Six nights at Whichaway Camp in Antarctica
Six nights at Whichaway Camp, reached by a chartered Airbus from Cape Town to the Antarctic interior. The journey brings together two encounters almost no traveller will ever experience: the South Pole, visited by fewer than 500 people a year, and an Emperor penguin colony gathered on the sea ice. Between them are private polar pods with hot showers, fine dining, a sauna, Polar plunge, daily treatment with a full-time physical therapist, glacier exploration and an overnight at Dixie's Camp on the High Polar Plateau.
From Cape Town, a chartered aircraft flies 4,220 kilometres south, crossing ocean, sea ice and the Antarctic Circle before landing on a blue-ice runway. Whichaway Camp sits beyond the cruise routes, in an ice-free oasis of exposed rock, freshwater lakes and glacier. From this private base, guests fly to an Emperor penguin colony on the sea ice, continue deep into the interior to stand at 90° South, then return each day to heated pods, proper beds, hot showers, polished dining, wellness and the quiet theatre of 24-hour daylight.
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Whichaway is not a tented outpost pretending to be comfortable. It is a refined Antarctic camp with private polar pods, en-suite bathrooms, hot showers, Wi-Fi, a central Compass Lounge, sauna, Polar plunge, wellness dome and full-time physical therapist.
The South Pole is reached by specialist aircraft through the Antarctic interior, with a refuelling stop at Dixie's Camp at 83° South. Guests stand at 90° South, where every direction is north, then sleep overnight on the High Polar Plateau.
The Emperor penguin colony is reached by light aircraft, PistenBully transfer and a final approach on foot. In peak season, more than 12,000 adults and juveniles can gather on the sea ice, observed at a respectful distance under strict Antarctic guidelines.
6 Nights • Whichaway Camp, Antarctica
Guests seeking rare polar access with comfort, precision and serious expedition infrastructure. Best for travellers who want to combine the South Pole, Emperor penguins, Antarctic aviation, guided ice activity, wellness and private camp living in one journey.
Whichaway Camp sits in one of Antarctica's rare ice-free oases, surrounded by exposed rock, freshwater lakes and glacier. Guests stay in heated private pods with large outward-facing windows, proper beds, soft furnishings, full en-suite bathrooms, running water, hot showers and Wi-Fi. The Compass Lounge brings together reception, dining and sitting areas in one warm central space after time on the ice.
The journey begins in Cape Town with a mandatory safety briefing and polar kit check the day before departure. Guests then fly approximately five and a half hours to Antarctica by privately chartered aircraft, landing on a blue-ice runway before continuing to Whichaway Camp.
Six nights in Antarctica, return charter flights between Cape Town and Antarctica, accommodation at Whichaway Camp, meals, drinks, specialist polar guiding, Emperor penguin excursion, South Pole expedition, overnight at Dixie's Camp, selected Antarctic activities, sauna, Polar plunge, wellness dome, full-time physical therapist, safety briefing and kit check.
Private group arrangements, preferred spirits, special dining preferences, celebration details, additional photography support, extended Cape Town arrangements, Southern Africa safari add-ons, private aviation assistance and bespoke pre or post-Antarctica travel.
Moderate, with activities adapted to guest ability and conditions. The South Pole journey includes long flights, high altitude on the polar plateau and an overnight at a remote field camp. All activities are subject to weather, guide approval and operational safety.
Whichaway is set on exposed rock beside freshwater lakes, a landscape almost unknown to travellers who only see Antarctica by ship. The camp combines private pods, a central lounge, proper dining, wellness spaces and experienced staff in a place where every comfort has to be earned by logistics.
Each pod faces outward, with wide windows framing glacier, rock and water. Inside are warm finishes, proper beds, soft furnishings, full en-suite bathrooms, running water and hot showers, details that feel extraordinary in the Antarctic interior.
The Compass Lounge is the heart of camp. It is where guests return after flights and ice routes for drinks, dinner, conversation and warmth, with the reception, lounge and dining room gathered in one calm central space.
The journey to 90° South crosses the Antarctic interior by specialist aircraft. Guests fly to Dixie's Camp at 83° South for refuelling, continue to the Pole, visit the Geographic and Ceremonial markers, stamp their passport and return to the plateau for the night.
Dixie's Camp is a remote field camp and resupply point on the High Polar Plateau. Spending the night there means canvas, altitude, warm food and an immense white horizon in a place very few people have ever slept.
