The southernmost part of the Southern Ocean, the Ross Sea fills the large dent in the continent, just south of New Zealand. Home to the vast ice cliffs of the Ross Ice Shelf, this area is one of the most unforgiving and isolating parts of Antarctica. Due to the colder, more extreme conditions, fewer species are actually found here, but reaching the Ross Sea has one distinct appeal – it offers the chance to sail as close as you can get on a boat to the South Pole.

South Georgia is a remote island in the South Atlantic, famous for its remarkably diverse wildlife and for being the resting site of the explorer, Ernest Shackleton. With almost double the amount of breeding birds than Antarctica, South Georgia has many draws for bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

Home to the greatest biological diversity in Antarctica, the South Shetland Islands are the first stop on any cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula. Positioned 600 miles south of Tierra del Fuego, the string of twenty islands, lie parallel to the North West Coast of the Antarctic Peninsula at the point where it juts upwards towards South America. Mostly made up of volcanic rock and bordering the Drake Passage, the islands are relatively warmer than other parts of Antarctica, making them a popular spot for wildlife and eye-catchingly colourful plants.