Echo is one of White Desert's camps in the interior of Antarctica, perched on a glacier and reached by private aircraft from Cape Town. The idea came from a conversation with the astronaut Buzz Aldrin on his visit to the continent, and the design follows the golden age of space travel, with clean lines, gleaming shells and floor-to-ceiling windows. Each heated pod has its own shower and bathroom, a writing desk and one-way glass, so guests see the ice outside while staying unseen within. The camp takes no more than 12 guests at a time. Fresh ingredients fly in each week for the chefs, there is a sauna with an ice plunge, and massages, yoga and meditation take place in the dome. Guides lead the days: ice climbing, abseiling, fat biking, glacier treks, ice caves and climbs on the nunataks, the rock peaks that break through the ice. Stays here form part of longer itineraries, such as journeys to the South Pole and the emperor penguin colonies, and a photographer records the whole trip. The season runs through the short polar summer, when the sun barely sets.
- Rooms
- Heated pods for up to 12 guests
Insider tip Departures run only from November to early February and numbers are tiny, so book a full season ahead.
Why I choose it The most remote place we send anyone, run with real care for safety and the environment. For the client who has done everything else, this is it.
