WHITE DESERT ANNOUNCES ITS BRAND NEW CAMP, ECHO.
A new camp inspired by astronauts. Used by explorers.
The inspiration behind Echo Base comes from too many years of watching Star Wars as a kid. I loved the style and vision of how they perceived the future would be in the 1970s.
The fusion of ‘space’ and ‘exploration’ seemed entirely natural to the Antarctic environment, as only there do we get such vast moonscapes, needle-point mountains and incredible ice formations. I am often asked what travelling to Antarctica is really like and my response is always the same – it’s the closest you can get to being on another planet.
“Echo is set in a lunar like landscape that feels like visiting a galaxy far far away”
This point was made even more meaningful when we had the incredible cosmonaut, Buzz Aldrin come on holiday with us. He spoke of the beauty of our mountains and how there were even similarities with the moon’s terrain. There were other connections too – some entirely bizarre. We worked out that one of our camps in Antarctica is so remote, that their nearest neighbour was the International Space Station (ISS) orbiting over 400km overhead!
Futuristic ‘Sky Pods’ inspired by space travel
We felt it was time to re-design our Antarctic accommodation and move away from the leather and canvas feel of the early explorers. Instead, we designed unique ‘sky pods’ with clean lines, perfect symmetry and incredible comfort. The pods’ ultra-modern materials are in total juxtaposition to the wild, elemental landscape they inhabit, giving them the effect that they have just been beamed down from Mars. The six bedrooms have floor to ceiling windows, creating an almost inside/outside feel when you are lying on the bed.
“As if the Millennium Falcon, which feels quite retro today, met a boutique retreat in the modern world.”
“Floor to ceiling windows showcase the stunning moonscape terrain”
Bucket-list adventure travel to Antarctica
More than anything, I wanted Echo Base to be a place for travellers who are looking for a decidedly advanced vision of adventure and luxury travel. Only 12 guests can stay there at any one time, which makes the experience highly bespoke and allows you to savour the best in this truly spectacular continent.
The camp allows guests to combine an ultra-luxury experience with a once in lifetime adventure on the 7th Continent.
As with all White Desert’s camps, Echo is designed to be dismantled, leaving no trace on the Antarctic landscape.