While penguins, polar ice caps and pummeling winds may not sound like the trappings of a luxury getaway, Antarctica is quickly climbing the bucket lists of many a modern adventurer. This is in large part thanks to the increasing selection of high-end tours that offer all the sights of the world’s harshest continent, with all the comforts of a luxury holiday.
Abercrombie & Kent have developed a number of diverse itineraries in Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands that showcase the stark landscape’s most breathtaking sights and scenes.
Their Classic Antarctica expedition gives thrill-seekers the chance to cruise in style aboard their state-of-the-art vessel, Le Lyrial – the only all-balcony luxury expedition cruiser in Antarctica. It features private balconies in each room, al fresco heated dining, an outdoor pool, and all meals and drinks are provided on board.
Discovering some of the world’s rarest wildlife and terrain on excursions led by seasoned experts, guests will gain a deep understanding of the region through enriching lectures and activities.
Pioneering explorers, Lindblad Expeditions, have been in alliance with renowned wildlife aficionados, National Geographic, since 2004. Together they provide authentic and intimate small ship voyages to the planet’s most wild and remote terrains.
The on board resources are unmatched – there’s no end of hi tech gadgets, veteran naturalists are on hand to guide you and National Geographic photographers are there to offer advice. With only 28 to 148 passengers on each ship, you’ll get to know both your guides and your fellow adventure-seekers well.
While you may be about to embark on one of the most exhilarating journeys of your life, the Lindblad philosophy is that expedition doesn’t have to equal deprivation. The food is organic, the lodgings are plush and it’s even equipped for open-air spa treatments.
White Desert is another travel company bringing tourism to the great white continent. Offering just a handful of expeditions a year to their upscale,
furnished camp, guests begin with a five-hour private flight from Cape Town, touching down on an ice runway adjacent to a frozen waterfall. They are then led to
their quirky, eco-friendly camp, that’s entirely solar and wind-powered. Sleeping in bubble-like pods made from protective fiberglass, the sleeping quarters include double beds, desks and en suite bathrooms.
Meals and champagne are included, plus guests can participate in a range of activities from penguin patrolling to kite-skiing. As part of its commitment to the environment, the entire camp is dismantled at the end of each season, leaving behind no trace of human life.
Written by Thea Carley
