SOUTH GEORGIA & FALKLANDS CRUISES

Are you dreaming of a polar wildlife adventure? Embark on an authentic expedition to Antarctica and the subantarctic islands, to one of the most remote wildlife sanctuaries on Earth. Even seasoned travelers who think they've seen it all will be surprised by South Georgia. Join one of our South Georgia expedition cruises and discover why it's a highlight of the Southern Ocean.

The Antarctic region is one of the world's most remote places, so why come this far south and not experience its wildlife-rich subantarctic island? South Georgia packs exploration history, wildlife, and geology into one destination. Often called the "Serengeti of the Southern Ocean" or "Galapagos of the South," it offers vast king penguin colonies, nursing Antarctic fur seals, and resting southern elephant seals.

Explore the historic whaling stations at Grytviken and Stromness, and follow in the footsteps of Ernest Shackleton, whose ship became trapped in the Weddell Sea during the Endurance expedition (1914-17). Visit his gravesite in Grytviken Cemetery, raise a toast, then tour the South Georgia Museum to learn more.

Journey aboard the 114-passenger M/V Sea Spirit, built for small-ship polar cruising. Its Zodiac fleet reaches remote landing sites. An IAATO member since 2011, Poseidon Expeditions follows responsible landing protocols. Guests go ashore together, with no rotations, for up to 3 landings a day, each approximately 2.5 hours.

It's one of the top cruises for travelers who want to see it all in one trip. Visit the remote Falkland Islands, where farmsteads and the charming capital, Stanley, feel like a piece of quaint Britain. Visit the local museum, the whalebone arch at Stanley Cathedral, and a pub in town, and explore the archipelago's green hills. The Falklands are a prime destination for birdwatchers, home to Magellanic penguins and around 80% of the world's black-browed albatrosses. From here, you'll head to South Georgia aboard the M/V Sea Spirit.

As South Georgia comes into view, you'll sense just how isolated this island is — lenticular clouds often hang above the snow-covered peaks as you prepare for your first landing. If you've signed up for kayaking, paddling the sheltered bays may become a trip highlight. We'll also launch our Zodiac fleet to cruise the coastline. Step ashore among king penguin colonies at Salisbury Plain, watch macaroni and gentoo penguins as albatrosses glide overhead, and explore former whaling stations and the museum at Grytviken. Around 95% of the world's Antarctic fur seals breed here, sharing beaches with southern elephant seals. With only 114 passengers aboard, guests can go ashore together with no group rotations, allowing more time to explore. All landings follow IAATO guidelines.

Ready for Antarctica? The final leg takes you to the Antarctic Peninsula via the South Shetland Islands and Elephant Island, where Shackleton's men awaited rescue after the Endurance became trapped in 1915 (its wreck was found only in 2022). Visit Deception Island's black-sand beaches and geothermal waters, sail the Gerlache Strait, and explore Paradise Bay, watching for whales, leopard seals, and Adélie and chinstrap penguins. From here, only the Drake Passage separates you from Ushuaia, Argentina.

Want to maximize your time on South Georgia and skip the Drake Passage altogether? Then this is your trip! We created this cruise especially for photo enthusiasts who want to focus on the Falklands and South Georgia. Arrive in Santiago de Chile and start your expedition by flying to Stanley (capital of the Falklands). There you’ll board a small ship, the Sea Spirit, for an exclusive expedition, designed for professional and amateur photographers alike. Feel the creative spirit aboard and visit workshops to perfect your skills. Take your best shots during Zodiac excursions and landings, and catch the perfect light during the golden hours. Visit the preeminent landing sites hand-picked for the best photo ops, explore abandoned whaling stations bustling with wildlife and get plenty of time ashore to indulge your creative spirit. This cruise heads back to Port Stanley, where a plane will take you back to Chile.

We have various itineraries departing from Ushuaia, Buenos Aires and Port Stanley. Check out our departures for the 2023-24 season here:

Geography

Snow-capped mountains and glaciers dominate this 160 km (100 mile)-long, 32 km (20 mile)-wide island in the Southern Ocean. Grassy tundra plains, fjords, and sheltered bays frame its coastline. Located around 2,024 km east of the southern tip of Argentina, its nearest neighbor is the Falklands, roughly 1,500 km west. South Georgia is a British Overseas Territory administered by the GSGSSI, with over 1.24 million sq km falling within its Marine Protected Area. It has no permanent population, no roads, and no airport — expedition ships are the only way in.

Climate

If you appreciate moderate temperatures, you'll feel comfortable on South Georgia. Winter months (June–August) may occasionally drop to -10/12°C (10/14°F), though frosty weather rarely lasts long. Summers average 6-10°C (42-50°F), with some days reaching 22°C (71°F). Expect rain — with 293 rainy days a year on average, pack waterproof gear. The expedition season runs during the austral summer, October through March.

History

Looking at South Georgia today, a wildlife sanctuary teeming with life, it's hard to imagine its turbulent past. Discovered by European explorers in 1675, it was first landed on by Captain James Cook in 1775, who claimed it for Britain as the Isle of Georgia, after King George III. The island later became a center for sealing and whaling before those industries collapsed in the mid-20th century.

Not only whale blood was shed here — the southernmost battle in the world, the Battle of Grytviken, was fought on South Georgia. On April 3, 1982, Argentine forces seized the island during the Falklands War; Britain regained control 22 days later, on April 25, with casualties on both sides. The conflict reflected territorial disputes dating back to 1908, when Britain formally annexed South Georgia.

