White Desert (company)

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White Desert Ltd.
TypePrivate
Industry
FoundedDecember 15, 2005; 16 years ago (2005-12-15)
Founder
  • Robyn Woodhead
  • Patrick Woodhead
HeadquartersLondon, England, United Kingdom[1]
Number of employees
80 (2021)[2]
Websitewww.white-desert.com
Wolfs Fang Runway
Summary
Airport typePrivate
LocationQueen Maud Land
Elevation AMSL3,697 ft / 1,127 m
Coordinates71°31′00″S 8°48′00″E / 71.516667°S 8.8°E / -71.516667; 8.8
Map
Wolfs Fang Runway is located in Antarctica
Wolfs Fang Runway
Wolfs Fang Runway
Location of airfield in Antarctica
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
9,842 3,000 Blue ice

White Desert Ltd. is a British tour operator conducting expeditions to Antarctica. As of 2021, it is the only company to offer a commercial private jet service to the continent.[2][4] Its Whichaway Camp is described by multiple publications as Antarctica's first and only hotel.[5][6][7]

History[]

British couple and polar explorers Robyn and Patrick Woodhead founded White Desert in London, England, in December 2005,[8] setting out to "make [Antarctica] accessible to everyone, not just explorers."[9]

Whichaway Camp[]

A maximum of twelve guests per group are flown from Cape Town, South Africa, to Whichaway Camp, the primary base camp located in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica,[10] via various private aircraft.[11][5][12]

Built in 2012 on the Schirmacher Oasis,[8][13] Whichaway Camp consists of several guest "pods" that respectively contain bedrooms, bathrooms, dining rooms, and a library, heated by solar power.[14][15][16] The camp underwent extensive renovations in 2016.[9][17][6] It is intended to be removed entirely from the site at the end of its natural lifespan.[14]

Apart from amenities, the company offers trips to nearby structures, a guided wildlife tour, and a trip to the Geographic South Pole.[18][19] The company operates only from November to January due to Antarctica's harsh climate during the rest of the year.[8]

Several publications have noted the company's luxury status and exclusivity, as prices range from roughly US$30 thousand to almost US$200 thousand per customer.[5][16][20] The founders have justified the high prices citing extraordinarily high logistical expenses associated with transportation and accommodation of guests on Antarctica.[17][19]

White Desert is a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.[2]

Wolf's Fang Runway[]

Flights operate into and out of Wolf's Fang Runway, Queen Maud Land.[7]

On November 2, 2021 a HiFly Airbus A340-300 (9H-SOL) landed on the Wolf's Fang Runway on a flight from Cape Town, becoming the largest aircraft to ever land there and the first Airbus A340 to land in Antarctica.[21][22]

Awards and recognition[]

White Desert has received the World Travel Award for Leading Polar Expedition Operator five times, first in 2012 and consecutively from 2014 to 2017.[23][24] Elite Traveler has included the company in its list of the top 50 adventures of 2017.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ "White Desert Ltd". Companies House. December 15, 2005. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Coles, Samantha (May 4, 2021). "Exploring Antarctica With White Desert's Robyn Woodhead". Elite Traveler. Archived from the original on May 4, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  3. ^ "Wolfs Fang Runway". White Desert. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  4. ^ Hickman, Arvind (January 13, 2021). "Antarctica eco-tourism operator appoints UK PR agency". PRWeek. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Cam, Lisa (March 22, 2021). "Would you pay US$100,000 for a taste of true Antarctic wilderness?". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Stone, Madeline (August 23, 2016). "Go inside Antarctica's only luxury camp, where tours to the South Pole will set you back $72,000". Business Insider. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Neuman, Phoebe (August 5, 2017). "Exploring Antarctica Is About to Get Much More Luxurious". Robb Report. Archived from the original on August 29, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d Begley Bloom, Laura (October 18, 2017). "For $80,000 a week, you can stay at the most exclusive hotel on Earth — in Antarctica". CNBC. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Avakian, Talia (August 24, 2016). "The World's Most Remote Hotel Gets a Luxury Makeover". Travel + Leisure. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  10. ^ Stewart, Stanley; Parker, Tom (October 12, 2020). "On a Trip to Antarctica, Leaving as Light a Footprint as Possible". Condé Nast Traveler. Archived from the original on February 14, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  11. ^ Shaw-Smith, Peter (August 8, 2018). "Bestfly Antarctica Excursions To Continue This Season". Aviation International News. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  12. ^ Magyarics, Kelly (December 22, 2019). "Here's how to experience Antarctica in a single day". Lonely Planet. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  13. ^ "How you can book a luxury trip to Antarctica". Esquire Middle East. March 16, 2021. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Stewart, Stanley (March 25, 2021). "Why you must add this place to your bucket list". The Australian. Archived from the original on April 24, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  15. ^ Miner Murray, Meghan (December 10, 2018). "9 cozy ice hotels and igloos around the globe". National Geographic. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  16. ^ a b Romano, Andrea (July 12, 2017). "This Luxury, One-day Trip to Antarctica Will Cost You a Mere $195,000". Travel + Leisure. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  17. ^ a b Ekstein, Nikki (August 17, 2016). "Antarctica Now Has a Jaw-Dropping Luxury Hotel". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  18. ^ Shurvell, Joanne (May 18, 2020). "Antarctica, The Safest Place To Visit In 2020 And Beyond". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  19. ^ a b Usborne, Simon (April 3, 2019). "Luxury travel: Wealth of experiences". National Geographic Traveler. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  20. ^ Olmsted, Larry (September 11, 2017). "If Antarctica Is On Your Bucket List, Here's How You Can Visit In Luxury Style". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  21. ^ Lim, Jean (November 25, 2021). "Airbus A340 lands in Antarctica for the first time". AeroTime Hub. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  22. ^ Villamizar, Helwing (November 22, 2021). "Hi Fly Lands First Ever A340 in Antarctica (+VIDEO)". Airways Magazine. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  23. ^ Baird, Katee (April 23, 2021). "Glamping with Penguins at White Desert in Antarctica!". TravelPirates. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  24. ^ "White Desert nominee profile". World Travel Awards. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.

External links[]

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