Landing Spotlight – Danco Island

Danco Island is a favorite landing site, offering spectacular views, hiking, and wildlife spotting in the Errera Channel, near Neko Harbour. It’s an excellent day of adventure on many of our itineraries.

Danco Island is just 1 mile long and features a slope that you can hike for a stunning view. The surrounding mountains feature deep crevassed glaciers that make for an outstanding sight, and the channel below often has Minke and Humpback whales swimming through. Bring your binoculars!

Wildlife

Home to approximately 2,000 breeding pairs of Gentoo penguins, the slopes are covered in penguin highways. These lovable creatures are entertaining to watch and curious about their ‘visitors’. Weddell seals are also often sighted on the offshore rocks and beaches.

Danco Island serves as a breeding habitat for more than 1,500 pairs of Gentoo penguins

Historical Significance

First charted by explorer Adrien de Gerlache during the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897-1899, Danco Island is named after Belgian geophysicist and magnetician Emile Danco, who unfortunately died during the expedition.

The island was home to the British Antarctic Survey’s Station O, where surveying and geological fieldwork was done. The hut on Danco Island was closed in 1959 and taken down in 2004, but there is a plaque to commemorate its location.

With incredible views and wildlife spotting opportunities, Danco Island is an exciting landing site and often one that we can accomplish on our voyages.

Danco Island Highlights

• Hike up the slopes to take in the amazing views
• Search for whales in the channel
• Visit gentoo penguin colonies
• Enjoy the serenity of this remarkable place

Expedition members hiking on a snowy slope