By David Sinclair | Visiting Antarctica Since 2007 | Curated and hosted our unique world first Emperor Penguins and Drygalski Mountains expedition visiting two recently discovered Emperor Penguin colonies in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica.

I’ve been leading expeditions in Antarctica since 2007, first as a guide and expedition leader on vessels visiting the Antarctic Peninsula, and more recently as the founder of Islands & Ice Travel, running intimate fly-in expeditions to Emperor Penguin colonies in Queen Maud Land (Dronning Maud Land). I was on the first ever visit to both the Astrid and Lazarev colonies, a true privilege and a highlight of my polar career. I’ve been determined to honour the privilege by doing what I can on visits to Antarctica to support science and conservation efforts, including conducting aerial surveys (with a permit) of these two remote colonies to obtain a better understanding of the number of breeding pairs and hopefully a longer term record of breeding success.

It’s rare to encounter an Emperor Penguin on an Antarctic voyage unless you are on a helicopter-equipped expedition ship bound for Snow Hill Island in October/November or you venture deep into the Weddell Sea or Ross Sea January through March when you’re likely to encounter a few birds here and there on sea ice or a solitary bird moulting on shore. In nearly two decades visiting Antarctica by sea I’ve only encountered a few solitary Emperor Penguins. This makes deep field Emperor Penguin trips so special, almost guaranteeing a grand and intimate small group Emperor Penguin experience.

The Emperor Penguin Breeding Calendar

Understanding when to go requires understanding the full arc of the Emperor Penguin year. Unlike most birds, Emperors breed through the Antarctic winter. The most dramatic phases of their lifecycle play out during the months of total darkness and extreme cold when tourism access is impossible. By the time logistics networks reactivate and ice runways become operational, the chicks are already venturing away from their parents. For more detail on the Emperor Penguin lifecycle click on this link to another post in the Explorer Journal.

Late April – June Winter Breeding — No Access

Once sea ice has formed and created a stable platform the birds congregate and breed. Males huddle together incubating the eggs on their feet under their brood patch through the polar night in temperatures as low as −60°C. Total darkness. No human access possible.

July – September – Hatching & Early Chick Rearing

Chicks begin hatching. Still tiny and dependent. Access remains impossible for this period, nor would access be appropriate for anyone but scientists as the chicks are small and vulnerable. Disturbance ought to be minimised.

Late Oct – Early Nov Season Opens — Logistics window opens

The blue ice runway has been prepared for the first intercontinental flight of the season and the Kenn Borek twin otters have mobilised from Canada. Chicks are considerably larger, curious and forming creches (groups of chicks often with one or a few adult ‘babysitters’ in attendance).

Early – Mid Nov Peak Window — The Sweet Spot OPTIMAL

Chicks are large enough to avoid skua predation. Parents travel back and forth between the colony and ocean to feed and to bring food for their chick. 24-hour daylight. Temperatures are quite pleasant, typically -5°C to −10°C. Sea ice is intact and spectacular with large icebergs frozen in serving as a magnificent backdrop for keen photographers.

Early Dec — Chicks start to moult and sea ice shows signs of decaying and breaking up

Chicks approach adult size and begin moulting. The colony spreads out and thins. Sea ice starts to break up. A few Weddell Seals might emerge from cracks in the ice. Many adults leave.

Jan – Feb Colony Largely Dispersed

Fledglings head to sea. Colony largely abandoned. Some operators still run visits in January, but the experience is a shadow of the November peak, especially for photographers.

What You Will Experience at an Emperor Penguin Colony in November

A visit to an Emperor Penguin colony is almost overwhelming in its sensory richness. The chicks in November are visually stunning. Still wrapped in their dense grey-brown down, what we affectionately call their “biggles suits”. They are large enough to venture away from their parents and explore their surroundings but still wholly dependent on their parents for survival and not yet ready for life at sea.

Meanwhile the adults, standing nearly 4 feet high, regal in their black-and-white plumage with their vivid saffron-yellow ear patches move through the colony with an unhurried authority. They are stunning, inquisitive, and genuinely large.

Then, there is the sound. The colony is never quiet. The calls of thousands of adults and chicks create a constant, layered acoustic texture, parents and chicks finding each other by voice alone. Set against the white silence of the surrounding sea ice and the monumental geometry of tabular icebergs, it is an experience that will remain with you for life.

