South Sandwich Islands

The South Sandwich Islands are a chain of young volcanoes some seven hundred kilometres southeast of South Georgia, uninhabited, mostly ice covered and among the most remote islands on earth. Several are active, and Mount Michael on Saunders Island has held one of the few lasting lava lakes in the world. Zavodovski Island in the north is home to one of the largest penguin colonies anywhere, well over a million chinstrap penguins on warm volcanic slopes that stay free of snow. Only a few expedition voyages sail here each season, rough seas and pack ice often stop landings, and most visitors see the islands from the ship.