United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has visited Antarctica on a climate change fact-finding mission.

He is the first UN leader to make an official visit to the frozen continent.

Mr Ban, who has made a climate change a priority during his term in office, received a briefing from scientists at Chile's President Eduardo Frei Air Force Base in Antarctica before visiting the Collins Glaciers and the Sejong Research Centre.

The UN chief was taken to the base by a C-130 transport plane of the Chilean Air Force to get a first-hand look on how global warming is affecting glaciers on the frozen continent.

"This trip, you may call it an eco-trip, but I'm not here as a choice," he told reporters as he stood on the landing strip in a red-and-blue parka.

"I'm here as a messenger of all the warnings on climate change."

"I'm here to observe the impact of the global warming phenomena, to see for myself and to learn all I can about what's happening in Antarctica and actually around the world."