BEST FOR… Penguins, more penguins, wow-factor

WHY GO? Simply, penguins. Over 100,000 kings (the second-largest species) gather on this raucous beach, squawking and waddling before a landscape of fearsome mountains and creaky glaciers.

WHAT TO DO: Sit down – you’re not supposed to get within 5m of the penguins, but the curious birds will often approach you.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Immerse yourself in the Shackleton story – retrace some of the explorer’s footsteps by walking from Fortuna Bay to Stromness; visit the Shackleton museum and grave at Grytviken.

GET THERE: Some cruises from Ushuaia, Argentina, include stops at South Georgia, en route to Antarctica.