South Pole Last Degree Confirmation Details
We are very excited to confirm your participation on our 2026 South Pole Last Degree Ski Expedition. This expedition is remarkable in many ways and we are confident that you will find this to be a wonderful adventure. This eConfirmation Kit includes many details and important information about the expedition. Please read it carefully and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Preparation is the key to your success, safety and comfort during the expedition. This confirmation letter is designed to give you easy access to all the forms and resources that will be a part of your preparations along with your personal training and travel arrangements.
This Confirmation Letter includes the following important information in this order:
Expedition Dates & Arrival Information
This expedition begins as the team gathers in Punta Arenas, Chile on January 1, 2026 for an evening welcome reception. We recommend arriving a day earlier to provide yourself some wiggle room should you have any delayed flights or delayed baggage, and to allow ample time for a gear check by our guides. You are required to be in Punta Areans for three nights prior to our scheduled January 4 flight to Antarctica.
Travel to/ from Punta Arenas– You need to arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile three nights before your scheduled flight to Antarctica, which is currently on January 4, 2026. This means that you need to arrive in Punta Arenas by January 1 at the latest. Lan Chile is the most common commercial carrier servicing Punta Arenas (Sky Airlines and Aerolinas del Sur also offer flights). Flights generally connect through Santiago and Puerto Montt. Due to the dynamic nature of Polar travel all of your travel arrangements should be kept as flexible as possible.
Important Travel Tips
✔ We strongly recommend that you carry any essential items such as prescription medication and ski boots in your hand luggage on all commercial flights.
✔ All travelers MUST collect their bags in Santiago, prior to clearing customs. Upon arrival in Santiago you will pass through immigration, claim your luggage, clear the agricultural screening and finally pass through customs. From there navigate to the domestic terminal (located across the courtyard) for your domestic flight check in and departure. Lost luggage and luggage left on the carousel in Santiago causes problems for a number of travelers each season.
✔ Antarctic weather is fickle and delays on both the inbound and outbound Antarctic flights can and do happen! 64% of the scheduled flights between Punta Arenas and Antarctica depart on time. 84% of flights depart within 24 hours of their scheduled departure time. We highly recommend booking fully changeable, fully flexible tickets to accommodate any delays or changes to the schedule. We also recommend that you have a travel agent or trusted friend or family member book your tickets and be on-call to make changes if necessary. It is extremely frustrating and expensive to attempt to change your flights from a satellite phone from Antarctica!
Passport & Visa - Please check with your local travel agent or Chilean consulate to determine if you are required to have a visa to enter Chile. Please make sure you obtain a “multiple entry visa” if you require one. A “Reciprocity fee” (a form of entry fee) must be paid by nationals of some countries. Check with the Chilean consulate in your country to determine the cost. The fee must be paid prior to passing through immigration in the Santiago Airport.
Lodging - There are a number of hotels in Punta Arenas ranging from hostels to four star accommodations. Many of our team members stay at the Hotel Diego de Almagro due to the fact that it is large and often has availability to accommodate last minute changes (such as those caused by weather delays). The Dreams Hotel and the Hotel Cabo de Hornos are upscale and have also been popular accommodations but they are less flexible to accommodate last-minute changes.
Itinerary
Upon your arrival on or before January 1 your guide will check your gear to double-check that you have everything you need and to provide any equipment you may have rented. Also on January 1 we will have a welcome reception to review the schedule and get to know each other. On January 2nd there will be a required reception and safety briefing at the ALE office. On January 3rd, your gear will be weighed, collected, and transferred to the airport. The scheduled flight to Union Glacier is January 4th. IMPORTANT – If poor weather is predicted for January 4 it is possible that we will fly to Antarctica on January 3. Thus, it is imperative that you arrive by January 1 to allow time for adequate preparations as well as travel delays for you and your luggage should they occur. The plane to Antarctica will not be held for missing people or missing luggage. The scheduled return flight is January 16th though delays can and do occur.
We will be providing contact information for your guide(s) in Punta Arenas and we ask that you communicate your arrival. The airport is a short taxi ride (15 minutes) from downtown Punta Arenas. Upon your arrival we will schedule a time to check your gear.
Forms
You need to complete and submit the following forms for the expedition.
Submit by:
PE Application (online form) - Submit along with your registration and deposit
PE Medical Form (online form)- Submit by September 3, 2025
PE Insurance Form (online form) - Submit by September 3, 2025
Acknowledgement of reading this Confirmation Letter - Submit by September 3, 2025
ALE Personal Information Form, and Waiver - Submit by September 3, 2025
Clothing & Equipment
Weather on the Antarctic Polar Plateau is extremely cold and it can be windy. You need specific clothing & equipment for this expedition and you need to be very familiar with every item you bring. Click here to see your Clothing & Equipment Checklist and a description of most items.
Weather conditions can vary from blue-bird days to complete white outs. Winds can be calm or strong. The temperatures can hover from -30F or colder to -5F (without the wind). For these reasons it is important to follow the equipment list closely so you are prepared for all that Antarctica has to offer.
It’s important that new gear is purchased well in advance of the expedition so you can break it in and become familiar with it. This is especially critical for your boots. Don’t forget that you might want to add modifications, like long zipper pulls, or extra pockets to your gear. There are no outdoor stores in Punta Arenas that are open during the New Year's holiday that sell expedition-quality outdoor gear so it’s critical that you arrive with everything you need.
