Union Glacier – Gateway to the South Pole

Finally, I left Punta Arenas. After a four-hour, surprisingly comfortable flight, we touched down on the blue-ice runway in Antarctica. The temperature? A mild -8°C - apparently one of the warmest days of the year.

We stepped straight off the aircraft and into some properly badass pickup trucks for the short 20-minute drive to Union Glacier — the true Gateway to the South Pole.

Wow. Wow. Wow.

Union Glacier is an adventurer’s dream. Planes, logistics, snowmobiles, skis, expeditions - and people. Up to 80 adventurers from all over the world, all passing through this one remarkable place. I genuinely couldn’t stop smiling. My cheeks actually ached. 

A short guided tour of the base camp and we’re introduced to the sleeping arrangements - think Four Seasons equivalent… for camping. The showers? Holiday Inn-level camping luxury. The toilets? Let’s just say they’re far better than what you usually do in the field, which is… well… 'shit in a bag.' I won’t insult a hotel brand by comparing them further.

Union Glacier offers everything you need: a dining tent serving fantastic food three times daily, a library with daily lectures, a workshop for repairing gear, bikes for navigation, and most importantly, an endless supply of like-minded individuals. Every conversation feels like a mini history lesson or an exploration documentary. People from every corner of the globe - climbers, runners preparing for Antarctica’s first marathon, scientists conducting research, and explorers chasing their own versions of possibility. I cherish every single interaction.

This is also where you meet your team.

My team consists of four of us, supported by two guides - Tom and Tom (that’ll be easy to remember). The team? A private equity investor from Poland, a property expert from the UK, a tech entrepreneur from the US… and myself. All aged between 38 and 47. All obsessed with adventure.

Night One involves adjusting to the cold, eating well, meeting the camp staff, and collecting rations for the ten-day ski to the South Pole. A busy start.

Day Two begins with breakfast, collecting skis and sledges, then tent and stove preparation. We’re a well-trained group - Sam at Pole to Pole trained two of the four - so everything runs smoothly. After lunch, we head out for a 5km ski, set up camp, light stoves, then break it all down again. A full shakedown to ensure everything works and nothing’s missing.

Tomorrow, we have a weather window to fly to 89° South.

I’m buzzing. I feel so alive.

Early night.

Day Three. First - and last - shower at Union Glacier. Absolute heaven.

Then it’s breakfast, charging comms, checking kit… checking kit again… and then checking it one more time.

Our 09:00 flight slips to 10:00. Then 11:00. At 11:30, we’re finally airborne.

People. Kit. Ten days of food. Ten days of shelter.

All loaded into an old cargo plane as we head for 89° South. A 3.5-hour flight. And then… that’s it. No turning back.

The emotions shift constantly — nervous, excited, nervous again — and then settle into something else entirely. Pure joy, with a dash of excitement on top. It’s hard not to love life when it’s filled with adventures like this.

Next time I write… I’ll be at the South Pole.