Review: Echo Camp by White Desert, Antarctica

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

Last February, I enjoyed a sublime holiday that I will remember as my most epic journey ever: a trip to Cape Town (South Africa) and Antarctica (the 7th Continent). You can read my trip reports here:

• Review: KLM Boeing 787 Business Class from Amsterdam to Cape Town
• Review: One&Only Cape Town, South Africa
• Review: The Silo Hotel Cape Town, South Africa
• Review: Private Airbus A340 First Class flight from Cape Town to Antarctica
• Review: Echo Camp by White Desert, Antarctica (today)
• Review: Trip to the South Pole & Emperor penguins
• Review: Private Airbus A340 First Class flight from Antarctica to Cape Town
• Review: KLM Boeing 777 Business Class from Cape Town to Amsterdam

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Today: Review of Echo Camp by White Desert, Antarctica

• Location: Google maps
• Website: Echo Camp by White Desert

Managed by White Desert, Echo Camp on Antarctica earns every ounce of its title as the most remote luxury camp on the planet. Inspired by astronauts and the seminal age of Space exploration, Echo provides exclusive access to the rarely seen interior of the White Continent. Visited by notable astronauts including Buzz Aldrin and former ISS Commander Terry Virts, both spoke of the infinite Antarctic landscape and its dramatic mountain ranges, their beauty surpassing that of Venus and Mars. Echo allows guests to combine an ultra-luxury experience with a once in lifetime adventure. An experienced team of chefs, hosts and expert guides allows guests to relax or explore at their leisure. Every trip is bespoke with a wide choice of activities and highlights, such as visiting the nearby 28,000 strong Emperor Penguin colony or a bucket-list journey to the South Pole. As with all White Desert’s camps, Echo is designed to be dismantled, leaving no trace on the Antarctic landscape.

Echo features in my top 10 list of the world’s most remote luxury camps.

Have you ever traveled with White Desert to Antarctica? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

In this review (more info and photos below my YouTube video):

• Pros & things I like
• Cons & things to know
• My verdict
• Tips for future guests & save money
• Best time to visit
• How to get there
• Photos

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PROS & THINGS I LIKE

• Nearly twice the size of Australia , Antarctica, the 7th Continent, is a mythical and awe-inspiring destination. The coldest, driest, windiest, and most remote place in the world, it’s the closest you’ll feel to being on another planet without leaving Earth. Antarctica is an ice-covered landmass and the only continent without a time zone, without permanent residents, and without reptiles. Antarctica is also the trip of a lifetime for many travelers and it’s easier to travel to Antarctica than one might think. Most people visit the Great White continent on a cruise, hereby exploring the Antarctic Peninsula, which stretches toward South America. But White Desert takes a totally different approach and takes it guests by private plane to the majestic interior of Antarctica, home of spectacular mountains and the magnetic South Pole. Visiting Antarctica’s inland is an incredible privilege experienced by only a few hundred travelers per year as compared to the 100,000 visitors who explore Antarctica by cruise.

• White Desert is the first and only luxury operator taking guests into the forbidding and rarely seen interior of Antarctica, whilst remaining committed to environmentally responsible travel. The company was launched in 2006 by world-record breaking polar explorers Patrick Woodland and his wife Roby, who love Antarctica so much that they made it their life work to whisk people (other than scientists and explorers) to this extraordinary part of the world. The only operator to fly guests out of South Africa to this southernmost continent, White Desert went on to set up its first seasonal luxury camp, Whichaway, a collection of cutting-edge pods with breathtaking views across the freshwater lakes of the Schirmacher Oasis, 12 years ago. The lodge became a magnet for explorers, and two other camps have opened since, Wolf’s Fang and Echo. Echo is the latest and most luxurious addition to the White Desert collection, while Wolf’s Fang – located close to Echo – is the company’s adventure camp.

• Getting to Echo Camp is a thrilling travel adventure on its own, as White Desert flies its guest in a luxurious and comfortable way to Antarctica. The flights are operated in privately chartered jets – either a Gulfstream G550 or an Airbus A340 – with White Desert’s staff members accompanying the guests all the way from Cape Town to Antarctica, a journey which takes around 5 hours. Both planes have wide oval windows, which offer incredible views of the icebergs of the Southern Ocean. The last part of the flight is extremely spectacular as the giant aircraft slowly descends over the magical landscape on its way to Wolf’s Fang runway, a blue ice runway which is privately operated by White Desert and which takes 22 hours to be groomed and prepared. After touching down on the ice, guests are whisked away to Echo Camp by an Arctic truck (a 15 min ride), where they are treated to a welcome cocktail with 10,000 year old ice. I’ve published a separate trip report about the flight experience onboard the private A430 here.

