Antartica

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Antarctica cannot help but to have a powerful effect on you. It is not just the beauty or unimaginably large landscapes; it is there connection to nature in its rawest form. Our Antarctica tours have been designed to offer discerning travellers a selection of activities to meet their preferred refined travel style. With only 12 guests on each departure, we tailor our luxury Antarctica trips to be as relaxed or as adrenalin-fueled as you wish. 

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In a feat of engineering, your journey to the 7th continent is aboard a ‘‘heavy’’ — an Airbus A340 plane commissioned by White Desert. During the flight, you’ll soar above thousands of icebergs and over the ice shelf, landing in 24 hours of continuous sun, where time is just a concept.

Journey

PRE DEPARTURE

White Desert hosts a mandatory safety briefing in Cape Town. Our Guest Experience team will personally check your kit & polar clothing to prepare for your flight south.

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DAY 1

Soar across ice-cloaked oceans on a 5.5-hour flight from Cape Town. Cross into the Polar Circle and bask in endless daylight.Land on a blue-ice runway, then toast your arrival at Echo with cocktails chilled by 10,000-year-old Antarctic ice.

DAY 2

Curate your perfect day: from yoga, massages, and gentle hikes to abseiling and summiting a nunatak. Or, slow down and listen to our explorer team’s tales of lesser-known Antarctic history and record-breaking feats beneath the endless southern skies.

Journey

DAY 3

Fly 2.5 hours across dazzling landscapes to Atka Bay. Walk among resilient Emperor penguins; majestic, rare, and utterly unforgettable.Very few will ever witness such a scene in the wild heart of Antarctica.

DAY 4

Hike above the ice sheet to sweeping views of untouched peaks. Enjoy a champagne picnic, then venture further with your guide to a breathtaking lookout. Every step reveals the vast, silent beauty that defines this polar realm.

Journey

DAY 5

The South Pole awaits. Board our Basler aircraft and fly overvast mountain ranges. After refuelling at Dixie’s Camp, land atthe Pole and stand where explorers dreamt to be. Capture themoment, stamp your passport, and overnight like the pioneers.

DAY 6

Awaken under canvas on the High Polar Plateau. After breakfast,fly back to Echo, savouring the scale and solitude from above. A celebratory three-course dinner and champagne await your return, your triumph toasted beneath Antarctic skies.

Journey

DAY 7

Venture along a dramatic cliff-side trail with panoramic viewsof the last true wilderness. Led by IFMGA mountain guides, this challenging hike promises awe, exhilaration, and a deeper connection to Antarctica’s untamed spirit.

DAY 8 

The flight out of Antarctica will be the last of your enduring memories of the great White Continent before you dive back into the vibrant energy of Africa. You will be transferred to your hotel where you will have a chance to relax and reflect on your Antarctic adventure!

Dwellings

WHICHAWAY

Our flagship camp, Whichaway is so named due to our Founder getting lost in the area and wasn’t sure which-a-way to go! While most of Antarctica is covered in ice, Whichaway is on a rare rocky outcrop encircled by an enormous cliff of iridescentblue ice. The six bedroom pods are warm and elegant, while the communal spaces provide the perfect base for meals,cocktail hours, and relaxation between activities.

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ECHO

Echo feels like stepping off planet Earth and entering a galaxy far, far away...Surrounded by some of the planet’s most spectacular scenery, Echo’s distinctive pods look more suited to a colony on Mars. Inspired by astronauts and used by explorers, each of the six heated sleeping pods feature floor-to-ceiling windows. There is no more dramatic landscape to wake up to, as each room overlooks the lunar-likevistas beyond.

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HINLOPENSTRETET & TORELLNESET

In the morning, we navigate Hinlopenstretet, the strait separating Spitsbergen from Nordaustlandet. The passage is bordered bys teep cliffs and several tidewater glaciers, an important summer habitat for Brünnich’s guillemots, which nest on the cliffs, and the waters may hold bearded seals and drifting pack ice. Polar bearsare often sighted in this region, particularly along the ice edge.In the afternoon we land at Torellneset, this gravel spit is a well-known walrus haul-out site, where groups of Atlantic walrus reston the beach between feeding bouts in the surrounding shallow waters.

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SORGFJORDEN

We arrive at Sorgfjorden, located at the northwestern tip of Spitsbergen. The fjord is famous for its dramatic historical events,most notably the naval battle of 1693, when French warshipsclashed with Dutch whalers. Along its shores, traces of the whalingera remain visible, including graves and blubber ovens from the17th century. Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes are sometimes spotted along the shoreline, while walrus may gather at haul-outsnear the fjord entrance. In summer, Arctic terns, geese, and other migratory birds add to the seasonal life of the high Arctic coas.

KROSSFJORDEN& KONGSFJORDEN

In the morning, we explore Krossfjorden, where the immense Lilliehöökbreen Glacier stretches for more than 12 kilometers. Seals often haul out on the drifting ice, and flocks of kittiwakessoar above. Later in the day, we head onwards to Kongsfjorden,one of the most beautiful fjords in Svalbard. Surrounded by snow-covered peaks and sweeping glaciers, the fjord has long drawn explorers and scientists, its dramatic landscapes offering some ofthe most striking scenery in the archipelago.

LONGYEARBYEN

Itinerary HighlightsBid farewell to Aqua Lares and the crew after a hearty breakfaston board.

Signature elements

The world’s only super yacht offering both individual cabin bookings and private charters for small-ship expeditions across East Africa and the Arctic Circle. As a former ice breaker, the 77m Aqua Lares was purpose-built for exploration and now sails some ofthe world’s most remote destinations, embracing the spirit of relaxed luxury.

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ABOARD THE AQUA LARES

Purpose-built for exploration, the 77-meter Aqua Lares is a luxurious world-class floating safari, seamlessly blending European prestige with the earthy elegance of African craftsmanship — a fusion of timeless heritage and contemporary refinement. Warm-paneled interiors, Dedar textiles, and bespoke Gaya Ceramics dishware weave together an enchanting ambiance of relaxed luxury. The super yacht offers just as much to discover as the islands which it sails: sleek pieces by Minottiand Poltrona Frau contrast with antique maps and prints, blending traditional and contemporary aesthetics in a celebration of nature and timeless design.