For Your Next Getaway, Consider a Prefab Pod in Antarctica’s Lunar-Esque Landscape

Echo is a space-age eco-retreat that will beckon the adventurous and affluent to experience the iciest region on the planet.
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If you’ve ever had dreams of exploring and spending the night in the frozen expanse of Antarctica, here’s your chance to make that come true. In November, luxe travel company White Desert plans to launch Echo, its latest eco-retreat that grants visitors access to the rarely seen interiors of the southernmost continent.

In November 2022, travel company White Desert plans to launch Echo, a luxury eco-camp in Antarctica with space-age inspired accommodations.

In November 2022, travel company White Desert plans to launch Echo, a luxury eco-camp in Antarctica with space-age inspired accommodations.

"There is no more dramatic landscape to wake up to than this lunar landscape," attests Mindy Roberts, White Desert’s chief marketing officer.

The camp’s six accommodations are bubble-like prefab designs by Skulpod that take inspiration from space modules. They’re lightweight, climate resistant, and include floor-to-ceiling windows that provide vistas over Antarctica’s snow, ice, and craggy rock formations. Far from civilization, the atmosphere is alarmingly quiet.

The two-person pods are prefabricated, modular units that are lightweight and resilient against the sub-zero climate.

The two-person pods are prefabricated, modular units that are lightweight and resilient against the sub-zero climate.

The camp allows travelers to explore the seldomly traversed interior region of Antarctica.

The camp allows travelers to explore the seldomly traversed interior region of Antarctica.

Pods for lounging, dining, and showering are placed at the center of the camp.

Pods for lounging, dining, and showering are placed at the center of the camp.

For the opening in the fall, the company plans to spend roughly one week on-site setting up camp, and like all of its retreats—Echo is White Desert’s third in Antarctica—the accommodations are designed to be dismantled with minimal impact, leaving nothing but tracks in the snow.

The pods’ interiors are imagined as futuristic, with a white-domed ceiling, curved white walls, and floor-to-ceiling windows designed to grant visitors a view of Antarctica’s moon-like landscape.

The pods’ interiors are imagined as futuristic, with a white-domed ceiling, curved white walls, and floor-to-ceiling windows designed to grant visitors a view of Antarctica’s moon-like landscape.

The headboard for the bed will have recessed vertical lighting.

The headboard for the bed will have recessed vertical lighting.

The interiors of the pods will have a futuristic look, too, with a white-domed ceiling, curved white walls, and recessed vertical lights built into the bed’s console-like headboard. The en suite bath is designed with octagonal tile flooring and recessed ceiling lights in a matching pattern.

Plush textiles counter the spaceship aesthetic, providing warmth and texture.

Plush textiles counter the spaceship aesthetic, providing warmth and texture.

The en suite bathroom features octagonal tile flooring and recessed ceiling lights with a matching pattern.

The en suite bathroom features octagonal tile flooring and recessed ceiling lights with a matching pattern.

Along with the accommodations, the camp will have separate commons for lounging, dining, and showering and freshening up after planned activities like ice climbing, mountaineering, or riding bikes. A main attraction is the wildlife, and specifically the 28,000-strong emperor penguin colony that resides at Atka Bay.

Guided hiking, ice climbing, and mountaineering are among the activities to choose from while experiencing Echo.

Guided hiking, ice climbing, and mountaineering are among the activities to choose from while experiencing Echo.

Protecting the local fauna, and the landscape at large, is a big part of the White Desert founders’ mission. Robyn and Patrick Woodhead follow the philosophy of naturalist David Attenborough, believing that a person must visit a place to understand, care about, and learn how to best preserve a region. In facilitating Antarctic stays, the Woodheads hope to create a network of ambassadors who will share the importance of conserving Antarctica for future generations.

Travelers have the option to explore the wonder of Antarctica’s ice caves.

Travelers have the option to explore the wonder of Antarctica’s ice caves.

The terrain of Antarctica resembles the surface of the moon, a landscape that inspired the design for the pod accommodations.

The terrain of Antarctica resembles the surface of the moon, a landscape that inspired the design for the pod accommodations.

Becoming an ambassador, however, will cost you. A stay at Echo is $65,000, or, if you book as a group of 12, the maximum capacity for the camp, $780,000. The experience includes a five-day tour, flights, and transfers from Cape Town to Antarctica, food and beverages, pod stays, and all activities. When you book, White Desert promises to put $1,000 toward their own conservation, community, and sustainability initiatives.

Guests can bike across the snow and ice.

Guests can bike across the snow and ice.

"Echo is an opportunity to understand that the global effects of climate change begin with our behavior at home," Roberts says. "Antarctica is self-governed and not owned by any one country. In order to preserve the environmental integrity of this pristine region, the team leaves nothing behind except memories and footprints."

Book a stay at Echo via White Desert’s website.

Related Reading:

Echo Camp: White Desert / @white.desert.antarctica

Design and Construction: Skulpod / @skulpod

Laura Mauk
Laura Mauk writes about architecture and design for Dwell, Wallpaper*, the San Francisco Chronicle, Interiors and Luxe.

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