Scott and Amundsen are, rightly, the two great explorers associated with the quest for the South Pole, and now you can see why they were willing to risk their lives to get there. The journey to the South Pole is a passage to one of the most consequential coordinates on Earth. At 90°S, the Pole marks the southern axis of the planet and the ultimate milestone of polar exploration. At 3,000 m (10,000 ft) above the ice, the High Polar Plateau unfolds as an unbroken expanse of white and sky. Time at the Pole is deliberately simple: standing at the bottom of the world, where all directions lead north.
From the main camps, guests travel 2,400 km (1,500 mi) into the continent’s interior, first flying five hours to Dixie’s Camp before continuing onward after refuelling, crossing the same vast terrain that once demanded months of endurance from early explorers. The return to Dixie’s Camp at 83°S offers a rare overnight immersion in Antarctica’s interior, surrounded by silence, scale, and uninterrupted horizons — a perspective on place and distance that few will ever experience.
Emperor Penguins
Standing nearly 1.2 m (4 ft) tall and weighing up to 45 kg (99 lb), the Emperor Penguin is Antarctica’s largest and most resilient bird. Perfectly adapted to extreme cold, dense waterproof feathers and a thick layer of insulating blubber allow them to endure temperatures below –50°C (–58°F) and winds exceeding 190 km/h (120 mph). Their most remarkable feat unfolds in winter, when males incubate a single egg on their feet beneath a brood pouch, fasting for up to two months as the colony huddles together in a slow, deliberate rhythm to survive the polar night.
To witness this resilience firsthand is to journey deep into their world. A short Basler flight crosses the vast ice shelf and surrounding ocean before guests continue by PistenBully, approaching the colony at a respectful distance. As the horizon begins to move and distant specks resolve into thousands of penguins, the scale of their collective endurance becomes unmistakable. An encounter of rare privilege, revealing the fragility of the colony and the extreme environment that shapes it.
- Emperor Penguin Colony
- Visit the South Pole
Availability is always subject to confirmation. Please check with us before booking flights
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Echo Camp Antarctica
The idea for Echo was conceived in conversation with astronaut Buzz Aldrin during his visit to Antarctica. If you want to visit The South Pole, you have very few options short of walking there!
Perched in quiet solitude on a vast, shimmering glacier, arriving at Echo feels like stepping into a future imagined during the golden age of space exploration: clean lines, gleaming surfaces, and views so expansive they blur the boundary between the terrestrial and the cosmic.
Echo's expansive floor-to-ceiling windows frame this vast, dreamlike wilderness, allowing guests to take in the immense landscapes that define Antarctica. Beneath the striking exterior lies unexpected comfort, including a private en-suite shower in every pod, delivering warmth and restoration in one of Earth’s most extreme environments.
Whether sharing stories over cocktails or watching the midnight sun spill across the glacier, Echo offers an experience that feels less like a stay on Earth and more like a glimpse into another world. An amazing place to stop on your way to visit The South Pole!
Includes
- All accommodation, food and drinks, including all alcohol, in Antarctica
- All activities, excursions and experiences
- Return flights from Cape Town to Antarctica (inc. 23kg for hold luggage and 7kg for hand luggage)
- Loaned use of certain items of polar clothing, as denoted on equipment list
- Return car transfers for Safety Briefing in Cape Town
- Return car transfers for Antarctica flights, from the airport to your hotel
Excludes
- Flexible tickets for commercial flights to and from Cape Town, South Africa
- Comprehensive insurance cover(White Desert staff can advise you as to the appropriate cover required)
- Required polar gear(you will be sent a tailored kit list in advance of your trip to help you purchase the necessary items)
- All accommodation and meals whilst in Cape Town
- Additional expenses incurred in Cape Town due to any weather delay
- Additional baggage costs over the agreed amount