Penguins you might meet in Antarctica

In under three weeks, I’ll be heading to Antarctica for my first stint as part of the expedition team with Intrepid Travel and Chimu Adventures. I’m incredibly excited—it’ll be my fifth Antarctic trip and my 14th polar adventure. I guess you could say I’m hooked!

The history, the adventure, the wildlife—especially the penguins! Let’s be real here: my utmost excitement is reserved for the penguins of Antarctica. As a total bird enthusiast, I adore all the seabirds in the Antarctic and Subantarctic, with the light-mantled sooty albatross being a particular favorite. But, when it comes down to it, penguins always take the top spot.

Their cute waddle, their cheekiness in stealing nest rocks, the amusing projectile poop, the jaunty eyebrows, and the adorable fluffy chicks—could there be a more perfect bird?

There’s a ongoing debate about the current number of penguin species (ranging between 17 and 20 types). I consider myself fortunate to have encountered 14 out of the 19 known species. Living in New Zealand has its advantages, especially with the presence of various crested penguins in the region.

The notable species I haven’t yet encountered is the emperor penguin. Unfortunately, they don’t have colonies accessible to most expedition ships. While you may spot individuals far from their usual habitat (known as vagrants), I haven’t had the chance to see one yet, but I hope to someday!

Similar to other bird species, different types of penguins tend to inhabit specific areas. This means you can’t see every species on a single trip to Antarctica, apologies! Most expedition ship journeys to Antarctica focus on the Antarctic Peninsula. If you’re willing to invest more, the next step often includes stops in South Georgia and the Falkland Islands (Las Malvinas). South Georgia, in particular, is my favorite place on the entire planet. Going even farther, you can explore the New Zealand subantarctic. I’m not sure about reaching the subantarctic islands near the Indian Ocean, but if you know, please email me, haha.

Islands falling within the latitude of 46° and 60° south are considered subantarctic. So, in my upcoming trip to the ice, I decided it was high time to create a blog showcasing some of the penguins one might encounter on a journey to Antarctica and the subantarctic.