The emperor penguins on Snow Hill Island
Visiting the emperor penguins on Snow Hill Island is a true expedition experience. The captain does not determine the route; instead, ice and weather conditions shape the journey to the island.
- 10,000 emperor penguins: You may recognize the largest penguin species in Antarctica from the documentary March of the Penguins or the animated film Happy Feet. Snow Hill Island is one of the few places where you can observe real emperor penguins alongside their chicks.
- Life on the ice: Emperor penguins are the only penguin species that breed on sea ice and can withstand extreme Antarctic winter temperatures of up to –60°C. They lay their eggs early so the chicks are stronger by the time winter returns.
- Fluffy chicks in November: Emperor penguins head back to the sea with their adorable chicks as early as the Antarctic spring. Travelers hoping to see chicks need to visit early in the season, when the ice in the Weddell Sea is still particularly thick in November.
- Through dense pack ice: November marks the early season in Antarctica, just after winter ends. The ice is only beginning to melt, making sea routes in the Weddell Sea difficult to navigate. Only two helicopter-equipped ships and a single expedition polar icebreaker are capable of meeting this challenge.
What will I see on Snow Hill Island?
A journey to Snow Hill Island offers the chance to observe emperor penguins while experiencing a remote corner of Antarctica defined by towering icebergs, dense pack ice, and endless frozen landscapes.
Your Antarctic adventure begins with a voyage through Iceberg Alley, where colossal ice formations dominate the horizon:
Iceberg Alley
You travel through Iceberg Alley in the Weddell Sea on your way to Snow Hill Island. Here, enormous tabular icebergs—sometimes taller than high-rise buildings—drift among hundreds of smaller formations, including growlers and bergy bits made of glacier ice.
Antarctica from above
On helicopter-supported expeditions, you will experience Antarctica from the air. The flight from the expedition ship to Snow Hill Island typically lasts about 45 minutes each way, giving you a combined 90-minute helicopter experience, once reserved mainly for travelers exploring Antarctica by private yacht.
Navigating pack ice
Expeditions aboard the polar icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot provide the rare experience of sailing through heavy pack ice in the Weddell Sea. Hearing the ice press against the hull of the expedition vessel is both powerful and unforgettable.
Emperor penguins with chicks
By November, emperor penguin chicks have grown into soft gray bundles of fluff. You will visit the colony, observe their behavior, and explore the dramatic icy landscapes surrounding Snow Hill Island.
Helicopter vs. Icebreaker Comparison
You cannot choose every year between a helicopter-supported expedition and an icebreaker voyage.
If both options are available, you are very fortunate. Only three operators offer expeditions to Snow Hill Island, and their vessels do not sail to the emperor penguin colony annually.
- The first expedition to the emperor penguin colony on Snow Hill Island was carried out by the operator that now offers helicopter-supported journeys aboard the expedition ship Ultramarine. This option provides a five-star onboard experience and comfortable helicopter access to the emperor penguins.
- The second option is a voyage aboard the former research vessel MS Ortelius, which has been converted into an expedition ship for Antarctic travel. With Ortelius, you can expect authentic three-star comfort and a more adventurous helicopter approach to the emperor penguins on Snow Hill Island.
- Le Commandant Charcot is the most powerful passenger polar icebreaker and has even reached the geographic North Pole. This hybrid-powered vessel from a French operator offers five-star comfort and has set several Antarctic records. It brings you close to the coast of Snow Hill Island, where you may cover the final kilometers to the colony on foot across the ice. For some travelers, this is part of the adventure, while others prefer the helicopter experience.