Ultima Oasis Camp
A luxury facility on the coast of east-Antarctica
ULTIMA OASIS CAMP
An oasis of quality comfort, cosy warmth and delicious fare, in from the cold.
Situated in the Schirmacher Oasis in Queen Maud Land, the Camp is adjacent to the Russian base Novolazarevskaya and only 12km from Novo Airbase, the airfield servicing flights from Cape Town in South Africa. This makes Ultima Oasis Camp the perfect staging post for expeditions, treks and flights to the South Pole, Emperor penguin colonies and the spectacular Drygalski mountains.
Summer Base
Ultima Oasis Camp operates during the Antarctic summer season from November to February. It comprises three chalet-style cabins - #1 and 2 are used to accommodate up to 20 guests and #3 features a dining room and semi-commercial kitchen.
Facilities
Ultima Oasis Camp has a range of modern facilities that make your Antarctic stay very comfortable.
Each of the three cabins are heated and powered and contain a shared bathroom and sitting room with coffee and tea-making facilities, and fast wifi. Rooms in the cabins are of varying sizes, to accommodate individuals, couples, pairs or groups – depending on their preferences, and based on availability. South African power outlets are available in every room for charging your devices. Bathrooms are shared between rooms, and kept spotless.
Dining is communal, as expeditioners share the day’s exhilarating experiences in the Lounge & Dining Cabin, where hearty meals are prepared by the dedicated camp chef and serving assistants. Meals are tailored to dietary requirements, and may be accompanied by a range of carefully-selected South African wines and a full bar of beverages, teas and freshly-ground coffees.
Expansive bay windows keep the glorious views permanently in sight, lit by 24-hour daylight, as guests relax and restore from the day’s adventure.
Activities around the camp include a range of guided hikes or gentle walks, up into the nunatak crags, or to the edge of the mesmerising continental ice shelf, with distant views north over endless ice.
Adventurers can even enjoy an invigorating sauna and ice bath, after a day of exploration.
Stunning wooden decks out front offer a unique setting for contemplation in the Antarctic sunshine.
Activities
With 24-hour daylight there is always opportunity for indoor and outdoor activities. Indoors we offer games, reading, movies, music and socialising with a coffee or a glass of wine.
Outside, Schirmacher Oasis is a unique ice-free expanse of rocky hills interspersed with snow slopes and frozen lakes. The walks in this region range from easy to moderate and can be tailored to suit the group. A short distance north lies the large Nivl ice shelf that stretches to the horizon and the interface between rock and ice creates wonderful formations and features that are within walking distance.
On every foray from the camp, safety is paramount, and guides carefully equip guests with appropriate gear.
To the south of Schirmacher Oasis lies the great Antarctic plateau and we see it clearly stretching into the abyss. Using boot spikes we can walk directly on the frozen lakes and glacier, and it's here that we get a true sense of this icy continent. We can take drives in the Toyota Hilux trucks to see some of the spectacular sights at the plateau's edge and climb some of the nunataks that emerge through the ice.
Further afield, and requiring flights in the Basler or Twin Otter aircraft stationed at Novo airbase, are Emperor penguins, the spectacular Holtanna and Ulvetanna mountains and of course the South Pole.
Staff
There is a manager, chef and assistants stationed at Ultima Oasis Camp for the season. When groups arrive they are accompanied by an appropriate number of guides from Icetrek and from Ultima Antarctic Logistics who run the Camp. At the nearby Novo Airbase there is a doctor and a seasonal crew who manage the airbase and all associated flights. Novo has a number of over-snow vehicles and drivers who participate in the programs out of the camp, transporting groups to the various surrounding locations.
Hazards
Coastal Antarctica between November and February is relatively warm, between -15 and 5C, with temperatures dropping to -35c high on the plateau. As such usual ski clothing is adequate for outdoor excursions on the coast and insulated polar clothing for the plateau which we provide to scheduled South Pole groups. Surrounding the Camp and within the Schirmacher Oasis are many hazards such as crevasses, steep ice and rock cliffs and thinly-frozen lakes and it is advised not to wander beyond the confines of the Camp without a guide.
Ultima Oasis Camp. Your comfortable gateway to a host of Antarctic adventures.
