The South Polar region offers the serious adventurer an incomparable experience. Unlike skiing the pack ice that surrounds the North Pole, your journey to the South Pole is on firm ground so-to-speak (it's actually 2 mile thick ice), with no pressure ridges or open water leads to block your path. Yet Antarctica has challenges of her own... more...

2010 Dates & Prices

Expedition Name:	2010 Dates:	Price:	Notes:
South Pole One Degree Ski Expedition	Jan. 4 - 16, 2010	$47,000 USD	Plan to arrive in Punta Arenas no later than Jan. 2
South Pole Two Degree Ski Expedition	Jan 4 - Jan. 23, 2010	$53,000 USD	Plan to arrive in Punta Arenas no later than Jan. 2
South Pole & Vinson Combo	Jan. 4 - 27, 2010	$66,500 USD	Plan to arrive in Punta Arenas no later than Jan. 2

Daily Itinerary

Day 1:	Arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile. Transfer to your hotel. Unpack and relax before welcome reception.
Day 2:	We'll spend the day in Punta Arenas readying our kits and preparing for the flight to Antarctica.
Day 3:	Weather permitting, we'll board a charter flight to Antarctica and the Patriot Hills basecamp. Tour of Patriot Hills, and time to set up camp.
Day 4:	A day in Patriot Hills basecamp acclimatizing and getting ready for the expedition.
Day 5:	Weather permitting, we'll fly to 88 or 89 degrees South for the beginning of our expedition. If we are unable to fly immediately we will use the time at Patriot Hills to acclimatize to the elevation. A mess tent for expeditions and beautiful surroundings make Patriot Hills a comfortable place to spend time.
Day 6-19 (2 degree trip) or Day 6-12 (1 degree trip):	Ski towards the South Pole! Days will be spent skiing across the Polar plateau, taking occasional breaks to stay hydrated and well fed. Evenings will find us relaxing in our tents and feasting on well-earned meals. These dates are approximate, as everything (including flights and our progress skiing) depends on a variety of factors including weather conditions and group capabilities.
Day 20 or 13:	Arrive at the South Pole! Enjoy a great celebration including champagne, dozens of photographs to document our success, and the prized call home from the bottom of the world. We'll camp near the South Pole and await our return flight to Patriot Hills. Time permitting, we may have an opportunity to tour the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Research Station.
Day 21 or 14:	Weather permitting, we'll depart for the return flight to Patriot Hills.
Day 22 or 15:	Weather permitting, we'll depart for the return flight to Punta Arenas. A final celebratory dinner in Punta Arenas marks the end of this incredible adventure!

This itinerary is highly dependent on a number of factors and is subject to change. Contact us for a more detailed itinerary!

Qualifications
This expedition is for people who are in good shape, and who are eager to push themselves physically and mentally. Though the skiing is quite demanding, it does not require significant skill (it is very much like walking with skis on).You will need to have very good cardiovascular endurance and the ability to pull a heavy sled (between 30-40 kilos) for several hours at a time, with only short pauses, day after day. Towards the end of the day when we stop skiing, it is critical that you have the energy reserves to set up camp, melt snow for hot tea or cocoa, and make dinner. Most importantly you need to be able to regulate your body temperature so that you do not get too cold, or too hot while you are on the move. This expedition will encounter extremely cold conditions, and living in such cold conditions 24 hours a day can be very challenging. This expedition demands that you stay well-fed and hydrated. You need to be proactive about keeping yourself healthy and free of injury. An evacuation from this expedition is very costly and logistically difficult. You do not have to be a world class athlete to participate in and enjoy this expedition, but every ounce of training and preparation will help to make the expedition more enjoyable and safer. Please contact us with further questions!

Equipment
Upon registration, you will receive a comprehensive gear guide including an instructional DVD that explains the importance of each item as well as gear recommendations from our past participants.

