Follow the famed Shackleton Traverse – but on skis
Few adventures compare to retracing even part of Ernest Shackleton’s historic route across South Georgia, especially when you add skis into the equation. On this exciting guided crossing, you can experience a stunning sub-Antarctic island in the most close-contact way possible.
How the South Georgia ski trekking activity works
We can support a minimum of six, maximum of 12 passengers for this activity. Two or three mountain guides will accompany all skiers, with a minimum ratio of one guide per four skiers. A medically qualified expedition guide will also join us.
We will pull our own pulka sleds filled with personal and combined equipment (e.g., food, stoves, fuel) as we traverse roughly 40 to 50km (25 to 30 miles) of some of the most scenic landscapes in the far south. You have the chance to spot a number of exotic bird species along the way.
Starting at King Haakon Bay, we will spend the night close to shore as we prep for the ski trek. We will then set off the next morning and aim to be picked up by the vessel at Stromness Bay, conditions permitting. After this, we will rejoin the other passengers for the remainder of the voyage.
If you are accompanied on your cruise by friends or family who do not want to partake in the crossing, that is not a problem. Your fellow travelers will have plenty of opportunities to take pleasant shoreline walks as part of our regular landing program.
How physically fit do I have to be to ski South Georgia?
You must be in good physical shape to join this activity. We’ll be on the move for days at a time, pulling supplies behind us. Our path will lead over rough ground, including hills and deep snow but possibly also across crevassed areas and potentially dangerous alpine terrain.
For your safety, we ask that you provide a medical certificate stating your good health. You will also need to be highly proficient in Nordic skiing. For steeper descents, we generally remove our skis and go on foot. We ask that you also submit a personal tour report of the activities you took part in so we can add it to our log book.
We recommend you brush up your skills with Nordic skiing courses beforehand if you are uncertain as to your ability. And while we will not engage in true mountain climbing during this trip, such skills may come in handy if strong winds or other extreme weather comes into play.
We cannot stress enough that local conditions entirely determine our ability to conduct this activity. In the event the weather becomes truly challenging, we may need to stay in our tents for several days and possibly cancel the ski trek.