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Emperors & Mountains of dronning maud land

An account by trip host and Islands & Ice Travel Founder, David Sinclair

The Ultimate Antarctic Expedition – Emperors & Mountains of Dronning Maud Land

For dates, rates and details for our 2025/2026 deep field Antarctic expeditions to Dronning Maud Land check out the Tours page on our website. Contact us to arrange a detailed briefing with expedition host David Sinclair.

A WhatsApp message pops up on my screen.  Ultima’s in house meteorologist has given the all clear to fly.  We need to be sure the ice runway is prepared and cloud cover and wind conditions are suitable to land at the 3km long ice runway.  It’s time to get some shuteye before an early morning transfer to Cape Town International airport for our flight to Antarctica.

At the airport excitement is palpable, the flight board shows Antarctica as a destination among a variety of cities across Africa, Europe and the Middle East.  Even our boarding passes are special, festooned with Antarctic imagery, a celebration of our imminent passage into Antarctica’s icy embrace.   

Once through security we spy the imposing Ilyushin 76-TD90 on the tarmac.  It’s a beast of a machine, easily reconfigured to fit cargo and passengers for many of the national science programs based in Dronning Maud Land and for small groups like ours.  By sharing space on an aircraft already being utilised to fly national Antarctic personnel and cargo the environmental footprint of our expedition.

Once on board we settle in for the five and a half hour journey from sunny Cape Town at 33 55S to the ice runway south of 70.  It’s a little surreal boarding in a t-shirt in the knowledge that we’ll step onto the ice bedecked in heavy down outer garments, thermal underwear and snow boots.

Around an hour and a half before we’re due to land we start seeing sea ice and icebergs.  It’s a mesmerising site of another world so few see, especially on this side of the continent where visitors to “deep field” Antarctica number in the hundreds each year, contrasting with the Antarctic Peninsula where the number of visitors annually now surpasses 100,000.  

Where the sea ice meets the Nivl Ice Shelf from the nose of the Ilyushin
Where the sea ice meets the Nivl Ice Shelf from the nose of the Ilyushin

Around an hour shy of landing and before we commence our descent we’re advised it’s time to start putting on our polar clothing.  The cabin temperature is lowered and suddenly everyone is standing and struggling to put on layers of thermal underwear, fleece, down and goretex and apply sunscreen to any exposed skin.  It’s a comical site but all part of the adventure.

After an exceptionally smooth landing we step out into bright sunshine at Ultima Airbase.  The guide team greets us and immediately spirits us away in specially fitted Arctic Trucks (modified Toyota Hilux) across the ice to the lovely Oasis Camp situated at the eastern end of the Schirmacher Oasis, a largely ice-free strip wedged between the Antarctic ice sheet and the Nivl Ice Shelf.  Out beyond the ice shelf is the sea ice.  It’s on this sea ice on the margins of ice shelves that the Emperor Penguins breed in the winter and raise their young.  

On arrival at Ultima Airbase
On arrival at Ultima Airbase
Specially modified Arctic Trucks

Oasis Camp is more than an oasis, it’s a home away from home, very comfortable.  An expert hospitality team take care of everything.  We’re spoiled from the moment we arrive.  Camp Manager Imke meets us with head guide Ethan.  Our bags are taken to our rooms and we meet in the camp dining room for a briefing and welcome drinks.   There are so many amazing touches from the bespoke gin and chocolates to the specially chosen wines to match the meals which are presented by sommelier Billy with humour and panache.  Jess and Brian prepare exquisite meals finely balancing creativity, flavour, heart and home.

Oasis Camp, Schirmacher Oasis
Oasis Camp, Schirmacher Oasis

Oasis Camp has a very special additional building, a traditional glued timber bathhouse, the first of its kind in Antarctica.  There’s nothing quite like topping an extraordinary day in Antarctica with a sauna to soothe any aches and pains from the days’ exertions.

Traditional banya viewed from the dining room at Oasis Camp

After settling in our guests head for a short walk to a fantastic viewpoint over the Nivl Ice Shelf and explore the surface of a nearby frozen lake filled with millions of air bubbles trapped in the ice and fracture lines resembling the architecture of the human nervous system.  It’s a photographer’s paradise.

Ice Shelf View
Lake Ice

On our first full day on the ground we take a short drive in the Arctic Truck across the ice to the entrance of Maitri Station (India).  This is the start point for a lovely 90 minute walk across frozen lakes and boulder fields to the edge of the ice shelf where we fit spikes to our boots so we can comfortably traverse the ice.   It is here that an extraordinary neon blue ice tunnel has formed.  It’s unlike any ice cave or feature I’ve been in, striking neon blues from heavily compressed ice create an otherworldly experience.  Being inside an ice tunnel inside an ice shelf is truly awe-inspiring.  

