Inspired by Dynasties? These are the six places in the world you can see penguins in the wild

Who is yet to recover from the emotional torment of watching David Attenborough’s Dynasties last night? We knew that life on Antarctica was tough but watching those poor penguins was truly heartbreaking.

For anyone who missed it, the second episode of the new BBC wildlife series followed a colony of emperor penguins as they struggled to survive on the driest, coldest and windiest place on the planet. Taking viewers from one summer to the next at Atka Bay on the White Continent, the programme showcased the extraordinary bonds between mothers and fathers and the sacrifices they must make to protect their young.

So how can you see these remarkable animals in the wild with your own eyes?

Of the 17 penguin species worldwide, the majority – and certainly the largest populations – are confined to the southern latitudes, found either on Antarctica itself or on the various sub-Antarctic islands that surround the world’s wildest landmass.

A cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula, taking in the Falklands and South Georgia en route, should produce half-a-dozen species, including huge colonies of king penguins, plus adélies, gentoos, chinstraps and rockhoppers. To see emperor penguins – for the full Dynasties experience – you must head even farther south, across the Antarctic Circle, to the coastal pack ice.

But Antarctica is not your only option. If you don’t fancy crossing the notorious Drake Passage, you can stay shore-bound on the South American mainland. Macaroni, Magellanic and rockhopper penguins inhabit the wild islands and inlets of Patagonia, from Argentina around to Chile, with some fabulous scenery to boot.

If these latitudes sound too cold, why not visit the African penguins around the Cape coast of South Africa – the closest wild penguins to Britain – or stroll a southern Australian beach at night to watch little penguins venture out of the surf? And for a truly tropical species, try the Galapagos penguin, which is confined to this equatorial archipelago

Penguin aficionados might also consider a cruise around New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands. Scattered among these remote, uninhabited outposts are rarities like erect-crested, snares and yellow-eyed penguins, found nowhere else on the planet. Drop in on the remote fjords of the South Island and you may also see a shy Fiordland penguin.

1. Australia

The little penguin – the world’s smallest – lives in scattered colonies around the southern coast of Australia. One is at Penneshaw, on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island, where you can watch these endearing seabirds by torchlight as they return to their burrows after a day at sea.

The island is also home to an impressive selection of other Australian fauna. Kangaroos, naturally, but I also found wallabies and echidnas at Flinders Chase National Park and tracked down rare glossy black cockatoos to their one breeding site.

2. Patagonia

One of the world’s most impressive penguin gatherings is at Punta Tombo, on the Patagonian coast of Argentina, where more than a million Magellanic penguins have excavated a city of burrows beneath the sand dunes. Other wildlife includes the elephant seals and southern right whales of the Península Valdés, guanacos roaming the scrubby interior, and Andean condors soaring above the Moreno Glacier.

3. New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic

The scattered islands are home to some of the rarest animals on Earth, including at least five species of penguin. Exploring such remote outposts as the Bounty and Antipodes islands will bring close encounters with the delightful erect-crested and yellow-eyed penguins, while a cruise among the South Island’s dramatic fjords may produce shy Fiordland penguins waddling out of the coastal rainforest.

Serious bird lovers will also encounter a wealth of other rarities, including several endemic species of albatross. Sperm whales and dolphins also put in an appearance during one of my trips.

4. South Africa

Against the backdrop of Table Mountain on South Africa's Cape Peninsula is the world’s most laid-back penguin experience. On Boulders Beach, you can hardly step out from your car before African penguins (the continent’s only species) waddle beneath the boardwalk at your feet.

Other highlights include southern right whales and – for the intrepid – cage-diving with great white sharks. With famous beaches, Cape Town and the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek vineyards, plus good roads and guesthouses, this is one penguin expedition to make under your own steam.

5. Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

The Galapagos penguin is the northernmost of the birds and endemic to these equatorial islands, where it breeds in crevices beneath old lava flows – notably on the islands of Isabela, Fernandina and, possibly, Bartolomé. It is, of course, far from the only attraction of this archipelago. Other highlights include giant tortoises, marine iguanas, sea lions, green turtles and a host of unique bird species.

6. Antarctica, including Atka Bay

It may be the southern hemisphere summer between November and March, but the spectacular ice floes, snow-covered mainland and icy waters of Antarctica still feel like a winter landscape to us. They are home to some spectacular wildlife, from penguin colonies and humpback whales to leopard seals. Polar expedition cruises depart from the Argentine port of Ushuaia, voyaging to the South Shetland Islands and Drake Passage, with land excursions by small Zodiac boats in the company of wildlife experts. Orne Harbour’s colony of chinstrap penguins is among the highlights for visiting tour groups.

Antarctic Explorer – All Inclusive departs from November to March 2019, with prices from ￡5,300 for nine nights, full-board on the cruise. Excludes flights and transfers. Exodus (exodus.co.uk).

An alternative package with Natural World Safaris has guests stay at Atka Bay - where Dynasties was filmed - living on pack ice just a mile or two away from the emperor penguin colony, allowing them to spend time with the penguins and their chicks, watching them feed, swim and dive. From ￡35,750 per person, excluding international flights. Departs November – December. Visit naturalworldsafaris.