• 1 pair skis and ski poles (supplied by PolarExplorers)
• 1 pair skins covering the full length of your skis (supplied by PolarExplorers)
• 1 pair snow pack ski boots
• Sleeping bag rated to at least -35° Celsius
• Bivy sack
• 2 sleeping pads
• 1 wind anorak with hood (fur ruff recommended)
• 1 wind pants
• 1 insulated parka with hood
• 1 warm fleece jacket and pants
• 2 sets synthetic or wool underwear, medium weight top and bottom- 2nd set optional
• 1 overmitt system
• 2 pair synthetic or wool working gloves
• 2 hats: 1 lightweight balaclava, 1 ski type
• 2 neck gaiters
• 3 pair socks and sock liners
• 1 face mask
• Sun glasses and/ or mountain ski glasses
• 2 pr. anti-fog goggles
• 1 sturdy small backpack with waist belt and sternum strap
• 2 Thermos bottles or insulated water bottles
• 1 set eating utensils with bowl
• Pocket knife / multi-tool
• Personal toiletries
• 1 pee bottle (small plastic bottle)
• Face cream, lip protection
• 4 carabiners

What's Included:

• PolarExplorers expertise in planning and preparation (call us anytime!)
• PolarExplorers guides (world-class polar guides having guided a combined 40+ polar expeditions & adventures)
• PE's popular "South Pole Slideshow" (a ready-to-go PowerPoint presentation about the South Pole, expedition travel, and the polar environment.) We've prepared this for you to use as a stand-alone presentation or to edit/ incorporate into your own presentation about your expedition. Share the South Pole with your friends, family & community
• PolarExplorer's "Polar Prep" DVD covering personal clothing & equipment and tips for training.
• Daily online expedition blogs for friends and family back home
• Welcome reception on first night of expedition
• All charter air transportation from Punta Arenas and return
• Skis, poles, sleds (quality gear that's tried and true in the polar environment)
• Tents & all group camping gear
• Expedition patch
• Accommodations and meals in Antarctica for duration of itinerary
• South celebration
• Official South Pole certificate
• Satellite phone call from South Pole
• Communication and safety gear
• Baggage allowance up to 50lbs (22.5 kg)
  

What's Not Included:

• Round-trip transportation to Punta Arenas, Chile
• Meals and accommodations in Punta Arenas
• Personal clothing and accessories
• Trip cancellation and baggage insurance (mandatory)
• Medical/evacuation insurance (mandatory)
• Excess baggage costs
• Additional phone calls from Antarctica
• Extended stay fees associated with weather delays.
  

Full Expedition Description
The South Polar region offers the serious adventurer an incomparable experience. Unlike skiing the pack ice that surrounds the North Pole, your journey to the South Pole is on firm ground so-to-speak (it's actually 2 mile thick ice), with no pressure ridges or open water leads to block your path. Yet Antarctica has challenges of her own, namely relentless prevailing winds that tend to blow against you as you ski towards the South Pole. Still, this journey across the Polar plateau is worth every drop of sweat. Our journey begins in Punta Arenas, Chile where we'll meet and board a series of charter flights that take us to 88 or 89 degrees south (depending on which expedition you choose). From here we'll strap on our skis and sleds and make our way south to the Geographic South Pole.

For the next 100-200 kilometers (60-120 miles) you'll ski 6-10 hours a day over the smooth ice of the polar plateau. If you've already traveled to the North Pole, you'll notice an incredible difference. For those who are on their inaugural Polar expedition, prepare to get hooked! Like all PolarExplorers' expeditions, you'll be involved in almost every aspect of your expedition, from setting up camp, to cooking meals, to practicing your hand at polar navigation (if you choose). Sleds will range in weight from 30-50 kilo (60-100 pounds) depending on if you are on the 1 or 2 degree expedition. Upon reaching the South Pole we'll have a grand celebration complete with champagne, a photo session to document your accomplishment, and the long-awaited call home. At the end of the journey we'll be shuttled back to Patriot Hills where we'll await our return flight to Punta Arenas and points north. To ensure that you have the best possible experience, we'll help you with all aspects of your pre-expedition preparations, from choosing the right clothing to learning how to pack your sled. Give us a call and let us tell you more about what skills you should have prior to the expedition, and what skills we will be teaching you prior to our departure. Our shakedown trip is an ideal way to learn all the skills that are necessary for an expedition of this magnitude!