Exclusive Safari & Once-in-a-Lifetime Antarctic Experience

Arrive at Johannesburg airport, and meet with the local team for the transfer to the hangar where you depart at 13h00 to Tswalu.

Land at Tswalu airstrip, where you are met by your safari guide and private vehicle. Tswalu is first and foremost an ambitious conservation project, sustainably safeguarding vital habitat and the restoring biodiversity. Offering a private and exclusive safari experience for a maximum of 40 guests in one of three luxury safari camps, the ratio of guests to wilderness space is one of the lowest in South Africa. This low footprint, sustainable model of nature-based tourism is vital to supporting the conservation work that is at the heart of Tswalu’s purpose to leave the world better than how it was found.

Backed by the foothills of the Korannaberg mountains, Loapi is set to become Africa’s top luxury tented safari camp. Offering a true wilderness experience that is both private and exclusive, the camp’s six private safari homes under canvas are positioned to make the most of unimpeded views south across the reserve’s characteristic arid savannah. Personal service is provided by a dedicated house manager and all meals are prepared by a private chef in the interactive kitchen.

Your days are set at your own rhythm, chat to your guide to plan your game viewing activities. From interpretative game drives to birding, tracking, nature walks and horse riding, there are many opportunities to discover the Kalahari ecosystem’s unique characteristics and marvel at nature’s tenacity and unquestionable beauty in this remote, under-explored part of South Africa.

There are 85 mammals and 264 bird species at Tswalu, and many reptiles, insects and butterflies, offering opportunities for extraordinary sightings and encounters while on safari. Many of the animals on the reserve are dry savanna specialists, well adapted to the harsh conditions of the savanna biome with its extreme temperatures and scarcity of water in the winter months. Oryx, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, warthog and ostrich are common sightings as you navigate along the dune roads in search of Kalahari black-maned lion, desert black rhino and African wild dog. Look out for the massive community nests of sociable weavers, the iconic structures of the southern Kalahari. In the foothills of the Korannaberg you may encounter leopard, the rare Hartmann’s mountain zebra, reedbuck and klipspringer. Cape buffalo and large predators, including cheetah, hyena, and black-backed jackal, provide memorable sightings.

Your stay include 1 dinner at the famous Restaurant Klein JAN, conceptualized by Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, the first South African chef to achieve a Michelin star for his namesake restaurant in Nice, France.

After your breakfast, relax at the lodge and enjoy a slow transfer to the airstrip, on time for the flight to Cape Town, departing at 14h50.

Arrive Cape Town, you are met by our driver for the transfer to the hotel. Your days are at leisure, we can book guided day tours, as per your preferences and requirements.

There will be a debrief by the Antartic team to prepare you for the departure - note that final travel dates for the Artic part are subject to change at the last minute. The flights are often scheduled very early in the morning or very late in the evening due to optimal weather windows.

Lying in the shadow of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Table Mountain, Cape Town offers spectacular scenery, diverse cultures, great food and wine and a thriving arts and design scene.

Hike up Lion’s Head, or stroll around the city centre and take in the buzz and bustle of the street markets. Explore the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront – one of the trendiest spots to visit with boutique shops, great restaurants and the Two Oceans Aquarium. The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) houses Africa’s largest contemporary art collection and can be found directly beneath The Silo Hotel.

Today is the day your luxury adventure takes you into the heart of Antarctica to see the Emperor Penguins. Then it's on to the southernmost point on earth – the South Pole!

On the flight from Cape Town, you will pass into the Antarctic Circle and into 24 hours of continuous sunshine. The Airbus A340 (or similar) or private jet will be equipped with return range. All carbon is offset with fully accredited projects.

Even now, reaching the southernmost point on earth is a feat that very few people have achieved. During the seven-hour flight, we land on the polar plateau to refuel, and you will have a chance to walk around this vast, foreboding wilderness getting a real taste for the immense scale of Antarctica.

This itinerary is entirely subject to weather conditions in Antarctica and is meant purely as a guide to what you may expect day by day. The exact sequence of activities and the types of aircraft mentioned may vary. Antarctica is a bucket list trip for a reason - Mother Nature reigns supreme here, that’s what makes it a true adventure.

After landing on the ancient blue ice of the runway, you will transfer to Whichaway Camp and take a gentle hike around the Oasis.

Settle into Whichaway and do as much or as little as you like each day.

Activities range from yoga, massages and gentle treks to exploring the incredible ice waves, summiting a nunatak, ice climbing and even abseiling! On quieter days, you’ll hear talks from our polar explorer staff about some of the lesser known history of Antarctica and their world record breaking expeditions.

You will fly 2.5 hours across Antarctica, witnessing beautiful views of the nearby mountain ranges and coastline, before landing at the Emperor penguin colony at AtkaBay.

You will be among the very few who have ever witnessed such a spectacle, observing the real-life stars of March of the Penguins.

This colony was the site of the first episode of Sir David Attenborough's ground-breaking documentary Seven Worlds, One Planet, and is home to more than 28,000 adult penguins and their young chicks. Typical temperatures in season -20°C to -4F°. With no natural predators on land, the penguins are unafraid of humans, allowing visitors the chance to observe the noise and commotion of the colony and to build a unique connection with the natural world offered nowhere else on Earth.

You will follow the IAATO guidelines that prohibit physical contact and stipulate a safe minimum 5m (16.4ft) distance from wildlife, you will also be advised to sit down to view the penguins and to retreat if they approach closer than 5m (16.4ft).

You will spend the day exploring the ice waves below the camp, delving into the series of ice tunnels that are as surreal as they are beautiful. Then you’ll head off with your guide, winding your way through the snow and ice to an incredible vantage point where you can take in the panoramic view over the ice waves that you have just explored.

You will set off early in the morning in a Basler BT-67 aircraft, flying over stunning mountain ranges before landing at Dixie’s Camp to refuel.

After a walk on the High Polar Plateau you will continue to the South Pole, where you will have plenty of time for photos and a chance to stamp your passport before flying back to Dixie’s Camp.

At the heart of the Great White Continent lies the South Pole, one of only two stationary points on this rotating Earth! At exactly 90 degrees of latitude, you can walk around the world in only a few paces and marvel that there is no more East, West or South…the only direction is North! Reaching the South Pole rates as one of the greatest feats of human exploration. Still today, fewer than 500 people a year reach the destination.

Back to Dixie’s Camp at 83°S, to rest overnight and to join the very few who have ever spent a night in the beauty of the High Polar Plateau. There is a true sense of remoteness at Dixie’s where, for an uninterrupted 360 degrees, the white horizon meets the pure blue sky. Enjoy a warm meal reflecting on the day and fall asleep knowing you’re in one of the wildest places on Earth, a place rarely visited and still vastly unexplored.

After a night under canvas, you’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast before boarding the plane once again, for your flight back to Whichaway.

The flight is the perfect chance to appreciate the immense scale of Antarctica, before you return to our camp for a three-course champagne dinner to celebrate your achievement.

The flight out of Antarctica will be the last of your enduring memories of the great White Continent before you dive back into the vibrant energy of Africa.

Arrive at Cape Town airport, where you are met by our representative for the road transfer to the hotel.

2 nights are included at The Silo on B&B basis - depending on the timing and your preferences, we can include private guided day tours to fill the days.

Hearty breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight back home.