# The adventure of a lifetime - only $96,000 per person **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 12, 2021, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829 "2021-04-12T05:28:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/1 "2021-04-12T05:28:48Z")
It’s the closest thing they have to a resort in Antarctica. You fly on a chartered jet out of South Africa. > **[2021-2022 — White Desert](https://white-desert.com/2021-2022/)** ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/2 "2021-04-12T05:46:10Z")
Only two hours at the South Pole? I did some basic googling and it looks like several other travel companies already offer a trip to the South Pole ([example 1](https://www.polarcruises.com/antarctica/ships/land-based-antarctica-programs/emperor-south-pole-union-glacier-camp-punta-13), [example 2](https://icetrek.com/trips/south-pole-overnight)), a couple of them being overnight stays, and quite a bit cheaper too. If I had to pay $96,000 for a vacation, I’d rather be blasted into low-Earth orbit. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/3 "2021-04-12T05:46:21Z")
They’ve apparently been in operation for 15 years, so this is certainly intriguing: “ Even though we operate approximately ten flights to the South Pole per year, we have had a 100% success rate in reaching the Pole since the 2017/18 season.” That said, it looks like fun. If I were wallowing in money I would certainly consider it. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/4 "2021-04-12T05:50:15Z")
They offer several packages; the $96K one included a jaunt to the South Pole. I learned about it because of this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/GAzsZjd_dpE/hqdefault.jpg "Small Fleet of LARGE "White Spheres" - How did they get WAY down here?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAzsZjd_dpE) which led to this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JYg4z9u40Jw/hqdefault.jpg "Antarctica Mystery SOLVED!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYg4z9u40Jw) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/5 "2021-04-12T16:59:42Z")
I’d love to go on one of those tours. If only I were younger and richer. [sigh] ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/6 "2021-04-13T02:58:29Z")
Hell no. I don’t take well to the cold. Plus the idea of getting stranded there. _shiver_ If I had that kind of cash I’d spend a night here, submerged with the fishes: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hyqpIe8qVtc/maxresdefault.jpg "THE MURAKA at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyqpIe8qVtc) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/7 "2021-04-13T03:04:16Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > If I had that kind of cash I’d spend a night here, submerged with the fishes: - You’ve heard the phrase “sleeping with the fishes”, right? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/8 "2021-04-13T03:06:32Z")
I got to Antarctica for about $7000, so I’ll bet I could find a perfectly good tour to the South Pole for under $89,000. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/9 "2021-04-13T03:11:57Z")
I knew a woman who went to Antarctica with her daughter about 20 years ago, although they went to McMurdo which wasn’t exactly luxury accommodations like this was. However, they did have a great time. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/10 "2021-04-13T03:16:58Z")
$12,000 per day? I get luxury stuff can be expensive but…$12,000? Per day? ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/11 "2021-04-13T03:58:54Z")
What is this ‘per person’ stuff? Their schedule shows most of the flights are reserved for people who book the whole resort. No price advantage, but to the extent that there is room in the jet, you do get to bring your own servants. Evidently a big chunk of their customer base doesn’t like mixing with the public – an added advantage of holidaying at the south pole… ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/12 "2021-04-13T04:44:27Z")
De plane! De plane! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/13 "2021-04-13T10:14:09Z")
> [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](#): > > If I had to pay $96,000 for a vacation, I’d rather be blasted into low-Earth orbit. For $96,000 I can arrange that for you. One-way only tho. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2021, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/14 "2021-04-16T09:36:32Z")
The various packages all have downloadable brochures. The one for the “Emperors and South Pole” is well done and quite an interesting read, nicely illustrated and with links to videos. That’s the $96K per person deal. The dates that say “exclusive only” means there is no per-person availability – you have to book the entire thing, maximum of 12 persons. That one is only $1,152,000. I think I’ll book that one since I don’t like mixing with the _hoi polloi_. 😃 > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I get luxury stuff can be expensive but…$12,000? Per day? Probably fair when you consider things like the Gulfstream G500 that flies the group from Cape Town into Antarctica (capital cost about $45 million, operating cost between $5000 and $7700 per hour), the Basler BT-67 that flies them around within Antartica, and what must be the enormous cost of maintaining the residence pods at their base camp, complete with gourmet meals and wines. In addition to a first-rate chef, the base camp apparently also has a doctor on staff. (The BT-67, incidentally, is an upgraded DC-3 equipped with modern turboprop engines. A number of them are in use around Antarctica, and while they’re no Gulfstream, the upgrade alone costs nearly $4 million.) I either didn’t know or had forgotten that the US has a research station right at the south pole, the **[Amundsen-Scott Station](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amundsen%E2%80%93Scott_South_Pole_Station)**. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2021, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/15 "2021-04-16T17:21:22Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I either didn’t know or had forgotten that the US has a research station right at the south pole, the **[Amundsen-Scott Station](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amundsen%E2%80%93Scott_South_Pole_Station)**. I have, occasionally, wished I had an excuse to visit this station. I could have sworn there was no tourism allowed, but [an official-looking page](http://www.southpole.aq/) says > [IAATO compiles annual statistics](http://iaato.org/tourism-statistics) on tourist activities across Antarctica, including visits to the continental interior and the South Pole , which are presented to the Antarctic Treaty meetings. Tourists are permitted to visit Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station (US) in accordance with procedures that ensure science activities are not disrupted. Visitor numbers to the South Pole have increased substantially in recent years. Tourism at the South Pole must be balanced against the need to protect the environment and preserve the integrity of sensitive science areas, particularly for sites requiring clean air for atmospheric studies or quiet conditions for seismic measurements. Presumably this means you can arrange to snap some photos near the geographical south pole, not enter the actual station and wander through people’s offices, hang out in the break room, and check out the neutrino detector. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/16 "2021-04-16T17:28:04Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > In addition to a first-rate chef When I was in culinary school, one of the jobs that was advertised for was for cooks in Antarctica. Entry level started at something like $40,000, and the highest pay, for a certified Executive Chef, was a few hundred grand. I believe that was just for 4-5 months over the “summer.” ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime-only-96-000-per-person/939829/17 "2021-04-17T00:10:49Z")
Buzz Aldrin went to the South Pole a few years ago - and ended up having to be medevaced to New Zealand! > **[Buzz Aldrin 'in good spirits' after South Pole evacuation](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38172205)** > > Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the Moon, is evacuated from the South Pole after falling ill. One aspect of the South Pole being such a harsh environment is that it’s also at about 10,000 feet elevation, so altitude sickness can definitely be an issue.