Known among polar naturalists as the 'Serengeti of the Southern Ocean', South Georgia is an ecological powerhouse with the highest density of wildlife on Earth. Combined with the historic Falkland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, this 18 to 22-day grand voyage is universally considered the ultimate polar expedition.
Why South Georgia Is Completely Different from the Peninsula
While the Antarctic Peninsula is defined by towering white ice and blue glaciers, South Georgia is defined by emerald tussock grass, dramatic alpine peaks rising 9,000 feet straight out of the ocean, and staggering, overwhelming wildlife biomass:
Salisbury Plain & St. Andrews Bay
Beaches packed with over 400,000 King Penguins and their fluffy brown chicks, stretching as far as the eye can see.
Colossal Elephant Seals
Home to 95% of the world's Antarctic fur seals and four-ton southern elephant seal bulls fiercely battling for beach territory.
Shackleton's Resting Place
Visit the historic whaling outpost of Grytviken to toast Sir Ernest Shackleton at his grave site with Irish whiskey.
The Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
On the route between Ushuaia and South Georgia, expeditions anchor at the remote Falkland archipelago. Highlights include Port Stanley's British pubs, black-browed albatross colonies nesting on windswept clifftops, and comical Rockhopper penguins leaping up steep rock faces.
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Ethan Jones
Ross Sea, South Georgia & Long-Voyage SpecialistEthan specializes in the longest, most remote polar expeditions across the globe. From 21-day King Penguin odysseys in South Georgia to month-long Ross Sea semi-circumnavigations departing from New Zealand, Ethan guides explorers toward preserved Heroic Age huts, volcanic calderas, and rarely penetrated ice shelves.
