
Stromness Harbour
Stromness is where Shackleton arrived at the end of his epic trek across South Georgia and remains the terminus for a popular hike from Fortuna Bay.
Few locations in South Georgia can match Gold Harbour for sheer drama. Its beach, thick with king penguins and elephant seals is surrounded by a stunning amphitheatre of cliffs and hanging glaciers. A visit here in the soft light of dawn is a highlight for many visitors to the island.
The hike to Gold Head viewpoint above Gold Harbour
Gold Harbour is a small bay enclosed by the foothills of the Salvesen Mountains and is one of the loveliest landing sites in all of South Georgia. The extraordinary Bertrab Glacier hanging from its sheer cliffs and backed by the massed ranks of snowy peaks is an unforgettable sight.
Those able to visit on a dawn landing might surmise that the harbour takes its name from the glacier's golden appearance in the soft morning light. It's a poetic notion, but the truth is more prosaic: the German Antarctic Expedition found iron pyrites ('fool's gold') in the rocks here in 1911. A geological survey was carried out the following year in the hope of finding minerals to exploit.
While Bertrab Glacier awes visitors with its beauty, it also tells of South Georgia's fragility in the face of climate change. As late as the 1986 the snout of the glacier reached the sea. Its dramatic retreat to the cliffs has left an outwash plain with a series of lagoons around which the current king penguin residents congregate.
A beachmaster elephant seal at Gold Harbour
Gold Harbour has an abundance of wildlife. Its noisiest residents are the 25,000 pairs of king penguins and their chicks, who form a noisy mass on the grassy plain stretching from the beach up to the hills.
The beach itself is thick with elephant seals and their pups throughout the season. Fur seals haul out at Gold Harbour but don't typically mate here in such numbers as elsewhere, although as South Georgia's fur seal population continues to grow this may change.
A few hundred pairs of Gentoo penguins nest in the tussac grass here, along with brown skuas, white-chinned petrels and (on the steeper slopes) light-mantled albatross. More exposed rocky area are haunts for blue-eyed shags and kelp gulls. Antarctic terns and South Georgia pintails also breed here.
4.2 out of 5
Start your adventure in Puerto Madryn, a mecca for southern right whales and then sail to the wildlife paradise of South Georgia, stopping off at the Falkland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula en route. This three week odyssey on a stylish…
4.4 out of 5
This voyage stands out by visiting the Antarctic Peninsula first and keeping the wonders of South Georgia for the second half. Plus you’ll be travelling on board one of the most exciting new Polar ships with spacious cabins, state-of-the-art technology…
4.3 out of 5
Voyage south in Shackleton’s footsteps, exploring the highlights of the Southern Ocean as part of this ‘classic’ 20-day adventure. A well-balanced itinerary and the choice between 2 well-appointed expedition ships (capacity 128-199 guests) really marks this trip out. Plus, you…
4.1 out of 5
With a good choice of departure dates through the season across four medium-sized ships, this 19-23 day trip stands out for its value for money and the broad range of cabin categories available, including Quads, which are…
4.1 out of 5
This unique express trip saves time by flying to Antarctica, cutting out 2 sailing days and skipping the Falklands. Maximising your time amid the spectacular wildlife and scenery of Antarctica and South Georgia is the focus of this voyage. The…
An epic 23-day voyage which packs in an astonishing 7 days in Antarctica, 4 days in wildlife-rich South Georgia and the Polar Circle at 66 degrees south. It's very rare to find a trip combining all three places. Limited departure…
All visits to Gold Harbour must be made in accordance with the site visitor management plan for the site produced by the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
If possible, the best time to visit Gold Harbour is at dawn, to make the most of the extraordinary light on the glaciers. Landings are made at the northern end of the bay, from where it is possible to walk along the beach to the king penguin colony. At the height of summer, the density of animals on the beach may make this impossible: if this is the case guides will mark a safe route through the tussock to a ridge to observe the colony. It is forbidden to approach within 10m of the edge of the colony. The tern colony behind the ridge must not be approached.
The hill walk to Gold Head is very rewarding. As well as giving wonderful scenic views, you can also look down on the light-mantled albatrosses nesting here and watch them come and go. Whenever walking through the tussock at Gold Harbour, keep strictly to the path marked out by your guides, which will have been carefully chosen to avoid the burrows of white-chinned petrels who nest here.
NOTE: Ship itineraries and visits to specific landing sites in South Georgia can never be guaranteed. Plans can change as fast as the polar weather: decisions on which locations to visit are always made on the day by the ship's captain and expedition leader.
Stromness is where Shackleton arrived at the end of his epic trek across South Georgia and remains the terminus for a popular hike from Fortuna Bay.
With its amphitheatre-like mountains and large numbers of king penguins and elephant and fur seals, Salisbury Plain is as truly jaw-dropping as South Georgia gets.
The beautiful natural harbour of Elsehul is one of the most stunning locations in South Georgia, and has some of the best bird watching on the entire island.
Prion Island is the only place on South Georgia where at certain times of the year you can observe wandering albatrosses on their nests.
We'll spend some time listening to your aspirations, then discuss the kind of experience that might suit you.
Next we'll discuss the options, shortlist the best trips for you and present you our impartial recommendations.
We'll place a 24 hour hold on your preferred option - without obligation - whilst we talk through the details.
With over 50 years of South Georgia experience between us, we can help you to exactly the right trip for you.
1-855-369-8288This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Privacy policy