Here’s what it’s like to travel from Cape Town to Antarctica for the day

Ellerman House, a luxury hotel in Cape Town, offers a number of travel experiences for its guests, with its White-Desert experience – a trip to Antartica via private jet – arguably the standout.

Speaking to BusinessTech, a spokesperson for Ellerman House said that the hotel has seen an overwhelming response to the experience since it started promoting the trip in 2017.

White Desert is the only company in the world to offer a private jet service to Antarctica. Trips vary – ranging from 24 hours to eight days – with all flights landing at Wolf’s Fang in Antartica.

The Greatest Day

White Desert’s ‘Greatest Day ‘ package allows travellers to visit Antartica for 24 hours.

Guests first stay at Ellerman House in Bantry Bay (from one to three nights or more – depending on the clients’ needs) before departing for Wolf’s Fang.

The Gulfstream has space for up to 12 guests and members of the White Desert staff will accompany guests on the flight.

Travellers can choose to pay $16,000 (R224,442) for a seat, or opt to charter the flight for $225,000 (R3.1 million).

As part of the trip guests receive:

• Return transfers for Antarctica flights;

• Return flight to Antarctica;

• All accommodation, food and drink (including all alcohol) in Antarctica;

• All guiding fees, support of field guides and logistics staff;

• The use of certain items of polar clothing, as denoted on the equipment list;

• Payment by White Desert of a ‘carbon tax’ for offsetting emissions created by all logistics associated with Antarctic travel.

Once on the ground, guests are taken on a gentle hike to the base of a nearby mountain where they are then hosted as part of an adventurer’s picnic.

For the more daring, a seasoned mountain guide will lead guests to the summit to take in the views of Wolf’s Fang range.

Specially adapted 6×6 vehicles will then take guests on a tour of the mountains that encircle the runway.

Guests then spend approximately 3-4 hours on Antartica before hopping back on the plane to Cape Town.

You can find out more about booking and travel dates here.

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