Wildlife in Antarctica
These elusive creatures calve during the austral summer in the Antarctic's chilly waters, before migrating thousands of miles north in the bitter winters.![]()
Whales and orcas
Playful humpbacks are the most common species, and the most entertaining, as they breach and slap their enormous flippers. Stunning orcas can be seen hunting in the channels, and minke whales are large and gentle. But the world’s largest animal – the blue whale – is less commonly seen, but stretching as long as three double-decker buses, a sighting is unforgettable. Read more about whale watching in Antarctica
Our Antarctica Vacations
Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica cruise
The Ultimate Antarctica Experience!
From
€11500
21 days
ex flights
Classic Antarctica cruise & South Shetland Islands
Experience all that this remarkable area has to offer!
From
US $5730 to US $7990
12 days
ex flights
Antarctica small ship cruises
Ultimate Antarctica and South Georgia small ship wildlife cruise
From
£7790 to £22750
22 days
ex flights
Antarctic cruise with the World Wildlife Fund
An Antarctic cruise with the World Wildlife Fund Australia
From
US $8290
11 days
ex flights
Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea cruise
Antarctica & Weddell Sea Emperor Penguins by ship/helicopter
From
US $5940 to US $14095
11 days
ex flights
Antarctic Circle cruises
Remote polar wilderness & incredible landscapes
From
£7499 to £12299
14 days
ex flights
Antarctic whale watching cruise
Witness an incredible wildlife spectacle in Antarctica
From
US $8990
11 days
ex flights
Antarctic cruise and hiking in Chile
World class walking in Patagonia, active Antarctica cruise
From
£13350
27 days
ex flights
Antarctic Peninsula Cruises
An inspiring wilderness & wildlife journey of a lifetime
From
£4050 to £12640
11 days
ex flights
Antarctica Peninsula, Falklands & South Georgia wildlife vacation
An in-depth exploration of the Antarctic region
From
£16900
23 days
ex flights
Antarctica and New Zealand Subantarctic Islands Wildlife Cruise
Travel from New Zealand on the ultimate Antarctic voyage.
From
US $26950
4 weeks
ex flights
Antarctica fly and cruise
Experience Antarctica without having to cruise the Drake!
From
£9400 to £11100
8 days
ex flights
Antarctic Peninsula cruises, activity-based
Activity-based small ship expedition of Antarctica
From
£9945
17 days
ex flights
Journey to the Antarctic circle vacation
Take the adventure of a lifetime to the Antarctic Circle
From
US $13995
14 days
ex flights
Antarctic Circle expedition cruise
Sail along the stunning Antarctic Peninsula
From
£7100
14 days
ex flights
2023 Antarctica, South Georgia and Falklands cruise
Delve into this in-depth polar expedition across Antarctica.
From
US $14290
21 days
ex flights
Antarctic Peninsula vacation
Multi activity expedition cruise to spectacular Antarctica
From
US $9050
12 days
ex flights
Antarctic 8 day tour
Fly to the end of the world & enjoy the magic of Antarctica
From
£8370 to £15300
8 days
ex flights
Patagonia and Antarctica, fly and cruise
Discover Chile and the Antarctic on this epic adventure
From
£14915
14 days
ex flights
Ross Sea Antarctic Islands cruise from New Zealand
A unique and exciting adventure to the end of the world!
From
US $23000
4 weeks
ex flights
East and West Peninsula Antarctic cruise
A 14-day expedition to both sides of the Antarctic Peninsula
From
US $9490
14 days
ex flights
Antarctica, South Georgia & Falklands luxury cruise
Cruise Antarctica in Luxury - Small ship luxury cruising
From
£11000
15 days
ex flights
New Year Antarctic cruise to South Georgia
Mark the centenary of Sir Ernest Shackleton's passing
From
£32400
20 days
ex flights
Classic Antarctica vacation
Discover the South Shetland Islands & Antarctic Peninsula
From
£6299 to £8399
11 days
ex flights
Antarctic Circle wildlife cruise
Discover the sheer magnitude of the 7th Continent
From
£11000
11 days
ex flights
Antarctic diving expedition
An Antarctic expedition for divers & non-divers alike
From
£4190 to £11280
10 days
ex flights
Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands cruise
Perfect introductory expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula
From
£9000
8 days
ex flights
Antarctica semi-circumnavigation cruise
Scott & Shackelton Huts, Mount Erebus, Maquarie, Helicopter
From
€23490
4 weeks
ex flights
Antarctic peninsula cruise via Buenos Aires
Visit the most pristine wilderness on earth
From
£9800
11 days
ex flights
Seals
Your image of cuddly seals is sure to change after you’ve come face to face with an enormous, tooth-raked bull elephant seal, or one of the Antarctic’s most ferocious killers – the 3m long leopard seal.
Elephant seals are found on the beaches of Patagonia and the South Atlantic archipelagos. True to their name, males can be up to 6m long, and have trunk-like noses. Their thick blubber keeps them warm – as well as providing energy reserves, as the female cannot hunt while suckling her young. Leopard seals – with their spotted coats and shark-like teeth – are found around the icy waters of the Antarctic Peninsula, where they hunt penguins and even other seals, as well as fish and seabirds.
