Best Time to Visit South Georgia Island: A Comprehensive Guide

The best time to visit South Georgia Island is during the summer between mid-October and March, which corresponds with the expedition cruising season. The wildlife is most active, temperatures are mildest, and the island is accessible to expedition cruise ships. During the winter, outside of the months when cruises operate, it is very difficult to visit the island due to the sea ice, harsh weather conditions, and lack of transport options.

In this article, I share the highlights each month offers when visiting South Georgia, including the wildlife sightings, drawing on my personal experience of visiting the island.

At Polar Escapes, we are experts in visiting South Georgia Island and offer the largest selection of expedition cruises. To find out more, please see our South Georgia cruises.

When to visit South Georgia island?

Located in the Southern Ocean, South Georgia is a remote island over 900 miles from its nearest neighbour, the Falkland Islands. Its remote location in the southern hemisphere provides a haven for wildlife, including four penguin species, birds, elephant seals, and fur seals that breed on the island.

During the summertime, South Georgia Island comes alive with one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on Earth. Known as the Galapagos of the southern ocean, 400,000 King Penguins and over 1 million macaroni penguins call the island home. For the visitor, it is a sight to behold.  

The good news is that there are no bad months to visit the island during the summer. Choosing when to visit comes down to the highlights you would like to see and the breeding cycles taking place. Each month has something different to offer, and travellers often return to visit the island at other times of the year.

• South Georgia Island is only accessible in the summer between late October and March.
• Plan your trip around the wildlife activity you would like to see.
• November to January are the peak months for wildlife activity in South Georgia, but wildlife viewing is still excellent until March.

Choosing The Best Months to Visit South Georgia Island

These are answers to some of the most common questions about the best time to visit South Georgia Island.

When is the best time to see king penguins in South Georgia?

King penguins are year-round inhabitants of South Georgia, with an estimated 450,000 breeding pairs. At Saint Andrew’s Bay alone, there are 400,000 pairs of breeding king penguins, one of the largest congregations on the planet. So when you visit South Georgia, you will surely see them.

The best time to witness King penguins is during the height of the breeding season, between November and January. Rookeries are bustling with activity.

In November, king penguins begin mating displays. By December, the previous year’s chicks are starting to hatch, and it is the height of the breeding season on the island. January is a great month to see the newly born chicks forming huge creches at Salisbury Plain and Saint Andrew’s Bay.

On one expedition, I visited South Georgia in March, which provided excellent viewing of the brown fluffy penguin chicks taking their first steps. It’s incredible to witness the change in colour king penguins undergo from their brown colour as newborns to their white and black appearance as adults.     

• King penguins are residents of South Georgia and are seen all year round.
• December to February are the best months to witness the most active colonies.
• Expedition cruises visit key landing sites such as Saint Andrew’s Bay and Salisbury Plain to view king penguins in their natural habitat.

When are the best months for photography in South Georgia?

For wildlife photographers, the best time to visit South Georgia Island is generally between November and March. To take advantage of the best light for photography, it’s worth visiting early in November or late March for the most vivid colours during sunrise and sunset. On a previous expedition in March, I was greeted by the most gorgeous colours.

Each month offers specific opportunities for wildlife and landscape photography. Earlier in November, South Georgia is covered in snow, which contrasts with the greenery later in the summer, which is worth considering for landscape photography.

If wildlife photography interests you, each month offers different displays of wildlife. Here are some highlights for photographers:

• November is a great month to witness elephant seals defending their territory with the male bulls battling for control. Take advantage of gorgeous long sunrises and sunsets.
• In December and January, wildlife and penguins are at their most active. Penguin chicks hatch during these months, making for great photography. Daylight hours are long, offering lots of photography opportunities.
• February and March offer the best time to seal fur seal pups that cover the beaches in their 10,000s. Whale species are at their most active in the seas around the island.

For a more detailed overview, please see the month-by-month guide below.

When is the best month for hiking in South Georgia?

The best months for hiking in South Georgia are between December and March when the snow has cleared the landscape. The late season in March also offers excellent hiking opportunities.

On a previous South Georgia cruise, I visited the island in late March, and we were treated to sunny skies and great weather. As it was the end of the season, fewer ships visited, and we didn’t encounter another ship for the seven days we were on the island. We undertook the Shackleton Walk in glorious sunshine.

South Georgia Island Month-by-Month Guide

To help you plan your South Georgia cruise, here is an overview of what you can expect each month, including the highlights:

Late – October – November in South Georgia

One benefit of visiting South Georgia early in the season is that there are fewer expedition ships at this time of year. The landscapes are still snow-covered, and it’s a dramatic time to visit for photographers.

Wildlife sightings are impressive during the spring months. Huge male elephant seals joust for territory to breed with the females. Elephant seal pups litter the key breeding beaches at Salisbury Plain and Gold Harbour.

