21 Best Places To Visit On South Georgia Island

Castaway in the Southern Ocean, South Georgia, is one of the most remote islands on Earth. This British overseas territory is home to over 3 million penguins, elephant seals and abundant birdlife. It is an almost mythical island due to its high concentrations of wildlife and sheer scenery that abounds from the moment you step foot ashore.  

It is only possible to reach South Georgia Island on an expedition cruise from the Falkland Islands or the Antarctic Peninsula. Visiting South Georgia depends heavily on the weather conditions, so I always recommend a longer cruise to avoid disappointment, as landings can be cancelled if the weather is bad.

To inspire you to visit, here are my best places to visit on South Georgia Island based on my experience exploring the island:

1. St Andrews Bay

Landing at St Andrew’s Bay is like stepping into a nature documentary that unfolds right before your eyes. One of South Georgia’s most iconic landing sites, St Andrews Bay, is home to the island’s largest colony of King penguins on the island. A short walk along the beach takes you to a colony of over 400,000 pairs of breeding King Penguins. It’s possible to observe the colony from close by and take in the incredible site. On my last visit in March, the colony was alive with brown, fluffy penguin chicks taking their first steps.

2. Gold Harbour

One of South Georgia Island’s most scenic landing sites with beautiful landscape, Gold Harbour is set against the backdrop of dramatic mountains and glaciers. The large beech is home to a colony of 25,000 breeding king penguins and a smaller population of Gentoos. Elephant seals are hauled out on the gently sloping beach, which they use for breeding.

It is also an excellent site for bird-watching. Antarctic terns and southern giant petrels nest on the hilltops. The cliffs are a breeding site for light-mantled sooty albatrosses, which can be seen swooping over the penguin colony.

3. Salisbury Plain

Formed from the retreating Grace Glacier, Salisbury Plain was once surveyed as an area for building an aircraft landing strip, although this never happened. It’s one of my favourite landing sites in South Georgia due to the vast wildlife and the scenic backdrop of the mountains and retreating glaciers.

On the beach, you can see the second-largest King penguin colony, which lives around a lagoon created during the glacier retreat. It is home to the island’s largest population of breeding elephant seals.   

4. Prion Island

Prison Island is one of the best places in South Georgia to see wandering albatrosses nesting in the tussock grass and South Georgia pipits. On my last visit in March, we had some excellent sightings of newly born wandering Albatrosses in their nests, and the parents were feeding them.

A boardwalk protects the habitat from visitors and offers excellent views of nests. It’s worth noting that Prion Island is closed between 20 November and 7 January during the peak Antarctic fur seal breeding season. The island is restricted to 50 guests at a time and is often only visited by smaller ships.  

5. Cooper Bay

The sheltered bay offers an excellent place for shore landings to observe wildlife up close. It is the best South Georgia landing site to observe Macaroni penguins, who live on the slopes covered by tussock grass. Four species of penguins, including kings, Gentoos, and chinstraps, can be seen here.

6. Drygalski Fjord

The Drygalski Fjord offers some of the most spectacular scenery in South Georgia, with a unique geology compared to other parts of the island. Sailing through the 14km fjord provides jaw-dropping views of the mountains, which rise 1000 metres above it.

Several glaciers terminate into the fjord. Whilst it is not possible to go ashore, it is one of the most scenic places on the island for a cruise. The fjord is one of the main breeding areas for snow petrels, which nest high up on the mountain ridges.

7. Larsen Harbour

Larsen Harbour is a small, narrow fjord that connects to the Drygalski fjord. It is sheltered from the wind and perfect for a Zodiac cruise. On my last expedition to South Georgia, we cruised the full length of the fjord and visited a colony of Weddell seals that haul out on the rocks. It is the most northerly recorded site for seeing Weddell seals, which are residents of Antarctica.

8. Grytviken

The former whaling settlement of Grytviken is a fascinating place to visit. It is one of the most common landing sites in South Georgia. It is the only former whaling station possible to see, as a lengthy clean-up operation has made it safe for visitors to explore the machinery from the whaling days.

Grytviken has a post office and museum that documents the island’s history. There is a life-sized replica of Shacklton’s rescue boat, the James Caird, which he sailed from Antarctica to South Georgia to seek rescue when he lost his ship, the Endurance, in the Weddell Sea.  

9. Ernest Shackleton’s Grave

No visit to South Georgia would be complete without paying respects to ‘The Boss’ The grave of explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton is next to Grytviken in a small cemetery that overlooks the settlement. It is customary to visit his grave, make a toast, and pay respects to the island’s most famous explorer and the others buried there.  

10. Ocean Harbour

One of the island’s oldest whaling stations, Ocean Harbour, was moved to Stromness in 1920. Today, former relics can be seen, including the eye-catching wreck of the ship Banyard. On the last trip, we took a zodiac cruise around the wreck to closely examine its rusting iron hull. In recent years, one of its three masts has fallen into the water. On the beach is a steam locomotive and the oldest graves on the island.   

