Inside the Penguin Post Office: Life at the World’s Most Remote Post Office in Antarctica

Inside the Penguin Post Office: Life at the World’s Most Remote Post Office in Antarctica (Image: Canva)

Imagine sending a postcard from the end of the world — stamped not by machine, but by hand, in a hut shared with penguins. Welcome to Port Lockroy, better known as the Penguin Post Office, located on Goudier Island off the Antarctic Peninsula. This charming post office sits at the edge of the Earth, surrounded by glaciers, dramatic mountains, and hundreds of tuxedoed locals — gentoo penguins.

Each year, this icy outpost draws thousands of adventurers, eager to mail a postcard home from the world’s southernmost public post office and witness life where few dare to live.

A Time Capsule in Ice: The History of Port Lockroy

Port Lockroy was established in 1944 as part of Britain’s secret Operation Tabarin during WWII. Later used as a research base, it was abandoned in the 1960s and left to the elements. In 1996, the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) restored it as a museum and functioning post office, preserving its wartime bunkers, vintage radio room, and original tin-can architecture.

Now open only during the Antarctic summer (November–March), the site is a living museum, offering a peek into 1950s polar life — complete with typewriters, sledging maps, and old tins of corned beef.

Living on Ice: What It's Like to Work at the Penguin Post Office

Every year, UKAHT selects a hardy team to live and work at Port Lockroy. In 2025, the four-member crew includes George Clarke, the postmaster, and team members Maggie, Kim, and Matt, as shared via UKAHT’s blog.

Postmaster George Clarke at work (Image: UKAHT)

Life here is charmingly primitive, with no running water, limited solar-powered electricity, no internet or phone signal, shared bunks warmed by a wood-burning stove, and a camping toilet that needs to be emptied manually. With average summer temperatures hovering around -10°C (14°F) and relentless katabatic winds sweeping across the icy landscape, daily life is no walk in the park — yet the crew wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“Every day is different,” writes postmaster George Clarke in a UKAHT blog. “One day we’re welcoming cruise guests ashore, the next we’re hauling sacks of postcards onto ships headed for the Falklands.”

What Happens at the Penguin Post Office?

BAT-stamped mail ready to go (Image: UKAHT)

Despite its tiny size, Port Lockroy sees over 80,000 postcards pass through each season. Tourists arrive by expedition cruise ships, climb onto the icy shore, and enter the old wooden hut to:

• Buy souvenirs and British Antarctic Territory (BAT) stamps
• Explore the historic bunkers and museum rooms
• Send mail back home to over 100 countries
• Snap a selfie with the famous Port Lockroy franking stamp

The famous Port Lockroy stamp (Image: UKAHT/George Clarke)

For ships unable to land due to ice or wind, the crew brings the post office onboard, giving floating lectures on the site’s 80-year history.

Stamp collectors (philatelists) often seek out First Day Covers, sheetlets, and the treasured franking stamp, which is applied by hand and dated daily. George calls it, “our pride and our honour — the apple of our collective eye.”

Mail is not picked up daily. Instead, postcards are weighed (not counted), bagged, and stored until they can be transferred to a ship heading north. From there, they travel to the Falkland Islands before reaching destinations worldwide.

Meet the Real Locals: Gentoo Penguins

Port Lockroy isn’t just home to humans — it shares its icy terrain with hundreds of gentoo penguins, who return year after year to breed.

Port Lockroy (Image: Canva)

The penguins waddle past the bunkhouse, nest beside the old bunkers, and sometimes block the front door with curious pecks. UKAHT monitors the penguin population closely, balancing tourism with wildlife conservation. Visitors must stick to marked paths and avoid disturbing nesting sites.

What’s it like living next to penguins?

Living next to penguins at Port Lockroy is as entertaining as it is unique. Expect early morning wake-up calls from their loud squawks and the occasional “penguin traffic jam” right outside your door. Despite the noise and the chaos, watching their daily antics and chick-rearing up close is a heartwarming experience that few places on Earth can offer.

How to Visit the Penguin Post Office

The only way to reach Port Lockroy is via small expedition cruises, most of which depart from Ushuaia, Argentina, the world’s southernmost city. The landing is weather-dependent and limited to a small number of visitors at a time to minimize ecological impact.

While you're there:

• Mail a postcard (don’t forget the address!)
• Buy a souvenir stamped with the British Antarctic seal
• Tour the museum and bunkhouse
• Gaze out at a sea of icebergs and snow-capped peaks
• Chat with the cheerful, slightly frostbitten staff

Why It Belongs On Your Bucket List

A visit to Port Lockroy isn’t just a travel story—it’s a step back in time, a lesson in resilience, and a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with penguins and postal history. Where else can you mail a postcard from a frozen island, just steps away from a penguin nest, under a sky so clear you can see the curvature of the Earth?

Port Lockroy (Image: Canva)

So, if you're dreaming of a truly epic adventure, add the Penguin Post Office to your Antarctic itinerary. Just remember — bring your warmest coat, your sense of wonder, and maybe… some penguin-proof boots.

Travel Tip: Port Lockroy can only be visited between November and March. Book early through Antarctic expedition cruise operators like Hurtigruten, Quark Expeditions, or Oceanwide Expeditions. You can learn more about UKAHT’s work, how to support conservation efforts, or even apply to work at Port Lockroy at ukaht.org.