South Georgia

Step into an Antarctic wildlife oasis

South Georgia is home to two mountain ranges – the Salvesen and the Allardyce – which soar to a peak of almost 3,000 metres above the sea. In the summer almost 75% of the island is covered in snow, ice, and glaciers. Come winter, a covering of snow reaches right down to the water’s edge.  

The island is also called an Antarctic Oasis because of the huge numbers of penguins and seals that breed here. The marine ecosystem is considered one of the densest examples of biodiversity in the world. Visitors can spot seals on both the land and in the waters, and a variety of whales pass through the area.

South Georgia is one of the remotest and wildest places on earth.

Read more

Cruises to South Georgia

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Antarctica
Up to $11350 OFF

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Antarctica

Meet at least six penguin species

HDS26-25 This Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctic Peninsula cruise is an animal-lover’s dream come true. The expedition explores one of the last untamed areas on Earth – a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and amazingly varied wildlife.

m/v Hondius

m/v Hondius

Cruise date:

4 Jan - 22 Jan, 2025

Berths start from:

9450 USD

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Antarctica
Up to $9050 OFF

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Antarctica

Meet at least six penguin species

PLA27-25 This Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctic Peninsula cruise is an animal-lover’s dream come true. The expedition explores one of the last untamed areas on Earth – a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and amazingly varied wildlife.

m/v Plancius

m/v Plancius

Cruise date:

16 Jan - 3 Feb, 2025

Berths start from:

9450 USD

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Antarctica
Up to $7600 OFF

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Antarctica

Meet at least six penguin species

HDS28-25 This Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctic Peninsula cruise is an animal-lover’s dream come true. The expedition explores one of the last untamed areas on Earth – a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and amazingly varied wildlife.

m/v Hondius

m/v Hondius

Cruise date:

1 Feb - 20 Feb, 2025

Berths start from:

9450 USD

Atlantic Odyssey
Up to $6200 OFF

Atlantic Odyssey

This far-ranging expedition voyage sails the breadth of the Atlantic, visiting several of the remotest islands in the world!

HDS31-25 The Atlantic Odyssey cruise visits some of the remotest islands in the world, crossing the migratory paths of Arctic Terns, Long-tailed Skuas, other birds, and a variety of whales as they make their annual expeditions north for the breeding season.

m/v Hondius

m/v Hondius

Cruise date:

23 Mar - 15 Apr, 2025

Berths start from:

5100 USD

Atlantic Odyssey incl. Antarctic Peninsula to Cape Verde
Up to $2775 OFF

Atlantic Odyssey incl. Antarctic Peninsula to Cape Verde

PLA31B26 The Atlantic Odyssey cruise visits some of the remotest islands in the world, crossing the migratory paths of Arctic Terns, Long-tailed Skuas, other birds, and a variety of whales as they make their annual expeditions north for the breeding season.

m/v Plancius

m/v Plancius

Cruise date:

23 Mar - 4 May, 2026

Berths start from:

16380 USD

South Georgia cruise video

Latest blog and customer story

South Georgia blog

South Georgia Whaling Stations

South Georgia is an animal lover’s dream. In fact, it’s one of the most wildlife-rich locations we visit in all of our polar voyages, whether in the Northern Hemisphere or Southern.

All related posts

South Georgia story

Antarctica and My Old Friend, Ortelius: Passenger Story by Ann Lane

I was on the recent Antarctic trip on Ortelius, 16 Feb - 7 March. This has been my third expedition with Oceanwide, and I continue to be very impressed by the experiences.

Share your story

Latest highlight and wildlife

Map of

South Georgia photo

South Georgia cruise reviews

by Bernhard Kischnick

Meine 1. große Kreuzfahrt die die Erwartungen bei weiten übertroffen haben. Ein tolle Crew von bis die, uns eine solche Reise mit ihrem Einsatz und freundlicher Bedienung ermöglicht haben. Hauptärgernis was sich immer wieder durch die gesamte Reise zog, war das ich einer der wenigen auf dem Schiff gewesen bin der den vollen Preis und auch sonst keine Vergünstigungen bekommen habe.

