Travel the North and South Pole in Luxury

14th November 2024

The North and South Poles are much mythologised among travellers. Many picture tundras and ice fields ruled over by benevolent immortals like Saint Nick and massive white bears or imagine the seasons taking their turns, ice diamonds and snow carpets giving way to new life, and the cycle repeating itself century after century.

These are lands that only the most determined ever get to see, and they can be harsh to travel — depending on how much you want to rough it. But why rough it at all? Experience exclusivity within the most far-flung parts of the planet. This is how you can experience the North and South Pole in the most luxurious way possible.

See Antarctica From Your Own Private Jet

Private jet travel is at the heart of all luxury trips, but this is an experience on an entirely different level. Seeing Antarctica from the air is great, but seeing it from the window of a private jet is even better. Journey to a place unlike anywhere else on the planet and stay at the White Desert camp, founded by scientists and explorers Patrick and Robyn Woodhead.

Wake up to ice walls, mountains, and the native Emperor Penguins who draw intrepid tourists from all across the world. Rather than build on the Arctic landscape, Camp White Desert blends into it and has as little impact on the environment as it is possible to do. The pods all over the site are eco-friendly and the energy that powers the complex is renewable. All flight and living emissions are offset by the carbon project adopted for the site, and all waste is transported back to South Africa (which is where travellers depart from to fly to the camp).

Choose between staying in the main Whichaway (White Desert) camp itself or the luxury pods in the Echo. These pods take their inspiration from astronauts’ helmets and offer you an almost uninterrupted view of your surroundings and a little more privacy.

Explore Antarctica on the Ultramarine

If travelling by air isn’t your thing, why not embark on a voyage on the brand-new Ultramarine, a vessel that can carry up to 199 guests to magical Antarctica? Tour the Peninsula for 11 days and experience something unique.

Conquer the famed Drake Passage, hike across this majestic landscape on foot and get up close and personal (not too close or personal, though) with the local wildlife from whales to penguins and more. The purpose-built vessel Ultramarine provides a comfortable and well-outfitted home and base for your personalised experience on the seventh continent.

Chase the Northern Lights

The Northern Lights, set against the ethereal backdrop of Iceland, are one of the most revered and talked-about natural phenomena. The winter wonderland that is Norway melts into Finland — lands where myth and reality meet to offer travellers a truly ethereal experience.

Your trip will start off in Washington, DC, where you’ll spend a night in the Four Seasons before boarding your private flight to your first destination: Iceland. This rough-hewn land of myth and magic can offer you vistas that look like they came from outer space. You’ll visit Lake Mývatn, where ecosystems collide and collaborate and the Northern Lights dance in the black skies every night. Next, you’ll head to Norway to explore the town of Ålesund, the gateway to the Norwegian fjords. Onward, then, to Rovaniemi, a part of Finnish Lapland that is rumoured to be where Saint Nick himself set down roots.

See Snowy Svalbard, Bear Island, and Lofoten

See the drama of the Lofoten Islands for yourself on this trip aboard the MS Quest. This intimate vessel (no more than 50 passengers on any trip) will take you to places you’ve only ever dreamed of.

Explore picturesque Lofoten, known for its fjords and fishing, before taking a trip out to the legendary Bear Island. Few humans ever venture here and it’s home to one of the largest seabird colonies in all of the Northern Atlantic. Next up is Svalbard — watched over by snowy peaks, towering ice formations and the midnight sun. You’ll explore this incredible landscape and look out for animals like seals, walrus, Arctic foxes, and even polar bears.

Your water-borne home has every comfort known to man, and the five experienced guides on the trip with you will ensure that you are both safe and amazed at all times.

Explore the Far Reaches of the North and South

Trips to the Arctic and Antarctic are like no other kind of travel you’ll ever experience. The luxury that these travel experiences can offer, even in such harsh environments, makes the experience all the more exciting.