South Pole & Emperor Penguins
Join us on the trip of a lifetime, combining one of nature’s rarest and remarkable wildlife experiences with a journey to the southernmost point on earth, the Geographical South Pole. This is a journey for polar historians, wildlife lovers, aviation enthusiasts, polar explorers and anyone with a yearning to experience this great white wilderness that is Antarctica in a way very few people ever get to experience.
Our journey starts in beautiful Cape Town where we will fit you with warm polar clothing and prepare you for your journey south. We will fly 5.5-6 hours south to a blue ice runway at Ultima Airbase well south of the Antarctic Circle. At the airbase you will be met by your guides and hosts and take a 25 minute drive across the ice cap to our lodgings in the Schirmacher Oasis. This will be our warm and cosy base for a week in Antarctica.
Our two key objectives for the week are the flight to the South Pole and a flight to an Emperor Penguin colony (either Astrid or Lazarev).
The flight to the South Pole involves two stops at Ultima High Latitude Camp at 83S where we will refuel en route to the South Pole. On our return from the South Pole we will stop once again at the Ultima High Latitude Camp to afford the pilots the opportunity for some rest and sleep. Camping at 83S is an amazing experience, surrounded by the vast flayt white polar plateau. We have a heated kitchen tent to enjoy a hot drink and hot soup and tents, sleeping bags and stretcher beds are provided to get some shuteye.
On arrival at the south pole we will visit both the Ceremonial marker flanked by the flags of the 12 nations that were the initial signatories to the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 and we will visit the Geographic South Pole some 150m away where all the lines of longitude converge at the axis of planet Earth. It’s amazing to circle the pole, crossing all the lines of longitude in just a few seconds.
We fly to the Emperor Penguins in a Twin Otter, landing on the sea ice or nearby ice shelf before walking into the colony to enjoy incredible views of Emperor Penguins, icebergs and sea ice. A truly rare experience. Only a few dozen people have visited the colony we will visit on this expedition.
When not flying to the South Pole or to the Emperor Penguins we will explore the Schirmacher Oasis, a rare ice free stretch of land wedged between the polar ice cap and the Nivl Ice Shelf. Excursions include a 21km drive across the ice to a beautiful ice wall and a hike to an elaborate ice tunnel, carved by water, wind and time. There are a range of short walks for all levels of fitness and mobility or you can just enjoy the hospitality at Oasis camp where our very experienced hospitality team will take great care of you. Guides will be on hand should you wish to go for a hike or a fat bike ride.
We will enjoy sumptuous cuisine prepared by our chef team using fresh ingredients flown from Cape Town on a weekly basis. Accompanying meals are a range of premium wines served by our expert sommelier Billy.
After a long day exploring you may wish to enjoy a traditional sauna and ice bath ritual just metres from our accommodation block.
Together these experiences make for a week like no other, blend of adventure and luxury in the company of expert guides and hosts
Inclusions
- Flights between Cape Town and Dronning Maud Land.
- All internal twin otter and Basler flights, excursions, meals, accommodation, expert guides, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and satellite internet at Oasis Camp.
- Warm weather outer layers and boots loaned for the expedition.
Exclusions
- Travel between your home and Cape Town.
- Any costs incurred due to changes to flights beyond our control, especially weather delays.
- Evacuation, medical treatment costs, and mandatory travel insurance are not included;
- Meals and accommodation in Cape Town are not included.
There are two accommodation blocks with a total of 10 rooms with a range of configurations including single, double and twin rooms. Meals are in a separate dining area. The sauna is a very short walk from the accommodation blocks and dining room.