by Duncan Wilson
A fantastic early season voyage on the Plancius with abundant wildlife and magnificent destinations. The entire crew and staff did a great job throughout, and the Expedition Leader, Ali, worked tirelessly to ensure we made the most of the opportunities to land or Zodiac cruise. As a keen birder, I found the Plancius to be an exceptional platform for seawatching, with abundant outside deck space throughout the vessel. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this trip.
by Martina Herz
Unsere Reise auf der Plancius war perfekt. Das gesamte Team des Schiffes hat alles getan, um uns die Tier und Pflanzenwelt, die Geschichte und Gegenwart der Region zu vermitteln und Tierbegegnungen "hautnah" zu ermöglichen. Begeisterte Empfehlung.
by Christine Segers
It was a fantastic trip!! The way how Oceanwide managed everything is extraordinary. The landings ashore were so well organised: plenty of SPACE and TIME !!!!!! Fantastic how we could do our own thing. It was my fifth trip with Oceanwide, and this one I enjoyed the most! Thanks a lot to the staff for their patience and help during the landings and a special thanks, to the expeditionleaders.
by Kirsten VAN DER HELDEN
It was the most fantastic experiance ever. No words. Made me so happy (even decided to go with the ortelius immediatly after)
by Wolfram Ohlendorf
Kann man nur weiter empfehlen

South Georgia FAQ

South Georgia follows Gulf Standard Time (GST). This means that if it is 16:00 GST (4 p.m.) during your holiday to South Georgia, it would be 14:00 (2 p.m.) in New York City, 19:00 (7 p.m.) in London, and 6:00 (6 a.m.) the following morning in the Antarctic South Pole. On an expedition cruise, the vessel often stays at Argentinean time (GMT –3) in order to avoid several time changes on board.

The climate in South Georgia is polar. It is possible that you will experience a variety of different weather types while on a South Georgia cruise. The average temperatures vary widely depending on your exact location. For example, it is usually 0.7 to 5.5°C (33.3 to 41.9°F) on Bird Island during January, but King Edward Point experiences January temperatures ranging from 1.4 to 8.4°C (34.5 to 47.1°F).

In August, the temperature in South Georgia can vary from -4.8 to 1.5°C (23.4 to 34.7°F). Summer winds can produce a warmer than average day, but snow can still fall during this time period above 300 meters (984 feet).

Many people take a cruise to South Georgia specifically with wildlife in mind, and for good reason. The area has rich and diverse bird life, not only for its huge king penguin colonies. Other birds that you may see when you travel to South Georgia include albatrosses, terns, and several species of petrels.

Additionally, you may encounter marine life that ranges from whales to a great number of seals, such as Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals. South Georgia has the highest concentration of marine life on the planet.

South Georgia has no resident population. Throughout the year, the research station and governmental facilities are staffed from GSGSS and BAS. In the summer season, the numbers increase with staff from SGHT as well as science and government projects. The winter population is generally about eight people, and in the summer around 40.

South Georgia is a British overseas territory. The island was first sighted in 1675 by a London merchant, but it does not appear to have been explored until 1775, when it was claimed for the British. The area was primarily used during the 19th and 20th centuries as a base for sealing and whaling. The first semi-permanent inhabitants moved to the island in 1904 as part of the industrial scale whaling that commenced at the time in this area.

Grytviken is surprisingly well-sheltered, and it has become a popular spot for couples that want a truly unique wedding. The highest peaks on the island are permanently covered in snow, and it is common to see icebergs in the water around South Georgia.

The local flora and fauna are a big draw, and stamp collectors may be able to purchase a couple of rare South Georgia stamps during their trip. This remote island’s topography is also very noteworthy, and it contains a spectacular central high alpine mountain range.

History is abundant here, ranging from tales of early 20th-century whaling to the exploits of the famous explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. The main attraction, however, is the wildlife, which is second to no other place on Earth. It is truly a paradise for wildlife lovers!

About

South Georgia weather

Temperatures during the winter months (around August) average around 0°C, usually going no lower than -10°C. During the summer (around January) temperatures average around 8°C. Since the weather can be quite variable your best bet is to bring layers. 

Facts About South Georgia

  • Famed explorer Ernest Shackleton is buried at Grytviken (an old whaling settlement).
  • The highest point found on South Georgia is Mount Paget which reaches up to 2,934 metres in height.
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are encompassed by one of the world’s largest Marine Protected Areas. The MPA covers an area of 1.07 million km2.
  • South Georgia doesn’t have any sort of permanent human population.
  • South Georgia was part of the disputed land claims between Argentina and the U.K. during the Falklands War in 1982. Britain still regularly patrols the waters.
  • The only permanent settlements on the island are research stations.
  • The only way to get to South Georgia is by boat.

Travel to South Georgia

Take a South Georgia expedition cruise and prepare yourself to venture into a dense oasis of life in the midst of the cold Atlantic Ocean.

On your South Georgia cruise you’ll have a wide variety of activities through which you’ll get to introduce yourself to the wildlife – walks along the shore, extended hikes, diving for the experienced, wildlife watching… the list goes on.

You’ll get to meet a variety of seals, set eyes on a catalogue of birds,  and make friends with King penguins who just might investigate you up close and personal. 

Loading