THE ARCTIC

Arctic, the northernmost area of the earth, centered on the North Pole . The arctic regions include the Arctic Ocean ; the northern reaches of Canada, Alaska, Russia, Norway, and the Atlantic Ocean; Svalbard ; most of Iceland; Greenland ; and the Bering Sea. Whilst definately not a holiday destinatation, trips to the arctic circle are significantly on the increase by those wanting to experience the top of the world.

Greenland (Den)	Svalbard (Nor)

A relatively small number of tourists, more to speak adventurers, travel to and inside the Arctic Circle to a region of wild beauty and frozen wastelands. Generally these excursions are not cheap and usually consist of cruises in some of the most sophisticated vessels afloat. These types of cruises often follow in the footsteps of the early explorers, many of whom perished in their quests for discovery and knowledge. Many of these voyages will visit sites of these early expeditions and encounter some of the current human population, native to these remote lands. Outside of cruise trips, package holidays to the Arctic circle on 'huskies' and sled's are also quite popular and are often tagged onto charity expeditions giving visitors an insight into the second coldest continent in the world. These types of trips require arctic clothing and are carefully constructed for safety purposes. There is certainly no need to pack the swimming trunks on this type of holiday.

Polar Bears, Walruses, seals, whales, dolphins and other marine wildlife roam the icy seas of the north, whilst the landscape holds land mammals such as Elk, Reindeer and Arctic Foxes. A myriad of birdlife can be seen including Ivory, Ross's and Sabine's Gulls and breeding seabirds galore.

THe regions main areas are:

Spitsbergen, Franz Joseph Land and Greenland
The most accessible part of the region. Polar Bears, Walrus and seabirds in vast colonies, Little Auks and Brunnich's Guillemot along with more familiar species such as Puffins, Long -tailed and other skuas patrol the tundra and fjords looking for chicks and lemmings. The pure white Ivory Gull nests in small colonies. Delicate flowers carpet the land in spring.

Baffin Island and the Canadian Arctic
Again the realm of the Polar Bear, the ultimate Arctic predator. Gyr Falcons and Snowy Owls hunt whilst the seas contain the true Arctic whales, Narwhals, Belugas, Bowheads and the endangered Northern Right Whale. Geese and ducks nest across these chilly lands; Reindeer graze on the sparse vegetation and the second true Arctic gull, the exquisite Sabine's, breeds whilst the third, the diminutive Ross's, can be seen with luck.