South Georgia Island
The largest king penguin colonies on Earth — over 400,000 pairs on one beach system.
Read the South Georgia guideBest Places to See Penguins in the Wild
There are 18 species of penguin on Earth, and they don't only live at the South Pole. The best places to see penguins in the wild range from the million-bird beaches of South Georgia to a free colony in the middle of Melbourne. Some require a US$20,000 expedition cruise; others a US$5 ticket and a 45-minute drive from Cape Town. Below we rank 20 of the world's top penguin-viewing destinations, with the species you'll see, the best season, and how hard each is to reach.
The short answer: South Georgia has the biggest colonies on Earth; Boulders Beach is the easiest viewing anywhere; and everything in between is below — use the map to jump straight to any destination.
Penguin destination map
Click any marker to jump straight to that destination ↓
Not sure which trip is right for you? Read our guide to the 18 types of penguins or how to choose a destination — both cover the best time of year to travel.
Top 5 quick picks
Boulders Beach
African penguins on a city beach, 45 min from Cape Town, boardwalks, ~US$5.
Jump to Boulders BeachPhillip Island
The nightly Penguin Parade — the world's largest little penguin colony, 90 min from Melbourne.
Read the Phillip Island guidePunta Tombo
Walk among over a million Magellanic penguins in Patagonia, a day trip away.
Read the Punta Tombo guideOamaru
A guaranteed grandstand show of little blue penguins, right on State Highway 1.
Read the Oamaru guideThe 20 best places to see penguins
1. South Georgia Island (Sub-Antarctic)
The "Serengeti of the Southern Ocean": around 405,000 breeding pairs of king penguins carpet the beaches, with over a million macaroni pairs island-wide. Reachable only by expedition cruise (15–23 days, roughly US$12,000–25,000); only ~15,000 visitors make it each year.
Read the full South Georgia guide2. Antarctic Peninsula (Antarctica)
The easiest way to see Antarctica's penguins: 10–12-day cruises from Ushuaia visit Cuverville Island, Danco Island and Paradise Bay, where gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguins are near-guaranteed — plus whales, seals and icebergs.
Read the full Antarctic Peninsula guide3. Snow Hill Island (Weddell Sea, Antarctica)
The most accessible emperor penguin colony on Earth — reached by specialist icebreaker or helicopter voyages, October–December, from around US$30,000. The only realistic way for visitors to see wild emperor penguins with chicks.
Read the full Snow Hill Island guide4. Falkland Islands (South Atlantic)
The best place on Earth for penguin variety: five breeding species — king, gentoo, rockhopper, Magellanic and macaroni — well over half a million pairs in total. Volunteer Point holds ~1,500 king penguin pairs on a white-sand beach, and the islands host the world's largest gentoo population (~132,000 pairs). Reachable by weekly LATAM flight from Chile, RAF Airbridge from the UK, or expedition cruise; Stanley-area colonies are easy day trips.
Read the full Falkland Islands guide5. South Shetland Islands (Antarctica)
Usually the first and last stop on Antarctic cruises: Deception Island's Baily Head hosts one of the largest chinstrap colonies on Earth (~100,000 pairs). Bundle with the Peninsula, November–March.
Read the full South Shetland Islands guide6. Macquarie Island (Australia, sub-Antarctic)
The only place on Earth where royal penguins breed (750,000–850,000 pairs), plus ~120,000 king penguin pairs, gentoos and rockhoppers — around a million breeding pairs on one UNESCO World Heritage island. No airstrip, no harbour: expedition cruise only (2–4-day crossings from Hobart or New Zealand, from roughly AUD $14,000), with a strict annual visitor cap.
Read the full Macquarie Island guide7. Ross Sea / Cape Adare (Antarctica)
The deep-Antarctic option: Cape Adare's Adélie colony (250,000+ pairs — the largest in the world) and genuine emperor chances in the Ross Sea (Coulman Island and Cape Washington). Demands 25–30-day voyages from New Zealand or Australia, inside the world's largest marine protected area, best January–February.
Read the full Ross Sea / Cape Adare guide8. Punta Tombo (Argentina)
Walk among the world's largest continental Magellanic colony: around 200,000 breeding pairs, over a million birds at peak season. A day trip from Trelew or Puerto Madryn, best November–February.
Read the full Punta Tombo guide9. Martillo Island (Ushuaia, Argentina)
Gentoo and Magellanic penguins, plus a small king presence, on a Beagle Channel island reached by short boat trips from Ushuaia. Some tours let you walk among the birds in small groups.
