Our guide to the cruising sites of Antarctic Peninsula (Central)

Select a cruising site

These are the sites around Antarctic Peninsula (Central) that are visited by expedition cruise ships. Select a site from the list to find out more about it below.

Argentine Islands

Antarctic Peninsula

'Argentine Islands' is a small group of islands in the Wilhelm Archipelago. They lie between Cape Tuxen on the Antarctic peninsula and Petermann Island.

The islands were discovered by a French expedition of 1903-5, and named by them in appreciation of their support from Argentina.

The British Graham Land Expedition under John Riddoch Rymill was based in the Argentine Islands in 1935 and conducted a thorough survey. The expedition built a hut on Winter Island. The following year, a British survey established a permanent base on the same site, calling it 'Base F'. The main building from this base, Wordie House, is now a protected historic site.

In 1954 the British base was moved to Galindez Island, also in the Argentine Islands group, and transferred to the Ukrainian Antarctic program in 1996, who continue to operate it as Vernadsky Research Base.

Ships that visit Argentine Islands