How to visit South Georgia Island

The first time I visited South Georgia, I was taken aback by the vast quantities of wildlife this remote island offers. While Antarctica is spectacular, South Georgia is the next level up for penguin and wildlife viewing. Landing on a beach at St Andrew’s Bay, I was greeted by 400,000 pairs of King Penguins, a sight you can see nowhere else on Earth. It’s an impressive spectacle and one that is hard to forget.

Located in the Southern Ocean, South Georgia is a Subantarctic island in the Antarctic convergence zone. Its nearest neighbour is the Falkland Islands, 967 miles to the west across the Scotia Sea, which explains why huge numbers of seabirds, penguins, and seals use the island as a breeding haven. The island consists of mountains, glaciers and extensive outwash plains where penguin colonies thrive undisturbed by humans.

If you are not familiar with South Georgia Island, here is a quick overview:

• South Georgia Island is a British Overseas Territory located 7,800 miles from the UK.
• South Georgia was first discovered in 1675 by Anthony de la Roché, A British merchant sailor.
• Captain James Cook named it after King George III of England.
• It is one of the most remote islands on Earth, and there is no permanent human population (although scientists and museum staff work there during the summer).
• It’s a wildlife lovers paradise with several million penguins living on the island across 4 different species.
• Visiting South Georgia Island on an expedition cruise during the summer is possible.

At Polar Escapes, we are experts in travelling to South Georgia Island, and the team has completed multiple visits there. To learn more about how we can help you visit, please see our South Georgia Cruises.

Why Visit South Georgia Island?

According to the Government of South Georgia, 15,000 people visit the island each year. Visitors come from all over the world to marvel at the wildlife, the rich history, and the captivating scenery. Unlike Antarctica, which is further south, South Georgia is green during the summer, with tussock grass providing a habitat for many birds.

As you approach the island by ship and see land for the first time, you know you are about to experience somewhere extraordinary. Stepping ashore in South Georgia feels like participating in a nature documentary unfolding right before you.

Based on my visits, here are my top reasons why you should consider visiting South Georgia:

• On an expedition cruise, explore a remote Subantarctic Island often overlooked by visitors to Antarctica. With a team of expert guides, make shore landings by Zodiac on remote beaches.
• The wildlife is out of this world. Not every day do you meet a colony of 400,000 king penguins. The sight and sound of so many penguins in one place are phenomenal.
• South Georgia Island has a rich history from its early discovery to whaling, which ceased in 1965. Visit Grytviken, a former whaling station and an excellent museum.
• Make a customary toast at the grave of Ernest Shackleton and celebrate the famed explorer.
• The hikes are breathtaking. One of my favourite hikes is the Shackleton Walk, the last 5 km of the famous crossing Ernest Shackleton made of South Georgia.
• Immerse yourself in the scenery. The Drygalski fjord, with its steep sides and glaciers, is a highlight.

For me, South Georgia is one of those once-in-a-lifetime places, and nothing else compares. You know you are somewhere special when you step ashore for the first time.

How Do I Get To South Georgia Island?

South Georgia is only accessible to travellers on an expedition ship, as the island has no airport or infrastructure. Expedition cruises, which can land on remote, inaccessible beaches, provide an ideal way to explore the island. Expedition cruises to South Georgia operate between November and March during the austral summer months.

There are two main options for visiting South Georgia on an expedition cruise:

Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia

The most common way to visit South Georgia Island is on an expedition cruise, which also visit Antarctica. These round trips sail from Ushuaia in Argentina to the Antarctic Peninsula and then to South Georgia. The Falkland Islands can also be included along with the South Sandwich Islands.

This is the best option for travellers seeking multiple destinations on one voyage. Most voyages spend between 3 to 5 days exploring South Georgia Island. The disadvantage of this itinerary is that less time is spent in each location, and you may only have 3-4 days in South Georgia.

South Georgia and The Falkland Islands

For travellers looking to really experience South Georgia, I recommend a longer cruise that spends more time exploring the island. A handful of in-depth expeditions focus on just South Georgia each year. The advantage of these cruises is that you can spend 7-8 days exploring South Georgia, which allows you to visit more landing sites.  

These cruises sail from Stanley on the Falkland Islands, Ushuaia or Punta Arenas in South America.

On a modern expedition ship, it takes approximately 2.5 days to reach South Georgia from the Falkland Islands.

