Popular Antarctic Peninsula Landing Sites

The joy of an expedition cruise to Antarctica is that it offers such an exciting adventure to passengers. Each day comes with new possibilities - which Antarctic landing sites will we visit today?

Unlike mainstream cruise lines, which tend to follow a very regimented schedule, expedition cruising is all about exploring remote areas that larger ships can’t reach. This means your daily schedule is fluid and may change, depending on factors like weather and ice.

On a typical Antarctic expedition cruise, you’ll spend 4-5 days in the Antarctic Peninsula after crossing the Drake Passage. If conditions are right, you’ll experience two landings per day, which may include shore landings, zodiac cruises, and kayaking, all in a range of different locations. Your expedition crew leader will carefully plan each day, organising visits to Antarctic Peninsula landing sites, and will give you an update the night before about what you'll see the following day. 

So, if you’re off on an expedition cruise to Antarctica, where are you likely to go? This list is by no means exhaustive, but here are some of the most popular Antarctic Peninsula landing sites visited by small ships.

Deception Island

Part of the South Shetland Islands, this island, with a huge harbour, is actually the caldera from a volcanic eruption millennia ago. (As an aside, Antarctica is actually home to over 100 volcanoes!)

With black volcanic beaches and dramatic mountain views, this unique landing site is always incredible to experience. It’s also home to a wide range of Antarctic bird life, including Wilson’s storm petrels, skuas, black-bellied storm petrels, and some penguin and seal species. 

Danco Island

Located in the Errera Channel, this one-mile long island is often a favourite landing site of both passengers and crew. Named after Emile Danco, a geophysicist and member of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, this island offers a large gentoo penguin colony and a hike to the island’s peak, offering some of the most spectacular views. 

If you’re lucky enough to visit on a clear day, you’re in for a treat!

Neko Harbour

A gorgeous inlet in Andvord Bay, Neko Harbour is quintessential Antarctica: spectacular icy views, a plethora of wildlife, and glaciers everywhere you look. With a cobblestone beach for easy zodiac landings, you can explore this landing site and photograph the gentoo penguins and Weddell seals often found here.

Due to the large number of glaciers, calvings occur regularly and can cause small tsunamis in the bay, so your expedition crew will monitor the location carefully. For that reason, it’s best to walk away from the beach to higher ground after landing - and if you’re lucky enough to see some glacier activity, you’ll be positioned to observe it from a safe distance!

Almirante Brown Antarctic Base

The biodiversity of the Antarctic Peninsula makes it a desirable place for scientific research, so your Antarctic cruise may include a visit to Base Brown, an Argentine research station located in Paradise Harbour.

You’ll see the base's iconic red painted walls and blue and white roof, in the style of Argentina’s flag, as your ship approaches. While the base is not widely used these days, it’s still a fantastic landing site to visit.

On arrival, there’s a steep, but rewarding, hike to the top, you can also stay near the rocky beach and explore around the base, as it’s home to large penguin colonies and sometimes seals.

On a zodiac cruise, you might spot another unique feature found in Paradise Harbour - it’s home to a large amount of moss and lichen, a beautiful contrast to the otherwise white landscapes of the region.

Wilhelmina Bay

This picturesque bay is often a great place to observe whales. The deep waters of Wilhelmina are rich in krill, with humpbacks and other whale species coming here to feed.

Named after a former Netherlands queen, this is also a popular location for kayaking on a calm day, allowing you to observe icebergs, ice floes, and wildlife from the sea level as you glide along, led by an expert guide. It’s also a very picturesque location for a zodiac cruise.

Port Lockroy

Did you know the Antarctic Peninsula has a post office? Managed by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, Port Lockroy is a living museum to Antarctic exploration and is staffed in the Austral summer months, located on Wiencke Island. It’s a small structure built in 1944 and the last remaining build from Operation Tabarin, a secret British mission to the continent during World War II.

On a visit, you can mail a postcard (keeping in mind that it may take a while to arrive at its destination!), learn about the base’s history, and observe a huge gentoo penguin colony.

As one of the Antarctic Peninsula’s most popular landing sites, landing permits disappear quickly each season, which means not all cruises will be able to visit.

Damoy Point

Located on Wiencke Island, Damoy Point is a rocky outcrop home to two historic expedition huts. Here you’ll find Damoy Hut, built in 1973 by the British Antarctic Survey as an air transfer station. Usually, you can visit the hut, left untouched since it was last used in 1993 - you’ll still see the bunk beds and cans of preserved food left in the kitchen.

The second hut, built by Argentinian researchers, is no longer in use, and not open to the public, unless emergency refuge is needed.

This location is also rich in wildlife, including seals, seabirds, and a Gentoo penguin colony.

Enterprise Island, Foyne Harbour

The highlight of Enterprise Island is the shipwreck of the Governoren, a former whaling ship that’s now partially submerged in the bay. In 1915, the crew was celebrating the end of their whaling mission and, during the excitement, a kerosene lamp was knocked down, starting a fire.

The crew were all able to safely escape, but their ship was lost  - and it still remains at Enterprise Island, where you can observe it on a zodiac cruise. This location is gorgeous for Antarctic photography as well. 

Mikkelsen Harbour

Formerly a popular whaling location, Mikkelsen Harbour is a popular landing site at both D’Hainaut and Trinity Islands. As you walk around, you may still see artefacts and whale bones that remain.

Plenty of wildlife to be seen in this area too, including fur and Weddell seals, penguins, and lots of seabirds. On your zodiac cruise, keep your eyes peeled for leopard seals lounging on an ice floe - these sleek predators tend to be solitary and are often seen resting on the ice in protected bays and inlets.

Spert Island

It’s a rarity to get to visit Spert Island, but if the weather conditions are just right and your ship is able to access the area, this is likely to be one of your voyage highlights. It can only be explored via zodiac cruise, which isn’t possible in high swell or winds. But, in calm weather, a cruise around this volcanic island feels like stepping into another world.

You’ll discover dramatic volcanic basalt archways, jagged rocks protruding adobe the water, and a seemingly maze-like waterway, occasionally blocked by icebergs that have floated between the rockface. Spert Island isn’t a big destination for wildlife, but its incredibly unique landscapes are completely different from just about every other landing site on the Peninsula.

No matter which landing sites you visit, your Antarctic expedition cruise is sure to be the experience of a lifetime! If you’re thinking of an Antarctic cruise, the team at Chimu can help you find the ideal adventure for your interests, budget, and schedule - get in touch and our experienced team would love to talk you through your options.