Main image

NASA ASTER volcano archive jpl CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons

Southern Thule

Islands

Part of the South Sandwich Islands (a British Overseas Territory), Southern Thule is an uninhabited volcanic group visited only by scientific parties and occasional expedition cruises for penguins, seals and seabirds.

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In this guide

Southern Thule essentials

Driest months: Sep-Nov

Southern Thule at a Glance

Things to Do
When to Go

Best Time to Visit Southern Thule

Southern Thule is the southernmost island group of the South Sandwich Islands, an uninhabited volcanic outpost in the South Atlantic administered by the UK as part of a British Overseas Territory. Visits are extremely rare and normally only occur aboard scientific or expedition vessels during the brief austral summer.

Antarctic summer
December-February · −2°C to 3°C
Relatively milder weather and the only feasible season for ships; long daylight makes shoreings possible.
Shoulder months
November, March · −5°C to 0°C
Sea ice still unpredictable; fewer expedition cruises but risk of cancelled landings.
Getting There & Around

How to Get to Southern Thule

There are no scheduled transport services. Access requires a purpose-built expedition or research vessel capable of Antarctic waters; most voyages depart from Ushuaia (Argentina) or Stanley (Falkland Islands) and include the South Sandwich Islands as an occasional itinerary stop. Landings are weather-dependent and often prohibited by environmental regulations.