Categories: Travel

SNOW HILL ISLAND, ANTARCTICA

Why go? Though Snow Hill Island was discovered in 1843, its 4,000-strong colony of emperor penguins – the biggest penguin species – was only found in 2005. It’s unsurprising: this icy outcrop is remote even in Antarctic terms, often hemmed in by the frozen, floe-choked Weddell Sea. Indeed, it often takes an off-ship, weather-dependent helicopter excursion to reach the rookery; choppers land several kilometres away to minimise disturbance. If you do make it to the island’s south-west corner, one of the world’s greatest wildlife experiences awaits: a noisy gaggle of regal birds, the adults up to 120cm tall, tending their fluffball chicks in the middle of pristine polar nowhere.

The Snow Hill Island is filled with beautiful animals, scenery and the chance to explore a white land.

When to go: November-December, to see the emperor penguins with their chicks.

How to go: Expedition cruises leave from Ushuaia (Argentina); a few head for the Weddell Sea and attempt to reach Snow Hill Island, using helicopters to get closer to the colony.

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