to reach the North Pole on foot and without being resupplied on the way
- The location of the North Pole isn’t static. As the Earth’s axis has a slight wobble, the pole wobbles too. Climate change means the North Pole is moving East
If you would like to experience this incredible place for yourself, we offer a range of options to place you in Pole position:
We have a selection of packages here: https://arcticdirect.co.uk/north-pole-holiday/
Best chance of seeing wildlife:
Polar bears need access to open water so to be in with the best chance of seeing these amazing animals in their natural environment, our two-week Icebreaker trip is for you. You can also see walruses, whales and hundreds of nesting seabirds together with your companions on this Russian-led expedition – available in July and August.
Doing it the hard way:
If you want to follow in the footsteps of those early explorers, then choose our North Pole Ski Expedition. Available to only a few hardy adventurers each year, you will spend 9 days traversing pack ice, open water fissures and pressure ridges up to 5 metres high on your way to the geographic North Pole. You will take all the supplies you need with you and camp out, eat and sleep on the ice. An absolutely incredible adventure.
Underwater:
Staying at the Barneo Ice Camp approximately 100km from the North Pole, you’ll be flown out to the Pole by helicopter to set up camp and dive under the ice in the Arctic Ocean. Experience this otherworldly environment with a chance to see beluga whales. Unlike British swimmer, Gordon Pugh, who swam for a kilometre in the area wearing only swimming trunks, we recommend a neoprene dry suit! April only, plus a training camp in the White Sea in March.
By air:
If our other options seem a bit too much like hard work, how about flying to the North Pole by helicopter? Travelling from Longyearbyen in Svalbard with its amazing views of the Northern Lights, you’ll overnight at the Barneo Ice Camp and board a helicopter for the final leg of the journey to the North Pole. Celebrate with champagne, lots of photos and the ultimate bragging rights forever.
To book your trip just give us a call on 01793 939035 or contact us through our webform or webchat. North Pole packages can be found here: https://arcticdirect.co.uk/north-pole-holiday/
