White Desert is a luxury expedition company specializing in travel to Antarctica, founded in 2006 by Patrick Woodhead, a British polar explorer, and his wife Robyn. Woodhead had previously completed a 1,100-mile unsupported expedition to the South Pole. White Desert is one of only a handful of operators offering fly-in luxury camp experiences in the interior of Antarctica, bypassing the multi-day Drake Passage sea crossing.
The company operates two camps on the Antarctic continent. Whichaway Camp, located near the Schirmacher Oasis in Dronning Maud Land, features heated fiberglass pod structures with en-suite bathrooms. Echo Camp, which opened in 2023, features six sky pods designed to resemble a space station and is situated near a colony of 28,000 Emperor penguins. Both camps run on renewable energy and operate under strict environmental protocols, removing all waste from the continent.
White Desert's itineraries typically run 5 to 8 days and include flights from Cape Town, South Africa, on private Gulfstream or commercial charter aircraft. Activities include visits to Emperor penguin colonies, ice climbing, skiing, and visits to the geographic South Pole. The company has also partnered with organizations such as NASA and the European Space Agency for analog research missions in Antarctic conditions.
Trips start at approximately $30,000 per person for a standard Whichaway experience, with South Pole expeditions costing upwards of $90,000 per person. White Desert operates seasonally from November to February during the Antarctic summer. The company is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, and limits its annual guest numbers to minimize environmental impact.