Full guide in progress
10. Isla Magdalena (Chile)
Around 60,000 pairs of Magellanic penguins burrow around a historic lighthouse in the Strait of Magellan. A half-day boat tour from Punta Arenas, October–March.
Full guide in progress
11. Ballestas Islands (Peru)
"The poor man's Galápagos": boat tours from Paracas pass huge Humboldt penguin and seabird colonies. No landing allowed; peak season April–August.
Full guide in progress
12. Galápagos Islands (Ecuador)
The only penguin that lives north of the equator, and one of the rarest (~2,000 individuals). Best around western Isabela and Fernandina, often while snorkelling; year-round, best May–December.
Full guide in progress
13. Boulders Beach (South Africa)
The easiest penguin viewing in the world: an endangered African penguin colony on a mainland beach 45 minutes from Cape Town, viewed from boardwalks for about US$5. Year-round — you can even swim beside them.
Full guide in progress
14. Stony Point, Betty's Bay (South Africa)
One of the largest African penguin colonies, 90 minutes from Cape Town with an elevated walkway — far fewer crowds and cheaper than Boulders. Year-round.
Full guide in progress
15. Phillip Island (Australia)
The world's largest little penguin colony (~32,000 birds): every dusk, the "Penguin Parade" sees the smallest penguins on Earth waddle past grandstands to their burrows. Ninety minutes from Melbourne, ticketed from A$33, booking essential.
Read the full Phillip Island guide16. Penguin Island (Western Australia)
A little penguin colony 45 minutes south of Perth and five minutes by ferry from Rockingham. Best in the September–January breeding season; the island usually closes over winter.
Full guide in progress
17. St Kilda Pier (Melbourne, Australia)
Melbourne's only little penguin colony (~1,400 birds) lives in the breakwater rocks of St Kilda Pier, 15 minutes from the city by tram. Free to watch, every evening of the year — the world's most urban penguin encounter.
Read the full St Kilda Pier guide18. Oamaru (New Zealand)
New Zealand's easiest penguin show: grandstand viewing of little blue penguins returning each evening, grown from 33 breeding pairs in 1994 to ~280 today. An easy stop on State Highway 1, 1.5 hours north of Dunedin.
Read the full Oamaru guide19. Otago Peninsula (New Zealand)
The mainland stronghold of the rare yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho), with just 143 known nests in 2024/25. Your best odds come from guided tours through private reserves with hides and trenches, on Dunedin's doorstep.
Read the full Otago Peninsula guide20. Monro Beach & the West Coast (New Zealand)
A short rainforest walk leads to the beach where Fiordland crested penguins (tawaki) come ashore, mainly July–December. Free and uncrowded, but sightings are luck-based.
Full guide in progress
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place in the world to see penguins?
For sheer spectacle, South Georgia — its beaches hold around 405,000 breeding pairs of king penguins, the largest colonies on Earth. For ease, Boulders Beach in South Africa puts you metres from African penguins for about US$5. The best choice depends on budget, time, and how remote you want to go.
When is the best time of year to see penguins?
Most penguins breed in the southern-hemisphere summer, so October to March is peak viewing almost everywhere, with November–February the busiest for chicks. Several destinations work year-round: Boulders Beach, Phillip Island, St Kilda, Oamaru and the Otago Peninsula. See our guide to choosing a destination (with a month-by-month breakdown).
Are there penguins in Africa? Where can you see them?
Yes — the endangered African penguin lives only on the coasts of South Africa and Namibia. The easiest viewing is at Boulders Beach near Cape Town (boardwalks, year-round, about US$5 entry); Stony Point at Betty's Bay is a quieter, larger colony 90 minutes up the coast.
What is the largest penguin colony in the world?
The largest king penguin colonies are on South Georgia — St Andrews Bay alone holds roughly 125,000–150,000 breeding pairs. South Georgia also supports more than a million pairs of macaroni penguins island-wide, among the largest penguin populations anywhere.
What is the best place to see penguins in New Zealand?
Oamaru offers the most reliable show: grandstand viewing of little blue penguins returning every evening. For the rare yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho), take a guided tour on the Otago Peninsula near Dunedin. Monro Beach is the free, uncrowded spot for forest-nesting Fiordland crested penguins.
How much does it cost to see penguins in the wild?
From nothing at all — St Kilda Pier in Melbourne is free — to about US$5 at Boulders Beach, A$33 at Phillip Island and NZ$47 at Oamaru, through day-trip tours at Punta Tombo, up to US$12,000–30,000+ for South Georgia or Antarctic expeditions. There is a penguin experience for nearly every budget.