Itinerary

Day 1: Departure from Christchurch ✈️

• Highlights: Antarctic Gateway briefing, cold weather gear fitting, & flight preparation.

• Details: Begin your journey from Christchurch, New Zealand. Attend mandatory cold-weather survival briefings, receive your Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) gear, and prepare for your flight south to Antarctica.

Day 2: Flight to Antarctica & Arrival at McMurdo 🧊

• Highlights: C-17 / LC-130 flight, sea ice runway landing, & station check-in.

• Details: Board a specialized military transport aircraft (like a C-17 Globemaster) flying across the Southern Ocean. Touch down on the annual ice runway at Phoenix Airfield and transfer to McMurdo Station—the largest scientific research hub in Antarctica.

Day 3: Science, Labs & Station Orientation 🔬

• Highlights: Crary Science and Engineering Center tour, station history, & community facilities.

• Details: Explore the state-of-the-art Crary Science Center. Learn about cutting-edge marine biology, glaciology, and space weather research, and visit iconic station landmarks like the station chapel and library.

Day 4: Hut Point & Historic Discovery Hut 🛖

• Highlights: Robert Falcon Scott’s historic hut, Hut Point Peninsula, & Mount Erebus views.

• Details: Walk out to Hut Point to inspect the remarkably preserved historic expedition hut built by Captain Robert Falcon Scott during the 1901–1904 Discovery Expedition, while enjoying views of the active volcano Mount Erebus.

Day 5: Observation Hill Hike & Wildlife Spotting 🥾

• Highlights: Hiking Observation Hill, cross-ice views, & Weddell seal tracking.

• Details: Hike up Observation Hill (Ob Hill) to see the memorial cross and enjoy panoramic 360-degree views of the Ross Ice Shelf and surrounding mountains. Keep an eye out for Weddell seals resting on the sea ice.

Day 6: Antarctic Field Life & Science Lectures 🧊

• Highlights: Sustainability programs, researcher presentations, & station social evening.

• Details: Learn about station logistics, water generation, and renewable energy use in extreme environments. Attend evening lectures by resident scientists and join locals at the station's recreation hub.

Day 7: Return Flight to New Zealand ✈️

• Highlights: Final station farewells, Phoenix Airfield departure, & arrival in Christchurch.

• Details: Gear up, board your return flight from the Antarctic ice runway, and fly back across the Southern Ocean to Christchurch International Airport with extraordinary memories of the world's most famous polar station.