South Pole & Emperor Penguin Expedition
12 DAYS Starting from $108,500 per person
On this 12-day expedition, travel from South Africa to the South Pole; the heart of the Great White Continent, where few others have ventured! Fly from Cape Town to Antarctica, where you’ll settle into your luxury camp for a week of exhilarating adventure with ice-climbing, cave dwelling, abseiling, bike riding and climbing, or just relax in the most serene of destinations with a luxury spa treatment. When you think you couldn’t get any more remote, fly to the Atka Bay to view thousands of Emperor Penguins alongside few others, and onward to the Geographic South Pole, where you can literally walk around the world in only a few paces!
Trip at a Glance
HIGHLIGHTS
- Start your journey to the South Pole with a few nights in the “Mother City” of Cape Town, South Africa.
- Fly 5hrs from Cape Town to Wolf’s Fang Runway in Antarctica, the gateway for a tour to the South Pole.
- Spend 7 days in state-of-the-art heated ‘polar pods’ at the luxury base camp, Whichaway, with breathtaking views across the freshwater lakes of the Schirmacher Oasis.
- Set out daily for once-in-a-lifetime experiences ranging from ice-climbing and abseiling to yoga, saunas and meditation.
- View over 14,000 breeding pairs of Emperor Penguins and their newly hatched chicks at the remote Atka Bay alongside few others.
- In route to the South Pole, camp in one of the wildest places on Earth, Dixie’s Camp.
- Walk around the world in only a few paces at the Geographic South Pole while marveling at the impressive American Amundsen-Scott research station in the backdrop.
Related Tours
Antarctica Polar Circle Express Cruise
15 days starting from $19,990 per person
Antarctica & South Georgia Wildlife Cruise
24 days starting from $17,390 per person
Santiago Tour & Antarctica Ocean Nova Cruise
14 days starting from $19,990 per person
Rated 5 / 5 based on 58 reviews
“SA Expeditions is the best company to work with. Our family has taken 4+ vacations with them - all to South and Central America - and each has been spectacular. They make it so easy and book beautiful accommodations and incredible experiences...”
— Elana Schoenbrum
31 Aug, 2023
Rated 5 / 5 based on 58 reviews
“Adam Laughter and SA expeditions planned an amazing, once in a lifetime trip for family. The plans were complex involving family members arriving at different times, etc.. The team was professional, responsive and knew the area really well. We...”
— Nadia Ismail
04 Aug, 2023
Rated 5 / 5 based on 58 reviews
“My experience with SA Expeditions has been reliably excellent. We traveled to the Amazon and the Galapagos July 2023. Claudia planned the trip with care and all tours, guides, accommodations were wonderful. The Napo Wildlife Eco-Lodge was...”
— Toniann and Gene Schultz
28 Jul, 2023
Rated 5 / 5 based on 58 reviews
“I had one of the most memorable travel experiences, that SA Expeditions carefully crafted to my personal preferences, during my solo trip in Peru! I expressed my interest to Adam Laughter in wanting to do nature, adventure, and indulgence in...”
— Layan Kutob
08 Jul, 2023
Rated 5 / 5 based on 58 reviews
“Our trip to Cuzco and Machu Picchu was fabulous! Julia at SA Expeditions was friendly, informative, and very helpful with the planning. We were with a group of friends and family and she customized each of our trips while ensuring we were all...”
— David Smith
30 Jun, 2023
Rated 5 / 5 based on 58 reviews
“The guide that met us at the airport and provided us with transportation and a tour of Quito was outstanding. The flights were great, no issues whatsoever. The boat was dated and lost an engine early in the trip but the crew and naturalist more...”
— Rick Setzer
27 Jun, 2023
Rated 5 / 5 based on 58 reviews
“My husband and I went to Peru for our 5-year wedding anniversary. We wanted to do something outdoorsy but also relaxing and romantic. We chose Peru for its beautiful culture, incredible food, and unbeatable excursions. Our trip planner, Julia, and...”
— Tess Rex
22 Jun, 2023
Rated 5 / 5 based on 58 reviews
“We hiked the Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with SA Expeditions and it was an incredible experience. They took care of all the moving pieces, including all the many tickets and permits and all the transportation we needed over two days. Our...”
— Sarah Strochak
16 Jun, 2023
Rated 5 / 5 based on 58 reviews
“SA Expeditions provided us an excellent customized tour -- for two of us for five days -- to Lima-Cuzco-Machu Picchu ! This was followed by a two-day trip to Port Maldonado in Amazon rainforest. Great trip lasting over a week!!”
— Amod Ogale
13 Jun, 2023
Rated 5 / 5 based on 58 reviews
“The trip was fantastic, beyond amazing. Much of it due to all the work Julia put in arranging everything! The things that stand out for me are the hotels, especially the hotel in Cusco, which we LOVED, the seemingly seamless transfers from place...”
— Valerye Strochak
12 Jun, 2023