Perched between the snow-capped Andes and the legendary Beagle Channel, Ushuaia is the southernmost city on Earth and the gateway to Antarctica. For more than a century it has drawn explorers, navigators, and dreamers to the edge of the map, and it remains the starting point for one of the most extraordinary journeys on the planet.
This sixteen-day expedition begins in the wild heart of Tierra del Fuego, where glacial lagoons, ancient lenga forests, and colonies of Magellanic penguins set the stage for the adventure ahead. From your retreat at Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa, set within a private nature reserve high above the city, you will trek, sail, and soar over the landscapes at the end of the world before boarding your expedition ship bound for the White Continent.
Across the Drake Passage lies Antarctica: towering icebergs, vast glaciers, and wildlife that has never learned to fear humans. Whether this is your first great expedition or a lifelong dream fulfilled, this journey pairs barefoot-in-the-wild adventure with refined comfort at every turn.

ITINERARY

• DAY 1 | Arrival in Ushuaia & Transfer to Arakur
• DAY 1 - 5 | Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa, Tierra del Fuego
• DAY 2 | Tierra del Fuego National Park & the End of the World Train
• DAY 3 | Penguins & Canoes: Isla Gable and Estancia Harberton
• DAY 4 | Helicopter Flight over the Andes & Puerto Almanza
• DAY 5 | Embarkation for Antarctica
• DAY 5 - 15 | Antarctic Expedition Cruise
• DAY 6 - 7 | Crossing the Drake Passage
• DAY 8 - 12 | The Antarctic Peninsula
• DAY 13 - 14 | Return across the Drake Passage
• DAY 15 | Disembarkation & Spa Day at Arakur
• DAY 16 | Departure via Ushuaia Airport

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN USHUAIA & TRANSFER TO ARAKUR

Upon arrival at Ushuaia International Airport (USH), you will be welcomed by your private driver and transferred to Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa, set within the Cerro Alarkén Natural Reserve. In the late afternoon, stretch your legs on a short guided trek to the summit of Cerro Cortés, departing from the hotel’s doorstep, for one of the finest panoramic views of Ushuaia, the Río Chico Valley, and Mount Olivia.

DAY 2: TIERRA DEL FUEGO NATIONAL PARK & THE END OF THE WORLD TRAIN

Board the End of the World Train, a narrow-gauge railway originally built by the prisoners of Ushuaia’s historic jail, for a journey through lenga forests and peat bogs framed by the Andes. Continue to Lapataia Bay, the final point of the Pan-American Highway that runs from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. For a more active alternative, combine a coastal trek along the Beagle Channel with a canoe journey down the Lapataia River.

DAY 3: PENGUINS & CANOES: ISLA GABLE AND ESTANCIA HARBERTON

Head east toward the wild, protected territories of the Beagle Channel. Paddle inflatable canoes down the Lasifashaj River to its mouth, then disembark at the historic Estancia Harberton, home of the Acatushun Museum of Austral Birds and Marine Mammals. A motorboat then carries you to Martillo Island to observe its colony of Magellanic penguins before landing on Isla Gable for lunch and a final trek with views toward the Chilean border.

DAY 4: HELICOPTER FLIGHT OVER THE ANDES & PUERTO ALMANZA

Take to the skies on a private helicopter flight over the southern tip of the Andes, soaring above glaciers, lagoons, and the city of Ushuaia, with the option to land on a mountaintop for a champagne toast. In the afternoon, travel to Puerto Almanza, a small artisanal fishing village on the Beagle Channel, to savor king crab and fresh seafood straight from the sea to the table.

DAY 5: EMBARKATION FOR ANTARCTICA

After a leisurely morning at Arakur, your private driver transfers you to the port of Ushuaia to board your expedition ship. As you sail down the Beagle Channel at sunset, passing the iconic Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse, the journey to the White Continent begins.

DAY 6 - 7: CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE

Sail across the legendary Drake Passage, where the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans meet. Days at sea are filled with onboard lectures by naturalists and polar experts, while albatrosses and petrels glide alongside the ship. Keep watch for the first icebergs on the horizon.

DAY 8 - 12: THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA

Five days of exploration in one of the last true wildernesses on Earth. Depending on weather and ice conditions, daily Zodiac landings and cruises bring you face to face with gentoo, chinstrap, and Adélie penguin colonies, seals resting on ice floes, and humpback and minke whales feeding in sheltered bays. Navigate among towering glaciers and sculpted icebergs, and for the most adventurous, kayak through the ice or take the polar plunge.

DAY 13 - 14: RETURN ACROSS THE DRAKE PASSAGE

Bid farewell to Antarctica as you sail north across the Drake Passage, sharing stories and photographs with fellow travelers and enjoying a final series of talks from the expedition team. On the second evening, you will glimpse the mountains of Tierra del Fuego as you approach Cape Horn.

DAY 15: DISEMBARKATION & SPA DAY AT ARAKUR

After disembarking in Ushuaia, return to Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa for a well-deserved day of rest. Unwind with a spa treatment, enjoy a horseback ride through the Cerro Alarkén Natural Reserve to the Laguna del Turbal viewpoint, or simply savor the views of the Beagle Channel from your suite.

DAY 16: DEPARTURE VIA USHUAIA AIRPORT

After a final breakfast at the end of the world, your private driver transfers you to Ushuaia International Airport (USH) as your Patagonian and Antarctic journey draws to a close.

ACCOMMODATION

Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa (Tierra del Fuego)

Set atop Cerro Alarkén, within a 100-hectare private natural reserve of Patagonian forest and peat bogs, Arakur overlooks the city of Ushuaia, the Beagle Channel, and the Andes. Trails depart directly from the hotel’s doors, and a dedicated experience team designs excursions across Tierra del Fuego, from glacier treks and helicopter flights to horseback rides and Beagle Channel navigations. After a day in the wild, its spa offers the perfect retreat.

Antarctic Expedition Ship (Antarctic Peninsula)

A boutique expedition vessel combining polar capability with refined comfort, with spacious cabins, gourmet dining, and a team of expert naturalists and guides leading daily landings and Zodiac excursions.