He went through a harsh survival experience during his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.

In 1911, after learning that another person had reached the South Pole, he chose to start the Trans-Antarctic Expedition instead of continuing with his original objectives. A group of six people will walk 2,900 kilometers across the Antarctic continent as part of the project.

The voyage started in 1914, but the ship Endurance became stranded on an iceberg and eventually capsized after battling at sea for months. After spending a month on a deserted island, the team managed to row to South Georgia after spending months on a floating iceberg. They were compelled to leave the boat, though. They were saved when Shackleton landed at a whaling station and sent assistance to save the remainder of the crew after two arduous years.

The Chilean government helped Shackleton rescue the crew from the men at Elephant Island. On August 30, 1916, the British whaling ship and the Chilean navy's Yelcho, a tiny seagoing tug under the leadership of Captain Luis Pardo, arrived at Elephant Island. They were all soon evacuated by Shackleton. For a complete period of four and a half months, all 22 men were stranded on the island.

After Aurora was forced out to sea for breaking her anchor line, three more members of the Ross Sea Party were still executed at McMurdo Sound by having their throats slashed. The ship made its way back to New Zealand after several months at sea. To save the Ross Sea crewmen, Shackleton sailed the Aurora from New Zealand. Despite the challenges they faced and the deaths of three party members, including their commander Aeneas Mackintosh, they succeeded in setting up the warehouse. Ernest Shakleton is well renowned for his achievement in crossing the Antarctic continent.