Trip Information
60 Nautical Miles (111km)
Advanced, Skiing and Winter Skills
16 Days
Dates: December 4 – 18, 2025 and December 15 – 31, 2025
Cost: USD $78,000
Trip begins in Punta Arenas, Chile
Our South Pole Expeditions for 2025-’26 Season
Embark on an Unmatched South Pole Adventure with Ryan Waters, IPGA certified Polar Guide
Our exclusive Antarctica expeditions are led and managed by renowned IPGA Polar Guide, Ryan Waters—a true pioneer in polar exploration. In 2010, Ryan and Cecilie Skog achieved an extraordinary feat, completing a 1,117-mile (1,800 km) Antarctic ski expedition over 70 days. Their journey traversed from Berkner Island in the Ronne/Filchner Sea to the South Pole, continuing on to the Ross Sea—marking the first-ever ski traverse of continental Antarctica without resupplies or the use of kites.
In Spring 2014, Ryan and Eric Larsen skied unsupported to the North Pole in just 53 days, cementing Ryan’s place in history as the first American to achieve the True Adventurers Grand Slam—a remarkable accomplishment that includes unsupported, unassisted ski trips to both poles from coastal starts. He is the only individual in the world to have skied unsupported and unassisted to the South Pole from the three major routes: Hercules Inlet, Messner/Fuchs, and Berkner Island.
Ryan’s unmatched expertise is complemented by his experience guiding polar expeditions, including a 44-day journey to the South Pole via the Messner/Fuchs route and a 53-day expedition starting from Hercules Inlet.
As one of the world’s foremost Polar/High Altitude Guides and a certified Polar Guide, Ryan personally organizes and plans every South Pole expedition, ensuring a truly exceptional experience.
Why Choose Us for Your South Pole Adventure?
- Direct Communication with Your Expert Guide: From the moment you sign up, you will have personalized pre-trip communication with Ryan Waters, offering tailored advice on gear, training, and preparations. Unlike many other guiding companies, where the identity of your guide may remain unknown until the final stages, with Mountain Professionals, you’ll have direct contact with your Polar Ski guide throughout the entire planning process.
- World-Class Expertise: Our team of guides brings decades of combined experience from previous South Pole, North Pole, and Greenland expeditions. You’ll be in the best hands as you embark on this once-in-a-lifetime journey.
- Limited Availability: We will be running up to two Last Degree South Pole Ski expeditions during the 2025-2026 season. Contact us for more details on how you can join this extraordinary expedition.
- This is more than just an adventure—this is an opportunity to push the boundaries of exploration, guided by one of the world’s foremost polar experts. Reach out today and secure your place on an unparalleled journey to the South Pole.
Let Mountain Professionals take you there
Want to learn more about skiing the Last Degree to the South Pole, with the premier polar guides? Contact us today and we will give you all the info you need.
Highlights of our Trip
- Veteran American Polar Ski guides to ensure seamless delivery and safety procedures
- Access to satellite phone and email, dispatches of the team progress on our news site
- Emphasis is placed on providing high end logistics, staff, equipment and meals to a small team of skiers
Photo Gallery
South Pole Expedition Trip Description
Please note that we recommend interested participants on South Pole last degree trips, plan to take a polar ski training prior to the expedition. Planning ahead is the best way to prepare. With more mountaineers expressing interest in Polar Ski journeys, they often underestimate the difficulty and different skill set required to complete a South Pole Last Degree Ski expedition.
We have great options for Polar Ski Training and would recognize similar trainings by a respected instructor or can provide private instruction if needed. If you are interested in a future expedition to Antarctica, the best way to have a safe and successful expedition is to take a polar ski training course. So please do plan ahead and talk with us about how to gain the skills in advance.
The South Pole Last Degree ski expedition is an incredible adventure and a huge accomplishment set on the coldest, windiest, and driest continent on earth. Join our qualified Mountain Professionals guides for a ski trip covering the last 60 nautical miles to the South Pole. Our team is well positioned to offer the highest level of polar guiding experience. Our staff includes polar adventurers with in-depth knowledge gained on multiple North Pole, South Pole, and Greenland expeditions.
