For many travellers, Antarctica begins with the Peninsula. And with its ice-filled channels, busy penguin colonies and mountains rising straight from the sea, it’s easy to understand why.
But the Antarctic is enormous. Look beyond the familiar Peninsula routes and you’ll find voyages heading into the Weddell Sea, beyond the Antarctic Circle and across to the remote Ross Sea – places where the distances become greater, the ice plays a bigger role and expedition plans are shaped by what nature allows.
For those who want to explore further, here are four very different ways to do it.
The Weddell Sea: where ice sets the agenda
East of the Antarctic Peninsula, the Weddell Sea is a vast world of shifting pack ice and enormous tabular icebergs.
It also occupies a special place in polar history. This was the setting for Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance expedition, where his ship became trapped and eventually crushed by the ice.
Wildlife adds another reason to venture east. Adélie penguins, seals and whales inhabit these waters, while remote Snow Hill Island is home to one of the world’s most remarkable emperor penguin colonies.
The important thing to understand about the Weddell Sea is that there’s no fixed script. Ice and weather determine how far ships can travel and where landings are possible. It’s Antarctica doing things on its own terms.
Where to see emperor penguins in Antarctica
Emperor penguins are Antarctica at its most extraordinary. Standing over a metre tall and spending their entire lives on and around the continent’s sea ice, they’re also considerably harder to see than the gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguins encountered on more traditional Antarctic voyages.
To find them, you need to venture further.
From the famous colony at Snow Hill Island in the Weddell Sea to the remote reaches of the Ross Sea, a handful of expedition voyages take you into emperor penguin territory. Some set out specifically in search of established colonies; on others, an encounter is a wonderful possibility rather than the purpose of the voyage.
And, as always in Antarctica, wildlife and ice come with no guarantees.
Image courtesy of Quark
Snow Hill Island: the emperor penguin quest
Deep in the Weddell Sea, Snow Hill Island is home to one of Antarctica’s most remarkable emperor penguin colonies.
Unlike penguins that nest on exposed rock, emperors breed on sea ice. Reaching them therefore depends on finding a way through an ever-changing landscape of pack ice – one of the reasons so few Antarctic visitors ever see them.
Quark Expedition’s Emperor Penguin Quest: Expedition to Snow Hill aboard Ultramarine is specifically designed around attempting to reach the colony.
Ultramarine carries two twin-engine helicopters. When conditions allow, guests fly from the ship to a landing area away from the colony before continuing across the sea ice on foot.
The goal is clear, but the outcome can never be promised. Ice, visibility and weather determine whether the colony can be reached. If Antarctica has other ideas, the expedition team looks for alternative opportunities to explore the Weddell Sea and search for wildlife.
For travellers whose overriding ambition is to see emperor penguins, this is the most focused of our four voyages.
Explore Quark’s Emperor Penguin Quest →
The wider Weddell Sea: emperor penguin territory
Snow Hill may be the headline, but emperor penguins range more widely across the Weddell Sea.
It’s a remarkable environment in its own right: enormous tabular icebergs, shifting pack ice and a landscape that can change significantly from one day to the next.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruise’s Expedition Antarctica: Weddell Sea – Intensive aboard HANSEATIC inspiration ventures deep into this ice-dominated region as part of a much broader Antarctic exploration.
Unlike Quark’s Snow Hill expedition, this isn’t a voyage built around reaching an emperor penguin colony. Instead, travelling through the Weddell Sea puts you within their wider habitat, where individual birds may be encountered on the ice.
That distinction matters. You travel here for the Weddell Sea itself – its ice, wildlife and extraordinary sense of isolation – with an emperor penguin encounter something to hope for rather than expect.
Explore Hapag-Lloyd’s Weddell Sea expedition →
Beyond the Antarctic Circle
Emperor penguins aren’t confined to the Weddell Sea. Their range extends around Antarctica, including the remote western side of the continent.
Crossing the Antarctic Circle towards the Bellingshausen Sea takes you into another rarely explored world of sea ice, ice cliffs and drifting bergs – habitat in which emperor penguins can be found.
PONANT’s Beyond the Antarctic Circle – In the Wake of Jean-Baptiste Charcot explores these remote waters aboard Le Commandant Charcot.
Its icebreaking capability allows the ship to venture into environments few passenger ships can reach, creating opportunities to search for wildlife amongst the sea ice.
Emperor penguins are one of the species that may be encountered here, alongside Adélies, seals, whales and orcas. Again, this isn’t a colony visit and sightings can’t be promised. The experience is about exploring their wider Antarctic environment and seeing what unfolds.
Explore PONANT beyond the Antarctic Circle →
Image courtesy of PONANT Explorations
Image courtesy of PONANT Explorations
The Ross Sea: emperors on the other side of Antarctica
On almost the opposite side of the continent lies the Ross Sea, approached by expedition ship from New Zealand.
This is another important region for emperor penguins, with colonies found around the Ross Sea and neighbouring coastline. Individual birds may also be encountered travelling across the sea ice or feeding in the surrounding waters.
The distances involved are considerable, but so is the sense of scale: immense ice shelves, glaciers, the Transantarctic Mountains and some of Antarctica’s largest Adélie penguin colonies all form part of the landscape.
Heritage Expeditions’ In the Wake of Scott & Shackleton aboard Heritage Adventurer spends an extended period exploring the Ross Sea region.
Emperor penguins are among the wildlife expedition teams hope to encounter, but this is not a dedicated emperor penguin colony voyage. Where the ship goes and what you see depends heavily on sea ice, weather and wildlife movements.
What it does offer is time – time to explore a remote part of Antarctica where emperor penguins genuinely belong, alongside the wildlife, landscapes and polar history that make the Ross Sea so compelling.
Explore Heritage Expeditions’ Ross Sea voyage →
Which voyage gives you the best chance?
If seeing an emperor penguin colony is your priority, start with Quark’s Snow Hill expedition. It has been designed specifically around attempting to reach the colony, using helicopters when conditions permit.
The other three offer something different. Hapag-Lloyd, PONANT and Heritage Expeditions take you into regions where emperor penguins live and may be encountered, but they form part of a much broader exploration rather than being the central objective.
That might sound like a small distinction. When you’re travelling thousands of miles hoping to see a particular species, it really isn’t.
We can’t guarantee you an emperor penguin. But we can help put you in the right part of Antarctica, on the right expedition, to give you the opportunity to find one.
Why book with Cruise Routes?
At Cruise Routes, we believe cruising is designed for exploration.
The opportunity for real discovery is the golden thread connecting every journey we recommend. From extraordinary wildlife and spectacular landscapes to meaningful encounters with the places you visit, our carefully selected expedition cruises are chosen to help you experience destinations more deeply – not simply pass through them.
Whether you’re considering the Antarctic peninsula as your first expedition cruise or planning a journey that continues deeper into the region, our Cruise Consultants are here to help you find the right voyage for you.
Speak to a Cruise Consultant about your Antarctica cruise on 0203 924 8888 or enquire here.
