Either side of Antarctica

Patagonia before the ice

The end of the continent is at your feet on the way to the ship. Do the land first, while you’re fresh.

Choose a direction
Length6–8 nights
SeasonNovember–March
StaysArgentina: Palacio Duhau; Eolo; Explora El Chaltén or Aguas Arriba; Arakur

Chile: Explora, Awasi or Tierra Patagonia

BudgetArgentina: $800 – $1,300 USD per day per person

Chile: $1,000 – $1,750 USD per day per person

Why this page exists

Most Antarctica passengers fly into Buenos Aires or Santiago, overnight, and go to the ship. After eighteen days in the Southern Ocean most people want to go home; that’s why the land goes first. Which route depends on your port — and each has its park: Fitz Roy on the Argentine side, Torres del Paine on the Chilean.

First-hand

Marc’s favourite lodges: he would book Eolo for its remoteness and beautiful steppe views.

And Awasi, because having your own private 4x4 and dedicated guide gives you absolute freedom in the park.

Two routes

It depends on where your ship leaves from.

  • The blue ice face of the Perito Moreno glacier

    A · Sailing from Ushuaia

    Argentina · 6–8 nights. Buenos Aires, the Perito Moreno glacier, two nights under Fitz Roy at El Chaltén, and Ushuaia the day before the ship.

    See the days
  • A lighthouse on the Magellan Strait near Punta Arenas

    B · Flying from Punta Arenas

    Chile · 6 nights. Santiago, then Torres del Paine, back to Punta Arenas for the charter to King George Island.

    See the days

The routes, day by day

ASailing from Ushuaia6–8 nights
Illustrated route map of Argentine Patagonia: Buenos Aires, El Calafate, the Perito Moreno glacier, El Chaltén under Fitz Roy, and Ushuaia

Illustrative route, not to scale.

Days1–2Buenos AiresSpend your first full day exploring the city’s vibrant neighbourhoods with a private guide, or head out to a traditional estancia in the pampas for a relaxed day of gaucho culture and asado barbecue.
Day3Fly to El CalafateTake a 3-hour flight south to El Calafate and head straight out to Eolo, an incredible luxury lodge set on the vast Patagonian steppe with dramatic mountain backdrops.
Day4Perito MorenoGet up close to one of the world’s few advancing glaciers. Spend your morning wandering the panoramic walkways, then board a private boat after lunch to cruise right up to the massive ice face.
Day5To El ChalténDrive 3 hours north along Lago Viedma, watching Mt. Fitz Roy slowly grow in your windscreen. Check into Explora El Chaltén just above the valley, or take a boat to the ultra-remote Aguas Arriba on Lago del Desierto.
Day6Fitz RoyChoose your trail with your lodge guide: a morning hike to Laguna Capri, or a full-day trek up to Laguna de los Tres for an unmatched mountain view.
Day7Back to El Calafate, fly to UshuaiaDrive back to El Calafate and catch a quick 90-minute flight to Ushuaia. You’ll arrive in the world’s southernmost city with a full evening to relax before your expedition ship boards the next day.
BFlying from Punta Arenas6 nights
Illustrated route map of Chilean Patagonia: Santiago, Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine, Punta Arenas and the Strait of Magellan

Illustrative route, not to scale.

Days1–2SantiagoCheck into a luxury urban oasis like The Singular Santiago or The Aubrey. Spend your day touring the historic city streets or tasting crisp cool-climate whites in the Casablanca Valley.
Day3Punta Arenas to the parkFly south to Punta Arenas and make the scenic 5-hour drive via Puerto Natales straight into the heart of Torres del Paine National Park, checking into an iconic wild lodge like Explora or Awasi.
Days4–5Torres del PaineSpend two full days fully immersed in Patagonia’s most dramatic landscapes. Your guides will help you choose between tracking wild pumas, horseback riding with local baqueanos, or hiking to the base of the granite towers.
Day6Punta ArenasTravel back to Punta Arenas for an easy evening on the coast. You’ll be perfectly rested and ready for your Antarctica charter flight to King George Island the following morning.

Six nights drops the second Buenos Aires day; eight adds a third night in El Chaltén, which is the one to add if the weather is with you — Fitz Roy hides more often than it shows.

“Whether you choose Argentina for its dramatic glacier boat rides and world-class lodge hopping, or Chile for its iconic vineyard tasting and immersion into the wilderness of Torres del Paine, both routes turn your Antarctic journey into an unforgettable double-feature.”
— Marc Vitria · Expeditioner Travel

Ready when you are

Tell Marc where the ship starts and where it stops.

He’ll take it from there.

Plan this with Marc
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