Why book?
A testament to the spirit and history of polar exploration and one of only two camps in this region offering this type of Antarctica experience. Only accessible by charter flight, hence the ticket price, it transports you to a region of Antarctica you cannot visit as part of a cruise package. This is an extraordinary stay for intrepid, adventurous and wealthy Shackleton fans and penguin enthusiasts.
Set the scene
The camp is a 30 minute drive from Novolazarevskaya Air Base located at the southeastern tip of the Schirmacher oasis on the shores of Lake Stantsionnoye. The camp can sleep 20 people in two cabins, one of which was taken by the Russian air crew that flew us, the food supplies, the fuel and everything else that makes the trip from Cape Town every five days. Our cabin consisted of five rooms of varying size, three singles and three doubles. My fellow cabin mates were a mixed bag, an Australian couple from the tech industry, a retired Chinese Construction Millionaire and his non English speaking wife, two brothers from South Africa here to run an endurance ice marathon, a wildlife photographer and film maker, an ornithologist and penguin expert and a German Tour Operator. A recipe for another great Agatha Christie murder mystery we joked. The common thread here is everyone has a thirst for unique experiences and adventure, exactly what Ultima Oasis affords you.
The backstory
Russia’s Novolazarevskaya Station is named for Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev, who was second-in-command of Fabian von Bellingshausen’s expedition of 1803–06, and captain of the supply ship Mirny. The station is 75km from the Lazarev Sea coast, but only 4.5km east of India’s Maitri Station. Soviet-Russian activity in the area dates back to the establishment of Lazarev base in 1958. In its very first year of operation (1961), an infamous self surgery, an appendectomy to be exact, took place by the station doctor, consequently there are now 2 doctors on site. In 1979 the current station replaced the old one, the station’s seven single-story buildings are built on steel struts 1 to 2 meters above the ground and are connected by wooden boardwalks. Three of which have been repurposed and are now rented to and act as the Ultima Oasis camp.
The rooms
The rooms are relatively basic by luxury standards but they are very comfortable and very warm, the most crucial element here. The point of being here is to be here, experience the environment and be out of the room. It is purely for sleeping and it serves that purpose very well. I was in a single room, initially a little disappointed and then quickly realizing that smaller means warmer. Happiness. I have a single bed with a thick duvet and faux fur throw, sufficient hanging space for my thermals. Polar outerwear is provided and I lived in mine. There is a small writing desk and chair beneath a window complete with a blackout curtain to very effectively stem the constant daylight. Not one but two heaters; one wall mounted right next to the bed and one electric fur rug for under foot comfort. One wall of my room is a fabric map of Antarctica to remind you of the incredible vastness of this continent and the tiny speck of where we sit within it. The communal lounge is essentially a viewing gallery, large picture windows with cushioned seating, knitted cushions and throws and bouclé upholstered chairs in muted tones creating a luxurious viewing nest The bathroom is communal, there is a shower which guests are encouraged to try not to overuse as water is scarce here and the pipes have a tendency to freeze. This did happen one morning and the camp staff of 8 jumped in and collectively replaced the pipework and got the water back on within 30 minutes. The skilled staff have to wear more than one hat at this camp, everyone has multiple roles to play and multiple skill sets. Essential in this most challenging of environments.
Food and drink
I’ll be honest, I was not expecting the food to be exciting, I knew it wouldn’t be rationed hard biscuits, kendall mint cake, and tinned somethings. It was far from that, as far from that as we were from civilization but there was gastronomic civilization on a plate. The food was excellent. Day one we were presented with the most delicious blackberry gin gimlet. It turns out Imka (the camp host) was a mean cocktail maker and she liked to share her talents with the group. Every day before dinner a new and exciting twist on something familiar. That first night Jess the cook served succulent fillet of beef that she cooked outside on a Braii. Maple glazed roasted carrots with a pea and parmesan risotto, accompanied by snow child South African wines. We had a short lived relationship with a 1974 Chenin Blanc at one point, forcing me to eat my presumptuous and judgemental food thoughts! I talked to Jess about the challenges of cooking here, they have to rely on all the food and drink coming in from Cape Town and working with a slowly depleting larder, she is essentially a food magician with an impressive CV of 1st Class culinary experience.
The spa
The spa. There is one. It is a leftover from the Russians, a traditional wooden Banya perched at the edge of the frozen lake. It is a somewhat quirky addition to the camp and definitely a must do after a long and physical day off site. It is a series of four timber rooms that get hotter and drier as you cross each threshold. It reminded me of matrioshka, a room in a room in a room. They even provide dried birch branches, schvitz hats, and the shortest of 70’s style linen robes for the modest. There is a shower inside but the idea is to step outside and plunge into the icy thawed lake for an arctic plunge. Unfortunately we were too early in the season and the lake was thickly frozen, as was the timber barrel outside collecting ice water from the eventually melting roof snow. Also frozen solid and formed into an Anish Kapoor style sculpture. The only option is to grab huge chunks of solid snow from the ground and rub all over until you appear red as beetroot then bolt back inside to the cocoon of dry heat.
The neighborhood/area
The purpose of coming here is not for the accommodation but for the environment and what Ultima Oasis can offer experientially. Immediately around the camp there are hikes and walks of varying physical demands. You can even mountain bike at the camp. The star attractions are less localized and can take up the best part of your day. Our first adventure out was to see a spectacular ice cave. A short drive in an adapted all terrain vehicle powered by jet fuel takes you to Maitri, one of India’s five research stations. From there it is on foot, hiking across ice fields, around frozen lakes, over unsteady rock strewn plateaus until you arrive at a clifftop looking out at 45 miles of frozen ocean. Far below the most abstract undulating curved frozen shapes where the weight of the sea ice has forged the shoreline into a white sculpture park. Once you get to the bottom crampons are fitted and the relatively short trek brings you to the mouth of the ice cave. It is like walking through a pantone book of blues. Part science fiction, part Willy Wonka, all ice and curves and colours. Jaw dropping and awe-inspiring in equal measure.
The next day we board a 10-seater Kenn Borek twin otter ski plane and fly 45 minutes until we hit the coastline where the ice breaks into bergs and you see the dark inkiness of the sea. This is the main event, a trip to see an emperor penguin colony in a place few people have ever set foot before. The landscape here is breathtaking, for that alone it is worth the trip. Peter the ornithologist tells me that these particular penguins have only been visited once before, a few days prior and have probably never seen humans. They make a beeline for us in great volume and before we know it we are the object of their curiosity. The tables turned so quickly. We are all greatly amused and surrounded. There are strict rules here about visiting the emperor penguins, you have to maintain distance at all times to avoid any potential infection of avian flu but they are so wildly curious about people they make it very hard. You have to keep moving, no mean feat in layers of polar gear and thick snow. They are far better adept as manoeuvring than us clumsy bipeds.
Eco effort
Highly eco. Literally everything that comes in has to leave including the human waste. There is literally no food waste but what cannot be used is dehydrated and compressed and taken back to Cape Town to be used as compost. You cannot leave a footprint here other than in the snow.
Anything left to mention?
Just worth knowing that the toilet facilities are going to be challenging to some. All human waste is collected in barrels and sent back frozen. There is not really a flushing toilet system, this is more festival style and not for everyone but a small price to pay for flexing your green credentials back at home over dinner. Oh, have you not been to Antarctica yet?