Explorers on an icy ridge above the snow in Antarctica

Antarctica: The Ultimate Day Trip The Greatest Day on Ice

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Plane shadow flying over a glacial river in Antarctica

View of Antarctic ice bergs and ice shelves from an expedition plane.

A view of a Nunatak out of a plane window flying over Antarctica

A chair overlooking a Nanutak and the white landscapes of Antarctica

Ice climbing with White Desert in Antarctica

Ice climbing in Antarctica at White Desert

Antarctic Ice cave activities at White Desert

Ice Cave exploration with White Desert, Antarctica

Glacial Hiking at Whichaway Camp, White Desert Antarctica

Nanutak hiking in Antarctica with White Desert.

Abseiling over ice with White Desert in Antarctica

White Desrt's Wolf's Fang Ice Bar in an ice cave in Antarctica

White Desert's Wolf's Fang bar in Antarctica.

The Silo, luxury Cape Town boutique hotel

Rooftop Pool at The Silo, luxury Cape Town boutique hotel

Suite at the Silo in Cape Town, Luxury Southern Africa treehouse safaris

Rooftop Dining at The Silo, luxury Cape Town boutique hotel

Deluxe Superior Suite at The Silo, luxury Cape Town boutique hotel

Beautiful white sandy beach with colourful huts, Cape Town South Africa

Table Mountain from Cape Town's iconic Bloubergstrand beach.

African penguins spread their wings at Boulder's Beach, Cape Town in South Africa

The Greatest Day On Ice

From Cape Town to the White Continent and back by nightfall — Antarctica, as a day trip.

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AT A GLANCE

The Essentials

All the details you need to know about your journey

Starts

Cape Town

Ends

Cape Town

Visits

South Africa & Antarctica

Duration

4 nights

Style

Fly-in

Best time

Nov 26

Price From

$21275

Board basis

Fully-Inclusive

OVERVIEW

The Ultimate Day Trip

To Antarctica and Back Before Dinner

Maybe you don’t fancy a long trip, perhaps you’re short on time. You might want to book for a very special occasion – or just because. A day trip to Antarctica not only allows you to set foot on Antarctic ice (an amazing thing in itself), but you also get three hours to explore the White Continent before heading home.

For your Cape Town base, you’ll be checking in at The Silo hotel, one of the fanciest and artiest places to stay. From here, you’ll be driven to the airport for the 5.5-hour flight southwards. Say a brief goodbye to the Cape’s summer – layers are key for this transition.

A note on sustainability. The day trips fit into existing operations – the planes are already flying supplies in and out for Antarctic research bases, with spare seats for visitors on each flight. Day trips can be booked throughout the whole Antarctic season (November to February) – but they’re really popular, so book early.

ITINERARY

The Journey at a Glance

4 Nights

The Silo, South Africa

Breakfast Included

YOUR STAY

Camps & Lodges

4 Nights

The Silo

Contemporary-camp-meets-Game of Thrones. That’s the impression you get as you set foot into The Silo’s tiny lobby through what feels like a hidden side entrance to a deliciously psychedelic speak-easy. Carved out of a decommissioned 1920s grain silo in Cape...

EXPLORE

The Silo boutique luxury hotel Cape Town

Your Stay

Oh, the Places You’ll Go

Some of the Destinations You’ll be Visiting

Lions resting on a sandy track ahead of a game drive vehicle in the Kruger

South Africa

View Area

Cape Town

View Area

Antarctica

View Area

Details Matter

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1 Your base in the city Overnight The Silo

For your Cape Town base, you’ll be checking in at The Silo hotel, one of the fanciest and artiest places to stay. This will be your cosy spot to stay whilst you wait for your Antarctica travel window. Because of the unpredictable nature of Antarctic travel, you will have a 3-night buffer before your Antarctic departure date. Flights to Antarctica are usually scheduled very early in the morning or very late in the evening due to optimal weather windows. From here, you’ll be driven to the airport for the 5.5-hour flight southwards. Say a brief goodbye to the Cape’s summer – layers are key for this transition.

Day 2 Weather buffer Day Overnight The Silo

Antarctica runs on its own schedule, and the weather gods answer to no one. Which means you may find yourself with a bonus day in what we'd humbly argue is the most beautiful city on earth. Hike Lion's Head at sunrise, take the cable car up Table Mountain, swim in the icy Atlantic, drive the dramatic Cape Peninsula, or do your very important due diligence at one of the winelands' finest farms. An extra night in Cape Town is a rather delightfully convenient inconvenience.

