Somewhere in a snowbank far, far away, there’s a colony of pod-like housing structures where the world’s wealthiest travelers go to get away from it all.
This is White Desert, Antarctica’s best ― and only ― luxury resort. The self-proclaimed “most remote hotel on this planet” is just a short trek from the South Pole and has played host to all kinds of celebrity visitors (Prince Harry! Bear Grylls!) in its 10 years of operation. Step off your private flight from Cape Town and take a look around...
At White Desert, visitors sleep in one of six heated fiberglass sleeping pods with beds, toilets and furry rugs galore; most of the amenities were flown in on small cargo planes from South Africa. Separate structures house showers and a lounge.
Gourmet meals are dished up in the dining room, with interiors that look as if “The Revenant” took place in the Palace of Versailles.
While the accommodations are truly magnificent, it’s the adventures that’ll truly get your ice-cold blood pumping. Visitors can explore blue ice caves, go kite skiing, hit the sauna or visit a local colony of 6,000 penguins.
“Our guides are some of the world’s finest polar explorers,” Robyn Woodhead, one of the resort’s directors, told HuffPost. They “are hands-on for the entire experience, from teaching you to ice climb to learning to photograph penguins.”
Travelers, beware: Like most travel to Antarctica, White Desert is NOT for the average wallet. An 8-night adventure costs about $72,000 per person, Woodhead confirmed.
Hey, at least airfare is included.
