Antarctica
Antarctica Base Camps
Antarctica
Antarctica
Witness the first steps of Emperor penguin chicks at Atka Bay and explore the surreal blue ice tunnels. An intimate and unique expedition into the heart of Antarctica's most fragile and tenacious beauty in the great White Continent.
Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
Starts: Cape Town, South Africa
Ends: Cape Town, South Africa
Language: English speaking trip
The itinerary is a guide only and is subject to change due to weather and ice conditions.
FROM:
US $75.250.-
Scheduled departures 2026
19th and 25th November
Scheduled departures 2027
19th and 25th November
Options:
Explorer Camp (Wolf’s Fang)
Echo Base
Whichaway Camp
Charter Flights More info about this activity
In departures with charter flights, part of the air transport segment is covered by the operation of the trip as part of the itinerary.
Check in the inclusions and exclusions of the program which air sections are included in your itinerary.
Enrichment Program More info about this activity
Expedition cruising must be one of the most incredible ways of travelling. Not only for the amazing places you visit and the unforgetable wildlife but for the wildlife, the sensory overload and the unimaginable memories.
But all of this needs a context in order to understand where you are and what you are experiencing.
On board your expedition vessell you will find a group of experts, naturalists, zodiac drivers and guides that that will translate the language of nature for you, telling you the stories of the places you are visiting, reviewing the historical, biological, ecological and geological aspects of your trips.
You will experience first hand what surrounds you and arrive back home wiser and loaded with new knowledge.
Trekking More info about this activity
Trekking is with no doubt the first and most simple of the outdoor sports.
To wander arund nature in walks of different difficulty with basic equipment and few to worry about is one of the most fullfilling activities one can do.
Hiking More info about this activity
Hiking options include very easy beach hikes (good for photographers who need time for photography), easier short hikes, medium-difficulty extended hikes, and more challenging long hikes.
Photo Workshop More info about this activity
The photography workshops are composed of onboard lectures and practical activities led by dedicated expedition guide. Each session is meant to give you additional skills you can put into immediate practice out in nature.
You'll become more familiar with your own camera equipment while also learning best practices for taking pictures of moving wildlife and wide-open terrain in typical polar conditions, such as dim lighting and falling snow.
Hidden beneath the Antarctic surface lies one of the continent’s most otherworldly wonders: the blue ice tunnels. Formed over thousands of years as compacted snow transforms into ultra-dense glacial ice, these tunnels are carved by meltwater streams and shaped by the slow movement of the glacier itself. Inside, light filters through, illuminating shimmering blue walls and creating a cathedral-like world and sense of quiet grandeur, entirely removed from the surface above. Reaching them is an adventure in its own right, building anticipation through sweeping icefields where the horizon glows white in every direction.
In November, Atka Bay awakens to a flurry of tiny Emperor Penguin chicks, newly hatched and beginning to wobble from their parents’ feet. Each chick faces a staggering challenge in extreme Antarctic conditions, protected only by their resilient grey down. The early season offers an intimate view of this vulnerable stage, as chicks take their first steps onto the ice. The journey to the colony reveals the vast ice shelf before visitors witness fluffy chicks and watchful parents in Earth’s harshest environment — a perspective of life at its most tenacious, beautiful, and fragile.
Highlights:
Intimate encounter with Emperor Penguin chicks at Atka Bay.
Exploration of the glowing, cathedral-like blue ice tunnels.
Scenic flights over the vast Antarctic ice shelf and icebergs.
Luxury field camp experience with world-class polar hospitality.
Glacier hiking and scaling remote nunataks with expert guides.
Day 1: Arrival in Antarctica
Crossing the Polar Circle
Soar across oceans and sea ice on a 5.5-hour flight from Cape Town. Cross into the Polar Circle and bask in endless daylight. Land on a blue-ice runway, then toast your arrival at your camp with cocktails chilled by 10,000-year-old Antarctic ice.
Day 2: Customise Your Polar Adventure
Tailored Exploration
Ease into Antarctica with activities tailored to your level — from gentle hikes to ice climbing or abseiling. In the evening, an inspiring talk introduces you to the world of Emperor Penguins and prepares you for tomorrow’s unforgettable encounter.
Day 3: Journey to Atka Bay
The Emperor Colony
Fly over the ice shelf to the remote colony at Atka Bay, where thousands of Emperor Penguins gather with their newly hatched chicks. Witness one of nature’s most extraordinary and intimate spectacles — fluffy chicks taking their first steps from their parents’ feet, set against endless horizons of white and shimmering blue ice.
Day 4: The Blue Ice Tunnels
Nature's Cathedrals
Hike to a ridge-line for breathtaking vistas of ancient ice formations shaped over millennia by the relentless power of the Southern Ocean. Step inside the glowing world of the blue ice tunnels. Walking through them feels like entering a natural cathedral of ice — quiet, surreal, and utterly unforgettable.
Day 5: On the Edge
Nunatak Trekking
Embark on a glacier hike with expert mountain guides and scale a nunatuk — the tip of a mountain buried beneath the glacial ice.
