South Pole & Emperors | White Desert

Today we fly over thousands of icebergs on a 5-hour flight across the Southern Ocean to Antarctica. During the flight, we enter the Polar Circle and encounter the continuous daylight of the Antarctic summer. After landing on the ancient blue ice of the runway, you will transfer to the Echo camp and take a gentle hike around this timeless location.

Settle into the Echo Camp and do as much or as little as you like each day. Activities range from yoga, massages, and gentle treks to exploring the incredible ice waves, summiting a nunatak, ice climbing and even abseiling! On quieter days, you will hear talks from our polar explorer staff about some of the lesser-known history of Antarctica and their world record-breaking expeditions.

We fly 2 hours across Antarctica, providing beautiful views of the nearby mountain ranges and coastline, before landing at the emperor penguin colony at Atka Bay. You will be among the very few who have ever witnessed such a spectacle, observing the real-life stars of March of the Penguins.

Here you’ll see over 14,000 breeding pairs and their newly hatched chicks, a spectacle full of noise and energy that is a favourite with wildlife watchers and photographers. There are so few visitors to this colony that the chicks are unafraid of humans and often waddle close by. Mindful of our responsibility to the Antarctic environment and of IAATO guidelines, we keep at least 25m (80ft) from the penguins while taking in all the sights and sounds of this rare wildlife spectacle, which remains one of the greatest thrills on Earth!

We spend the day exploring the ice waves below our camp, delving into the series of ice tunnels that are as surreal as they are beautiful. Later, you will wind your way through the snow and ice to an incredible vantage point where you can take in the panoramic view over the waves that you have just explored.

We leave early in the morning in our aircraft, flying over stunning mountain ranges before landing at 83 Degrees South to refuel. After a walk on the High Polar Plateau we will continue to the South Pole, where you will have plenty of time for photos and a chance to stamp your passport before flying back to 83° South and overnighting in the great wilderness of the Plateau.

At the heart the Great White Continent lies the South Pole, one of only two stationary points on this rotating Earth! At exactly 90 degrees of latitude, you can walk around the world in only a few paces and marvel at a place where there is no more east, south or west – the only direction is north! The American Amundsen-Scott research station is the backdrop to this most exceptional place, whose discovery ranks as one of the greatest feats of human The Amundsen-Scott exploration ever known.

After a night under canvas, you’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast before boarding the plane once again for the flight back to Whichaway Oasis. The flight is the perfect chance to appreciate the immense scale of Antarctica, before you return to our camp for a three-course champagne dinner to celebrate your achievement.

An adventurous hike along a winding cliff face affords guests stunning views over pressure ridges of ice that have been folded over millennia by the ocean. Our world-class mountain guides will lead you on this challenging hike, always ensuring your safety.

The flight out of Antarctica will be the last of your enduring memories of the great White Continent before you dive back into the vibrant energy of Africa. You will be transferred to your hotel where you will have a chance to relax and reflect on your Antarctic adventure!

*Please note that activities are weather-dependent, and the schedule may be adjusted based on ice conditions.