The island starts to awaken with birdlife during the Spring. Seabirds, including wandering albatrosses, begin to nest on Prion Island and Gold Harbour. King penguins return to the beaches to start their courtship rituals. Saint Andrew’s Bay and Salisbury Plain are a hive of activity. Chinstrap and Macaroni penguins are busily egg-laying.

• November is a quieter month to visit with fewer ships.
• Witness elephant seals breeding and their first pups being born.
• See penguins mating and egg-laying.   

December in South Georgia

December is the height of summer and the warmest time to visit South Georgia. The expedition cruising season is fully underway, and the long daylight hours are perfect for photography and wildlife watching.

The King penguin colonies at Saint Andrews Bay and Salisbury Plain are bustling with activity, and it is a great time to visit. King penguins are seen incubating their eggs en masse, and chicks from previous years are starting to fledge.

Elephant seal pups can be seen at Gold Harbour and Elsehul. Fur seals return to South Georgia’s beaches to begin breeding. Aggressive male fur seals can prevent shore landings on packed beaches.

• December is a warmer month to visit, with long daylight hours.
• King penguin colonies are at the height of activity.
• Aggressive fur seals can prevent shore landings on certain beaches.  

January in South Georgia

South Georgia’s summer extends into January, with milder temperatures and up to 20 hours of daylight. It’s a great time to do the Shackleton Walk between Fortuna and Stromness, following in Ernest Shackleton’s footsteps and completing the last few miles of his famous crossing of South Georgia.

January is one of the most popular months to visit South Georgia and is considered peak season. Albatrosses are hatching in their nests, and king penguin rookeries are active, with newly born chicks forming large creches. The noise is unbelievable!

• January is peak expedition cruising season with warmer temperatures.
• It’s an excellent month for hiking.
• Newly born penguins form huge creches at Saint Andrew’s Bay.

February in South Georgia

February marks the end of the summer in South Georgia and is still a popular month for expedition cruises.

Beaches are lined with curious fur seal pups that line the sand and the Tussock grass. I saw over 10,000 fur seal pups on a beach on one expedition. The concentrations of wildlife are out of this world.

February is still a good month for penguin viewing. Now, the final king penguin chicks are fledging for the season. The adult penguins are busy diving into the sea for food for their chicks.

The seas surrounding South Georgia welcome migratory whales, which congregate throughout the autumn.

• February is the end of the short summer in South Georgia.
• Wildlife highlights include fur seal pups and penguin chicks.
• Whale sightings have become more frequent.

March  in South Georgia

As autumn draws in, the beaches are full of baby fur seal pups. King Penguin chicks born earlier in the season are growing larger and fluffier by the day. Wandering albatross chicks are hatching on Prion Island, with the parents taking turns hunting for food to feed the young.

The snow on the shore is completely gone, and March offers the best accessibility for exploring further inland. Long sunsets during the evenings make it a perfect month for photography.

Whales and orcas in the seas between South Georgia and the Falkland Islands are now at their peak, making for some incredible viewing.

• March is the start of the autumn in South Georgia, with cooler temperatures, especially at night.
• Wildlife highlights include whale watching, baby fur seals and king penguin chicks.
• The last expedition cruises occur at the end of March, offering the quietest time to visit.

From May to September, South Georgia Island experiences winter, making it difficult for visitors to access the island. Winter conditions on South Georgia Island include heavy snow, ice buildup, and turbulent seas.

My Experience Of Visiting South Georgia

I have visited South Georgia Island at different times throughout the season, and I can honestly say there is no bad month to visit during the summer months.

I enjoyed visiting you at the end of March. There were no other ships, so we really felt like we were on our own. We got lucky with the weather and had nearly a week of sunshine. Whilst it is usually windy in South Georgia, we were able to do two landings each day.

One of the highlights for me was a visit to Shackleton’s Grave at the former whaling station at Grytviken. We also undertook the last section of his hike across South Georgia in perfect sunshine. We had an excellent landing at Cooper Bay to see Macaroni penguins followed by a scenic cruise into the Drygalski fjord with stunning scenery.

If you would like to experience South Georgia with a few other people, I recommend an early season cruise in November or a late season cruise in March as there are fewer vessels. Another advantage of the early or late season is that there are no adult male fur seals, which can prevent shore landings due to their large numbers.

How To Get To South Georgia Island

There is no South Georgia airport, so visitors must arrive by sea on an expedition cruise. Often, expedition cruises visit the Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands and the Falkland Islands as part of the voyage. A few in-depth South Georgia-only trips sail from the Falkland Islands each year. Its also possible to visit the South Sandwich Islands on a longer expedition.

At Polar Escapes, we offer the largest range of expedition ships and experiences from trusted operators and experts. If you need some first-hand advice from people who have frequently visited South Georgia, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

To learn more about getting to South Georgia Island, please see our guide, How to Visit South Georgia Island.

If you need more inspiration, please see our list of the Best Places to Visit on South Georgia Island.

Thanks for reading, and happy exploring.