ULTIMATE BUCKET LIST SERIES: WHITE DESERT ANTARCTICA
Part of my role as an experienced travel advisor is to find “ungoogleable” travel experiences that will make you a hit at any dinner party. Look no further than WHITE DESERT ANTARCTICA, which is an exclusive desert camp for just twelve intrepid adventurers. Past guests have included Prince Harry and Bear Grylls.
Founded in 2005 by record-breaking polar explorers, White Desert Antarctica is the only company in the world that takes you by private jet into the interior of the Great White Continent. Departing from Cape Town, you’ll travel in comfort and style to the continent’s only luxury eco-camps where you’ll enjoy incredible environmentally conscious experiences that include visiting the emperor penguins, the Geographic South Pole, mountain climbing, yoga and exploring ice tunnels. Having won the World Travel Awards seven times, the camp is also designed with a minimal environmental footprint in mind.
Due to Antarctica’s harsh weather conditions, White Desert only opens its doors to guests for set departures between November to early February, so be sure to book early to secure this once in a lifetime experience. Each experience is tailored to the guests, so it can be as relaxed or as adrenaline-fuelled as you wish.
White Desert recognises that Antarctica is a pristine wilderness and makes stringent efforts to ensure that their footprint is absolutely minimal. Being carbon neutral since 2007, they are the only air operator on the entire continent to be fully carbon neutral and are continually working to improve the ways in which they interact with this incredible environment. They are dedicated to introducing guests to the interior of Antarctica, with the mission of encouraging them to support the conservation of this wonderful wilderness by becoming Antarctic Ambassadors.
Believing that responsible tourism is a genuine force for good, White Desert support Sir David Attenborough’s stance on the transformative power of wilderness travel: "No one will protect what they don't care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced".
White Desert are committed:
to transporting all solid waste out of Antarctica at the end of the season.
removing single-use plastic from its entire operation.
Using only bio-degradable soaps, shampoo and washing up liquids in camp.
supporting and contributing to the scientific community of Antarctica through its science logistics programme.
The original Antarctic luxury camp, Whichaway, accommodates up to 12 people in six state-of-the-art, eco-friendly Polar Pods with luxury interiors that hark back to the Golden Age of Exploration. The camp is situated on ice-free rock at the Schirmacher Oasis and is surrounded by freshwater lakes. Each pod is designed to accommodate two guests in first-class comfort in Antarctica’s unique climate. At just over six metres (20ft) in diameter each pod is spacious, and has a writing desk, wash area and toilet; beds may be set up as doubles or two singles. The pods’ exteriors are constructed using cutting-edge materials whilst the interiors have an old-world feel that conjures up images of Antarctica’s rich heritage of exploration through sumptuous textures and thoughtful design. The rest of the camp comprises a shower pod, kitchen and three centralised pods that make up the reception, lounge and dining room, as well as a yoga pod and sauna.
Echo is their brand-new camp that launched in December 2022. Inspired by the seminal age of Space exploration, Echo sits in quiet solitude encircled by pitted rock formations. Echo is as close as you can get to feeling like you’re off the planet without leaving Earth. The space-age design of the ‘Sky Pods’ makes them look like they’ve been beamed down from Mars. Futuristic and luxurious, the six bedrooms are created from composite fibreglass with floor to ceiling windows allowing guests to soak in the moon-like landscape beyond. Perfect for exclusive use groups and catering for up to 12 people, Echo allows guests to combine an ultra-luxury experience with a once in lifetime adventure on the 7th Continent. As with all White Desert’s camps, Echo is designed to be dismantled, leaving no trace on the Antarctic landscape.
This is just one of the exclusive travel experiences that The Travel Elixir can arrange. If experiencing Antarctica is on your bucket list, reach out to find out more about the unique options that are available.
White Desert Antarctica