How You Get to the Emperor Penguins with Islands & Ice Travel

Guests fly from Cape Town, South Africa, a 5.5 to 6 hour flight to Antarctica, landing on a compacted blue ice runway. From there, a 25-minute transfer by Arctic Truck (specially equipped four-wheel-drive vehicles) reaches Oasis Camp, our base for the duration of the expedition. It’s a genuinely extraordinary juxtaposition, sommelier-served wines pared with chef-prepared meals in one of the most remote places on Earth.

From the camp, guests board a twin otter aircraft for a 40 to 50 minute flight directly to either the Astrid or Lazarev colony, approaching at or above the minimum required distance under IAATO guidelines. The Islands & Ice Travel expedition is the only tour that visits two different Emperor Penguin colonies in a single trip, each offering a different scale, backdrop, and photographic perspective.

Maximum group size: 8 guests and 2 guides.

In Their Own Words

“The visits to the Emperors has to be, perhaps along with gorillas in Rwanda, the most amazing experience of my life. NOTHING can prepare you for the experiences you will have and how amazing it will be. EVERYTHING about the trip exceeded my very high expectations. What David is offering is on a totally different level entirely. There is a much greater sense of adventure — the fact that it involves flying only and no ship makes it a very different experience.“

Robert – Australia

“I walked on the ice shelf. I flew over mountains so extraordinary I can hardly believe they’re real. I saw thousands and thousands of Emperor penguins, and followed their tracks to the edge of the sea ice. All this, and at the end of the day a cocktail, a chef-prepared meal, and a cosy bed.“

Janet – USA

Are There any Special Skills or Experience Needed to Join an Emperor Penguin Tour?

Our Emperor Penguin expeditions require no special skills, fitness, or cold-weather experience. We only ever fly in good weather. In Queen Maud Land, we encounter far fewer storm days than on the Antarctic Peninsula. Ambient temperatures in November out on the sea ice typically range between −5°C and −10°C, bracing, but not extreme.

The walk on sea ice to the colony covers one to one and a half kilometres at a gentle pace. We are careful on approach not to disturb the colony and to park at least the minimum regulated distance from the colony. The surface can be flat or uneven. Micro spikes are available if needed. We also supply warm outer clothing for those who need it.

We also loan warm layers and boots for the duration of the trip to save you from lugging this gear around the world, especially if you wish to spend time in Africa before or after your visit when you will not need these layers.

This experience is perfect for anyone who reveres and respects wildlife and nature; for serious wildlife photographers.

A Note on Emperor Penguin Conservation & Responsible Visitation to Emperor Penguin Colonies

Emperor Penguins conservation status was recently uplifted from ‘Near Threatened’ to ‘Endangered’ by the IUCN. The Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) continues to consider whether Emperor Penguins should attract specially protected status.

Islands & Ice Travel operates under strict biosecurity and disturbance protocols, both before arriving in Antarctica and before and after each colony visit. We have proactively connected with Emperor Penguin scientists to explore what observations can be meaningfully made at these rarely visited colonies. The aerial drone surveys David conducted under permit at Astrid and Lazarev are the subject of a peer-reviewed paper currently under review.

At the colonies, we approach slowly, hold minimum distances, backing away, even as penguins approach, and keep noise to a minimum. The penguins’ curiosity is theirs to express, not ours to provoke. In the past you may have seen wide angle shots of penguins pecking lenses and checking out tripods. All gear must also be moved to maintain minimum distance.

We do not promote “last chance to see” or “bucket list” tourism. That narrative can drive a kind of anxious, extractive tourism that is at odds with the values these extraordinary creatures and this extraordinary place deserves. We take a maximum of 16 people each year (with a 1:4 guide:guest ratio) and utilise existing Antarctic logistics networks that support national Antarctic science programs to minimise our footprint.

Ready to Plan Your Emperor Penguin Expedition

Islands & Ice Travel runs just two departures per season, with a maximum of 8 guests each. We take bookings up to two to three years in advance — exact dates and pricing are confirmed around 12 months prior to departure.

We can also plan a bespoke itinerary to the region. Please allow at least 12-18 months lead time to do so. We can support film crews, scientific expeditions, team building and other private expeditions to the region.

For a beautiful visual account of what these visits look and feel like, Janine Kreyer and Guts Swanepoel travelled with Islands & Ice Travel in 2025 and produced this remarkable film.