The flight to the Emperor penguins follows the Antarctic ice shelf towards Atka Bay. After landing on the ice, guests transfer by PistenBully and continue on foot until the sound of the colony begins to carry across the sea ice.
At the height of the season, tens of thousands of Emperor penguins can gather on the sea ice. Adults stand nearly 1.2 metres tall, juveniles move through the colony, and the sound, scale and fragility of the scene make it one of Earth's great wildlife encounters.
The journey relies on aircraft suited to Antarctic scale and terrain, including long-range polar aircraft and ski-equipped aircraft for remote ice operations. Flights are supported by experienced polar pilots, engineers, ground teams and safety staff.
Days around camp can include glacier hikes, ice climbing, abseiling, ziplining, ice cave exploration and nunatak climbs. Routes are selected around conditions, safety and guest ability, so the adventure remains precise rather than performative.
Whichaway has a sauna, Polar plunge and a dedicated dome for yoga, meditation or light training. A full-time physical therapist is stationed at camp, offering massages and treatments after long days outside in cold, wind, glare and altitude.
Meals are prepared with ingredients flown in from South Africa and served in the warmth of camp. Dining is family-style, generous and personal, with Cape wines, custom blends and preferred spirits arranged in advance.
The operation is designed around strict environmental standards. Consumables are repackaged before arrival, waste is removed from Antarctica, travel is fully offset, and wildlife encounters follow formal Antarctic visitor guidelines.
The first threshold is the flight south. Cape Town falls away, the aircraft crosses into continuous daylight, and the windows begin to fill with sea ice, cloud shadow and white distance. Landing on blue ice is not a normal arrival. It is the moment the journey becomes Antarctic.
Camp life is warm, precise and surprisingly intimate. After time on the ice, guests return to private pods, hot showers, the Compass Lounge, a sauna, Polar plunge, massage, proper meals and drinks poured in a room surrounded by glacier and rock. Nothing here feels excessive. It feels carefully justified.
The two great journeys give the week its gravity. One day brings the Emperor penguins, thousands of birds surviving on sea ice at the edge of the Southern Ocean. Another brings the South Pole, a coordinate so exact and remote that fewer than 500 people reach it in a typical year.
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This is a sample six-night Antarctic itinerary. Exact routing, aircraft, activity order and timings may change due to weather, ice conditions, aviation operations and safety guidance. Flexibility is essential in Antarctica.
Fly from Cape Town to Antarctica aboard a privately chartered aircraft. After approximately five and a half hours, land on the blue-ice runway and transfer to Whichaway Camp. Settle into your pod, meet the camp team and mark the first evening with drinks chilled by ancient Antarctic ice.
Board a light aircraft for the flight towards Atka Bay, travelling along the edge of the ice shelf. After landing at a remote airstrip on the ice, continue by PistenBully, then walk the final approach to the colony. What begins as sound on the horizon becomes thousands of Emperor penguins gathered on the sea ice.
Explore the landscape around Whichaway with specialist guides. The day can include a hike above the ice sheet, glacier views, freshwater lakes and a champagne picnic outdoors. Routes are chosen around conditions, visibility and the group's ability.
Board the Basler aircraft for the journey into the Antarctic interior. The first leg reaches Dixie's Camp at 83° South for refuelling, before continuing to the South Pole. Stand at 90° South, visit the Geographic and Ceremonial poles, take photographs and stamp your passport before returning to Dixie's Camp for the night.
Wake under canvas at Dixie's Camp on the High Polar Plateau. After breakfast, fly back across the continent towards Whichaway, with mountain ranges, ice fields and white distance below. Back at camp, the day softens into sauna, Polar plunge, yoga, massage and a celebratory dinner.
Move through one of Antarctica's most striking landscapes with certified mountain guides. A nunatak climb brings rock underfoot, glacier below and uninterrupted views across the interior. The activity can be shaped to suit experience level, from accessible exploration to a more technical objective.
Spend the final hours at Whichaway before the flight north. Depending on departure timing, there may be time for the Ice Bar, the boutique, the ice cinema or one last walk outside. Return to the blue-ice runway and fly back to Cape Town.
Fly from Cape Town to Antarctica aboard a privately chartered aircraft. After approximately five and a half hours, land on the blue-ice runway and transfer to Whichaway Camp. Settle into your pod, meet the camp team and mark the first evening with drinks chilled by ancient Antarctic ice.