Sir Ernest Shackleton gave South Georgia one of polar exploration's most enduring survival stories. During the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-17), his ship, the Endurance, was trapped and crushed by pack ice in the Weddell Sea. After the crew took refuge on Elephant Island, Shackleton set out in the lifeboat James Caird with five men to seek help, crossing the Southern Ocean without modern navigation to reach South Georgia's coast. He and two men then crossed the island's glaciated interior to reach Stromness and organize the rescue. The wreck of Endurance was found in March 2022, at a depth of 3,008 m (9,900 ft).

Remote and without any permanent human inhabitants, South Georgia is a safe haven for wildlife. While Poseidon Expeditions follows all international standards and guidelines on wildlife preservation, animals can be curious about travelers and come closer to those who land on their pristine shores.

King Penguins

With around 450,000 breeding pairs across more than 30 colonies, South Georgia holds a substantial share of the world's king penguin population. At St. Andrews Bay alone, an estimated 250,000 breeding pairs gather in one of the largest colonies on Earth. Visit December to February to see fluffy brown chicks demanding attention from busy parents. South Georgia also hosts the world's largest macaroni penguin colony.

Elephant Seals

Find these giants dozing on the island's beaches. Males reach up to 5.8 m (19 ft) and 3,700 kg (8,150 lb); females are smaller, up to 4 m (12 ft) and 800 kg (1,800 lb). Despite looking slow on land, they're remarkable divers, staying underwater for up to two hours and reaching depths of 2,133 m (7,000 ft). Around half of the world's southern elephant seal population lives on South Georgia.

Antarctic Fur Seals

Around 95% of the global Antarctic fur seal population — approximately 2.5 million animals — is found on South Georgia. Once driven to near-extinction by commercial sealing, the species has recovered remarkably. Fur seals now crowd the beaches during breeding season, with mothers nursing pups while males defend their stretch of coastline.

Wandering Albatross

See the world's largest flying bird in its natural habitat: the wandering albatross, with a wingspan up to 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in). These birds cover as much as 10,000 km (6,200 miles) on foraging trips lasting up to 20 days. Compare yourself to a to-scale model at the South Georgia Museum in Grytviken. Bird Island, at the island's northwestern tip, is one of the world's most important albatross breeding grounds — access is restricted, but expedition ships cruise offshore.

Salisbury Plain

Salisbury Plain holds approximately 60,000 king penguin breeding pairs, one of the largest colonies in the world after St. Andrews Bay. We land by Zodiac among thousands of curious birds and their chicks during breeding season. Under IAATO guidelines, we keep a distance of at least 5 m (16 ft) from individuals and 10 m (30 ft) from colonies on land, and 30 m (98 ft) aboard Zodiacs — though penguins often approach visitors on their own.

Grytviken

After Norwegian captain Carl Anton Larsen founded the whaling station here in 1904, 195 whales were caught in the first season alone. More than 300 men eventually worked at Grytviken, some with families — one wife even gave birth here in 1913. The station closed in 1966 as whale populations declined. Today, visit the South Georgia Museum, the Norwegian church, and Shackleton's grave, where we raise a glass of whisky to his legacy.

Stromness

Founded in 1907 as a floating station and moved ashore in 1912, Stromness later ran as a ship repair yard until 1961. A dramatic alpine panorama of snow-capped peaks rises behind it. This is where Shackleton, Frank Worsley, and Tom Crean arrived in May 1916 after a 36-hour crossing of South Georgia's mountainous interior — the first men to cross the island on foot to save their stranded crew.

Leith

Whaling at Leith Harbor began in 1909, and the settlement grew into South Georgia's largest whaling station. Reindeer were introduced here as a food source for whalers; after whaling collapsed, the reindeer population expanded and damaged the native ecosystem. A South Georgia Heritage Trust program from 2013 to 2015 successfully removed the species, letting native vegetation recover.

Gold Harbour

Gold Harbour is one of South Georgia's most photographed landing sites, where the Bertrab Glacier backs a sweeping black-sand beach. King penguins and southern elephant seals gather along the shore, making it a prime spot for wildlife photography. Join Zodiac excursions to see wildlife up close.

How to get to the South Georgia Island

Most South Georgia expeditions start in Ushuaia, Argentina, connecting via Buenos Aires before boarding the M/V Sea Spirit. Your voyage usually continues via the Falklands to South Georgia, and some itineraries extend to the Antarctic Peninsula before returning to Ushuaia.

Visa control

You may need a visa to get to your departure port in Ushuaia, Argentina (you start your Antarctic trip from there). Please check with the relevant consulates prior to your trip and obtain a visa if necessary.

South Georgia Ships

We cruise aboard the 114-passenger M/V Sea Spirit, an ice-strengthened, all-suite ship built for small expedition cruising, with a lecture hall, polar library, gym, restaurant, bar, and outdoor bistro. Our Zodiac fleet reaches remote landing sites. Our Zodiac fleet reaches remote landing sites. The ship’s compact size lets guests go ashore together, with no rotations, for up to 3 landings a day, each approximately 2.5 hours. All landings follow IAATO guidelines.

When to visit South Georgia Island

The expedition season runs during the austral summer, October through March. Early season, October and November, brings pristine snow, incubating king penguins, and fur seal pups. December and January bring peak activity, with fluffy chicks and elephant seal pups. By February and March, humpback and minke whales gather in nutrient-rich waters as penguins and seals begin their molt.

Facts about South Georgia Island

• • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are British Overseas Territories.
• • You can't fly to South Georgia — there's no airport; the island is only accessible by expedition ship.
• • The expedition season runs from October through March.
• • There are no permanent residents on South Georgia.
• • South Georgia has issued its own postage stamps since 1963.
• • Civil marriages are possible on South Georgia, though no ministers of any major world religion reside on the island.