Polar Adventure

We will take a closer look at the ultimate Antarctica camping experience offered by two operators.

The days of only watching Antarctica’s mesmerizing coastline drift past, or perhaps venturing onto the ice for a few hours on zodiac excursions, White Desert and Ultima Antarctic Expeditions, now offer actual camps on the White Continent, complete with a raft of activities to keep ice bunnies happy throughout the season.

White Desert

The pioneers of Antarctica camp tourism, White Desert was founded by recorded-breaking explorer duo Patrick and Robyn Woodhead in 2005 and has been whisking the well-heeled down to Antarctica via private charter jet flight from Cape Town, landing on the company’s own blue-ice runway, for nearly two decades. 

The carbon-neutral operation now boasts a trio of innovative polar camps: Queen Maud Land’s Wolf’s Fang. Flagship Whichaway – perched on the freshwater lakes of the ice-free Schirmacher Oasis – and its newest, Echo. Each camp caters to 12 guests, who are accommodated in either heated tents (in the case of Wolf’s Fang) or space-inspired fiberglass pods, complete with retro space-age detailing, luxurious furnishing and, in the case of Whichaway, floor-to-ceiling windows commanding views of the dramatic landscape beyond.

Each camp also features a full staff of chefs, hosts and polar experts, whether guests are looking to mountaineer, explore via a fleet of 4x4 Arctic Trucks, visit Emperor penguin colonies or simply sip a martini made with 10,000-year-old glacial ice. 

Ultima Antarctica Expeditions

Ultima opens its Oasis Camp this month. Also located at the Schirmacher Oasis, the new camp will offer three comfortable and customizable Scandi-style accommodation units catering to 20 guests, a shared bathroom facility, a communal dining hub, a plush lounge with bay windows and a traditional banya (sauna), ensuring utmost comfort amidst the Antarctic wilderness. 

Also accessible via a 5.5-hour flight from Cape Town into Novo Air Base, the new Oasis Camp, operating between November and early February, will offer a range of multi-day expeditions, including the 24-hour Ultima Day itinerary. Activities run gamut from penguin colony visits and hikes to nearby nunatak crags, to ice bathing and expeditions to spy Antarctica skuas, Adelie penguins and Wilson’s storm petrels.