• Sitting in quiet solitude, Echo Camp enjoys a breathtaking location amidst the raw beauty of the Antarctican wilderness. Set on a massive glacier (“white desert”), the expansive views from the camp are unrivalled as the site is surrounded by some of the most impressive nunatak mountain ranges on the planet (nunataks are peaks, ridges or hills of bedrock protruding from the surface of a glacier). This location lends itself to some of the more adventurous activities including ice climbing, mountain climbing, and abseiling (more on that below). The area in which the lodge is located was discovered by a Norwegian expedition in 1930, claimed by Norway in 1939, and declared a dependency of that nation in 1949. Named in honour of the then Norwegian queen, the region is perfectly situated for exploring the interior of the continent. Several countries operate science research bases in the territory, and White Desert uses its operations infrastructure to support many of these teams, transporting around 150 scientists each year.

• Inspired by astronauts, the stylish eco-camp features a futuristic design, more reminiscent of a spacecraft than a lodge. In fact, the camp’s name was derived from Star Wars – a nod to the facility established by the Rebel Alliance in the cult classic’s second episode. There are six bedroom pavilions – called  ‘sky pods – which are crafted from composite fiberglass and solar heated for comfort. Four of the space-inspired sky pods are designed for two guests while the two outer and larger sky pods each have two bedrooms. With interiors featuring retro space-age detailing and luxurious furnishings, each pod has a double bed, compact sitting area and separate en-suite bathroom with wash basin and a ‘double toilet’ (one for solids and one for liquids). Honeycomb roof detailing and curvilinear lights add a subtle intergalactic aesthetic, while floor-to-ceiling window panels command panoramic views of the dramatic and moonlike landscape beyond.  Original photos taken from the International Space Station (ISS) by former Commander, White Desert guest and retired astronaut, colonel Terry Virts are featured in each pod.

• Echo’s central hub, known as ‘Cosmos’, is comprised of four separate pods, all connected by tunnels that resemble a docking station to a spaceship. Inside, these pods are no less futuristic, with vast, curved windows that bring the landscape of Antarctica inside. Each pod has a different name, reflecting its functionality:
  • Inside the ‘Observatory’, padded walls encircle a delicate Art Deco bar with lounge area, where serves as a meeting place for guests prior to dinner. The observatory’s eye-catcher is an Anthony James art sculpture, which glows like a giant power source. Titled 60″ Rectified Truncated Cuboctahedron (Solar Black), the three dimensional Pythagorean geometric sculpture is made with cutting-edge technology and centuries-old craft.
  • The ‘Refueling Station’ is Echo’s futuristic take on a dining room. Here, breakfast, lunch and dinners are served around a large communal table. Expert chefs – who are busy in the modern kitchen next door – create bespoke menus crafted from the finest ingredients. The food and wine mainly draw on the best that Cape Town and the Winelands have to offer. The style of the menu is sophisticated without being pretentious.
  • The ‘Decompression chamber’ houses a library, stylish lounge area and a daybed, which allows for some napping under a cashmere blanket.
  • The ‘Decontamination Chamber’ features two shower cubicles with changing room, two full toilet facilities and a central double vanity area (Charlotte Rys toiletries are provided).

• Echo Camp hosts a maximum of 12 guests at a time, so White Desert tailors the experiences to be as relaxed or as adrenalin-fueled as the guests wish (either individually or as a group). The wide range of activities in the immediate surroundings of the camp include fat biking or cross country skiing over a specially groomed six mile (10 km) track; climbs to a nunatak, a mountain summit penetrating an ice cap; 4X4 Arctic truck driving and abseiling down frozen cliffs. Trips away from the camp can also be added including a 2.5 hour flight to Atka Bay to observe the 28,000 strong Emperor Penguin colony, the stars of the moving documentary “March of the Penguins.” Even more ambitious is an add-on following the trip to the penguin colony to the South Pole, a seven hour flight including a stop on a polar plateau to refuel and a chance to walk around the vast wilderness before winding up at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, the lowest point on earth. All activities are led by UIAGM-qualified high mountain guides and experienced polar explorers – many of whom hold world records for their achievements – in a ratio of one guide for every four guests.

