Antarctica Wildlife Calendar | When to See Penguins, Whales, and Seals

Antarctica is a destination like no other, an awe-inspiring, untouched wilderness that promises to captivate you, no matter the season.

For roughly six months each year, during the austral winter, Antarctica becomes almost inaccessible, shrouded in cold, darkness and encased by thick sea ice, largely devoid of wildlife. Travel remains difficult with reduced accessibility; yet in these harsh conditions, a handful of research stations remain active, supporting vital scientific expeditions and research.

During the austral summer from October to March Antarctica transforms into a realm of magical beauty, the frigid temperatures recede, and life flourishes once again. This guide explores Antarctica’s wildlife by season, helping you discover when to see penguins, whales, seals, and seabirds on your expedition.

Most expeditions set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, navigating through the Beagle Channel which can be an adventure in itself. It’s often possible to observe cetaceans including humpback whales, sei whales, and acrobatic dusky dolphins that love to bow ride. Observe South American sea lions porpoising; with Magellanic penguins often making an appearance, especially close by Isla Martillo, an island known for its penguin colony. This may also be your first opportunity to catch a glimpse of an albatross.

On exiting the Beagle Channel, your journey across the notorious stretch of water between South America and Antarctica begins, the Drake Passage. Renowned for its unpredictable waters this passage is sometimes nicknamed the ‘Drake Shake’ or the ‘Drake Lake’ depending on the weather conditions. Either way it can provide excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, with seabirds such as, albatross and petrels following the ship, and a great spot for more cetaceans too. It’s also the perfect time to immerse yourself in the onboard lecture program, gaining a deeper insight into the wonders that lie on your journey ahead. 

An expedition to the white continent can be life changing, the experience will stay with you forever. Explore our month-by-month guide and discover which wildlife spectacle you would like to see on your visit.

Late October–November: Nesting penguins and pristine landscapes

Late October marks the start of the Antarctica travel season, when the continent reveals its most pristine form. A photographer’s dream as the landscape is adorned with untouched vistas, blanketed in fresh snow, and the sea ice remains abundant. Dramatic sunrises and sunsets illuminate the peaks and icebergs with breath-taking hues. It’s a truly magical time to witness the raw beauty of the continent.

Early season marks the return of the brush-tailed penguins, with chinstrap, gentoo and Adelie penguins returning to shore, and finding their partners and starting the penguin breeding cycle. A fantastic time to observe nest building, stone thievery, courtship displays and if you are very lucky, mating. The air will be filled with braying sounds from ecstatic displays as love is in the air. Eggs could be visible in November although it’s a little too early for chicks.

Whale watching also begins in earnest during this period. The nutrient rich Southern Ocean provides a buffet for cetaceans; with whale sightings possible throughout the season. A number of species can be observed in these frigid waters; most commonly spotted are the fin, humpback, minke and orca. Other species that are in the area but are less frequently spotted are the southern right, sei, blue, Arnoux’s beaked and sperm whale.

December–January: Prime time for fluffy adorable penguin chicks

Celebrate a truly white Christmas in Antarctica during peak wildlife season. With nearly 24 hours of daylight, this is the best time to visit Antarctica for endless exploration, to enjoy the spectacular scenery and wildlife in action, marvel at the myriad of icebergs which remain plentiful. Observe and listen as the dramatic scenes unfold as glacier calving increases. If conditions allow, some expeditions will begin to venture beyond the Antarctic circle, deeper into remote corners of the continent. 

By early December there’s a hype of activity, most penguins are incubating their eggs, though some early hatchings may occur in certain regions such as, the South Shetland Islands. By January the majority of chicks will start hatching. Observe parents tending to their chicks and swapping their duties of care at the nest. It is prime time to see fluffy adorable little penguin chicks.

Close to the penguin rookeries, predatory birds are bountiful. Watch as skuas and prehistoric looking giant petrels soar above the colonies, searching for an opportunity to take eggs, and chicks.  

Whale numbers are picking up, with sightings increasing as they continue gorging themselves on Antarctic krill. Look out for crabeater and Weddell seals lounging on icefloes between foraging trips.

February–March: Peak whale watching

The days shorten as the sun begins to set earlier, temperatures start to get cooler, and the landscapes of Antarctica begin to reveal a more rugged beauty, with some landing sites rockier than during the early season, offering a sense of adventure. The optimal weather conditions during these months combined with the sea ice approaching its yearly minimum, provide exciting opportunities for exploration to previously difficult-to-reach areas; sometimes venturing deeper into the Weddell Sea, or exploring further south of the Lemaire Channel.

By February, the chicks have significantly grown and are causing havoc in the creches. It’s an entertaining time to observe the colony with chicks harassing their parents in pursuit of their next feed. The chicks will be sporting a variety of hair dos, as their fluffy down feathers are replaced with their adult feathers. Come March many of the penguins have finished their breeding season and head back out to sea. There will still be penguins, it’s just the rookeries will not be as densely populated as earlier in the season.

Leopard seal sightings are more frequent, with these slender clawed water workers patrolling the shorelines for their next unsuspecting victims; occasionally you may encounter an inquisitive individual expressing an interest towards the zodiacs. Meanwhile, Antarctic fur seals start to appear in more areas on the peninsula as males disperse from South Georgia following the end of the breeding season.

A wildlife highlight when planning a visit late in the season is its peak time for Antarctica whale watching. Large numbers of migrating humpback whales have returned from their tropical breeding grounds, and are gorging themselves on the Antarctic krill, replenishing their blubber. During the late season the whales are more active, exhibiting a range of exciting behaviours, sometimes lobtailing, pec slapping, spy hopping, and if you are very lucky you might witness these behemoths launching themselves out of the water as they breach. That’s not to mention all of the feeding frenzy behaviours that occur as they continue feasting on krill before its time for them to start heading north again.

With Secret Atlas expeditions running across the Antarctica wildlife calendar, when will you witness the grandeur, beauty and vastness for yourself?