Atlantic fur seals are somewhat cuter – especially the tiny pups, which can be seen in December and January. Over a million of them breed on the island of South Georgia alone. Noisy Weddell seals can be seen barking around the Antarctic, diving beneath the ice to catch fish.
Elephant seals are found on the beaches of Patagonia and the South Atlantic archipelagos. True to their name, males can be up to 6m long, and have trunk-like noses. Their thick blubber keeps them warm – as well as providing energy reserves, as the female cannot hunt while suckling her young. Leopard seals – with their spotted coats and shark-like teeth – are found around the icy waters of the Antarctic Peninsula, where they hunt penguins and even other seals, as well as fish and seabirds.
Atlantic fur seals are somewhat cuter – especially the tiny pups, which can be seen in December and January. Over a million of them breed on the island of South Georgia alone. Noisy Weddell seals can be seen barking around the Antarctic, diving beneath the ice to catch fish.
The albatross is the most impressive of all the birds to be found in the Antarctic, with a wingspan of up to 3.5m!![]()
Birds
Four species of albatross breed here, crowding onto the tiny island of South Georgia to rear their young. They can fly up to 1,000km in a day, as they migrate between the Antarctic and warmer weather further north. Giant petrels are similar to the albatross. These huge birds are both scavengers and aggressive predators; the largest colonies can be found on the Falkland Islands.
Our top Antarctica Vacation
Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica cruise
The Ultimate Antarctica Experience!
From
€11500
21 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2022: 25 Oct, 2 Nov, 7 Nov, 22 Nov, 16 Dec, 23 Dec
2023: 4 Jan, 14 Jan, 1 Feb
2022: 25 Oct, 2 Nov, 7 Nov, 22 Nov, 16 Dec, 23 Dec
2023: 4 Jan, 14 Jan, 1 Feb
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Antarctica or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
1-866-821-6866
Call toll free
Calling from outside the USA
Penguins
These diminutive, flightless birds are one of Antarctica’s biggest draws. Rookeries are surprisingly noisy – and smelly! – but their antics make them entertaining, and something about their upright waddle makes them strangely human. You’ll burn through memory cards on your first wild penguin sighting – and they’re not afraid of humans, so while you are not allowed to approach them, there’s nothing to stop them approaching you.
Six species can be found here; with Adélie and gentoo being the most common. Adélies are only found along the Antarctic coast, and these feisty little birds have been known to be aggressive towards anyone approaching – survival is tough down here, and they have to fight for it! Many thousands of pairs can be seen on the islands, along with gentoo penguins which can be recognised by their prominent tails.
The long, tufted orange “eyebrows” of the macaroni penguin makes it one of the most appealing and comical. They nest in large groups on South Georgia – also popular with chinstrap and king penguins, who prefer the warmer waters away from the Antarctic continent. King penguins resemble the striking emperor penguin, with yellow patches on their head and neck.
Emperor penguins are the best known and, at 115cm tall, the largest species – but their sheltered breeding grounds – often far inland or on floating ice – makes them hard to reach.
More about Antarctica
The best time to visit Antarctica is between November and March – the months when the sun rises above the horizon, the sea ice melts enough to allow access, and the temperatures nudge above freezing.
This vast sheet of ice is considered by many to be Earth’s last true slice of wilderness.
Antarctica may seem at first like a monotonous expanse of snow and ice, but expedition cruises take in islands, the peninsula and can depart from Argentina or New Zealand – so you’ll need to have a think about where to go in Antarctica before booking your trip.
How to get to Antarctica is one of the first questions that would-be polar explorers are going to ask themselves.
Find out what to put on your Antarctica packing list - and what not to - with our handy guide; you can also download or print a handy pdf with the link at the bottom of the page.
Antarctic expedition cruises are all about spending as much time off the ship as possible - snowshoeing across untouched polar landscapes, kayaking across these frozen seas, hiking up mighty mountains and even scuba diving beneath the ice.
An Antarctic expedition cruise is not all about arriving on the mainland or the frozen continent.
Whale watching in Antarctica is an incredible opportunity to observe these enormous marine mammals against one of the world's most breathtaking backdrops - with towering blue icebergs, Antarctic mountains and endless black seas swirling around.
With such an incredible array of landscapes and fearless wildlife, it’s easy to take great Antarctic pictures – but our Antarctica photography tips can take your shots to the next level, with advice on camera lenses, composition, filters and how to protect your equipment from the ever-present cold and condensation.
Our guide to how to choose a cruise ship for Antarctica covers all the essential information you'll need to plan this trip.
Choosing whether to save or splurge on your Antarctic cruise is a huge part of the planning process; it’s one of the world’s most expensive destinations, and all your decisions add up.
This may be one of the Earth's most hostile environments - yet many people have explored, lived, worked and died on the frozen continent.
You’ve read about the whales, you’ve researched the perils of crossing the Drake Passage, you’ve seen endless videos of penguins and photos of sunlit icebergs – but before taking the leap and booking, you want to know what life is really like on board an Antarctic cruise.
Planning a trip to Antarctica can be a daunting task; it’s certainly not like anywhere you’ve ever been before.
There is much discussion over whether responsible tourism in Antarctica can ever be possible, given the long haul flights involved in getting there and the potential to spoil such a pristine environment.
