The Bottom of the World
The journey to the South Pole is a passage to one of the most consequential coordinates on Earth. At 90°S, the Pole marks the southern axis of the planet and the ultimate milestone of polar exploration. At 3,000 m (10,000 ft) above the ice, the High Polar Plateau unfolds as an unbroken expanse of white and sky. Time at the Pole is deliberately simple: standing at the bottom of the world, where all directions lead north.
From our main camps, guests travel 2,400 km (1,500 mi) into the continent’s interior, first flying five hours to Dixie’s Camp before continuing onward after refuelling, crossing the same vast terrain that once demanded months of endurance from early explorers. The return to Dixie’s Camp at 83°S offers a rare overnight immersion in Antarctica’s interior, surrounded by silence, scale, and uninterrupted horizons — a perspective on place and distance that few will ever experience.
Against All Odds
Standing nearly 1.2 m (4 ft) tall and weighing up to 45 kg (99 lb), the Emperor Penguin is Antarctica’s largest and most resilient bird. Perfectly adapted to extreme cold, dense waterproof feathers and a thick layer of insulating blubber allow them to endure temperatures below –50°C (–58°F) and winds exceeding 190 km/h (120 mph). Their most remarkable feat unfolds in winter, when males incubate a single egg on their feet beneath a brood pouch, fasting for up to two months as the colony huddles together in a slow, deliberate rhythm to survive the polar night.
To witness this resilience firsthand is to journey deep into their world. A 2.5-hour Basler flight crosses the vast ice shelf and surrounding ocean before guests continue by PistenBully, approaching the colony at a respectful distance. As the horizon begins to move and distant specks resolve into thousands of penguins, the scale of their collective endurance becomes unmistakable. An encounter of rare privilege, revealing the fragility of the colony and the extreme environment that shapes it.
Our Camps
Sample Itinerary
South Pole & Emperors
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
Baby Penguins & Blue Tunnels
Witness the Emperor chicks as they take their first steps, and explore the ethereal Blue Ice Tunnels.
The Long Stay
Experience both of our main camps — Whichaway and Echo — on our longest itinerary.
