WATCH: Prince Harry arrives in Antarctica to begin trek to South Pole
Britain’s Prince Harry arrived in Antarctica on Friday to begin a 321-kilometre charity trek to the South Pole alongside wounded servicemen and women.
Harry is part of one of three teams competing in the trek to raise money for the military charity “Walking With The Wounded”, and alongside 12 injured servicemen and women, is expected to reach the pole in mid-December.
The three teams – representing Great Britain, the USA and the Commonwealth – touched down at Novolazarevskaya airbase on Friday in temperatures of minus ten degrees Celsius.
Arriving at the base, Prince Harry said it was “nice to be here” but that the weather had affected morale.
“It’s normally blue sky and sunshine, so, we’ll make the most of it,” he said.
Starting on Monday, the teams will race to the South Pole.
But before they begin, they will spend three days acclimatizing to the hostile conditions in an area 3,000 metres above sea level.
“The atmosphere is quite tense so people will be feeling that in their lungs so we have to take it soft in the beginning and careful,” said polar guide Inge Solheim, who is helping the US team.
After spending Friday night resting, the teams will spend Saturday skiing in preparation for the trek.
The participants will be trekking 15 to 20 kilometres each day and will have to endure temperatures dropping as low as minus 45 degrees Celsius.
Each team will raise funds for military charities: Canada and Australia’s Soldier On (representing the Commonwealth), Soldiers to Summits from the US and Walking With The Wounded from the UK.
The charities raise money to help injured service personnel to retrain for a new career if their injuries do not allow them to return to military service.
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