The trip itself begins in Punta Arenas, Chile, where we prepare our expedition sleds, food, fuel and supplies. We take great care in our pre-trip planning to develop a strong and efficient team. It crucial to have a well prepared, highly functional group for travel in Antarctica.
We fly from the southern tip of Chile to Union Glacier on the continent of Antarctica where we will take some time to acclimate to our new surroundings. This allows an enjoyable and beautiful “warm up” ski tour around the surrounding landscape prior to the flight to our starting point at 89 degrees South latitude or approximately 60 nautical miles from the geographic South Pole.
Our team of guests and guides will travel across large expanses of wind carved snow and ice features on the surface of the Antarctica plateau. Each day will involve melting snow for water, making meals, planning our route for the day by following a compass bearing, and skiing as a team for up to eight hours.
We will take care to ease into our schedule as we have jumped up to about 9,000 feet above sea level. Each day will include several sections of skiing in blocks of 45 minutes to slightly more than an hour. Our breaks are a time to rehydrate and eat throughout the day and eventually reach camp in the late afternoon. As a group, we will set up tents and begin melting water for dinner and enjoy the comforts of tent life as the sun circles around above the horizon in 24-hour light of the Antarctica Summer and spot the South Pole station out on the horizon and feel the anticipation of success at the geographic South Pole! Our goal will be to reach the geographic South Pole in good style and enjoy a safe, successful visit to Antarctica.
Projected Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrive Punta Arenas, Chile. Team transport to our hotel.
- Day 2: Prepare and check equipment. We will have time on this day to visit the sites in Punta Arenas. Briefing and slideshow provided by our local logistics operator which will cover all aspects of the flight to Union Glacier, Antarctica and the onward flight to 89 Degrees South. Our equipment is collected at mid-day for loading onto the Antarctica bound aircraft. From this point we are on standby for our flight to Union Glacier.
- Day 3: Final Punta Arenas day to relax and take care of any personal needs.
- Day 4: Depart for Union Glacier Weather dependent we will fly approximately 4 hours south and land on the blue ice runway at Union Glacier. Our team will put up our sleeping tents and be treated to a meal in the base camp.
- Day 5: Practice day on the ice. We will ski around the Union Glacier camp and get acclimatized to our systems and the environment.
- Day 6: Fly to 89 Degrees South
We fly by Twin Otter aircraft to our start point 60 nautical miles from our goal and have a short ski day. - Day 7-14: Ski to the South Pole.
- Day 15: Fly to Union Glacier. Fly in the Twin Otter aircraft back across the immense plateau and reach the comforts of Union Glacier camp where we have a big celebration and enjoy the achievement.
- Day 16: Fly to Punta Arenas. We will be on standby ready to fly back to the mainland Chile. Once we get word, we pack up our bags onto the transport and board the plane for Punta Arenas. We are taken back to our hotel for a very welcome shower! In the evening we will enjoy a celebration dinner in one of Punta Arenas’ excellent restaurants.
- Day 17: Depart Punta Arenas for home.
South Pole Expedition Trip Costs
Trip Cost Includes
- Mountain Professionals polar guides.
- Airport arrival pickup and hotel transfer.
- Flights from Punta Arenas, Chile to Union Glacier, Antarctica and return.
- Flights to start point and return from the South Pole.
- Accommodations in Antarctica in Hilleberg Keron 4 GT tents.
- All transportation, according to the program.
- Acapulka 170 specialized polar ski sled
- Personal specialized gear – Asnes skis, Rotafella bindings, ski boots, pulling harness.
- All permits and fees.
- All meals according to the program after leaving Punta Arenas.
- Group equipment, tents, stoves, fuel, safety, first aid, etc.
- Navigation equipment, compasses, GPS, maps.
- Communication, satellite phones, daily dispatches.
- Dispatches with photographs and abilty to email via satellite system.
Price does not include
- International Airfare to and from Punta Arenas, Chile.
- Food, beverages, while in Punta Arenas, Chile.
- Lodging costs in Punta Arenas, Chile.
- Cancellation, Medical, and travel insurance (mandatory).
- Personal clothing and equipment.
- Insurance Policy.
- Expenses of personal nature.
