Ushuaia
Antarctic expedition travellers who want to combine a Patagonia adventure with Southern Lights viewing
Ushuaia — the 'End of the World' city at the southern tip of Patagonia — is the world's southernmost city and the primary gateway for Antarctic expedition cruises. Sitting at 54.8°S, it sits within the southern auroral zone, offering the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis) during the austral winter months of June, July, and August. The city itself is dramatically set between the Beagle Channel and the Martial mountains of Tierra del Fuego. While aurora viewing takes second place to Antarctica as the primary draw, dedicated aurora chasers visit in mid-winter for long nights and geomagnetically favourable positioning. The Beagle Channel cruises offer spectacular wildlife — Magellanic penguins, sea lions, black-browed albatross — and Tierra del Fuego National Park is a gateway to Patagonian wilderness. All Antarctica expeditions depart from here.