Best Time to Visit South Georgia Island

South Georgia starts to come to life just before the arrival of the first expedition cruise ships at the start of November. The beaches are already dotted with rapidly growing elephant pups, and you might see the last of the massive beachmaster males fighting it out over the few females yet to breed. Throughout the month, male fur seals start to come on shore and claim their beachfront territories.
Early breeding king penguins return to shore to mate, while gentoo, macaroni and chinstrap penguins are already starting to lay their eggs. Seabirds are also beginning to nest, including light-mantled albatrosses on the tussocky cliffs and brown skuas camouflaged on the ground near penguin colonies.

King penguins have a long breeding cycle that means they raise two chicks every three years – in December the early breeding kings are now incubating eggs while last year's chicks are starting to fledge. Gentoo chicks start to hatch.
South Georgia's beaches start to really pack out for the peak of the fur seal breeding season. Aggressive males patrol the crowded shores, sometimes turning prospective landings into zodiac cruises. Elephant seal pups (now called weaners) continue to fatten.
If you get on shore, it's a good time to see enchantingly fluffy South Georgia pintail ducklings. At sea, the chances of whale sightings get better and better as more arrive in their feeding grounds.

The early season king penguin chicks join mass creches in February while their parents go to sea for food. Late breeding kings, having just fledged their chicks hatched the previous season lay their eggs. Other penguin chicks begin to fledge, along with petrel chicks.
Elephant seals continue to moult and fur seal pups to continue to grow and become ever more confident and curious around visitors.
The Scotia Sea between South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula abounds in whale spotting opportunities.

The early season king penguin chicks join mass creches in February while their parents go to see for food. Late breeding kings, having just fledged their chicks hatched the previous season lay their eggs. Other penguin chicks begin to fledge, along with petrel chicks.
Elephant seals continue to moult and fur seal pups to continue to grow and become ever more confident and curious around visitors.
The Scotia Sea between South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula abounds in whale spotting opportunities.

As days shorten, only the fur seal pups remain on the shore, waiting to follow the adults to sea. Whale spotting remains excellent. Wandering albatross chicks are hatching, ready to be fattened up through the winter, while the last of the chinstrap penguin chicks are finally fledging.
The early season king penguin chicks are now at their plumpest and fluffiest. Newly hatched late season chicks have little time to build up their reserves as winter approaches and many will not survive to adulthood.
As snow and ice have receded during the summer months the island also becomes more accessible, and you may get the opportunity to explore further inland than you would during spring or early summer.