Brains
Yachting conjures up images of floating palaces in tropical and Mediterranean seas. La Datcha is different. It is a floating ski resort designed to travel to the ends of the earth. Or rather, a 252-foot, €100 million ($115.2 million) icebreaker engineered to take on frozen polar seas. Though La Datcha has a private owner, it is available for a baseline charter fee that fluctuates between €630,000 ($725,760) and €750,000 ($864,000) per week, depending on the season.
Once the base charter of up to €750,000 per week is paid, the voyage itself incurs a daily stipend of roughly €107,000. Renters must also deposit an upfront 30% advance provisioning allowance — an extra €225,000 outlay — to cover marine fuel, provisions, and aviation gas. When factoring in all expenses for a full week, the total financial commitment settles at roughly €143,600 ($165,600) per person for a group of 12. So in other words: you can either buy yourself a Porsche, or invest in the trip of a lifetime.
Optimized for Adventure and Rest
On a La Datcha voyage, the true adventure happens in pristine landscapes. The vessel functions as an autonomous staging ground, a 252-foot SeaXplorer built by Damen Yachting to handle the ends of the earth. Two certified helidecks and a below-deck hangar shelter a pair of Eurocopter B3s from polar blizzards, letting pilots fly backcountry drops on demand.
A fully-equipped ski room leads to a deep-wilderness toy chest with snowmobiles, a scuba center with a decompression chamber, and a three-person Triton submersible to explore ocean depths. To soothe sore muscles after a day of adrenaline, the spa complex has indoor and outdoor jacuzzis, a traditional Turkish hammam, a sauna, a steam bath, and a private massage studio. Because La Datcha operates in total isolation for weeks, it also features an onboard hospital room and full-time ICU nurse.
And then there is the sustenance. A world-class expedition chef crafts bespoke menus that flip between elite, long-haul provisions and local wild catches sourced directly from the passing coastline. After nightfall, guests swap stories over a 20-page drinks list complimented by a 1,500-bottle walk-in wine cellar, heavy on rare Super Tuscans like Masseto and decades of Sassicaia.
The Environmental Question
La Datcha routinely explores pristine, highly fragile wilderness ecosystems. To get there, twin heavy-duty MTU engines burn through thousands of litres of diesel fuel. That footprint cannot be brushed under the rug. The reality is that alternative energy is simply not advanced enough yet to replace diesel for long voyages.
Once on site, the engineering pivots to strict containment. The vessel meets rigid IMO Polar Code and Ice Class specifications. Its advanced waste management system features a 40-day zero-emission autonomy loop, powered by massive wastewater holding tanks and specialized garbage processors. This allows the yacht to operate self-contained without discharging a drop of gray water, sewage, or solid waste into protected polar environments.
To protect delicate coral reefs and sensitive Arctic seafloors, La Datcha uses a computer-controlled dynamic positioning system. The vessel utilizes its thrusters to hover perfectly in place, entirely bypassing the need to drop a massive iron anchor that would tear up sub-aquatic habitats.
The Guest List?
The ship requires the logistics of a naval vessel. La Datcha partners closely with EYOS Expeditions, the world’s premier polar guiding company, which provides up to eight onboard specialists — including professional heliski guides, ice pilots, volcanologists, and avalanche experts — to manage the safety and logistics.
La Datcha’s global route stretches from Antarctica, Svalbard, and Greenland to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Micronesia, and Southeast Asia. Who is paying for these charters remains anonymous due to nondisclosure agreements. Before the launch, the owner suggested that a prominent Russian tech-tycoon tried to pre-book the ship for six months straight, and that Microsoft founder Bill Gates expressed interest in booking a multi-week charter. Whoever is truly on board remains tightly locked down by legal terms.
A Fortress for an Exiled Rebel
Oleg Tinkov is a self-made entrepreneur who built Russia’s digital Tinkoff Bank empire from scratch. A former competitive cyclist and a lifelong skier, Tinkov approaches extreme heliskiing with the discipline of an athlete. He conceived La Datcha not as a luxury item, but as an autonomous mobile staging ground for high-stakes alpinism.
In 2022, Tinkov became one of the rare, high-profile Russian magnates to explicitly condemn Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on Instagram. The Kremlin threatened to nationalize his entire banking system, forcing him into a hostage fire sale of his empire for pennies on the dollar. He lost his billionaire status overnight, renounced his Russian citizenship, and fled to European exile.
By standing on his principles, Tinkov humanized his wealth. Ultimately, La Datcha is no longer just an ultra-luxury toy – it is an exiled rebel’s mobile luxury fortress, open for business.
