Subject · Wildlife · Seabird
Emperor Penguin
Aptenodytes forsteri · best Jan, Nov
Where and when
Months by place
| Subject | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snow Hill Island emperor colony, on fast ice off the south coast, Weddell Sea | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | In season | Peak | Outside the window |
| Snow Hill Island and Weddell Sea colonies | In season | In season | In season | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window |
Best for November
- PrimeOdds: Coin flip, 3 of 5. Verdict: Prime.
Emperor Penguin at Snow Hill Island emperor colony, on fast ice off the south coast, Weddell Sea: about an even chance of seeing it (Oct–Nov)
Its year
Across its windows
| Month | Presence |
|---|---|
| Jan | Peak |
| Feb | In season |
| Mar | In season |
| Apr | Outside the window |
| May | Outside the window |
| Jun | Outside the window |
| Jul | Outside the window |
| Aug | Outside the window |
| Sep | Outside the window |
| Oct | In season |
| Nov | Peak |
| Dec | Outside the window |
Emperor Penguin — Snow Hill Island — Spring Chick Season
Shoot window
Snow Hill Island emperor colony, on fast ice off the south coast, Weddell Sea
Emperor Penguin: about an even chance of seeing it (Oct–Nov)
| Month | Presence |
|---|---|
| Jan | Peak |
| Feb | Outside the window |
| Mar | Outside the window |
| Apr | Outside the window |
| May | Outside the window |
| Jun | Outside the window |
| Jul | Outside the window |
| Aug | Outside the window |
| Sep | Outside the window |
| Oct | In season |
| Nov | Peak |
| Dec | Outside the window |
- Peak
- Early to mid November. Chicks have hatched and are still at the colony, and the ice still holds. From January the colony disperses as birds head to sea.
- Days needed
- 14 days
- Behaviour
- Nesting, Mass aggregation, Fledging
- Coat
- Juveniles present
- Habitat
- Pack ice / icebergs, Fresh snow
- Crowds
- Permit-limited / quota
- Also here
- Adélie penguin, Weddell and crabeater seal, snow petrel, the ice itself. Most itineraries continue to the Antarctic Peninsula, so the trip is not a total loss if Snow Hill fails.
- Light
- SOFT-LIGHT ASSESSMENT: the helicopter-timing problem is real but less damaging than a dawn-and-dusk-only rule implied. Around 64°S in early November the sun stays relatively low, days are very long, and the Weddell Sea is frequently overcast — so a midday landing is not automatically a wasted landing. Snow, sea fog and blowing spindrift all soften further. The residual risk is a clear, high-sun day coinciding with the one landing you get, and there is nothing to be done about that. Separate problem: white subject on white ground under flat cloud kills contrast and separation — exposure discipline and finding a dark background matter more here than elsewhere.
- Weather risk
- High wind, Fog / mist (asset) and Snow / blizzard (asset)
- Tides and moon
- Not a factor. Sea ice thickness and extent is the governing variable and it is unpredictable year to year.
- Atmosphere
- Tabular icebergs described as the size of apartment buildings, dense pack ice mosaics, and the helicopter transfer itself over snow-capped peaks. The Weddell Sea approach through Iceberg Alley is a subject in its own right.
- Permits
- IAATO and Antarctic Treaty rules; approach distances enforced by expedition staff. Landing is entirely at the discretion of ice and weather.
- Getting there
- Fly to Ushuaia (some itineraries include charter flights). Ship into the Weddell Sea, then helicopter transfer to the colony with a short trek from the landing site. Roughly 4,000 breeding pairs, variously reported as up to 8,000 birds. Trips run around 14–18 days.
Who runs trips here: Only three operators are reported to run Snow Hill, and their vessels do not sail there every year. Quark (Ultramarine, helicopter-equipped, PC6), Ponant (Le Commandant Charcot, the only luxury icebreaker, capable of multi-year ice to 2.5 m), and Scenic (Eclipse I and II, helicopters, Snow Hill as an optional paid excursion not always on the itinerary).
Confidence: high · Last verified 24 Aug 2026
Emperor Penguin — Snow Hill — Post-Dispersal
Shoot window
Snow Hill Island and Weddell Sea colonies
Emperor Penguin: seeing it would be rare luck (Jan–Mar)
| Month | Presence |
|---|---|
| Jan | In season |
| Feb | In season |
| Mar | In season |
| Apr | Outside the window |
| May | Outside the window |
| Jun | Outside the window |
| Jul | Outside the window |
| Aug | Outside the window |
| Sep | Outside the window |
| Oct | Outside the window |
| Nov | Outside the window |
| Dec | Outside the window |
- Habitat
- Pack ice / icebergs
- Crowds
- Closed season
- Permits
- No operator runs Snow Hill emperor itineraries in this period.
Confidence: high · Last verified 24 Aug 2026
Hides, lodges and tours for the Emperor Penguin
No hides, lodges or tours match these filters yet.
Where it lives
Species
- IUCN status
- Unknown
- Regions
- Antarctic & Sub-Antarctic
- Range on the globe
- No range polygons yet