Spring: October to Early December
Springtime brings a surge of life; minke, southern right and humpback whales return to Antarctic waters to feed, along with albatross, petrels and comical blue-eyed shags. Landscapes are at their most pristine, still covered in sparkling snow, while the sea ice is at its most impressive; penguins are busy courting and nest building. It’s a great month for photographers; lengthening days are concluded with fantastic rose-coloured sunsets over dramatic landscapes.
If you want photo opportunities of enormous, dazzling ice formations and pristine penguins, go early on, in the springtime.
Summer: Mid December to Mid February
The height of the austral summer sees 18 to 20+ hours of daylight and penguin chicks hatching, chasing after their parents. Spot seal pups on the beaches of South Georgia and baleen and toothed whales along the Antarctic Peninsula. (Generally) calmer seas, milder temperatures and an abundance of wildlife all mean that this is typically seen as the best overall time to visit Antarctica, and can be booked up years in advance.
If you want the greatest amount of activity in the penguin rookeries, and the best mix of still-significant ice and general wildlife, travel in the height of the austral summer.
Autumn: Mid February to Mid March
Autumn brings receding ice and with that you can venture further south. Penguin chicks begin to moult and lose their fuzzy down but the colonies are very active; most parents have abandoned their chicks and have headed out to sea. Whale sightings are at their peak and fur seals can be found along the Peninsula with abundant young fur seals playing in South Georgia.
If you want the greatest amount of activity in the penguin rookeries, and the best mix of still-significant ice and general wildlife, travel in the height of the austral summer.