Experience Antarctica with Mantis Collection's White Desert

White Desert will be operating 3 types of adventure in 2011. All trips depart from Cape Town, South Africa. This is unique on its own as generally all departures to Antarctica depart from Chile or Argentina. An exclusive White Desert White Lion experience can be added on to any of the White Desert trips. This experience includes a sunset cruise aboard a luxury yacht in the Cape Town's Table Bay, 3 nights of five-star accommodation at a The Last Word property in Cape Town and 2 nights at the award-winning Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, a behind the scenes experience of the reserve's white lions and a complimentary bush spa massage.

Plane landing in Antarctica

En route to Antarctica, leaving from a gate marked ‘Unknown International Airport,' guests take a five and a half hour flight. Crossing the vast Southern Ocean, adventurers fly via private jet from Cape Town, and watch the night turn to day as they pass through the polar circle into 24 hours of sunshine. Landing on the specially-designed ice runway, guests will be among the few to visit the interior of the Antarctic continent.

Upon arrival, guests are transferred in specially modified 4x4s to Whichaway Camp, perched on a 200 ft ice cliff and overlooking the most surreal and spectacular scenery on earth. Don't let the glacial temperatures and rigorous climate scare you. Every guest is equipped with Dunhill cashmere-blend clothing from the White Desert Shop. And, despite the untouched open surroundings, guests of White Desert will not be cheated of a single comfort. Whichaway Camp offers five spacious tent accommodations, each outfitted with comfortable beds, plush fur rugs, hot water bottles and heating stoves. A separate tent houses the shower. The main living space, which includes a dining room, library, kitchen and communications area, comprises two dome tents, decorated with the opulence of the old world African safari style and equipped with the latest technology. The Camp is exclusively powered by solar energy and operates by strict ecological guidelines.

Antarctica Tented camp view

Emperor penguins

Meals at White Desert are equally indulgent. With food prepared by South African Cordon Bleu chef, Jenna Viney, guests wake up to a full English breakfast, return from their adventures to a delectable light lunch, and relax, at day's end, with an extravagant three-course dinner, accompanied by GH Mumm ‘Cordon Rouge' champagne and a wide assortment of wines.

Emperor penguins

This year White Desert offers three exclusive experiences, as well as White Desert White Lion which can be added on to any of the experiences for a rack rate of €5,150. To learn more about White Desert or to make reservations, please visit the website, https://www.mantiscollection.com/white_desert.