Choosing When To Visit South Georgia Island

The best time to visit South Georgia is between late October and March during the Austral summer when conditions are mildest and the wildlife is the most active. It’s not possible to visit during the winter between April and September. The island is subject to harsh temperatures, and trips do not operate between April and September due to rough conditions and sea ice.

When deciding when to go to South Georgia, each month has something different to offer.

November

The island returns to life after the harsh winter. During the spring, the shores are still covered by snow from the winter. Elephant seal pups take over the beaches. King penguins return to South Georgia to begin breeding in their large colonies. Sea birds, including albatrosses, start building their nests. November is generally a quieter month to visit the island as there are fewer ships than the peak summer months.

December

As the peak summer approaches, Gentoo penguins hatch in their thousands. King penguins are seen incubating their eggs in large colonies at Saint Andrew’s Bay and Salisbury Plain. On the beaches, fur seal breeding is now at its peak. Aggressive male fur seals can sometimes prevent landing ashore.

January

January is a peak month for wildlife viewing in South Georgia. Fledgling, wandering albatross chicks can be seen in their nests on Prion Island. Whales become more prominent in the seas around South Georgia as the summer continues, providing excellent opportunities for sightings. The first fur seal pups take to the beaches.

February

King penguins can be seen jumping into the surf for food for their newly born chicks. Saint Andrew’s Bay is bustling with newly born brown fluffy king penguin chicks. Elephant seals moult in large groups on the beaches.  

March

March marks the start of autumn and is an excellent month for wildlife photography, with different hues in the sky. The beaches are littered with thousands of baby fur seals. By March, the adult male fur seals had left the island, so there was more opportunity for shore landings. King penguin chicks can be seen in the tens of thousands at Saint Andrew’s Bay. As the snow has receded, March is the best month for longer hikes and the Shackleton Walk.

So, no matter which month you choose to visit South Georgia, you will be amazed by the wildlife. I have visited at different times of the year and have never been disappointed.

One of the best trips I made to South Georgia was at the end of March. Exceptional weather, mild conditions, and outstanding wildlife viewing opportunities greeted us. We did the Shackleton Walk in our t-shirts; it was that warm. As the season ended, the island was quiet, and we didn’t see any other ships during our eight days there.  

for a detailed guide on when to visit please see our article Best Time To Visit South Georgia.

How to Travel Around South Georgia

No roads exist, so the only way to travel around South Georgia is by ship. Expedition ships are equipped with fleets of Zodiacs, which the expedition team uses to land on remote beaches and explore the coastline. It’s a great way to see the island and all part of the adventure.

Travel considerations

• Many landing sites in South Georgia are restricted to 100 guests at a time. If you would like to see more places and go ashore more frequently, choosing a smaller cruise ship with fewer guests makes sense, as this will reduce waiting times for Zodiac cruises.
• Visiting South Georgia depends on the weather which is highly interchangeable, and shore landings can be cancelled due to sudden high winds. Choose a long enough itinerary to allow enough time for cancelled shore landings. During my last trip, we postponed a shore landing by several hours due to strong katabatic winds that made landing impossible.
• Choose an expedition operator with extensive experience in South Georgia and a team of naturalists to make the most of your trip. Highly experienced guide teams lead Polar Escapes’ expeditions, and we will help you find the best fit for your interests.  

South Georgia Island Landing Sites

As the island is a wilderness, there are no docks for ships, and landings are made by Zodiac. The weather around South Georgia can be rough, but landing sites are primarily concentrated on the more sheltered northeast coast.

South Georgia has 49 approved landing sites where travellers can go ashore on a Zodiac cruise to enjoy the natural wonders and wildlife. The expedition team and the weather conditions will determine the places you visit on your voyage. Here are my highlights:

Saint Andrew’s Bay

Home to South Georgia’s largest King Penguin colony, Saint Andrew’s Bay is one of the island’s most impressive sites. The retreating Cook Glacier formed the beach, leaving a vast open plain on which 400,000 King penguins nest. It is also home to the largest elephant seal beach on the island.

Gold Harbour

One of the most scenic sites on South Georgia, landing at Gold Harbour is an impressive sight. Jagged mountains and glaciers frame this striking bay. Ashore, king and gentoo penguins, elephant seals, and light-mantled albatrosses are seen in large numbers.

Grytviken

Today, Grytviken is the only former whaling station on the island that can be visited due to its restoration. Visitors can walk around the remnants of the whaling machinery and visit the South Georgia Museum. A small cemetery close by is the final resting place of Ernest Shackleton, who passed away on South Georgia in 1922.

