AN ANTARCTIC ADVENTURE
Our city has a long history as the gateway to Antarctica, and it continues to be a proud part of Christchurch’s identity, with Sir Edmund Hillary commenting, “much of the history of Antarctic exploration has flowed through Christchurch”.
Beginning over one hundred years ago, back in the age of exploration, Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton used Ōtautahi as basecamp before their unprecedented voyages – setting sail from our little port town, Lyttleton.
The team at Avenues are proud of this heritage too and we have tracked down some of the ways you can explore the cold continent – from a distance by visiting one of the attractions, exhibitions, and performances around Christchurch or from the comfort of a luxury yacht visiting the South Pole itself.
So, get your winter woollies ready because we’ve got the gossip on what’s hot down south.
GREAT WHITE WONDER
There are so many options to get a taste of the Antarctic in Christchurch, but that dream of visiting the seventh continent can be realised with the help of Scenic NZ. Explore Antarctica aboard the state-of-the-art Scenic Eclipse. The world’s first ‘discovery yacht’ takes 228 guests on a boutique trip to destinations other cruise ships could only dream of. With four packages – ranging from 13 to 20 days – to explore the icy wonders of Antarctica available, you can set foot on a place few people get the opportunity to experience. The Antarctic is awash with dramatically diverse scenery and unique wildlife, its west coast is a land of white icescapes, towering peaks, and a maze of protected channels – providing a home to vast colonies of penguins, seals, and pods of whales. Take a dive with the onboard sub, view humpbacks from the air, or absorb the majesty of the glaciers while you do yoga onboard.
It’s exploring with much-needed luxury. The packages are return trips to Buenos Aires, and three have options including the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. See with your own eyes what Shackleton, Scott, Amundsen, and Hillary all once glanced upon.
scenicnz.com
AN EXPLORER EVENING
Take in the tales of Sir Ranulph Fiennes; he was the first person to cross Antarctica entirely on foot and climbed Mount Everest at the young age of 65. Touted as the greatest living explorer by the Guinness Book of World Records, Fiennes will be touring New Zealand in May with a stop off at the Aurora Centre for the Performing Arts on May 23.
premier.ticketek.co.nz
HUG A HUSKY
A brand-new Husky Zone at the International Antarctic Centre is set to open next month. Learn about how important huskies were to the early explorers and survival on the ice! The Antarctic Centre has partnered with Husky Rescue New Zealand since 2013; the huskies are excited for cuddles every day from 9am until 5.30pm (they have a lunch break from 12.30pm – 1.30pm).
iceberg.co.nz
OBJECTS OF DESIRE
The Antarctic Gallery at Canterbury Museum has something for all ages. The collection
has artefacts from the Shackleton, Scott,
and Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen’s expeditions. Also included are some of the vehicles used in the first motorised expedition across the continent. You can even jump onboard one of the snowmobiles used!
canterburymuseum.com
POP UP PENGUINS
Wild in Art, who brought the Christchurch Stands Tall giraffe trail to Christchurch in 2014 to lift spirits following the quakes, are partnering with Harcourts to bring another urban art installation that will bring life and joy to the city streets. The sculptures will take the form of yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) who were recently voted NZ Bird of the Year. They’ll pop up in the spring.
popuppenguins.co.nz
DID YOU KNOW?
Christchurch has been the Gateway to Antarctica for expeditions and scientific programmes of many nations since 1900
There are 12 million penguins in Antarctica
The coldest temperature ever recorded was -89.2°C at Vostok Station, Antarctica in 1983
The Scott statue in central Christchurch was carved by his widow, Kathleen Scott
Antarctica is the windiest continent, sorry Wellington!