New Trips to See Emperor Penguins

Icebreaking Expeditions to Snow Hill Island

Announcing rare opportunity to observe one of the most spectacular sights in the wild: an Emperor penguin colony. Journey aboard the the new Polar 6-class ship, Ultramarine, past thick, tabular icebergs to the ice-bound Weddell Sea. This exclusive Antarctic adventure, last offered in 2018, is your chance to be a part of polar history! Imagine flying in a helicopter to the vicinity of this astounding rookery, then walking across the sea ice to come within several feet of chicks so young they’re huddling with their parents.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience like no other, like a wildlife documentary come to life! In fact, when the BBC and Discovery Channel decided to produce Frozen Planet, the sequel to their popular Planet Earth TV series, the filmmakers turned to this very same voyage Emperor Penguins: Snow Hill Island Safaris aboard the Kapitan Khlebnikov. This elusive Emperor penguin colony was not confirmed until 1997. 

Ultramarine is equipped with two twin-engine H145 helicopters that will fly you to the vicinity of the rarely-visited emperor penguin rookery at Snow Hill Island in Antarctica's Weddell Sea. Walk across the thick sea ice to stand within metres of the most coveted penguin species on the planet.

Two exclusive departures in November 2023 will approach remote Snow Hill Island in the earliest part of the Antarctic summer, before all other expeditions - when the emperor colonies are still active on the floating fast ice. The ship employs helicopters to fly in to the vicinity of this astounding rookery. Experience thousands of pairs of Emperor penguins, including chicks, in their natural habitat. It is possible to see a few chicks brooding on their parents’ feet or even several huddling together in large communal groups. It’s possible you may catch the impressive sight of a constant trail of adults walking or tobogganing in single file from the sea to the rookery to feed the chicks, and then heading back out again to hunt for more food.

Onboard experts will conduct educational and informative presentations about such things as the Emperor penguins’ biology, unique habitat and adaptive behaviour.

Prices for this unique expedition start from US$27995  per person and early reservations are essential! For more information contact Expeditions Online.