Ice Tunnel in the ice shelf adjacent to the Schirmacher Oasis
Schirmacher Oasis, ice free for 160,000 years wedged between the ice sheet and the ice shelf

That evening we receive confirmation our first internal flight is a go.  We will fly tomorrow afternoon to the Drygalski Mountains, a one hour flight to the south west.  After a leisurely breakfast and some time to explore around camp and try out the fat bikes we head back up to the ice runway for our first internal flight.

The twin otter is a legendary aircraft.  It can take off and land in a short space and operates well in high wind and cold temperatures.  We have some of the best pilots in the business at the controls.  It’s great to be back on board with Kelsey who hails from Canada and absolutely raves about the twin otter.  There’s no other aircraft Kelsey would rather pilot and Kelsey has the look, well-worn coveralls, big bushy beard and a knowing glint in the eye.  Kelsey can’t wait to fly to the mountains too.  

The Drygalski Mountains are extraordinary.  Our first landing site is at the north face of Ulvetanna with a sheer 1500m (over 4500 feet) rock wall.  The approach is stunning.  The pilots always take a good look at the landing site before touching down which makes for fantastic views and a fabulous aerial experience.  We alight the aircraft in sunshine to extraordinary views of Ulvetanna and surrounding peaks and nunataks (mountain tops that emerge from the surrounding icecap).  The air temperature is -21C but it feels warmer in the absence of any breeze.  A pair of Snow Petrels inspect us and disappear back to their rocky nest high in the mountains.  As the earth rotates and the sun dips a long shadow emerges from the base of Ulvetanna.  The apparent temperature plunges in the shade of this monolith.   Our heavy down jackets keep us warm as we marvel at the beauty and revel in the solitude far from the business that consumes our lives further north.  This is the enduring lure of the polar regions.  The vastness and the beauty have a profound impact.  

Twin Otter pilot Kelsey on the Fenristunga
Twin Otter pilot Kelsey on the Fenristunga

After a half hour we board the aircraft for a short but spectacular flight to land on Fenristunga, the “Wolf’s Tongue” Glacier which is flanked by jagged peaks to the east, west and north shaping the “Wolf’s Jaw”.  Once again we marvel at the peaks, this time the west face of Ulvetnana and Kintana and we take a minute to stand in absolute silence, no camera clicks, no words, no shuffling of goretex or crunch of snow.  

Solitude on the Fenristunga

Our final flight is to the south where we set down at the base of “Holtanna” or hollow tooth.  From the air it assumes the shape of a giant Codfish.  From the ground it’s an immense and sheer rock wall.  The landing site is exposed to the wind.  This time we spend a shorter interval exploring the air before retiring to the cabin of the twin otter for a delicious cup of hot soup and some treats.  Following take-off the pilots gain elevation and give both sides of the aircraft outstanding views of the Drygalski Mountains and the long shadows cast by the setting sun.  The moon is near full to our north as we settle in for the return flight to Oasis Camp.

Drygalski Mountains from on high

The next day is another beautiful day so we take to the air again, this time to the north east to the Lazarev Emperor Penguin colony just 10 days after the very first visit by humans to this colony.  The colony was discovered from a flight in the late 1950s and lost but rediscovered again through analysis of satellite imagery.  It’s a huge thrill to be among the first ever to lay eyes on this Emperor Penguin colony.  

The Lazarev colony, named for the ice shelf to which it is adjacent is a relatively small colony with only 1100 chicks.  The penguins have chosen a fantastic site, fast ice held in place by large icebergs calved from the Lazarev Ice Shelf, protected from the vicissitudes of the wind and waves but proximate to open water for easy access to critical food sources. 

Lazarev Emperor Penguin Colony from the air
Lazarev Emperor Penguin Colony from the air

The flight into the colony is incredible.  The pilots bank and circle high over the icebergs and sea ice to get a good visual of the colony and landing area.  It’s imperative that we maintain height and distance from the colony on approach to avoid disturbance and accord with IAATO’s guidelines for visitation. Upon landing we taxi to a stop outside the minimum distance we are required to maintain from the colony and disembark for the walk across the sea ice to the colony.

Truly wild animals are often curious.  With no land-based predators except the Antarctic Skua, humans present as a curiosity, not a threat.  Before long the nearly 40 kg adults standing up to 130cm in height are tobogganing across the pack ice to inspect us.  It’s a wondrous and at times comical sight.  Once they get close they use their bills to prop themselves up and waddle a little closer to inspect these strange goretex and down-clad land-lubbers.

Emperor Penguins toboggan out to greet the aircraft

We slowly approach the colony maintaining a watch for any signs of avian flu.  Thankfully there are no signs and our visit can proceed.  

The chicks are more adorable than the pictures suggest.  Their behaviour is at times reminiscent of a group of toddlers, curious and energetic.  The chicks are already sizeable enough to aggregate in creches away from their parents who are now free to come and go more frequently to regain the nearly 50% loss of body weight that occurs during the height of winter, particularly among the males that incubate the egg for up to 65 days without feeding.