• Protecting – and inspiring the future stewardship of – Antarctica’s unique environment has always been at the heart of White Desert’s purpose and the company believes that responsible tourism is a genuine force for good and supports Sir David Attenborough’s stance on the transformative power of wilderness travel: “No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced”. Here are six key sustainability projects that White Desert has launched to minimize its impact on the 7th Continent:
  • Operated to the strictest environmental standards, White Desert’s camps in Antarctica – Whichaway, Echo and Wolf’s Fang – are all temporary eco-camps rather than hotels and have no permanent infrastructure, so they can be overhauled, upgraded or removed without leaving a trace.
  • Over the next two years, White Desert aims to replace all Jet A-1 fuel it uses for its flights to, from and within Antarctica by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). SAF is produced from waste oils and fats through an innovative process that significantly reduces lifecycle carbon emissions, creating an 80 percent smaller carbon footprint compared to traditional Jet A-1 fuel.
  • White Desert offsets all its flights, activities and projects to ensure that it achieves net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. The company sponsors a well-established tree planting project in the Amazon rainforest and is also exploring sustainability opportunities closer to its home in South Africa, namely seagrass meadow regeneration projects.
  • White Desert is working to eliminate single-use plastics, and all other waste is shipped back to South Africa for recycling or responsible disposal. All soaps, detergents and cleaning agents are biodegradable.
  • Partnering with California-based Arctica Solar, White Desert uses solar air heaters to warm the pods. This cutting-edge technology enables it to minimize its dependency on fossil fuel.
  • White Desert is a supporter of and contributor to the scientific community of Antarctica through its science logistics program.

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CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

• Guests need to be flexible regarding their exact travel dates as flights can be brought forward or delayed due to weather conditions – something that can, and does happen. White Desert has a team of meteorologists in Cape Town that determine the best days to fly to/from Antarctica as there needs to be visual conditions to land in Antarctica and low winds to maintain safety. It’s the main reason why guests are required to arrive in Cape Town two days prior to their scheduled flight and stay for at least two nights after their scheduled return, as the exact timing of the flight is entirely dependent on the prevailing weather in Antarctica. For example, in my case, the flight to Antarctica was pulled forward by one day.

• Traveling to Antarctica with White Desert is not cheap and ranges from $14,500 USD for a day trip to $104,000 USD for an eight-night program per person. While this is an extraordinary high rate, consider that White Desert’s operations is a monumental logistical undertaking. Managing the camp during its short season – from the end of November to the beginning of February – requires a highly trained team of 120 staff members including pilots, camp managers, flight operations crew, runway maintenance crew, communications specialists, luxury hospitality staff, chefs, polar guides, doctors and more. Also consider that a can of Coca Cola, by the time it makes its way to the camp in Antarctica, has accumulated a landed cost of $36 USD.

• The weather in Antarctica can be highly variable and conditions can change quickly. This means that activities and flights can be delayed or rescheduled at the last minute. Although rare, the weather in Antarctica can be extreme to the point that it is prohibitive to organise activities outside the camp. At Echo, the ambient temperature is usually between -5°C to -8°C (23°F to 17°F) but high winds can dramatically lower the temperature – called ‘Wind Chill’. Guests traveling to the South Pole are venturing onto the High Polar Plateau where the ambient temperature drops significantly, with temperatures of approximately -25°C to -35°C (-13°F to -31°F).

• Water is a precious resource at the camp with all water being hand shoveled and melted in one of the camp’s industrial ice melters before being transferred to the shower facility. The camp staff therefore asks that guests are mindful of their water consumption throughout their stay on the continent, especially while taking a shower.

• Antarctica is the world’s most remote destination and you need to manage your expectations in terms of communications which is limited. There is no WiFi although guests can send and receive text-only emails via a White Desert iPad, which is available in the lounge at the central pod. For voice calls in camp, guests can purchase phone credit and use one of the satellite phones in camp.

• Echo is as remote as its gets and you are literally a five hour flight away from civilization, a thought which might make some travelers nervous in case a health issue arises. However, White Desert has three qualified medical doctors on staff, one located in each of the main camps (Echo, Whichaway and Wolf’s Fang Runway). Guides and other staff members have also received medical training ranging from basic to advanced. A fully stocked medical kit is available in each camp as well as mobile kits for excursions and overnight trips. There are also a number of local national stations nearby which can be accessed for emergency medical treatment.

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MY VERDICT

• Location: 10/10
• Design: 10/10
• Pool: n/a
• Rooms: 10/10
• Food: 10/10
• Breakfast: 10/10
• Spa: n/a
• Service: 10/10
• Value for money: 10/10
• Overall experience: exceptional 10/10

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TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

• Save money: read here my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Echo Camp by White Desert in Antarctica (and/or receive many free perks).

• Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

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BEST TIME TO VISIT

When you travel to Antarctica’s majestic indoors with White Desert (from South Africa), the season is even shorter: mid-November to early February. The months of December and January are the only months in which you can also take parts in White Desert’s excursions to the emperor pinguins and the legendary South Pole. Click here for my detailed online travel guide of Antarctica.

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HOW TO GET THERE

Echo Camp by White Desert in Antarctica can only be reached by private jet from Cape Town. Guests fly from Cape Town International in South Africa to Wolf’s Fang runway in Antarctica, a 5 hour flight which passes into the Antarctic Circle and the continuous daylight that only Earth’s highest latitudes experience. Owners of private jets may choose to use their own aircraft. T

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PHOTOS

Below is a selection of my photos of Echo Camp by White Desert in Antarctica. To view more photos (including breakfast, lunch and dinner), click here.

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