The territory can be reached by sea and air from Punta Arenas, a city located near the Magellan Straits. The best time to visit is during the Austral Summer (December to February), when the days are long and daylight stretches well into what should be night. Then there is enough light and time then to admire the colonies of the seven species of penguins; to observe the flight of the migratory birds and to glimpse the whales on their journeys through Austral waters. It is also possible to tour Villa Las Estrellas on Rey Jorge island, where a handful of Chilean families reside permanently and where there is an inn, a school, a post office, a bank and a small hospital.

Having the appearance of a finger pointing north towards the famous Cape Horn - the most fearsome pass to ships sailing these waters - the Antarctic Peninsula harbours the scientific bases of nine countries. These bases study the great mineral and biologic resources of this vast ice-capped region. The research centres located in the Chilean bases of Presidente Frei and Rey Jorge Island can be visited.


The region’s unique features make the inhabited territory of the South Pole an especially attractive destiny for those who have travelled extensively. Only here will the experienced traveller and those with the spirit of exploration have the privilege of experiencing first-hand what has been described as the coldest, driest and windiest place on Earth. It is worth remembering that in 1966 a temperature of minus 88.3º Celsius was recorded at the Vostok base - this has proved to be the lowest temperature so far recorded anywhere in the world.

Antarctica is the only place on Earth where there are more penguins than people. It is a place where sea lions and seals relax on floating ice whilst whales swim in their midst. Without a doubt, one of the biggest attractions of Antarctica is to see the blue whale up close, the world’s largest animal, while it feeds on the enormous krill production of the Austral waters. The movement of the whales among the icebergs and the rhythmic sound of their water jets will forever fix this white and lonely landscape in the visitor’s memory.