Salisbury Plain

Home to the second largest colony of King Penguins in South Georgia, Salisbury Plain has a large sandy beach with breeding fur and elephant seals. The bay is exposed to the open ocean, so Zodiac landings can often be quite exciting and occasionally wet!

Drygalski Fjord and Larsen Harbour

At the southern extremity of South Georgia, the Drygalski fjord offers some of the island’s most captivating scenery, from sheer cliffs to calving glaciers. Larsen Harbour is the perfect place for a Zodiac cruise to visit the only Weddell Seals in South Georgia.

Cooper Bay

Situated south of the island, Cooper Bay is one of the best places to see Macaroni penguins nestled in the tussock grass on the hills behind the landing site. The largest colony of chinstrap penguins also lives here.  

One of the reasons I highly recommend a longer voyage to South Georgia is to see as many landing sites as possible.

To see more South Georgia landing sites please see our article 21 Best places to Visit In South Georgia.

Wildlife Of South Georgia

One of the main reasons people travel to South Georgia Island is to experience the wildlife, unlike any other place on Earth. As there are no land-based predators, wildlife is often curious rather than scared of visitors, which adds to the experience. Whilst it’s important not to disturb wildlife, just standing in the same spot for a few minutes, curious penguins will come and take a look at you.

Here is a quick overview of some of the species you can see on South Georgia Island.

Penguins

South Georgia has four breeding species of penguins and some of the largest concentrations on Earth. Over 1 million Macaroni penguins, with their yellow feather tufts, live on the island. 450,000 King penguins reside year-round, with the largest congregation in Saint Andrew’s Bay. Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins are also frequently spotted.  

Albatrosses

Four breeding species of Albatross, wandering, grey-headed, black-browed, and light-mantled, live on the island. The largest population is the black-browed Albatross, with 75,000 mating pairs.

Seals

South Georgia is a significant breeding area for Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals. An estimated 3 million Antarctic fur seals and 400,000 southern elephant seals breed on the island. There is also a small population of 100 Weddell Seals.

Birds

South Georgia has two endemic bird species that can be seen nowhere else on Earth: the South Georgia Pintail and the South Georgia Pipit, with estimated populations of 1,000 pairs. 22 million Antarctic Prions nest on the island, one of the largest concentrations on Earth. Other species include petrels, skuas and shags.

For a detailed guide, please see our Wildlife Of South Georgia.

A Brief History Of South Georgia

Antoine de la Roché first sighted South Georgia in 1675, although he did not actually land on the island.

In 1775, James Cook claimed South Georgia for Great Britain during his expedition to discover Antarctica and made the first documented landings on the island. South Georgia was initially named Roché Island in honour of explorer Anthony de la Roché before being renamed by Captain James Cook after King George III.

Whaling and sealing primarily occurred in South Georgia during the 19th and 20th centuries. Norwegian Carl Anton Larsen established the first land-based whaling station in South Georgia in 1904 at Grytviken. South Georgia has an industrial whaling history that continued until the 1960s when whaling stations were abandoned.

Sir Ernest Shackleton made an open-boat journey of 800 miles from Elephant Island to King Haakon Bay on South Georgia in 1916 after the sinking of his ship, the Endurance, in the Weddell Sea. He later revisited the island in 1922, where he passed away. Today, he is buried in a small cemetery in Grytviken.

To learn more about whaling on South Georgia please see our article South Georgia’s Whaling Stations and Their History.

South Georgia FAQ

Do I Need A Visa To Travel To South Georgia?

You do not need a visa to travel to South Georgia. Visitors require a visitor permit, which is included as part of your South Georgia expedition cruise.

Can tourists visit South Georgia?

Yes, tourists can visit South Georgia Island on an organised expedition cruise. At Polar Escapes, we offer the largest selection of South Georgia cruises.

How long does it take to sail to South Georgia?

Salling to South Georgia from the Falkland Islands takes approximately two and a half days.

Can you fly to South Georgia Island?

There is no airport in South Georgia, so it is not possible to fly there. The nearest airport is Mount Pleasant on the Falkland Islands.

Plan Your Trip To South Georgia with Polar Escapes

Hopefully, this guide on how to visit South Georgia Island has inspired you to want to travel to the island and see it for yourself.

At Polar Escapes, we offer the largest selection of expedition cruises and tours to South Georgia and have a range of trusted partners. To discover your perfect South Georgia expedition cruise, please search our cruises.

If you need any help planning your trip to South Georgia, please contact our team, who have a wealth of experience visiting this beautiful island.