What to expect at the South Pole & Antarctic Interior

While Antarctica’s coastline teems with wildlife, its interior is empty to the point of sterility. There is no wildlife at the South Pole or anywhere else: unless you’re making a dedicated trip to the emperor penguin colonies near the Weddell Sea, it’ll just be you and your travelling companions alone in the great white wilderness.

Instead, you’ll be inspired by wild glacier fields, craggy frozen mountains poking out from the permanent ice cap and the echoing silence left behind when the sound of your voices is stolen away by the wind.

Be prepared to feel as remote as the first explorers here: few places on Earth are as spectacularly isolated. 

World-leading outdoor guides will accompany you as you take part in a wide variety of activities in the Antarctic Interior and at the South Pole itself.

There is plenty of exploring to be done here in a variety of ways, from simple hikes to remote viewpoints to cross-country skiing. Beginners and experts alike can go ice climbing or exploring ice caves, or go on a skidoo or fat bike ride to the farthest horizon.

All activities are weather dependent, and operate according to the tightest safety protocols to ensure that your own personal explorations are carried out in the safest manner possible.

The days of sledge dogs at the South Pole may be long gone due to environmental concerns, but there are plenty of modern ways to get around the Antarctic Interior.

The workhorse of polar operations here are ski-planes, which fly to the South Pole and other destinations, often stopping at the remotest fuel depots in the world. The pilots are some of the most experienced in the business, using advanced weather forecasting and operating within the strictest safety protocols.

Around the camps, transportation may be by skidoo or 4WDs specially modified for extreme polar conditions.

The Antarctic interior is quite simply the coldest place on the planet. While temperatures on the Antarctic Peninsula are relatively balmy, hovering around 30F (-1C), the South Pole rarely climbs above -13F (-25C). Temperatures across the Interior can drop to -40F (-40C) when windchill is taken into account. In addition, the high altitude of the polar plateau can also make a body feel colder. Appropriate clothing is absolutely essential.

Detailed packing lists for required clothes and equipment are provided to get you ready to travel, and some items – including parkas, boots and cold-rated sleeping bags – can be rented for the duration of a trip.

There are no hotels at the South Pole or in the Antarctic interior. Accommodation is in a variety of tented camps, sleeping in well-insulated tents or pods, that can be solar heated thanks to the 24-hour sun.

Depending on the camp, most meals are taken communally with other guests in special dining tents, though some luxury camps offer private dining. There are separate bathroom tents: showers are available, but may be restricted for environmental reasons.

In remote areas, such as at the emperor penguin colony at Gould Bay or while mountaineering, simple field camps are often used. These offer a more stripped down experience, in true expedition style.

Trips to the South Pole and Antarctic Interior operate to the highest environmental protocols as laid down by the Antarctic Treaty and the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO). All camps are run on a strict leave no trace principle, so that they may be dismantled without leaving any permanent mark on the environment.

Anything brought into the camps must be removed at the end of a trip. This includes grey water from washing and human waste: bathrooms even separate solid and liquid waste to more easily dispose of it safely on leaving Antarctica. Likewise, rigorous operational procedures are in place to minimise the risks of pollution from any transportation.