- Ship
- 6 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 6 Dinners
This remote outpost was a popular stop for many historic Antarctic expeditions and was once a haven for hunting whales and elephant and fur seals. Today, South Georgia Island wildlife populations have rebounded, but see remnants of those old whaling stations and other abandoned outposts.
While South Georgia’s history is an important attraction to the islands, it is the wildlife on South Georgia that you and your shipmates surely find most captivating. Often referred to as the Galapagos of the Poles, each landing you make on South Georgia opens your eyes to a new wonder of wildlife.
One day you may see rookeries with a hundred thousand pairs of king penguins waddling on the beach. The next day visit another beach with thousands of fur or elephant seals with (non-native) reindeer grazing in the background. The grasses, mountains, and beaches of South Georgia all play an important role in the breeding and survival of different species on the island - this fragile and symbiotic relationship is something that your expedition team shares with you during your time here.
A couple of shore landings that best represent what you can expect in South Georgia are Gold Harbor and Cooper Bay. Perhaps the most picturesque site in all of South Georgia, Gold Harbor provides a dizzying amount of wildlife, all in one location. Here, be enchanted by the view of the overhanging Bertrab Glacier to the east, a massive king penguin colony in the distance, an abundance of southern elephant seals and fur seals, and nesting albatross high above in the tussock grass.
One significant and historic site of interest is the grave of the great explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton. Visit his grave at the settlement of Grytviken, which is also home to an old whaling station, a museum, gift shop, church, and a research station of approximately 20 scientists and support personnel.
Attempt to land on the eastern shore of Fortuna Bay. Head out on the “Shackleton hike,” a trek that has you hiking along the final miles of Shackleton’s traverse of South Georgia into the Stromness whaling station, where the explorer finally found rescue for his crew. To reach the abandoned station, stroll along a pebbled beach littered with hundreds of fur seals and king and gentoo penguins.