Training
This expedition can be very physically demanding, it will test your limits and certainly requires that you arrive physically fit. Remember, your expedition will start near an altitude of 9,300 feet (the last degree) but because the atmosphere on the polar plateau is thinner than elsewhere on the planet it will “feel” closer to 12,000 feet. Pulling a tire, hill climbing, as well as strength, balance and flexibility training should all be a part of your pre-expedition routine. Working with a personal trainer that specializes in cold weather sled hauling expeditions can be very helpful. Please contact us to discuss your training or for personal trainer recommendations.
Antarctic Flight Weight Restrictions
There are very strict weight limits on all our charter flights. Each person is allowed 20 kilo of personal kit. This 20 kg includes all of your personal clothing, toiletries, cup, bowl, camera equipment, communication kit, lunch snacks and sleeping system. It excludes what you will be wearing on the plane (base layers, boots, wind pants, parka) and a small amount of hand luggage that you can carry on the plane. Any baggage in excess of this amount will be charged at the rate of $77.00 USD per kg ($35 USD per pound), payable only in USD cash.
To help ensure that you are not overweight we recommend weighing your personal kit prior to the “official” weigh-in so you are not surprised by any excess baggage charges. Keep in mind that we will be giving you additional items in Punta Arenas & Union Glacier, such as food and group gear, so the overall weight of your sled will be more than 20 kg.
Be Prepared, Present & Positive
Showing up for this expedition means a lot more than arriving in Punta Arenas with your gear. It also means arriving well prepared, ready to be present, and committed to being a positive member of your team. If your lack of preparedness or other factors mean that you are physically incapable or if your actions, attitude or behavior jeopardizes you or the group we reserve the right to arrange for your evacuation at your own expense. Neither refunds nor credits are given under such circumstances.
Insurance
Like many expeditions this adventure represents a financial investment on your part. We require that you purchase trip cancellation insurance or sign a waiver acknowledging that you are intentionally declining to do so. Trip cancellation insurance has many benefits including coverage if you need to cancel your expedition due to, among other things, illness or injury to yourself or that of a family member, especially when within 120 days of the expedition.
Medical Evacuation Insurance
All of your travel in Antarctica is extremely remote. Thus, medical evacuation insurance for at least $300,000 USD is required. Typically comprehensive travel insurance policies that include trip cancellation also include a medical evacuation component in excess of this amount.
Medications You Need To Bring
Every participant needs to bring at least one course of a broad spectrum antibiotic (for skin infections, urinary tract infections, etc.) and any personal medications that you may frequently use including epinephrine if you have severe allergies. We also recommend a respiratory antibiotic if you are prone to having respiratory illnesses or infections. Women may also want to carry an antifungal medication for yeast infections. If you do not have a personal physician who can write these prescriptions contact Duration Health which specializes in emergency medications for travelers. Also plan to bring a small first aid kit with items you frequently use such as blister care, ibuprofen, etc.
Preparing For Your Expedition
Every expedition has three phases. The first phase begins the day you commit to doing the expedition and it ends when you embark on the adventure. This phase is called the Preparatory Phase and it is extremely important. Click here to find out what you should know and do during the Preparatory Phase of your expedition.
Expedition lunches
During the expedition we will stop periodically to snack on high energy food and drink fluids that you bring. PolarExplorers does not provide any snack or lunch items to eat during the day. As a rule you should plan to consume at least 1500 -1800 calories of your favorite energy snacks for each day. The overall weight of your snack food should be in the ballpark 18 oz / 500 gr per day with a total of 10 days for this expedition. Your snacks should have both quick burning and slow burning calories (for example, chocolate AND nuts). Also, some people like to bring their own favorite powdered drink. If you find drinking flavored water easier than drinking plain water, consider bringing such a mix. How much? You will likely be drinking at least 2 liters (or quarts) of fluids each day while on the go. Additionally you will be drinking hot drinks in the evening and mornings (coco, tea, etc. provided by PolarExplorers). For more information on expedition snack food check out this short video (https://youtu.be/KHAd5AUAtl0).
Expedition Blog
We will be posting an expedition blog with frequent dispatches from the expedition. This is a great way to share the adventure with your family and friends. The blog can be found here or by clicking the yellow “Dispatch” button on our homepage menu bar. We encourage you to participate by writing one of the blogs or sharing an audio dispatch.
Gratuities
Tipping your expedition guide is customary and always appreciated though it is not obligatory. The tip amount is at your discretion. Here’s a helpful resource about guide tips from Outside Magazine.
What is included?
-
Welcome reception in Punta Arenas
-
Pre-flight briefing in Punta Arenas prior to our Antarctic flight
-
Airport/Hotel transfers for Antarctic flights
-
Round trip flights from Punta Arenas to Antarctica and return
-
All scheduled group flights within Antarctica
-
Dinners, breakfasts and accommodations while in Antarctica
-
All group expedition, safety and communication gear
-
Skis, poles, skins, and pulk/harness for each participant
What is not included?
-
Commercial flights to and from Punta Arenas, Chile
-
Airport transfers other than those for Antarctic flights
-
Meals and accommodations in Punta Arenas, Chile
-
Personal lunch snacks during the expedition
-
Personal equipment and clothing
-
Expenses related to personal communications (sat phone, texts, etc.) during the expedition.
-
Additional expenses incurred in Punta Arenas due to delays
-
Insurance coverage – personal, medical, evacuation, cancellation or otherwise.
-
Evacuations or non medical pickups if you are unable to complete the expedition on your own.
-
Fuel surcharges levied by various logistics providers.
Again, thank you for registering for our 2026 South Pole Last Degree Ski Expedition. We look forward to working with you as you prepare for this exciting adventure. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can assist you in any way.