Adorable Emperor Penguin chicks

The scene is straight from a Nat Geo special.  Groups of arguably the most photogenic creature on earth strike poses with dramatic backdrops.  It’s truly the most incredible experience being on the frozen ocean on the periphery of Antarctica observing these magnificent birds. 

Emperor Penguins, Lazarev North colony

After three hours we pack up our gear and slowly head back to the aircraft, grateful for this experience, grateful to be among the very first humans to visit this extraordinary location.

On return to Oasis Camp we learn the following day is set to be another bluebird day so it’s an opportunity to meet our next objective, our second Emperor Penguin colony, the Astrid colony (named for the Astrid Coast).  This visit will be a little different.  The colony is home to 5,600 chicks, five times the size of the Lazarev colony.  

Once again the flight to the colony is extraordinary.  On this occasion as we bank over some huge tabular icebergs on approach we spy a group of many hundreds of Adelie Penguins huddled together, an unexpected site given the nearest rocky ground for a colony is a long way away.  

On this occasion the sheer mass of birds prevents us from isolating chicks with our long lenses for intimate portraits but it’s a great opportunity to get colony shots, filling the frame with thousands of Emperors and dramatic scenery.  We even spy a Weddell Seal peacefully sleeping beside a crack in the ice, it’s breathing hole neatly maintained to ensure access to safe ice (away from predatory Orcas) on return from hunting.  

A section of the Astrid Emperor Penguin colony

We have one more aerial adventure in store, the first ever tourism visit to Lake Untersee at the foot of the Gruber Mountains.  Lake Untersee is a perennially frozen lake with a very special story.  On the floor of the lake are microbial mats (stromatolites) dating back billions of years.   The environment is an excellent analog for Enceladus, an outer moon of Saturn where a vast body of water is trapped beneath thick ice.  It’s here at Lake Untersee that astrobiologist Dale Andersen and his team are studying the origins of life on earth and how we might detect life in similar environments beyond planet Earth.

On approach to Lake Untersee
Dale Andersen explaining the scientific studies being conducted at Lake Untersee with Islands & ice Travel guests

It’s an incredible approach to Lake Untersee.  We sweep low over a glacier and land on the frozen lake, a natural amphitheatre surrounded by jagged peaks and sheer walls.  We taxi right up to Dale’s camp where Dale welcomes us and entertains us with his deep knowledge and passion for his work and for this very picturesque and unique location.  After a fantastic impromptu presentation from a world expert we take off for a long hike across the ice to walk among large boulders sitting atop the lake.  The boulders have slowly migrated over hundreds of years across the lake, a strange and beautiful phenomenon.  The site is home to some 12,000 pairs of Snow Petrels, however, on our visit we barely see a single bird as they all appear to be in their rocky crevasses incubating eggs.

Boulders on ice, Lake Untersee

Closer to camp we enjoy a visit to the “Ice Wall” a stunning ice feature set within a dramatic wind scoop, Antarctica’s powerful forces on display.   The drive across the ice in the Arctic Trucks another interesting experience in its own right.  Most visitors to Antarctica never get more than a few hundred metres inland, landing only on the shore of islands and the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula for a few hours at a time.  In reality most people experience a sum total of less than 24 hours on land on any expedition cruise to the Peninsula.  On this trip we are on land the entire time with only 7 other guests and it feels like such an expansive luxury.  It’s curious so few are aware of this alternative Antarctic experience.  There are literally only a few hundred tourists visiting Dronning Maud Land each year.  It is expensive owing to the incredible logistics and costs but it’s pretty comparable to the price, if not cheaper than some of the higher end expedition cruise operations.  And, of course, there are no sea days to be endured. 

Ice Wall

Having achieved all of our aerial adventures with days to spare we explore closer to home on foot and on fat bikes.  We return to the ice tunnel and enjoy a walk on the ice shelf.  Finally, sadly, it’s time to return to Cape Town.   We make our way back to Ultima Airbase for the final time and board the Ilyushin for the return flight.  We enjoy an incredible sunset on the return flight to Africa and approach Cape Town via the western shore, the lights of Cape Town sparkling below, Table Mountain an inky black landmark in the dark of night, a fabulous end to the trip of a lifetime.

Fat Biking, Schirmacher Oasis

Contact us (below) to arrange a detailed briefing for yourself and any travelling companions with expedition host David Sinclair.  David has been travelling to Antarctica as a guide, photographer and expedition leader for 18 years, is an award-winning nature photographer and a passionate advocate for Antarctica.  Places are limited, just 24 spots for Emperors and Mountains of Dronning Maud Land (three expeditions with 8 guests each) and 8 spots for a South Pole and Emperor Penguins expedition.  

Islands & Ice Travel is offering three Emperors & Mountains of Dronning Maud Land trips in 2025.  The 2025 itineraries do not include a visit to Lake Untersee as Lake Untersee is likely to be designated as an Antarctic Specially Protected Area (‘ASPA’) at the next Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Milan.  

To see the trip video from the November 2024 Emperors and Mountains of Dronning Maud Land expedition click here

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