Day 6: Departure Home
Final Polar Memories
The flight out of Antarctica will be the last of your enduring memories of the great White Continent. Linger at the Ice Bar amidst sculptures carved from ice, explore the exclusive boutique, or unwind before returning to the vibrant energy of Africa.
Select the mode:
1. Explorer Camp (Wolf’s Fang):
This is the ultimate expression of alpine adventure. Located beneath T-Rex Mountain, this camp embraces "purposeful simplicity" with heated tents that offer an elemental connection to the wilderness. It is the ideal starting point for those seeking pure action, such as ice climbing and nunatak expeditions, without sacrificing White Desert's gourmet hospitality.
2. Echo Base:
A futuristic frontier inspired by space exploration. Its avant-garde pods with floor-to-ceiling windows sit on a glacier, offering cosmic views of rock monoliths. It is a modern luxury retreat that prioritises wellness (sauna, massages) and an 'outpost on another planet' aesthetic, ideal for those seeking sophisticated isolation.
3. Whichaway Camp:
The flagship camp, located in an ice-free oasis (a landscape that represents only 3% of the continent). Surrounded by blue cliffs and freshwater lakes, it offers James Bond-style "refined escapism." It combines the historical legacy of a scientific base with contemporary luxury pods, offering a perfect blend of adrenaline-fuelled activities and total relaxation.
Day 1: Arrival in Antarctica
Crossing the Polar Circle
Soar across oceans and sea ice on a 5.5-hour flight from Cape Town. Cross into the Polar Circle and bask in endless daylight. Land on a blue-ice runway, then toast your arrival at your camp with cocktails chilled by 10,000-year-old Antarctic ice.
Day 2: Customise Your Polar Adventure
Tailored Exploration
Ease into Antarctica with activities tailored to your level — from gentle hikes to ice climbing or abseiling. In the evening, an inspiring talk introduces you to the world of Emperor Penguins and prepares you for tomorrow’s unforgettable encounter.
Day 3: Journey to Atka Bay
The Emperor Colony
Fly over the ice shelf to the remote colony at Atka Bay, where thousands of Emperor Penguins gather with their newly hatched chicks. Witness one of nature’s most extraordinary and intimate spectacles — fluffy chicks taking their first steps from their parents’ feet, set against endless horizons of white and shimmering blue ice.
Day 4: The Blue Ice Tunnels
Nature's Cathedrals
Hike to a ridge-line for breathtaking vistas of ancient ice formations shaped over millennia by the relentless power of the Southern Ocean. Step inside the glowing world of the blue ice tunnels. Walking through them feels like entering a natural cathedral of ice — quiet, surreal, and utterly unforgettable.
Day 5: On the Edge
Nunatak Trekking
Embark on a glacier hike with expert mountain guides and scale a nunatuk — the tip of a mountain buried beneath the glacial ice.
Day 6: Departure Home
Final Polar Memories
The flight out of Antarctica will be the last of your enduring memories of the great White Continent. Linger at the Ice Bar amidst sculptures carved from ice, explore the exclusive boutique, or unwind before returning to the vibrant energy of Africa.
Select the mode:
1. Explorer Camp (Wolf’s Fang):
This is the ultimate expression of alpine adventure. Located beneath T-Rex Mountain, this camp embraces "purposeful simplicity" with heated tents that offer an elemental connection to the wilderness. It is the ideal starting point for those seeking pure action, such as ice climbing and nunatak expeditions, without sacrificing White Desert's gourmet hospitality.
2. Echo Base:
A futuristic frontier inspired by space exploration. Its avant-garde pods with floor-to-ceiling windows sit on a glacier, offering cosmic views of rock monoliths. It is a modern luxury retreat that prioritises wellness (sauna, massages) and an 'outpost on another planet' aesthetic, ideal for those seeking sophisticated isolation.
3. Whichaway Camp:
The flagship camp, located in an ice-free oasis (a landscape that represents only 3% of the continent). Surrounded by blue cliffs and freshwater lakes, it offers James Bond-style "refined escapism." It combines the historical legacy of a scientific base with contemporary luxury pods, offering a perfect blend of adrenaline-fuelled activities and total relaxation.
INCLUSIONS
Return car transfers for Safety Briefing
Return car transfers for Antarctica flights
Return flights to Antarctica (inc. 23kg for hold luggage and 7kg for hand luggage)
All accommodation, food and drinks, including all alcohol, in Antarctica
All activities, excursions and experiences, including massages
Loaned use of certain items of polar clothing, as denoted on equipment list
EXCLUSIONS
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
* The prices are per person in US Dollars, unless expressly specified in a different currency. In that case, payment will be in US dollars at the exchange rate of the day.
** Rates are correct at the time of publication. All prices will be re-confirmed by email at the time of booking.
NOTE: Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.
Antarctica Base Camps TRIPS
Duration: 8 days / 7 nights
The Long Stay
Antarctic Polar Circle TRIPS
Duration: 13 days
Across the Antarctic Circle - Ushuaia, Argentina
THE POLAR TRAVEL COMPANY LLC
USA
8175 NW 12 ST #120, Doral, FL 33126
Miami - Dade, Florida
Tel: +1 (786) 321-5654
WhatsApp: +1 (786) 705-2241
Email:
travel@thepolartravelcompany.com
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