The IAATO visitor regulations to Antarctica require that you remain at least five meters away from penguins in order not to disturb them and if a penguin is trying to move away from you, even if you're farther than five meters away, you must stop what you're doing and back off.
The rules, however, don't preclude a curious penguin from approaching you closer than five meters - as long as the bird makes the move, not you. Penguin chicks, in particular, are quite curious. I've personally been surprised on many occasions to feel a tugging on my backpack strap to find a curious penguin investigating. Even if a penguin comes extremely close to you, however, remember: you're not allowed to touch or hold them.
Tips for getting up close to the penguins:
1. Ignore the smell. A penguin rookery is filled with guano and the smell takes some getting used to.
2. Be quiet. Loud noises make penguins nervous.
3. Slow down. Fast or sudden movements signal predators to penguins, and they react accordingly.
4. Stay low, or sit down.
5. Be patient. It may take half an hour or more before the penguins get used to you.
6. Find a place of your own. Get away from the crowd, although there's no need to hike to the far edge of a rookery. Just don't stay in a clump of people who may or may not be as good as you are at being quiet, slow, low and patient.
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