11. Elsehul

This picturesque harbour is situated northwest of the island and provides a welcome haven for wildlife. Three different species of albatrosses and three penguins can be seen here. Fur seals use the beach for breeding in large numbers, and the site is off-limits during the peak breeding season. It’s a great place to do a Zodiac cruise and observe the rich birdlife. Often, albatrosses are seen in large numbers on the approach to the beach.

12. Prince Olav Harbour

One of South Georgia’s most famous historical sites is Prince Olav Harbour, where Captain James Cook landed on the island for the first time in 1775 and claimed it for England. It has one of the island’s densest fur seal populations, which can prevent landing during the peak breeding season. A great alternative is a zodiac cruise to Elephant Lagoon to observe the seals. The remnants of the former whaling station and the wreck of a ship, Brutus, all add to the mystique.  

13. Fortuna Bay

Fortuna Bay was one of the earliest parts of South Georgia explored by sealers in the 18th and 19th centuries. The bay marks the final leg of Shacklton’s crossing of South Georgia. It is the starting point of the Shackleton Walk between Fortuna and Stromness, which follows the final section of Shackleton’s crossing of the island. The bay is home to a colony of 7,000 pairs of King penguins and is an important elephant seal breeding area.  

14. Shackleton Walk

If you are offered the opportunity to do the Shackleton Walk, I highly recommend it. This fairly challenging hike follows the last 5km of Shackleton’s crossing of South Georgia. Starting at Fortuna, the hike follows an unmarked trail through the island’s mountainous interior to Stromness. The views on the descent to Stromness are well worth the uphill slog. Whilst you don’t require any mountaineering experience, it’s essential to be a solid hiker, as parts of the hike are on scree and rough underfoot.  

15. Stromness Harbour

Stromness Harbour is a site of historical interest. The former whaling station was where Ernest Shackleton completed his crossing of South Georgia to seek rescue. Today, the remains of the extensive whaling station and buildings are visible, although it is impossible to go within 200 meters due to the risk it poses. Many travellers will visit Stromness on foot at the end of the Shackleton walk. There is a large colony of fur seals, and it is a great place to see fur seal pups. On my last visit, I saw hundreds of baby fur seals swimming close to the Zodiac.

16. Hercules Bay

This dramatic bay is a great place to see kelp beds in crystal blue water and an excellent place for a Zodiac cruise. A waterfall cascades down over the rocks at the head of the bay, with extensive sea caves in the sheer cliffs. Fur seals and elephant seals use the shingle beach as a breeding area. White-chinned petrels and macaroni penguins can be seen in the tussock grass north of the bay.  

17. Leith Harbour

Leith Harbour has an extensive whaling station that was finally abandoned in 1965. Today, many of the buildings are intact, offering a glimpse into the whaling history of South Georgia. Due to the hazards posed, visitors must keep 200 metres away from the buildings on both the shore and by sea. It’s a fascinating and haunting place to visit to understand the island’s past.

18. King Haakon Bay

Located on the island’s south side, King Haakon Bay is where Ernest Shackleton made landfall from Elephant Island in Antarctica before embarking on his crossing of South Georgia. It is a lesser-visited landing site because it is situated on the island’s south side and exposed to the prevailing wind and sea swells. For travellers lucky enough to visit, it is a chance to imagine what it must have been like for Shackleton and his men to make landfall after many days at sea.

19. Jason Harbour

A historic hut built as a refuge in 1911 offers a glimpse into the island’s past. The hut is intact and has a coal stove and a wooden table with the names of different visiting ships carved into it. Along the shore, there is a small colony of king penguins. The beach is a familiar spot for elephant seals and fur seals.  

20. Husvik

Husvik is a historical site of a former Norwegian whaling station. Today, the station manager’s villa still stands, looking out over the harbour. There is a small cemetery with the graves of 37 Norwegian whalers. The wildlife mainly comprises elephants and fur seals, with a large colony of noisy Antarctic terns.

21. Godthul

On the shore at Godthul, you can see whale bones, an old whaling shore depot, and the remnants of wooden whaling boats. The wildlife consists of a population of Gentoo penguins that nest above the shoreline. Elephant and fur seals are also common sites along the beaches by the depot.

Visit South Georgia Island with Polar Escapes

South Georgia has 49 landing sites that the government approves for shore landings and Zodiac cruises. An expedition cruise that spends several days exploring the island will allow you to visit a handful of the places listed in this article.

Top Tip: I recommend taking a longer cruise on a small expedition cruise ship if you want to see the most of what South Georgia offers. As with any South Georgia expedition cruise, landings are subject to the weather, which is highly interchangeable. A longer cruise allows more time in each location.

During your cruise, the expedition team will choose South Georgia landing sites based on several factors, including the weather, availability, and ship size. It’s worth noting that some sites, such as Prion Island, are restricted to 50 guests at a time and others to 100 guests per landing, so I highly recommend a small ship.

At Polar Escapes, we are experts in travelling to South Georgia Island and have over 35 years of collective experience. All the places featured in this article can be visited on our South Georgia Cruises. To learn more about visiting and our South Georgia FAQ, please see our guide, How to Visit South Georgia.