Meet the only luxury accommodation in Antarctica. Or actually, the only temporary lodge - out of season, its structures are dismantled without any human trace.
The White Desert is a unique experience package for the super-rich set to run between November and January, starting in 2022. Unfortunately, outside this short period, the strong winds create a hostile environment to stay in Antarctica.
The White Desert is the brainchild of Robyn and her husband, Patrick Woodhead. The polar explorer couple decided to invest their savings in one of the most revolutionary lodging concepts in the world.
Initially, they hosted scientists and polar explorers to discover the wonders of the interior of Antarctica. But now, the luxury eco-camp is open to adventure-seekers from all over the world with a staff of eighty people.
You arrive at one of the most remote places on Earth by a private Gulfstream g550 airplane. After the landing on the icy strip of Wolf's Fang runway, you step out of the private jet to feel the strength of the sub-zero temperatures.
The raw beauty of the Antarctican wilderness takes your breath away until you hear the roaring sound of the specially prepped 4x4-drive truck arriving to take you to your accommodation.
Once you arrive at a private lounge, your hosts will prepare you a martini with 10,000-year-old ice. Wonder what that tastes like!
The Echo camp is White Desert's newest, space-age addition with state-of-the-art spherical fiberglass "sky pods". From a distance, the cluster of dark silver capsules on the thick ice sheet looks like a camp on a faraway planet.
The six futuristic pods are staggeringly luxurious for this part of the Earth.
Throughout your stay, experienced hosts and chefs will take care of your hunger for food and adventures alike.
Their interiors offer 5-star hotel comfort with a "2001: A Space Odyssey"-inspired design. Imagine being in a cabin that feels like a journey to an undiscovered planet while looking out the curved floor-to-ceiling windows onto a remote land of snow, ice, and rocks.
The space capsules feature photos taken by Terry Virts, a retired astronaut, who took these incredible shots while spending his time on the International Space Station (ISS).
And he is not the only astronaut to have visited the Antarctican resort. Buzz Aldrin stayed at the Whichaway Camp, the sand-colored pods of the White Desert built in phase one of the project.
You can also spend an adventurous night camping on the ice if the weather forecast indicates it's good to go.
There are countless excursions you can take part in. From walks through ice caves, hiking in the wilderness, ice climbing, skiing to fat bike riding.
And if all that sounds too boring, how about a visit to the South Pole, the southernmost point on Earth?
During your stay, you will see a lot of wildlife, including the largest penguin species, the emperor penguin. You can visit Atka Bay to see the 28,000-strong emperor penguin colony.
White Desert's first set of explorer pods is found at the Whichaway Camp.
71°32'47" S 8°50'11" E
