Waypoint Journeys Presents
South Pole & Emperor Penguins
Beyond the Edge of the Map
8 Days · White Desert departures on request
Cape Town · Wolf’s Fang · Atka Bay · 90° South
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The Bottom of the World, by Air
A flight of around five and a half hours from Cape Town takes you into the Antarctic interior, landing on White Desert’s blue-ice runway at Wolf’s Fang. From here, transfer to your chosen camp and begin eight days of guided exploration among mountains, glaciers and the wide expanses of Queen Maud Land.
Two journeys define the expedition: a flight to the emperor penguin colony at Atka Bay and a flight to the Geographic South Pole. The latter travels via Dixie’s Camp on the High Polar Plateau, where you spend a night before returning to your main camp. Between these flights, the guides tailor walks and ice activities to the conditions and the group.
White Desert operates the expedition; Waypoint Journeys arranges your booking and helps plan the Cape Town portion. Choose Explorer, Whichaway or Echo as your main camp. The eight-day programme below follows the operator’s current sample itinerary; departure dates, camp availability and the final order of activities are confirmed for your booking.
"Time at the Pole is deliberately simple: standing at the bottom of the world, where all directions lead north."
A Colony of Emperors, the Geographic Pole, and a Runway Made of Ice
Fly to Atka Bay to see emperor penguins and their chicks on the sea ice. White Desert’s guides manage the visit around the colony and the conditions, keeping a respectful distance from the wildlife. The flight and time ashore are subject to weather and ice conditions.
Travel south across the plateau, stopping at Dixie’s Camp before continuing to 90° South. Visit the geographic and ceremonial markers, take photographs and collect a passport stamp before returning to Dixie’s for the night. Access inside the Amundsen–Scott research station is not part of the programme.
Your flight from Cape Town lands on the blue ice of Wolf’s Fang Runway, beneath the mountains of Queen Maud Land. It is the gateway to White Desert’s camps and onward flights into the interior. Aircraft and timings depend on the departure and operating conditions.
Explorer is based at Wolf’s Fang. Whichaway’s domed accommodation sits beside a lake in the Schirmacher Oasis, while Echo’s distinctive pods stand beneath the mountains. Accommodation and facilities vary by camp; the South Pole and emperor penguin flights are included in each option.
The days between flights allow for guided hikes, ice exploration and time to relax at camp. Activities are chosen around the terrain, weather and your interests, with guides setting an appropriate level of challenge. The sample programme includes a mountain outing and a final guided cliff hike.
The expedition begins and ends in Cape Town. Arrive at least two days before the Antarctic flight for the briefing and kit check, and leave at least two days after the scheduled return before onward travel. Cape Town accommodation and extra touring can be arranged separately.
The Expedition
Eight days, seven nights in Antarctica: the jet south from Cape Town, the emperors at Atka Bay, the flight to the Pole with a night on the plateau, and the days on the ice in between. The order of days, and the flights to Atka Bay and the South Pole, are subject to change with weather and ice conditions.
Fly from Cape Town to Wolf’s Fang in approximately five and a half hours, then transfer to your chosen camp. Settle into your accommodation and meet the guides for an introduction to life and activities on the ice.
Take the flight to Atka Bay for a guided visit to its emperor penguin colony. Watch the adults and chicks on the sea ice while keeping the distance set by your guides, then return to camp. Weather and ice conditions determine the timing.
Explore the mountains and ice around camp on a guided outing. The route and pace are matched to your interests, fitness and the day’s conditions, with time to enjoy the views across Queen Maud Land.
Fly across the High Polar Plateau via Dixie’s Camp to the Geographic South Pole. Visit the markers, take photographs and collect a passport stamp, then fly back to Dixie’s for the night. This is an expedition camp on the plateau, with simpler accommodation than your main camp.
After breakfast on the plateau, fly back to your main camp. Settle in for a relaxed afternoon following the South Pole journey, with time to rest and share the experience over dinner.
Enjoy a flexible day at camp, choosing from the guided activities available in the conditions or simply taking time to relax. This flexibility also helps the team adjust the flying programme when weather changes.
Head out with the guides for the programme’s final hike, including cliffside terrain when conditions permit. The route is adapted to the group before a final evening at camp.
Transfer to Wolf’s Fang for the return flight to Cape Town. Keep at least two days free after the scheduled arrival before onward flights, as Antarctic weather can change the departure time.
What's Included
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common Questions About This Expedition
Original Antarctic destination illustrations.
Expedition Investment
per person sharing, Explorer Camp
Includes return Antarctic flights from Cape Town, camp transfers, the emperor penguin and South Pole excursions, seven Antarctic nights including Dixie’s Camp, meals and standard drinks, guides, the Cape Town briefing and airport transfers, and selected loan clothing from the kit list
Whichaway or Echo from $115,500 USD per person sharing. Dates and availability confirmed on request. Excludes flights to Cape Town, Cape Town hotels and meals, insurance, delay expenses and personal extras. Solo and exclusive-use bookings quoted separately
Reserve Your SpotThere is no crime in Antarctica; the risks are weather, cold and remoteness, and this operation is built around all three. White Desert has flown guests to the interior for two decades, runs its own runway, aircraft, field camps and medical cover, and cancels or delays a flight whenever conditions say so, which is why the schedule carries reserve days and why we ask you to keep two days' slack in Cape Town on either side. The plateau is high (Dixie's Camp at about 2,640 metres, the Pole at 2,835) and dry, so guests are briefed on altitude and hydration; the cold is managed with the issued clothing and a guide who watches for it. The emperor colony is visited under Antarctic Treaty rules, on foot, at the distance the birds set. Medical clearance within 30 days and specialist insurance are conditions of travel, and we help arrange both.
