South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

One of the most remote collections of islands on the planet, the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands are not destinations to be found on the itineraries of many adventurers. There are no true residents on the islands, only a collection of British government and military staff. That doesn’t mean though that tourists don’t appear periodically. The history of the islands has been largely inconsequential, with one notable exception. One famous previous visitor is Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton, who used the islands as a staging post for his 1914 expedition; he is buried on one of the islands.

The only way to reach the islands is by sea, and intrepid private yacht charters and certain cruise ships on longer Antarctica itineraries include stops at the islands as part of their tours. Getting around the islands isn’t easy and should only be attempted by those familiar with the landscape, another reason why many people don’t visit the islands.