Antarctica is a dream destination for most who venture there, and it is sometimes known as the “Journey to the End of the Earth.”


There is no way for tourists to fly to Antarctica, and ship departures are the only route to this remote region of the world. The tourist season is November through March (summer in Antarctica), and 90 percent of the trips originate from the city of Ushuaia, South America.

Ushuaia is the key access point to the Southern Ocean and is the closest embarkation point to Antarctica. Because of its proximity to the Antarctic Peninsula, it takes much less sea time than a trip from Australia or New Zealand. But getting to the departure point is an adventure in itself, and the remoteness makes it all that much more interesting.

From the United States, a common routing is to fly first to Buenos Aires, and then continue south on a 3½ hour flight over the Patagonia region to Ushuaia. Ushuaia is located in the Tierra del Fuego Province of Argentina.

Tierra del Fuego

Tierra del Fuego is a a cluster of islands at the southern tip of Patagonia, and flights to the region are notoriously unreliable.

Before colonization in the late 1800s, it is estimated that around 11,500 aborigines lived in Tierra del Fuego. Today, there are practically no representatives of these ancient people. White men settled on the island attracted by the promise of gold, good grasslands for sheep and the hunting of whales and seals. These settlements, as well as contagious diseases brought by white men, professional killers hired by farmers, military campaigns, famine and undernourishment gradually exterminated the aborigines.

Names such as Ferdinand Magellan, Robert FitzRoy and Charles Darwin are part of a long list of notable explorers to this region, and much of the recorded history starts with FitzRoy’s first voyage with the HMS Beagle in 1830. Today, Ushuaia is a city of 57,000 residents, sports the southernmost ski area in the world, and is an ideal destination for wildlife viewing, fishing, hiking, biking, and even shopping. Expedition guests are able to take advantage of the excursion boats that venture into the Beagle Channel, the historic “Train at the End of the World,” visits to Tierra del Fuego National Park, and flightseeing over the entire region.

Beagle Channel

Wildlife attractions include local birds, penguins, seals, and orcas, with many of these species colonizing islands in the Beagle Channel. The channel was named after the ship HMS Beagle during its first survey of the coasts of the southern part of South America from 1826 to 1830.

Martillo Island has a colony of about 10,000 Magellanic penguins, plus some Gentoo and when I was there, a single, solitary King penguin. Eighty people in four groups are allowed on the island each day. Visitors are permitted to walk among the penguins on a designated trail with a specialized tour guide.

Tours also visit the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, a brick tower guarding the sea entrance to Ushuaia. It is known to the Argentines as the Lighthouse at the End of the World, and is a popular tourist attraction. The tower is 33 feet high and 10 feet wide at the base, with its windowless wall, painted red-white-red, and is topped by a black lantern housing and gallery. The lighthouse, still in operation, is remote-controlled, automated, uninhabited, and not open to the public. It emits white flashes every ten seconds with a range of 7.5 nautical miles. The lighthouse was put into service in 1920 and is probably the most photographed lighthouse in South America today.

By train, helicopter

This small gage steam train operated from 1909 to 1947 carrying prisoners to their work areas in the cold forests surrounding Ushuaia. It resumed operation as a tourist attraction in 1994, and is today the southernmost railway in the world. The narrow carriages have large windows, and the ride is narrated in Spanish and English. The train operates twice a day, 365 days a year.

Aerial views from the Heli-Ushuaia Helicopter helicopter are spectacular, and they provide a venue to appreciate the steep slopes of the Tierra del Fuego. Panoramic views, the stunning blue glacial waters of Lake Esmeralda, and a mountaintop landing are highlights of this ride.

The region is not without problems, however, and beavers are one example. In 1946, Argentine President Perón authorized the introduction of 25 breeding beaver couples from Manitoba, Canada, to the island of Tierra del Fuego in Argentina.

After a few adventurous days in the area, we are ready to board the expedition ship. The next installment will cover the first leg of the incredible journey to Antarctica.

Gary Gullett is president and chief operations officer for Photo Safari Network. He can be reached at 312-470-6704 ext. 503 or gary@photosafarinetwork.com.