8-Day Luxury Antarctica: Whichaway, Emperors & the South Pole

Itinerary information

The day before departure marks your Antarctica briefing—a vital and exciting step in your journey. During this session, the White Desert team will guide you through what lies ahead, covering important safety procedures, environmental considerations, and how to make the most of your time on the White Continent. You'll also be introduced to the guest experience crew, who'll help ensure your kit is properly prepared and suited to the environment.

A reminder that, as with all polar travel, the weather dictates the pace. Every effort is made to follow the planned itinerary, but flexibility is key—this is part of what makes Antarctica so extraordinary. The adventure unfolds in real time, shaped by the elements. While the aim is always to achieve the full number of nights on the continent, rare weather disruptions can occasionally influence the duration.

Please also note: two nights in Cape Town, both pre- and post-expedition, are a required part of the journey to accommodate potential weather delays. Luckily, this gives you time to enjoy one of the world's most beautiful cities. With summer in full swing, it's the perfect chance to soak up Cape Town's coastline, cuisine, and culture. Our Africa Safari Experts are on hand to help you find the ideal place to stay.

Itinerary information

Your journey to the end of the Earth begins aboard one of White Desert's private aircraft—it's robust design specifically designed to cross the Southern Ocean and land safely on Antarctica's blue ice Wolf's Fang Runway. On arrival, you’re met by the freshest air imaginable and the warm smiles of the ground team, and you'll be transferred to Whichaway Camp, White Desert's flagship luxury camp and your base for the duration of your trip.

After a welcome tour and a hearty meal, take time to settle in before heading out on a gentle hike around the surrounding landscape—your first introduction to this surreal and ancient environment.

Your first full day in Antarctica unfolds entirely at your own pace. Start the day with yoga, a massage, or a peaceful coffee overlooking the ice. Fuel up at breakfast and then spend the day as active—or relaxed—as you choose. You might explore the shimmering ice waves on a guided walk or opt for something more adventurous: summit a nearby nunatak, try ice climbing, or abseil glacier walls.

Evenings are slow and soulful. After a gourmet dinner, gather in the lounge for stories from the team—tales of polar exploration, forgotten lore, and fascinating insights into the science of this unique place. Outside, the midnight sun illuminates the ice. Retreat to your Polar Pod for a restful night's sleep, warm and cosy and tucked in behind blackout blinds.

Itinerary information

After a warm breakfast, you'll board a Basler BT-67 aircraft for a scenic 2.5-hour flight across the High Polar Plateau to reach Atka Bay—home to one of Antarctica's largest emperor penguin colonies. With over 14,000 breeding pairs gathering here each season, it's a rare opportunity to witness their natural behaviours up close: adults feeding their young, calling, and huddling in tightly coordinated formations.

Guided by expert naturalists and always adhering to IAATO* environmental regulations, you'll observe these remarkable animals respectfully and without intrusion—an unforgettable wildlife experience in one of the world's most remote settings. The penguins (having no natural predators on land in Antarctica) are unafraid of human presence and comfortably go about their day, unperturbed.

Returning to Whichaway Camp in time for a superb dinner prepared by the private chef, the evening is yours to unwind and reflect in the bar and lounge and then the comfort of your pod.

The next day, set out with your guide to explore the spectacular ice formations around camp—tracing shimmering ice waves, navigating frozen tunnels, and climbing to a breathtaking vantage point that reveals the surreal landscape in all its sculpted beauty. Rest well tonight—the morning brings another extraordinary journey across the ice.

*IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) environmental guidelines prohibit physical contact and stipulate a safe minimum 5m (16.4ft) distance from wildlife; guests are also advised to sit down to view the penguins and to retreat if they approach closer than 5m (16.4ft).

Itinerary information

Wake up to a day few will ever experience—today, you'll stand where some of the world's greatest explorers once stood, as you journey to the Geographic South Pole. You'll depart early, flying over Antarctica's vast, untouched mountain ranges to reach Dixie's Camp on the High Polar Plateau. At 83° South, this remote outpost offers a moment of pause after the 5-hour flight—stretch your legs, walk on the plateau, and refuel both body and aircraft. Then re-board and continue on to the Geographic South Pole itself.

Here, you'll have time to take in the staggering significance of where you are. Stand beneath the ceremonial marker, take photos, stamp your passport, and marvel at the fact that you’re quite literally on the axis of the Earth. The white horizon stretches in every direction—a 360° panorama of frozen infinity.

Afterward, return to Dixie's Camp for a night under canvas. It's a rare opportunity to sleep in the silence of the polar plateau, surrounded by the boundless white expanse. But unlike the early explorers, your tent is warm, the food is hearty, and the expedition is fully staffed, even including a GP doctor.

The next morning, you’ll fly back across the wilderness to Whichaway Camp. As the enormity of the journey sinks in, gather for a celebratory three-course champagne dinner—raising a glass to an experience few will ever have.

Itinerary information

After the extraordinary journey to the South Pole, today offers a different kind of high. If you’re still riding the momentum of adventure, lace up your boots for a guided hike along a dramatic cliff face. Led by world-class UIAGM mountain guides, you'll trace a winding route overlooking pressure ridges of ancient ice—formed over millennia by the slow, relentless force of the Southern Ocean. The views are staggering, the silence profound.

Later, return to camp where the rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your own pace. Warm up in the sauna, indulge in a well-earned massage, or simply sink into a cosy armchair in the lounge with a drink in hand—watching the Antarctic light play across the landscape one last time.

On day 8, wake slowly and savour your final morning in this frozen wilderness. Sip a hot coffee as you pull back the blinds to the ever-present sunlight, then gather in the dining pod for a last breakfast with your fellow travellers. You’ll then be transferred to Wolf's Fang Runway for the flight back to South Africa's shores—carrying home a sense of fulfilment from a world few will get to experience.