Grytviken, South Georgia
Right Whale Bay, South Georgia
St Andrews Bay, South Georgia
Stanley Harbour, Falklands
Port Howard, West Falkland
Visit Shackleton’s Grave, Grytviken
Walk Among King Penguins, Salisbury Plain
See Wandering Albatross, Prion Island
Tour Christ Church Cathedral, Stanley
Spot Rockhopper Penguins, Sea Lion Island
South Georgia Museum, Grytviken
Gold Harbour
Bleaker Island
Stanley Town Centre
Volunteer Point, East Falkland
The austral summer from October through March is the only realistic window, with South Georgia’s own landing season generally running November to March once GSGSSI permits allow access. Penguin chicks hatch from December, making January and February especially lively at the big colonies, while October and November bring courtship displays and the first king penguin eggs. Outside this window, deteriorating weather, ice and short winter daylight put the islands off-limits for a charter almost entirely.
Mount Pleasant Airport (MPN), about 53 kilometres from Stanley, is the main gateway, served twice weekly by an RAF-operated flight from Brize Norton in the UK and by a weekly LATAM flight from Santiago, Chile, routed via Punta Arenas. South Georgia has no airport at all; every yacht and expedition vessel reaches it by sea, typically a two- to three-day Southern Ocean crossing from Stanley, so guests fly into the Falklands and join their yacht there.
Grytviken, the former whaling station in Cumberland East Bay, is the only settlement with a jetty and customs presence, and most itineraries clear in and out there. Right Whale Bay and St Andrews Bay offer good holding for a tender landing rather than true shelter, since South Georgia’s coast is largely exposed to Southern Ocean swell. On the Falklands side, Stanley Harbour is the only marina-style berthing, while West Falkland settlements like Port Howard offer simple moorings instead.
Three weeks is typical for a full itinerary covering both island groups properly, including several days’ passage each way across open Southern Ocean, since South Georgia alone rewards at least seven to ten days ashore given its scattered landing sites. A Falklands-only charter can work well at seven to ten days, focused on East and West Falkland’s wildlife sites without the ocean crossing, a sensible option for guests less certain about extended time at sea.
Yes. Every vessel, including private yachts, needs a Visit Permit from the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, applied for at least 90 days ahead to avoid late fees. Biosecurity is strict: baggage and equipment must be cleaned before arrival, rodent monitoring stations installed on board, and everyone landing ashore has boots and clothing inspected and washed. Harbour and visitor fees apply on top of the permit, rising with length of stay.
