South Georgia hosts what many call the most overwhelming wildlife spectacle on Earth — king penguin colonies of up to 250,000 breeding pairs at places like St Andrews Bay and Salisbury Plain, with endless hordes of orange-cheeked adults and brown-woolly juveniles stretching to the horizon against glaciated mountain backdrops. Macaroni, gentoo and chinstrap penguins also breed here, alongside elephant and fur seal colonies in the tens of thousands. The island is only accessible on dedicated expedition cruises (typically 10-21 days) that usually combine Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula in one trip. The most bucket-list of bucket-list wildlife destinations.
