Where to see penguins

The active travel company that secures matches between adventure-seeking clients and a treasure trove of small, expedition ships, AdventureSmith Explorations (http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/), earmarks some of the best places in the world to watch the antics of penguins.

Todd Smith, company founder and director, reminds that there are 17 species of penguin, all of which, except for the Galapagos Penguin, live in the Southern Hemisphere. For example, there are six common penguin species in Antarctic regions alone: Adelie, Chinstrap, Emperor, Gentoo, King and Macaroni.

“Penguins are marvelous creatures that capture the imagination of travelers young and old. The dream of encountering penguins in the wild, in their natural habitat, for some, like me, is the holy grail of wildlife adventures,” Smith said.

Small ship cruises make viewing penguins in the wild easy, comfortable and low impact. Ice-strengthened hulls allow small expedition vessels carrying between 49 and 149 guests to navigate around the ice and into protected coves and bays. Once in the region, expedition leaders take over, presenting the life and lore of penguins during shore excursions and through on-ship education programs. Depending on the cruise guests can often ski, camp, snowshoe and kayak among the friendly creatures.

Following are Smith’s top-five locations for viewing penguins from the comfort and vantage of small ships. Participation can be arranged by AdventureSmith Explorations.

Patagonia: Megallanic Penguins live along the coasts of South America and are easily observed in Chile’s Tierra del Fuego region of Patagonia. Patagonia Expedition Cruises aboard the 128 guest Via Australis operates September through April; penguins can be seen throughout this time. Cruises begin in Ushuaia, Argentina, and end in Punta Arenas, Chile, or reverse. These cruises are commonly combined with overland explorations of Patagonia’s Torres del Paine, the Atacama Desert or Santiago, Chile.

Antarctica - Ross Sea, Commonwealth Bay and Macquarie Islands and Antipodes: Explorations to Antarctica from Australia and New Zealand are adventures to the most remote regions on the planet. Midway between Oceana and Antarctica are the New Zealand’s Sub Antarctic Islands, home to a huge variety of penguin species congregating in vast colonies and are visited on Macquarie, Snares and Stewart islands on a New Zealand and Sub Antarctic Islands Cruise or on Antipodes, Campbell and Macquarie islands on Exploration of the Antipodes aboard the 5-star, 106 passenger MV Orion.

Cruises (also aboard the MV Orion) from Australia and New Zealand to the Antarctic continent visit the Ross Sea region or Commonwealth Bay and include historical sites related to early Antarctic explorers Scott, Mawson and Shackleton. These cruises depart from various ports in Southern Australia and New Zealand, making them popular with travelers in this region. Travelers from North America often combine their cruise with an overland exploration of New Zealand or Australia.

The Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea: Expedition cruises visiting the Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea are the most popular and most affordable way to view a penguin in Antarctica. A wide variety of small ships carrying 49-149 guests offer a choice of programs from easy cruising to extremely active expeditions with hiking, kayaking, skiing or even camping. These cruises usually depart from Ushuaia, Argentina. Among the most popular is National Geographic White Content aboard the Explorer (Smith said, “Quite simply this is the finest Antarctica Cruise available.”)

Quark Expeditions Antarctic Explorer operates aboard an updated fleet of upscale expedition ships. (There’s a 20 percent off offer on 11-12 day programs.) Weddell Sea Emperor Penguin Voyage is a specialty cruise for penguin purists who specifically want to see Emperor Penguins. Helicopters fly guests from the ship (the The 100 passenger M/V Ortelius) to the island where the colonies are located. A guide then leads the group overland to view the Emperor Penguin colonies.

Galapagos Islands: The Galapagos Penguin is endemic to the Galapagos Islands and is the only penguin to live north of the Equator in the wild. They have the smallest range and population of any penguin with less than 1,000 pairs mostly found on the Islands of Fernandina and Isabela. These penguins don’t migrate, breed year round and are most active in late August through early October when the water temperature is coolest (about 64F). For the many options available view Galapagos Cruises or Galapagos Yachts and Small Ships.

South Georgia and Falkland Islands: The remote archipelagos on South Georgia and the Falkland islands are home to a variety of species in vast colonies numbering in the millions. Entire hillsides and beaches may be covered with nesting penguins rearing their young. Suggested itineraries include the 24-day National Geographic Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia and Falkland Islands aboard the spectacular expedition ship National Geographic Explorer. Explorers & Kings is an affordable 20-day expedition with an experienced Antarctic team.

About Adventure Smith Explorations
AdventureSmith Explorations is the global leader in small ship, adventure cruise vacations. Company founder Todd Smith helped pioneer the concept of wilderness cruising that combines the comforts of a small cruise ship with the adventure of sea kayaking, hiking and exploring remote wilderness areas ashore. The company matches guests with the top names in small ship cruising as well with intimate, boutique ships that may not make the radar of most travelers.

In moving through exotic natural environments and exploring vibrant native cultures seldom associated with more mainstream cruise itineraries, AdventureSmith Explorations dedicates its efforts to small footprint, sustainable travel and has launched a carbon free cruising initiative. Its off-the-beaten-path destinations include Alaska, Baja, Costa Rica, Belize, Ecuador and the Galapagos, Hawaii, Peru, the Arctic, Antarctica, and Australia.

Founded in 2003, AdventureSmith Explorations is based in Tahoe City, CA along the northern shore of Lake Tahoe. P: 800-728-2875 toll-free or 530-583-1775. Email: travel@AdventureSmithExplorations.com, or visit http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/.