Description
McMurdo Dry Valleys represent the largest ice-free area in Antarctica. Located near McMurdo (USA) and Scott (NZ) bases, they feature an environment as inhospitable as it is fragile. Among the planet's most arid and windiest places, they host a unique ecosystem unchanged for millions of years, where a few plants manage to survive. They have been granted special protected status. A few square kilometers in Taylor Valley, out of the 15,000 km² total area, are open to tourism.
Wright Glacier, above Wright Valley, is divided into two sections separated by spectacular glacial waterfalls. It gives rise to one of the continent's rare rivers, Onyx, the longest at 30 kilometers.