The emperor penguin is the planet’s most extreme creature. It literally lives at the ends of the Earth – deep within the Antarctic ice – and lays its eggs in the middle of winter so that the chicks can “launch” in midsummer. Now, Natur&Foto offers an opportunity to experience this unique species on our planet. This will take place in November 2027, giving you plenty of time to plan and save.
This is what he wrote after his visit:
“For a nature photographer, this is like arriving in paradise. The sun hangs low and casts its yellow, warm midnight light over the colony. The adult emperor penguins waddle around, followed by hungry chicks that chirp and beg for food. An adult shakes its head and regurgitates food that the chick quickly secures. The partner arrives, and with the chick in between, they produce a little concert. They bend their heads toward junior and call. The emperor’s unique song matches the surroundings and rolls across the colony at regular intervals.
The emperor chicks are among the most charming in the entire bird kingdom. Now, in mid-December, they are large – almost five months old. They are gray with amusing black-and-white facial markings. Countless fish meals have made them plump and round. In a week or two, they will be ready to head to the sea.”
He is also clear that the emperor penguin may be his greatest experience as a nature photographer. This is because the species is the Earth’s most resilient creature and lives so remotely, deep within the pack ice. Reaching the emperor therefore requires significant logistics.
When Schandy was in the Ross Sea in 2000, no accessible colony had yet been discovered in the Weddell Sea near the Antarctic Peninsula. This colony is easier to reach and also makes the trip more affordable. Nevertheless, this is still a very expensive tour – indeed, the most expensive we have ever offered. We are collaborating with the Dutch polar operator Oceanwide. They use the ice-strengthened vessel Ortelius for this journey. The ship carries two helicopters to bring passengers onto the ice at the colony.
This tour is the most affordable emperor penguin trip on the market. Other tours may cost three times as much. Some operators fly guests directly to the colony from South America and stay in tent camps on the ice. Those trips cost $60,000 and up…
Important! We are traveling to the most isolated area on Earth, and we cannot guarantee that we will reach the colony. Success depends on ice thickness, weather, and wind.
The company states:
“Attempts to reach Snow Hill Island during the voyages of 2012–19 did not always succeed. However, in 2013, 2017 until 2019, 2022 until 2024, conditions were favorable to land by helicopter on Snow Hill Island and to visit the emperor penguin rookery.”
Description of the ship:
https://oceanwide-expeditions.com/our-fleet/m-v-ortelius
Tour description:
The English description of the tour can be found here:
Antarctica – Emperors & Snow Hill Island – Helicopters | OTL22-27 | Oceanwide Expeditions
The tour lasts 10 nights, departing from Ushuaia in southern Argentina. There is a two-day crossing to the Antarctic Peninsula. During the crossing, we spend much of the time on deck photographing albatrosses and other seabirds. Indoors, there are lectures on various polar topics.
Then we sail into the Weddell Sea and begin searching for emperors on the ice. Helicopter excursions are included along the way. Expect to see enormous icebergs. The helicopter flights themselves are spectacular. If we reach the emperors, we will be flown onto the ice, keeping a safe distance from the colony. We must walk approximately 1.5 kilometers over the ice to reach them. If conditions allow, there may be two visits to the emperor penguins.
If we do not reach the colony itself, there will still be opportunities to see emperor penguins on the drifting ice along the way. Even if we do not reach the colony, we will experience much of the Antarctic wildlife – leopard seals, Weddell seals, Adélie penguins, gentoo penguins, chinstrap penguins – along with dramatic landscapes.
This is truly a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience.
Photo: Tom Schandy
