Buckle up for a magical Antarctic adventure.
South Pole Emperor Odyssey offers an exciting itinerary that includes a flight to the South Pole, an overnight camp high on the Antarctic Plateau and a visit of one of the greatest spectacles on Earth, Antarctica's majestic Emperor penguins.
- Gateway Cape Town, South Africa
- Distance no ski
- Days on Ice no ski
- Daily Distance no ski
- Temp. Range -5 to -30°C
- Sled Weight no ski
- Challenge 3 What's this?
- Conditions cool coastal to cold plateau
- Challenges some cold exposure, altitude on flight and at Pole
Trip Itinerary
Arrive Cape Town. Check-in to hotel (require minimum 3 nights accommodation)
Equipment check, free time.
Pre-flight briefing and collect polar clothing. Free time.
Flight to Novo Airbase in Antarctica. Transfer to Oasis Camp and settle in.
Local walk around Schirmacher Oasis. Prepare for South Pole flight.
You will leave early in the morning in the in the DC3 Basler Turbo prop aircraft. The plane will fly across stunning mountain ranges before landing at 83 degrees south (FD83 Camp) to refuel. You will have a chance to walk around before continuing on to the pole. At the South Pole itself, you will have lots of time for photos and visiting local sites before returning to FD83 camp for a night high on the polar plateau.
Wake up on the Antarctic plateau! Breakfast then return flight to Novo. Rest and recovery.
Flight to the Astrid Emperor penguin colony where we have a few hours to immerse ourselves into this spectacular location. Return to Oasis Camp.
Day trip drive to the spectacular Ice Wall, an enormous face carved into the icecap by the effects of wind and sun.
Drive/walk to the enchanting Ice Tunnel, a natural tube carved into the ice shelf.
Morning relax or activity and prepare to return to South Africa. Afternoon flight to Cape Town. End of services.
Please note: the schedule must remain adaptable to weather, flight conditions and to the actual duration of your selected trip. We always prioritise 1. South Pole, 2. Emperor penguins, 3. Ice Tunnel and then remainder of activities.
Inclusions
- Briefing followed by refreshments one day prior to departure
- Cape Town airport transfers for Antarctic flights
- All flights associated with the expedition program
- Meals and accommodation at Oasis Camp
- Meals and accommodation at Plateau camp
- Icetrek guide(s)
- Use of specialist clothing and equipment (see equipment list).
- 25kg hold luggage allowance plus 10kg cabin luggage
Exclusions
- Travel to and from Cape Town, South Africa
- Hotel transfers for non-Antarctic flights
- Hotel accommodation in Cape Town (we can help you find appropriate accommodation at your preferred budget).
- Excess baggage above the allowance
- Additional costs (accommodation, meals etc.) due to changes beyond our control ie. weather delays
- Evacuation, hospitalization and repatriation costs and/or insurance
- Satellite telephone airtime
- Commercial use of footage or images provided by Icetrek
This trip combines the magnificent Emperor Penguins with a flight to the most southern point on Earth - the Geographic South Pole.
In Cape Town we board an Ilyushin-76 jet and fly 5.5 hours over the Southern Ocean to Novo Airbase near Russia's Novolazarevskaya station. We drive a short distance to your accommodation at Oasis Guesthouse. Situated on Schirmacher Oasis, an ice-free area 14km from the runway, the wooden houses of our heated Guesthouse are warm and cosy and offer luxury lodge-style accommodation and an authentic banya (Russian sauna).
After your long overnight flight you have time to sleep or relax.
At the Guesthouse a host of activities are available at your leisure, including local walks and sightseeing, games and entertainment, lectures about Antarctica and of course the Russian sauna. And you have plenty of time to indulge yourself in reading, music, socialising or just resting.
Further afield we undertake exploratory walks in the Oasis, search for Adelie penguins, visit the icewall and ice tunnel, climb local peaks and trek on the ice waves of the iceshelf.
With good weather we fly 45 minutes by Twin Otter aircraft to the Astrid Emperor penguin colony. You will have several hours to observe the penguins and their chicks and to walk near castle-like icebergs trapped by the fast ice. It is a truly magical place and a highlight of your Antarctic Odyssey.
The pinnacle of the journey is the flight to the South Pole. Once we have weather clearance we fly over the stunning Queen Maud Mountains onto the Antarctic Plateau landing at our comfortable camp where we refuel. An hour later we fly to the South Pole. The South Pole! Yes, you are standing at the bottom of the world, a place that very few people have the opportunity to visit. You will have around two hours to take it all in - visit the actual and symbolic poles, view the scientific base and its buildings, soak in the atmosphere of 90º south.
After our visit we fly north and return to the refuel camp where we stay the night. The following day we return to Novo airbase and the Guesthouse where we celebrate our achievement with good food and wine.
After a week of adventuring, relaxing, socialising and learning about the southern continent we bring you to the airbase for your flight back to Cape Town. This is truly a superb adventure.
Many airlines fly to Cape Town, South Africa, including South African Airways, British Airways, KLM, Qatar, Lufthansa, Air France, Singapore and others.
