South Georgia Island Cruises & Tours
Calling all fearless wanderers and animal lovers: this isolated destination promises to fulfill your wildest dreams.
Revel in the immense vastness and immeasurable beauty of an Antarctica Cruise as you float past extraordinary landscape after extraordinary landscape on your journey to South Georgia Island from Argentina. Push your adventure-loving spirit out of its comfort zone as you take in the sea’s icy surface and marvel at the towering glaciers that rise above you from aboard the majestic Ocean Endeavour on our South Georgia Island Cruises & Tours. The only thing more impressive than the island’s scenery? The animals that call it home. From elephant seals and their pups to rookeries of King penguins, this island’s collection of fascinating animals will add another enchanting layer to an already unforgettable trip.
South Georgia Island at a glance
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CAPITAL CITY
King Edward Point
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POPULATION
30
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CURRENCY
GBP
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LANGUAGE
English
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TIME ZONE
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GMT-2)
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CALLING CODE
+500
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ELECTRICITY
Hydro powered
Learn more about South Georgia Island
Highlights of South Georgia Island
Explore the epic Drygalski Fjord
You can’t do an Antarctic exploration without seeing a fjord or two and the Drygalski Fjord might just be the best there is. Whether you’re interested in seeing vividly coloured and uniquely shaped icebergs up close or just want to watch the icy fjord itself naturally shift, prepare to have your breath taken away (and not by the cold). Taking in this captivating landscape is definitely a pinch-yourself moment.
Watch albatross soar
They don’t call South Georgia Island the ‘Galapagos of the South’ for nothing and once you watch the mighty albatross lift their incredibly wide wings to take to the sky, you’ll soon understand why. Don’t be fooled, these birds might not seem that big from the ship’s deck, but their wingspan is the largest out of any other living bird in the world, allowing them to fly for several hours without a single flap.
See sunbathing Elephant Seals
If watching the mighty albatross primp and preen tickles your animal-loving fancy, then observing thousands of gigantic elephant seals laying out on rocky mountains will take your excitement to a whole different level. Whether they’re simply basking in the sun’s rays or sparring with each other for ultimate glory, these elephant seals will have you reaching for your camera more times than you can count.
Marvel at colonies of King penguins
If you hadn’t guessed it already, South Georgia Island is a haven for several species of Antarctic animals including magnificent blue whales and the cheekiest of fur seals. However, nothing will prepare you for the sight of a chaotic colony of King penguins. From trumpeting and courting to waddling and whistling, there are sometimes up to 100,000 pairs of penguins on the island to appreciate and take photos of.
Visit the old whaling settlement of Grytviken
The first whaling station on South Georgia Island was built in 1904 (quickly followed by six others) but the one built at Grytviken was the largest, employing over 60 Norwegian men as whalers, engineers, and flensers. Learn about this piece of history as part of your South Georgia Island adventure and turn back the hands of time to picture the station as it would have been with rusty ships used as part of the whaling process and industrial buildings that housed workers still visible along the bay.
Spend time at Sir Ernest Shackleton’s grave
Sir Ernest Shackleton may not have been the first explorer to step foot on South Georgia Island, but he was one of the principal figures during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, leading three British expeditions to the region. He suffered a heart attack during an expedition in 1922 off the island’s coast and, at the request of his wife, he was buried in Grytviken. His headstone still attracts many travellers, with some toasting the great explorer by downing a shot of whiskey (his favourite drink) when they visit.
See Antarctica from the sky
If you want to experience a polar adventure but aren't keen on travelling by sea, take a once-in-a-lifetime flight to the icy landscape of Antarctica. Whether you're a keen astronomer who's always dreamt of seeing the Aurora Australis or a travel enthusiast ready to check 'expedition flight' off the bucket list, embarking on a southern flight from Australia promises some pretty spectacular views.
Geography and environment
Located in the South Atlantic Ocean, South Georgia Island is around 170 kilometres long and only 35 kilometres wide with a mountainous terrain. This terrain includes a central ridge - Mount Paget - that rises to 2,935 metres and plenty of bays and fjords dotted along the northern coast.
It's a fantastic breeding ground for several animals, including elephant seals, fur seals and king penguins and is even known to be called the 'Serengeti of the Southern Ocean'. The island is also home to several native bird species, such as the South Georgia Pintail and the South Georgia Pipit.
History and government
South Georgia Island was first discovered in 1675 by an English merchant by the name of Anthony de la Roche and was named 'Roche Island'; however, Captian James Cook came across the island in his expeditions in 1775 (aboard the HMS Resolution). He mapped and surveyed the island - noting no indigenous population - and renamed it 'Isle of Georgia' before declaring it a possession of Britain.
During the Falklands War in 1982, Argentinians briefly invaded South Georgia Island but it was quickly reclaimed by the British less than a month later.
It has served as a whaling and seal-hunting base throughout its history, with the settlement of Grytviken being the best harbour on the island. However, it's not the largest settlement. That title is currently held by King Edward Point - a British research station occupied by 20 people.
There's also a small cemetery on the island where famous explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton is buried, alongside Frank Wild, William Barlas and Felix Artuso.
Further reading
Title | Author |
The Two-Headed Whale | Sandy Winterbottom |
Shackleton at South Georgia | Robert Burton |
Island at the Edge of the World | Stephen Venables |
Antarctic Housewife | Nan Brown |
A Field Guide to the Wildlife of South Georgia | Robert Burton & John Croxall |
South Georgia Island travel FAQs
Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards
From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).
However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.
Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.
Intrepid takes the health and safety of its travellers seriously and takes every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and enjoyable for everyone. We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure:
From Australia?
Go to: Smart Traveller
From Canada?
Go to: Canada Travel Information
From the UK?
Go to: UK Foreign Travel Advice
From New Zealand?
Go to: Safe Travel
From the US?
Go to: US Department of State
The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.
Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.
For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance
There's only one way to arrive at South Georgia Island due to its extremely remote location and that's by small ship or through a larger expedition. These ships often set sail from Ushuaia in Argentina and from there, it's approximately a two-day journey to the fascinating destination.
South Georgia Island's climate is considered to be maritime subpolar with cold summers and even colder winters. The hottest month of the year is February, but don't get any ideas about sunning yourself on the ship's top deck because the average high temperature is 6°C (43°F). The coldest months of the year are June and July and they can reach lows of 0°C (32°F) so make sure you rug up and dress appropriately when visiting.
You can travel to South Georgia Island in spring, summer, and autumn, however, you cannot travel to the island in winter. This is because the weather conditions are too unpredictable and dangerous to safely travel to the region. The best time to travel to the island largely depends on what you want to see with many Antarctic animals preferring different seasons. If you want to do some whale watching or penguin spotting, visit the island in autumn. If it's baby animals you want to see then head to the remote destination in spring. If it's warmer weather you're craving, then summer is also a great time to go.
The remoteness of Antarctica means that you really have to nail the packing because you won't be able to buy anything while you're over there. To ensure you have everything you need, we've put together a small list of things you absolutely need to pack:
- a lot of clothing layers
- gloves
- beanie
- socks
- moisturiser
- camera
Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. However, we’re always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.