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Antarctica information

For anyone planning a wildlife holiday in Antarctica, some of the species highlights and months to visit are shown below.

Highlights

October and November

  • Winter pack ice is beginning to melt and break up, this is early summer – the scenery is clean and pristine
  • The courting season for penguins and seabirds is at its height
  • Spring wildflowers are at their best in the Falklands and South Georgia
  • Elephant seals establish their breeding territories

December and January

  • Antarctica’s warmest months and longest days – this is mid-summer
  • Most penguin chicks hatch
  • Seal pups are visible on South Georgia and the Falklands
  • Whale sightings begin to increase

February and March

  • The end of the Antarctic summer
  • Whale sightings are generally at their best – minke whales and orcas are often found between the ice floes
  • Penguin chicks fledge and leave their colonies
  • More fur seals are visible on the Antarctic Peninsula
  • Fur seals and elephant seals haul out onto the beaches and start to moult

Climate

Crossings of the Southern Ocean can be quite easy, and severe storms are infrequent during the austral summer. Even if a storm does occur, visitors to the Antarctic Peninsula need not expect bad weather as a matter of course, as the narrow waterways are sheltered. Likewise, sunny days are common in Greater Antarctica and the sun even shines in the sub-Antarctic islands and Antarctic Peninsula. Although you should be prepared for cold weather at any time, it is surprising how often it's almost too warm to wear a parka – even though the average temperature in summertime is near freezing.

View our Antarctic cruising FAQs or our Antarctica trips.