Bucket List / Adventure Travel Goals
Climb Mt Vinson, Summit Of Antarctica
Still to do
Fly onto a blue-ice runway in the heart of Antarctica and climb the continent's highest peak under a sun that never sets.
The adventure
The adventure begins with a cargo jet landing on a runway of blue glacial ice at Union Glacier, deep in the Antarctic interior. From there a small ski plane drops you at Vinson base camp, a cluster of tents on a vast glacier, surrounded by white peaks with no sign of human life beyond your team.
The climbing itself is steady rather than technical, but everything is harder in this cold. You haul sleds between camps, climb fixed lines up a steep headwall to high camp, and fight with frozen zips and stiff boots at temperatures that can drop far below minus 30. The sun circles the sky all day and night. On summit day you stand at 4,892 metres and look out over the Ellsworth Mountains and the polar plateau, an empty white world stretching as far as you can see.
Why it’s epic
- At 4,892 metres, Vinson is the highest mountain in Antarctica and one of the Seven Summits.
- You fly from Punta Arenas to a blue-ice runway at Union Glacier, one of the most remote camps on Earth.
- The austral summer brings 24-hour daylight throughout the climb.
- Far fewer people have stood on its summit than on top of Everest.
What it is
Mount Vinson is Antarctica's highest peak at 4,892 metres.
How to do it
Climbs are guided by specialists and fly from Punta Arenas to Union Glacier.
Top tip
Expect extreme cold and delays due to weather.
Need to know
- You need prior high-altitude and cold-weather experience, plus the fitness to pull a heavy sled on glaciers.
- Climbs run from late November to January with specialist guiding companies; book a year or more ahead.
- Weather delays of several days are normal at every stage, so leave plenty of spare time.
- Insurance must cover evacuation from Antarctica, which is extremely expensive.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £5,000 or more per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 2 to 3 weeks
- Best time to go
- December to January
- Fly into
- PUQ airport
Flights into the Antarctic interior make this one of the most expensive climbs in the world, usually costing tens of thousands of pounds.
Make it happen
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Why it’s on my list
Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.
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