During your stay in Antarctica, you’ll have multiple days to explore Union Glacier. Our meteorologists will carefully monitor the weather conditions and identify the best days for skydiving.
A typical day starts with breakfast, then a meeting with your guide to discuss the day’s options and choose an activity tailored to the weather and the group’s interests. Excursions may include any of the following destinations and activities:
Elephant’s Head
Ride in one of our wheeled vehicles to this dramatic marble buttress overlooking the blue-ice runway. Beautiful ice formations and moraines offer endless opportunities for photographers to capture close-up frozen formations or wide angle glacial landscapes. Hikers can trek up to the base of Elephant’s Head or all the way to the top of Rhodes Bluff for panoramic views of Union Glacier and the Heritage Range.
Rhodes Bluff and Fossil Garden
Geology lovers will be delighted to explore this hotspot for ichnofossils. Our experienced guides can help you navigate by GPS to known trace fossils or accompany you on a mission to discover new ones.
Buchanan Hills
Board our one-of-a-kind Tucker Bus, a custom designed tracked vehicle, for the scenic drive to the remote Buchanan Hills. You’ll arrive at a high pass that offers expansive views of Union Glacier as it flows into Constellation Inlet. Higgins Nunatak pokes through the ice, like an atoll in a frozen ocean. For the fit and adventurous, there are two easy hiking routes that require no prior experience and grant you the rare opportunity to summit a peak in the heart of Antarctica.
Drake Icefall
Named in the 1960s after geologist Benjamin Drake IV, this impressive icefall tumbles off the polar plateau into Union Glacier. Winds from the South Pole carve huge waves into the blue-ice and polish the surface into a high shine.
Charles Windscoop
Discover the power of wind on ice as you wander through a sparkling turquoise corridor. If you’re truly adventurous, this is a prime place to try ice climbing with one of our experienced guides. For the less vertically inclined, you can rock hunt to your heart’s content. Just remember to leave them in place, as nothing may be removed from Antarctica.
The Beach at Rossman Cove
Another spectacular setting for photography and panoramic views! Head out on cross-country skis and enjoy Antarctica’s version of a glacial beach getaway.
If you’d prefer to stay closer to camp, we have a variety of activities for all abilities. You can check out a pair of cross-country skis or a fat-tire bike and take a spin around our groomed 10k loop or you can enjoy a cup of tea, an Antarctic book, or fun game in our camp library.
Lectures and films tailored to your experience round out our camp activities.
Fly to the South Pole
Once weather conditions permit, you will board our ski aircraft and head for the southernmost point on Earth! The flight takes 4 to 5 ½ hours depending on the aircraft, the shortest flight-time fom any private camp. En route, you will fly over the high, polar plateau, viewing wind affected snow called sastrugi, crevasse fields, and an endless expanse of white. As you near 90° South, you will catch sight of Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, a cluster of buildings surrounded by snow and sky. We land on a groomed ski-way and you’ll deplane near the South Pole marker. Here all 360 lines of longitude meet and beneath your feet the ice is almost 10,000 ft (3000 m) thick! You have joined an exclusive group of people who have journeyed this far south on our planet. Congratulations!
Our overnight stay offers a relaxed pace to experience this unique destination. There will be plenty of time for photos at both the Geographic and Ceremonial Poles, as well as time for reflection. Imagine how it must have felt to stand here a century ago, with only the sound of the wind and an endless expanse of white stretching northward in all directions.
A .6mi (1km) walk brings you to our private South Pole Camp. Enjoy a hot meal prepared by one of our talented chefs and mingle with your fellow explorers in the large, heated dining tent. Depending on when you visit, you may also get the chance to greet ski teams just completing their journey to the Pole. After a momentous day, climb inside your heated tent and get snuggled up for a southerly snooze at 90°S.
Be prepared for extreme cold and the effects of altitude during your stay. South Pole temperatures range from -31° to -13°F (-35° to -25°C) and even the slightest breeze can quickly freeze exposed skin. Wear warm layers and cover your hands and face completely when outside.
The physiological altitude (how high it feels) at the South Pole is roughly 11,000ft (3300m). You may feel the effects of altitude, including shortness of breath and mild headache. Take it slow and steady to help your body cope with these unfamiliar conditions.
One of our experienced medics accompanies all South Pole flights and is ready to assist you should you have any issues with the cold or altitude. The next morning, you’ll pack up for the return flight to Union Glacier Camp where you’ll celebrate your achievement and receive a certificate to commemorate your South Pole Overnight Experience in Antarctica
