The First Steps
In November, Atka Bay awakens to a flurry of tiny Emperor Penguin chicks, newly hatched and beginning to wobble from their parents’ feet. Each chick faces a staggering challenge: nearly half will not survive the extreme Antarctic conditions. Their insulating grey down — delicate yet remarkably resilient — helps them endure temperatures plunging below –50°C (–58°F) and winds exceeding 190 km/h (120 mph).
The early season offers an intimate view of this vulnerable stage of the penguins’ life cycle, as chicks take their first steps onto the ice. The journey to the colony is as memorable as the encounter itself: a 2.5-hour Basler flight reveals the vast ice shelf and surrounding ocean before guests continue by PistenBully, approaching at a respectful distance. As thousands of penguins emerge on the horizon, visitors witness fluffy chicks, watchful parents, and the unfiltered reality of survival in Earth’s harshest environment — a perspective few will ever experience.
Nature's Cathedrals
Hidden beneath the Antarctic surface lies one of the continent’s most otherworldly wonders: the blue ice tunnels. Formed over thousands of years as compacted snow transforms into ultra-dense glacial ice, these tunnels are carved by meltwater streams and shaped by the slow movement of the glacier itself. Inside, light filters through, illuminating shimmering blue walls and creating a cathedral-like world and sense of quiet grandeur, entirely removed from the surface above.
Reaching them is an adventure in its own right. As much as the destination is the point, the journey builds the anticipation: a two-hour hike across undulating, sweeping icefields, where the horizon glows white in every direction. You descend into a quiet valley, then climb toward the tunnel entrance, a contrast so striking that the moment the blue reveals itself feels almost cinematic.
Our Camps
Sample
Itinerary
Baby Penguins & Blue Tunnels
Day-by-day
A Note About Weather
Our main priority is to fly guests safely and successfully to the penguins and the South Pole, and we adjust each week's itinerary for those optimal flying windows. These can often change, so it's important to remain flexible.
Other Trips
South Pole & Emperor Penguins
Our most popular itinerary which includes a journey to the South Pole and a visit to the Emperor Penguin colony.
The Long Stay
Experience both of our main camps — Whichaway and Echo — on our longest itinerary.
