{"id":2516,"date":"2026-07-29T22:23:31","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T01:23:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.01argentina.com\/travel\/travel-to-antarctica\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T08:15:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T11:15:27","slug":"travel-to-antarctica","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.01argentina.com\/travel\/travel-to-antarctica\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel to Antarctica from Ushuaia, Argentina"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Antarctica is closer than most travelers imagine \u2014 and for the overwhelming majority of visitors, the journey begins in Argentina. Almost every expedition cruise to the White Continent sets sail from Ushuaia<\/strong>, the world\u2019s southernmost city, in Argentine Patagonia. This guide explains how a trip to Antarctica actually works from Argentina: the gateway city, the legendary Drake Passage crossing, the wildlife you will meet, where ships go ashore, and the best time of year to sail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Beagle Channel Tour Ushuaia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n


Ushuaia: the gateway to the White Continent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ushuaia sits on the island of Tierra del Fuego, roughly 1,000 kilometers from the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula \u2014 the closest inhabited launch point to Antarctica anywhere on Earth. Most travelers fly from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia (about a three-and-a-half hour flight), spend a night in this mountain-ringed port town, and then embark. Ships leave the harbour in the afternoon and sail down the scenic Beagle Channel before turning south into open water. Because Ushuaia is the hub, it is easy to combine your voyage with a few days exploring the glaciers and lakes of Patagonia<\/a> before or after your crossing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crossing the Drake Passage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The stretch of ocean between Cape Horn and the Antarctic Peninsula is the famous Drake Passage, named after the explorer Sir Francis Drake. Most itineraries spend about two days crossing it in each direction. This is also the Antarctic Convergence, where cold polar water sinks beneath warmer northern water and creates an upwelling of nutrients that draws an extraordinary amount of marine life. Expedition staff spend these days on deck helping passengers identify albatrosses and other seabirds gliding in the ship\u2019s wake, and most vessels keep an open-bridge policy so you can watch for whales alongside the officers. Expedition ships have reinforced or ice-strengthened hulls; if you would rather skip the open-water crossing, some operators offer fly-cruise options that fly you directly to the South Shetland Islands and begin the voyage there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wildlife: penguins, seals and whales<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wildlife is the reason most people travel to Antarctica, and the density of it is hard to overstate. Vast rookeries of Gentoo, Ad\u00e9lie and Chinstrap penguins nest along the peninsula and the islands, with Macaroni penguins in a few colonies. Beaches are ruled by Antarctic fur seals and enormous southern elephant seals, while Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals haul out on the ice. In the water you have an excellent chance of seeing Minke, humpback and killer (orca) whales at close range, especially later in the season. Overhead you will spot blue-eyed cormorants, kelp gulls, Antarctic terns, giant petrels and, out over the Drake, several species of albatross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where ships go ashore: South Shetlands and the Peninsula<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first land you reach is usually the South Shetland Islands. Highlights here include sailing into the flooded volcanic caldera of Deception Island, where you can walk a black-sand beach beside old whaling ruins, and King George and Livingston Islands with their mixed penguin colonies and international research bases. From there ships continue to the Antarctic Peninsula itself. Landings are made by Zodiac inflatable boats, typically twice a day, and the exact sites depend on ice and weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n