Board a light aircraft for the flight towards Atka Bay, travelling along the edge of the ice shelf. After landing at a remote airstrip on the ice, continue by PistenBully, then walk the final approach to the colony. What begins as sound on the horizon becomes thousands of Emperor penguins gathered on the sea ice.
Explore the landscape around Whichaway with specialist guides. The day can include a hike above the ice sheet, glacier views, freshwater lakes and a champagne picnic outdoors. Routes are chosen around conditions, visibility and the group's ability.
Board the Basler aircraft for the journey into the Antarctic interior. The first leg reaches Dixie's Camp at 83° South for refuelling, before continuing to the South Pole. Stand at 90° South, visit the Geographic and Ceremonial poles, take photographs and stamp your passport before returning to Dixie's Camp for the night.
Wake under canvas at Dixie's Camp on the High Polar Plateau. After breakfast, fly back across the continent towards Whichaway, with mountain ranges, ice fields and white distance below. Back at camp, the day softens into sauna, Polar plunge, yoga, massage and a celebratory dinner.
Move through one of Antarctica's most striking landscapes with certified mountain guides. A nunatak climb brings rock underfoot, glacier below and uninterrupted views across the interior. The activity can be shaped to suit experience level, from accessible exploration to a more technical objective.
Spend the final hours at Whichaway before the flight north. Depending on departure timing, there may be time for the Ice Bar, the boutique, the ice cinema or one last walk outside. Return to the blue-ice runway and fly back to Cape Town.
Fly from Cape Town to Antarctica aboard a privately chartered aircraft. After approximately five and a half hours, land on the blue-ice runway and transfer to Whichaway Camp. Settle into your pod, meet the camp team and mark the first evening with drinks chilled by ancient Antarctic ice.
Board a light aircraft for the flight towards Atka Bay, travelling along the edge of the ice shelf. After landing at a remote airstrip on the ice, continue by PistenBully, then walk the final approach to the colony. What begins as sound on the horizon becomes thousands of Emperor penguins gathered on the sea ice.
Explore the landscape around Whichaway with specialist guides. The day can include a hike above the ice sheet, glacier views, freshwater lakes and a champagne picnic outdoors. Routes are chosen around conditions, visibility and the group's ability.
Board the Basler aircraft for the journey into the Antarctic interior. The first leg reaches Dixie's Camp at 83° South for refuelling, before continuing to the South Pole. Stand at 90° South, visit the Geographic and Ceremonial poles, take photographs and stamp your passport before returning to Dixie's Camp for the night.
Wake under canvas at Dixie's Camp on the High Polar Plateau. After breakfast, fly back across the continent towards Whichaway, with mountain ranges, ice fields and white distance below. Back at camp, the day softens into sauna, Polar plunge, yoga, massage and a celebratory dinner.
Move through one of Antarctica's most striking landscapes with certified mountain guides. A nunatak climb brings rock underfoot, glacier below and uninterrupted views across the interior. The activity can be shaped to suit experience level, from accessible exploration to a more technical objective.
Spend the final hours at Whichaway before the flight north. Depending on departure timing, there may be time for the Ice Bar, the boutique, the ice cinema or one last walk outside. Return to the blue-ice runway and fly back to Cape Town.
Fly from Cape Town to Antarctica aboard a privately chartered aircraft. After approximately five and a half hours, land on the blue-ice runway and transfer to Whichaway Camp. Settle into your pod, meet the camp team and mark the first evening with drinks chilled by ancient Antarctic ice.
Board a light aircraft for the flight towards Atka Bay, travelling along the edge of the ice shelf. After landing at a remote airstrip on the ice, continue by PistenBully, then walk the final approach to the colony. What begins as sound on the horizon becomes thousands of Emperor penguins gathered on the sea ice.
Explore the landscape around Whichaway with specialist guides. The day can include a hike above the ice sheet, glacier views, freshwater lakes and a champagne picnic outdoors. Routes are chosen around conditions, visibility and the group's ability.
Board the Basler aircraft for the journey into the Antarctic interior. The first leg reaches Dixie's Camp at 83° South for refuelling, before continuing to the South Pole. Stand at 90° South, visit the Geographic and Ceremonial poles, take photographs and stamp your passport before returning to Dixie's Camp for the night.
Wake under canvas at Dixie's Camp on the High Polar Plateau. After breakfast, fly back across the continent towards Whichaway, with mountain ranges, ice fields and white distance below. Back at camp, the day softens into sauna, Polar plunge, yoga, massage and a celebratory dinner.
