What about holidays in hot places? That’s old hat. Want to really relax on your next big trip?
Traveling to frigid places means falling in love with the wildest side of our planet as temperatures plummet. The coldest places on Earth, with their snow, ice, and subzero peaks, are always the most remote, most rugged, and most difficult to access. But many of the most glaciated places on Earth can and should be on any serious traveler’s list.
From Alaska’s national parks to Scandinavian glaciers to Japan’s snowy corridors, these destinations will send more than just shivers down your spine.
Amazing wildlife awaits in the frigid waters of Antarctica © Getty Images / iStockphoto
Antarctica
The otherworldly Antarctic is home to the world’s largest ice sheet, covering approximately 19 million square kilometers (7.3 million square miles) in winter. This planet is extremely cold. Coming here is no picnic. The typical 10-day trip by expedition ship from Ushuaia, Argentina, involves several wild days through the rugged Drake Passage. Reward? From whales to strangely shaped icebergs, 5 days of unforgettable nature adventure.
Longyearbyen was the last large settlement in Europe before the North Pole © Nigel Killeen / Getty Images
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway
Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost permanent settlement of any size, is the capital of Svalbard, a glacial archipelago that forms the last landing point between Europe and the North Pole. It’s so snowy here that getting around usually requires a snowmobile, and venturing outside of town is only allowed if accompanied by an armed guide to protect you from the patrolling polar bears. A trip to see arctic wildlife and view some of the most beautiful aurora borealis on earth awaits visitors with frigid thrills.
Ellesmere Island is one of the few places in the world where wild musk oxen live © Getty Images
Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada
Of the many frozen places in northern Canada, Ellesmere Island in Nunavut has a strong claim to being the most hyped. Earth’s northernmost landmass (excluding Greenland) annually holds the top spot in the year-end rankings of Canada’s coldest places. And the Inuit community here in Gries Fjord is probably the coldest permanently inhabited place on earth. The island’s incredibly diverse topography, packed with ice fields, provides an unparalleled diversity of arctic fauna. It is one of the last places where musk oxen survive in the wild, and is also home to large populations of polar bears and arctic wolves. The easiest way to visit is as a stop on your Arctic cruise.
You might need help getting around the icy Ittoqqortoormiit © Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock
Itkortormit, Greenland
Once you land in Greenland, it doesn’t take long to realize the irony of its name. The world’s northernmost land is mostly white, and 80% of it is covered by the huge Greenland ice sheet. And what is not ice is rock. On average, there are no months of the year that are close to 10 °C (50 °F), which is considered the minimum temperature necessary to sustain a tree’s lifespan. This means that green is not a color normally seen on the spectrum. here. In one of the most remote settled communities on the planet, the east coast’s Itkortorumit attracts hardcore travelers with its excellent wildlife viewing. Polar bears, musk oxen, walruses, and narwhals outnumber humans. Northeast Greenland, the world’s largest national park.
There are few bad views of snow-capped Denali © iStockphoto / Getty Images
Denali National Park, Alaska, USA
Just hearing the name “Alaska” makes you want to turn on the central heating. So, if you will, consider how cold temperatures can get on the slopes of Denali, the state’s highest mountain. (Hint: It’s very low.) This peak is the coldest and third most prominent mountain on Earth, and the mercury can dip to -30°C (-22°F) even in midsummer. The vast rolling hills, tundra, and taiga forests around Denali can also get quite cold. Denali National Park is one of the few national parks in the United States where off-trail trekking is allowed, and it attracts many adventurers. One of the marked routes, the short but rugged Trofale Ridge Trail, offers great views of the mountain.
Nature is truly untouched in Hornstrandir, in the wild north-west of Iceland © Richard McManus/Getty Images
Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, Iceland
This annex in the northwest of Iceland is not the nature reserve you might imagine. You won’t find well-marked trails or placards indicating local wildlife here. Actually, no big deal. Long cut off from the rest of Iceland by the Drangajökull glacier, Hornstrandir’s frigid region of unspoiled mountains, tundra, massive cliffs, and storm-stricken coasts offers visitors It will feel especially cold. Because to really see it, you have to hike and camp there. Inside it, go outside. Historically famous as a penal colony for Icelanders (including the father of the legendary Viking Erik the Red), it is now one of Europe’s wildest trekking destinations. In swamps and river crossings hikers quickly get soaked, and even in the best case scenario the temperature rarely reaches his double digits, so it is difficult to dry out. Light at the edge of the tundra? Such cold weather brings about incredible natural beauty.
The paved highway leading into Aomori Prefecture is a picturesque winter attraction © amana Images / Getty Images
Hakkoda Mountains, Japan
No self-respecting list of frigid places would be complete without mentioning the Hakkoda Mountains, considered the snowiest region on earth. The world’s snowiest city, Aomori is buried under several meters of white stuff for about four months of the year just below the mountain peaks. The coolest thing here is going to Hakkoda Ski Resort, which offers some of the best backcountry snow sports in Japan. But what’s fascinating in itself is the annual snow plowing of the highway to Aomori after it closes for the winter. The month-long effort creates a walkway flanked by walls of snow about 8 meters (16 feet) high, making for great winter social media photos. .
Even on a cloudy day, Bergen in Vestland County sparkles © Sunphol Sorakul / Getty Images
Västrand, Norway
This jagged region of fjords in western Norway holds all kinds of weather records thanks to its excessive humidity and snow cover. Begin your thrilling stay in Bergen, one of Europe’s rainiest cities. In Bergen, precipitation is expected more than half of the time. Then continue northeast to Jostedal Glacier National Park, which encompasses the most powerful glacier on the European continent, or southeast via another giant glacier, Folgefonna, and snow at Roldal Ski Center, home to some of the deepest powder in this snowy country. Let’s enjoy sports.
National hero Genghis Khan rules Ulaanbaatar in all seasons © Dmitry Erokhin / Shutterstock
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Its fairly high altitude, its location far from the coastline where mild fronts can arrive, and its location under the severe influence of the Siberian High all ensure that Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital in the world. There is. Come winter, temperatures typically range from -30° to -40°C (-22° to -40°F). Mongolia is best known for its captivating wild landscapes of mountains, steppes, and deserts, but if you can brave the biting cold, the capital has much to offer as well. Start in the impressive main square, lined with statues of national hero Genghis Khan and revolutionary Damdin and Sukhbaatar, and visit Gandantekchinglen Monastery, the center of colorful Mongolian Buddhism.
Many penguins in the region don’t seem to mind the harsh winds that blow through Punta Arenas and southern Patagonia © Shutterstock
punta arenas, chile
It’s bone-chilling winds in Punta Arenas, one of the southernmost villages in Chile (and on the planet). Overlooking the austere waters of Chilean Patagonia’s Strait of Magellan, the city experiences wind gusts of more than 22 km/h (14 mph) on average. This corresponds to a constant, calm wind blowing throughout the year on the Beaufort scale. On average. Why do you come this far, almost to the end of the world as we know it? The city is the starting point for once-in-a-lifetime trips to Torres del Paine, an otherworldly trekking hub, or to Antarctica.
This article was first published on June 20, 2012 and updated on December 1, 2023.
