The Titan and other outlandish expeditions for the ultra-rich

In June 2023, the eyes of the world turned towards the North Atlantic, to follow the tragic disappearance of the Titan submersible. The company OceanGate had sunk it to explore the wreck of the Titanic at a depth of nearly 4,000 meters. On board were five passengers, including Hamish Harding, a billionaire accustomed to extreme expeditions.

To board this small submarine, each passenger paid a considerable sum of 250,000 dollars (about 228,000 euros). It was a so-called "tourist" expedition intended for the ultra-rich.

The exploration of the most remote areas of our planet was previously reserved for seasoned adventurers and experts in their respective fields. Paul-Henri Nargeolet, for example, another passenger on the Titan submersible, was an explorer specializing in the Titanic. He had made around thirty dives on the wreck since 1987, but always as part of scientific missions.

Just like OceanGate, there are dozens of companies today that are leveraging advancements in technology to deliver unique experiences to the ends of the earth, and even beyond. Their customers are people with millions to spare.

"With the rise of mass tourism, more and more accessible, the ultra-rich seek to differentiate themselves," explains tourism specialist Nawel Chaouini, a doctor in information and communication sciences, to the Daily 20 Minutes. The wealthiest now want to experience "sensations unknown to the general public", she says.

Only a handful of individuals are willing to spend colossal sums to live extreme experiences, in addition to the risks they entail. They are also the only ones who can afford it... Embark on some extraordinary expeditions in this gallery!

The White Desert company makes trips to the heart of Antarctica. During their stay, tourists are accommodated in one of the luxury camps of this unusual travel agency. The first is located on the shores of one of the freshwater lakes of the Schirmacher Oasis.

The second camp is in the Echo, where the lunar landscape gives the impression of being on another planet. During the stay, many activities are offered to customers such as the observation of emperor penguins, excursions in 4x4, or skiing. The minimum price for this polar expedition: is 98,500 dollars, or nearly 90,000 euros.

This same company has also created an express world tour: visit 10 destinations, on 7 different continents in just 21 days, thanks to a private jet. Does this experience interest you? You will have to pay 178,000 dollars (162,000 euros).

With his company Madison Mountaineering, mountaineer Garrett Madison offers his clients expeditions to the summit of Everest in much more pleasant conditions than those generally encountered. But beware, comfort has a price.

For 93,500 dollars per person (about 85,000 euros), climbers have access to particularly comfortable base camps, including hot showers, gourmet dinners, film screenings, and even wifi.

Space has always fascinated us, and that's good for the wealthy because space tourism is developing at the speed of light! Virgin Galactic launched its first commercial flight into space on June 29, where six Italians, from the Italian Air Force and the Italian National Research Center, embarked Richard Branson's spacecraft for a scientific mission. The first 100% tourist space flight is scheduled for August. Each flight will carry six passengers, with a duration of 90 minutes in space. Ticket price: 450,000 euros.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos, the boss of Blue Origin, has already launched his enterprise of space tourism. For two years, his company has sent about twenty people above the Karman line, which officially marks the beginning of space at an altitude of 100 km, thanks to its New Shepard rocket. The price of this short trip (about ten minutes) has not been revealed.

For his part, Elon Musk and his company SpaceX have gone even further. In September 2021, the American company sent four passengers into space aboard its ship. Two men and two women spent three days in orbit around the Earth. For this experiment, the price was estimated at 50 million dollars per person.

If you prefer to discover the seabed, you might be interested in the Triton Submarines expedition. This company lets you board a small two-person submarine to explore the Mariana Trench alongside a professional submarine pilot.

The Mariana Trench is the deepest ocean trench known to scientists to date. It is located nearly 11,000 meters underwater. A journey of a few hours will cost you the modest sum of... 680,000 euros!

As a symbol of the enthusiasm for these extreme adventures, Hamish Harding, who was aboard the Titan submarine, had also taken part in an expedition to the Mariana Trench in March 2021. Furthermore, he had participated in the fifth spaceflight by Blue Origin in 2022. Finally, his fascination for extreme adventures got the better of him. Whatever the sum invested in an expedition, we must never forget that nature is indomitable and that the experience can prove fatal.