Perched on the ragged southern edge of Argentina, where the snow-capped Andes fall away into the churning sea, Ushuaia has a frontier town feel to it, and serves as the base for expeditions into the icy waters of Antarctica.

Antarctica is the world’s last great wilderness, an alien landscape of snow-covered mountains, jagged icebergs and extraordinary wildlife. February is a great time to spot whales, with species including humpback, sperm and orca, and you still have a chance of seeing penguin chicks. Fur seals are also abundant at this time of year.

Perched on the ragged southern edge of Argentina, where the snow-capped Andes fall away into the churning sea, Ushuaia has a frontier town feel to it, and serves as the base for expeditions into the icy waters of Antarctica.

Surrounded by notoriously treacherous waters and battered by gale force winds known as the Furious Fifties, Cape Horn is the dramatic southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. This is the point where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet, watched over by a lonely lighthouse.

The majestic Águila Glacier lies within the Agostini Fjord at the heart of the Cordillera Darwin in Tierra Fuego, where snow-capped mountains rise up above the watery channels of the Patagonian temperate rainforest.

Magdalena Island, situated in the Straits of Magellan to the north of Punta Arenas, is home to a huge colony of Magellanic penguins. There are some 150,000 penguins crowded on to this little island, along with various other seabirds including skuas, terns and cormorants.

Bequia is an incredibly friendly, laid-back island blessed with pristine golden sand beaches and some excellent restaurants. It’s also a popular sailing destination; the yachts tend to congregate around Admiralty Bay, where you’ll find the little waterfront town of Port Elizabeth.

The weather-beaten city of Punta Arenas is a laid back and welcoming place, in spite of its inhospitable location on the shores of the Strait of Magellan. Nearby attractions include penguin colonies and the dramatic scenery of Torres del Paine National Park, while beyond the horizon lie the frozen wastes of Antarctica.

The Patagonian fishing port of Puerto Deseado is situated on the estuary of the Deseado river, a remarkable wildlife habitat rich in seabirds including rockhopper penguins and five different species of cormorant. You also have the chance to spot the amazing Commerson’s dolphin, with its unique black and white colouring.

Tiny Isla Pingüino is named after its most famous inhabitants, the southern rockhopper penguins that arrive here to nest in October. Other wildlife to look out for includes elephant seals, red-legged cormorants, sea lions and the remarkable Commerson’s dolphin.

Located just across the Río de la Plata from Buenos Aires, Uruguay’s underrated capital is a cosmopolitan and eclectic mix of colourful colonial architecture and high rise modernity. The 14-mile waterfront promenade, La Rambla, is a popular and pleasant place to be on a summer’s evening.