Move through one of Antarctica's most striking landscapes with certified mountain guides. A nunatak climb brings rock underfoot, glacier below and uninterrupted views across the interior. The activity can be shaped to suit experience level, from accessible exploration to a more technical objective.
Spend the final hours at Whichaway before the flight north. Depending on departure timing, there may be time for the Ice Bar, the boutique, the ice cinema or one last walk outside. Return to the blue-ice runway and fly back to Cape Town.
Fly from Cape Town to Antarctica aboard a privately chartered aircraft. After approximately five and a half hours, land on the blue-ice runway and transfer to Whichaway Camp. Settle into your pod, meet the camp team and mark the first evening with drinks chilled by ancient Antarctic ice.
Board a light aircraft for the flight towards Atka Bay, travelling along the edge of the ice shelf. After landing at a remote airstrip on the ice, continue by PistenBully, then walk the final approach to the colony. What begins as sound on the horizon becomes thousands of Emperor penguins gathered on the sea ice.
Explore the landscape around Whichaway with specialist guides. The day can include a hike above the ice sheet, glacier views, freshwater lakes and a champagne picnic outdoors. Routes are chosen around conditions, visibility and the group's ability.
Board the Basler aircraft for the journey into the Antarctic interior. The first leg reaches Dixie's Camp at 83° South for refuelling, before continuing to the South Pole. Stand at 90° South, visit the Geographic and Ceremonial poles, take photographs and stamp your passport before returning to Dixie's Camp for the night.
Wake under canvas at Dixie's Camp on the High Polar Plateau. After breakfast, fly back across the continent towards Whichaway, with mountain ranges, ice fields and white distance below. Back at camp, the day softens into sauna, Polar plunge, yoga, massage and a celebratory dinner.
Move through one of Antarctica's most striking landscapes with certified mountain guides. A nunatak climb brings rock underfoot, glacier below and uninterrupted views across the interior. The activity can be shaped to suit experience level, from accessible exploration to a more technical objective.
Spend the final hours at Whichaway before the flight north. Depending on departure timing, there may be time for the Ice Bar, the boutique, the ice cinema or one last walk outside. Return to the blue-ice runway and fly back to Cape Town.
The South Pole is not a place you pass through. It is 90° South, the southern axis of the planet, where every direction is north and the idea of a map becomes almost absurd. Fewer than 500 people reach it in a year.
The Emperor penguins belong to a different kind of extreme. Males incubate a single egg through the Antarctic winter, fasting for months in darkness, wind and temperatures that can fall below minus 50°C. By November and December, the colony becomes a moving field of adults and juveniles on the sea ice, alive with sound, endurance and instinct.
Whichaway is what makes both encounters possible in one journey. It gives the week warmth, service and recovery without making the continent feel tame. You sleep in a proper bed, shower with hot water, eat beautifully and still wake each morning in a place where the ice, weather and distance remain completely in charge.
Starting from USD 115,500 per person
Select your preferred dates and number of guests to check availability. Our team will confirm camp availability, flight planning, pre-departure requirements and the final itinerary ahead of travel.
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English is used throughout the experience. The journey operates from Cape Town, South Africa, where the local currency is the South African rand.
Cape Town operates on South Africa Standard Time, UTC+2. Antarctica has no single official time zone, and operational timing is managed according to camp and aviation schedules.
This journey operates during the Antarctic summer, when continuous daylight and comparatively milder conditions allow flights and camp operations. November and December are especially important months for the Emperor penguin colony.
Visa requirements depend on nationality and the route into South Africa. Antarctica itself has no standard tourist visa process, but guests must comply with operator, aviation, insurance and pre-departure documentation requirements.
The experience begins in Cape Town with a mandatory safety briefing and polar clothing check the day before flying south. Guests then board a privately chartered flight to Antarctica, landing on a blue-ice runway before transferring to Whichaway Camp.
Technical polar clothing is required, and guest kit is checked before departure. Expect insulated layers, expedition outerwear, gloves, hats, eye protection, specialist boots and practical clothing for camp.
Weather controls the sequence of the journey. Flights to the South Pole, the Emperor penguin colony and other activity areas may shift to protect safety and maximise the chance of success.
Antarctica is remote, cold, windy and operationally complex. The journey is supported by specialist guides, medical staff, polar pilots, satellite communications, tracking systems, search and rescue procedures and evacuation capability back to Cape Town if required.
A selection of other experiences in Antarctica, chosen with the same care as everything else on this platform.
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