Day 3 Weather Buffer Day Overnight The Silo

Still here? Excellent. Cape Town has a way of making delays feel suspiciously like rewards. If yesterday was mountains and ocean, today might be the V&A Waterfront, a long lunch in the Bo-Kaap, or simply finding a clifftop somewhere and watching the Atlantic do its thing over a bottle of Chenin. Next stop, Antarctica!

Day 4 The greatest day on ice Overnight The Silo

Arrive on an airstrip carved out of the ice. Listen to the big quiet that fills this place, taking in the huge, untouched landscape before you. It’s something photos just can’t capture – but it’s worth trying.

Explore one of Antarctica’s ice caves, glittering and magical. Abseil down a glacier for a cocktail of adrenaline and awe. If you prefer Champagne, we’ve got you covered too, with a chilled glass or two to sip at Wolf’s Fang Ice Bar – a celebration of a surreal few hours in this remote wilderness.

Head back to Cape Town on the return flight, where you’ll be driven back to The Silo after the greatest day out.

Day 5 Home Gerome

It’s time to bid farewell to quite possibly your greatest adventure yet. Enjoy a delicious breakfast with city views before heading to the airport to begin your journey home.

YOUR STAY

Unmissable Moments

Highlights

Flying over the Southern Ocean before touching down on an airstrip carved from solid ice.
Stepping out onto the White Continent and standing in the kind of vast, ringing silence that photos can’t quite capture (you’ll try anyway).
Wandering through a glittering ice cave.
Abseiling down a glacier for a proper hit of adrenaline.
Toasting your few surreal hours on the ice with a chilled glass at Wolf’s Fang Ice Bar – a Champagne moment that’s impossible to top.
Returning from Antarctica to your concrete treehouse high above the Cape Town skyline – aka The Silo, the city’s most stylish address.

Cool & Unusual

Who gets to say they went to Antarctica for the day? We’d argue that nothing could possibly be cooler.

ITINERARY

Dates & Rates

	Green Season	Shoulder Season	Peak Season
Double			from $21,275 per person sharing
Single Supp
Local Flights

ITINERARY

Inclusions

All Accommodation
All Activities as per Itinerary
All Airport Transfers
All Meals & Drinks in Antarctica
All Scheduled Flights
Breakfasts at the Silo Hotel
Conservation Fees
Wifi in Camp Where Available

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it really possible to do a day trip to Antarctica?

Yes, properly. A day trip from Cape Town flies you around 5.5 hours south to land on a blue-ice runway at Wolf’s Fang, gives you roughly three hours on the White Continent, then flies you back the same evening. It’s one of the very few ways to set foot on Antarctica without committing to a multi-day expedition or a cruise.

How long is the flight from Cape Town to Antarctica?

About 5.5 hours each way, on an Airbus that also ferries supplies to Antarctic research bases. You’ll fly out and back in a single day, with around three hours on the ice in between – roughly 14 hours door-to-door.

When is the best time to do an Antarctica day trip?

Day trips run during the Antarctic summer, from November to February. December and January are the most popular thanks to long daylight hours and (relatively) mild weather – we’re still talking Antarctica, mind. Spaces are limited, and demand is high, so book six to twelve months ahead if you can.

How much does a day trip to Antarctica from Cape Town cost?

Day trips currently start at around $16,500 per person and increase depending on the season, group size, and what you pair them with. We’ll talk you through the options and bundle it with the right Cape Town stay so the whole trip comes together smoothly.

What should I pack for a day trip to Antarctica?

Layers, and lots of them. You’ll leave Cape Town in summer and step out into sub-zero temperatures. Heavy-duty outerwear is usually provided – we’ll send a full kit list when you book.

What happens if bad weather delays the Antarctica flight?

Antarctic weather has the final say, and flights can be pushed by a day or two. It’s why we always recommend padding your Cape Town stay either side of the day trip – not exactly a hardship – so a delay becomes a slow morning at The Silo rather than a missed itinerary.

Can you see penguins on a day trip to Antarctica?

The day trip focuses on inland ice – ice caves, glaciers, the surreal scale of the place, rather than the coastal colonies where penguins gather. If emperors and chicks are top of your list, we’d point you toward a longer Antarctic experience centred around them instead.

Is the Antarctica day trip sustainable?

The White Desert flights to Antarctica are already happening to ferry crew and supplies to Antarctic research bases, and spare seats are sold to travellers, so no additional plane is going up on your account. White Desert became the first in Antarctica to fly on Sustainable Aviation Fuel in 2021, currently cutting emissions by 24–40% and producing far less soot and sulfur (a big deal for air quality over the Continent). Residual emissions are offset through internationally recognised programmes, and White Desert has been Carbon Neutral certified since 2007.