Emperors & the South Pole

Adventure and luxury on the White Continent

Experience the very best of Antarctica on this eight-day expedition, from visiting a colony of 28,000-plus emperor penguins, and a flight to the lowest point on Earth at the Geographic South Pole. Surrounded by ice caves, soaring mountain peaks, and glittering blue rivers, partake in a wide variety of polar activities, from ice climbing to snowmobiling, trekking, and more. This itinerary offers the perfect way to leave everything up north and truly connect with this wild and pure landscape.

As the "last continent," Antarctica has captivated imaginations for years, with only a few brave explorers accessing its interior. This surreal and majestic land is only a five-hour flight from Cape Town, South Africa, offering iridescent ice tunnels, unbroken horizons, shimmering icebergs, and towering rock spires that make it a place unlike anywhere else on Earth.

White Desert was established fifteen years ago as an environmentally conscious means of exploring Antarctica's interior with a sense of luxury and adventure and creating an unforgettable journey for all that visit. Unlike the Antarctic expeditions of centuries past, this journey emphasizes comfort and experience over hardship, allowing you to truly enjoy all that this majestic frozen land has to offer.

Emperors & the South Pole: 8 days/7 nights

Emperors & the South Pole trip highlights

This 8-day itinerary begins in Cape Town, where White Desert will host a safety briefing before your departure, checking all your polar clothing and preparing you for the flight south. 
On the day of your departure, fly over thousands of icebergs in a Gulfstream 500 in uncompromising comfort on a five-hour flight across the Southern Ocean, landing in the twenty-four-hour daylight of the Antarctic summer at Wolf's Fang runway. After landing on the blue ice, transfer to Wolf's Fang Explorer Camp, where you will have the chance to familiarize yourself with your equipment on a gentle hike.
Enjoy your second day with polar activities of your choice, from treks up a nearby Nunatak, ice climbing, and abseiling. Prepare for your penguin excursion the next day by listening to a talk about the Emperors' incredible lifecycle.  
Fly two hours across Antarctica over stunning views of mountain and coastline, landing near the Atka penguin colony, the real-life stars of March of the Penguins.
Explore the awe-inspiring ice formations and caves around camp, then set off on an Arctic truck safari to an incredible vantage point to take in the panorama of the ice you just traversed.
Depart camp early in the morning to fly five hours over majestic mountain ranges, stopping at 83° South to refuel before landing at the High Polar Plateau and the South Pole with plenty of time to stamp your passport. Return to 83° South to overnight under canvas in the wilderness of the Plateau.
Enjoy a hearty breakfast after your night on the ice before the return flight to Wolf's Fang Explorer Camp, where a three-course champagne dinner will be waiting to celebrate your achievement.
Journey to Needle Peak via Arctic truck and explore the mountain via rope walk, with the help of your expert guides.
Depart the White Continent on another flight over the icy ocean. Upon your return to Cape Town, you will be transferred to your hotel to relax and reflect on the unforgettable memories you have made on the ice!

Price

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Emperors & the South Pole on a map

Other luxury Antarctica itineraries

Easy extensions

Before your departure from Cape Town, or upon your return, add on some days in Cape Town, enjoy the food and wine of the Cape Winelands, or safari in Kruger National Park. Cape Town is a jumping-off point for most of Southern Africa-head to the dunes of Namibia to complete your desert experience, or relish the waterways of Botswana's Okavango Delta.