White Desert: South Pole & Emperor Penguin Safari (8 Days)

$95,000.00

Start Location: Cape Town, South Africa; End Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Duration: 8 Days

Travel Season: November to January (Best: late November to early December)

Accommodation: White Desert - Explorer Camp / Whichaway / Echo

Reaching the bottom of the earth alongside a thriving colony of Emperor penguins is an experience shared by fewer than five hundred people each year. Your journey begins with a flight from Cape Town across the Southern Ocean, landing on a pristine blue ice runway bathed in endless daylight. From there, press onward into the high polar plateau to stand precisely at ninety degrees south.

Highlights at a Glance

• Emperor penguins: Atka Bay, reached by specialised aircraft - thousands of adults and chicks, walked among respectfully.

• The Pole: The Geographic South Pole on the last day: the marker, the ceremonial pole, and the Amundsen-Scott station.

• Ice: Blue ice tunnels and caves - ice climbing on the shelf - vehicle safaris across the plateau - nunataks - mountain peaks piercing the ice sheet.

Itinerary

80°S120°W90°W60°W30°W0°E30°E60°E90°E120°EAtka BayWolf's Fang RunwaySouth Pole1·3·5241000 km

1·3·5 Wolf's Fang Runway · 2 Atka Bay · 4 South Pole

Day 1Arrival in Antarctica

Depart Cape Town on a private jet or A340 for the 5.5-hour flight south across the Southern Ocean and the sea ice. The aircraft lands on a natural blue-ice runway, and arrival is marked with cocktails poured over ancient Antarctic ice before transfer to camp.

Day 2Journey to Atka Bay

Fly 2.5 hours to Atka Bay to stand among an emperor penguin colony on the sea ice, one of the rarest wildlife encounters on Earth. You spend hours with the birds and their chicks at ground level before returning to camp for dinner.

Day 3Peaks and Panoramas

Hike up above the ice sheet with your guides to mountain vistas over an endless white horizon. A champagne picnic is set up at a lookout point, with the option to push on further to more dramatic viewpoints.

Day 4Journey to the South Pole

Fly deep into the continent's interior over unnamed mountain ranges, refuelling at Dixie's Camp at 83 degrees south. You continue to 90 degrees south to stand at the Geographic South Pole, then overnight under canvas on the High Polar Plateau.

Day 5Return from the South Pole

Wake on the polar plateau, more than 2,800 metres above sea level, and fly back to base camp during the day. The achievement is marked with a three-course dinner and champagne.

Day 6At Your Leisure

A flexible day shaped around what you want to do, from gentle hikes and fat biking to abseiling and summiting a nunatak with the guide team. Those who prefer a slower pace can join explorer talks on Antarctic history and science, or simply take in the silence.

Day 7Explore Wild Horizons

A more demanding cliff-side trek led by IFMGA-certified mountain guides, with panoramic views over the ice fields and surrounding nunataks. The day is designed as the trip's deepest immersion in Antarctica's untamed interior.

Day 8Departure Home

A final morning at camp with access to the ice bar, boutique and film screenings while the flight window is confirmed. Fly from the blue-ice runway back to Cape Town.

Accommodation

White Desert - Explorer Camp / Whichaway / Echo. Explorer Camp heated pod tents with floor-to-ceiling windows; Whichaway Camp guest pods with glass conservatory and ensuite shower; Echo Camp space-inspired luxury pods with one-way glass and ensuite; communal dining room; camp lounge; Ice Bar; Echo Camp bar with Anthony James sculpture; Aurora Movie Theatre ice cinema; the Dome for yoga and meditation; sauna and ice plunge; shared shower facilities at Explorer Camp; Dixie's Camp refuelling station at 83 degrees south; High Polar Plateau overnight camp; blue-ice runway.

All-Inclusive Benefits

• Gathering and dismissal in Cape Town, South Africa

• Return private jet / A340 charter flights Cape Town to Antarctica, landing on the blue-ice runway

• All internal Antarctic flights, including Atka Bay for the emperor penguins and the South Pole via Dixie's Camp

• All camp accommodation in heated ensuite pods at Explorer Camp, Whichaway or Echo

• One night camping on the High Polar Plateau on the South Pole leg

• All meals, gourmet dining with fresh ingredients flown in weekly

• All drinks including wine, champagne and spirits

• All guided activities and excursions at camp, led by IFMGA-certified mountain guides

• Explorer talks and the expedition team's lecture programme

• Pre-departure safety briefing and transfers in Cape Town

• All Antarctic permits, environmental and operational fees

• Carbon offsetting of all Antarctic flight and logistics operations

Not Included

• International flights to and from Cape Town

• Cape Town hotel accommodation and meals before and after the expedition, including the required weather-buffer nights

• Travel insurance, including mandatory medical evacuation and repatriation cover

• Visas and reciprocity fees, excess baggage charges and satellite phone usage

• Gratuities and personal purchases from the camp boutique