Highlights of Tierra del Fuego Roadtrip

Day 1: Transfer from Ushuaia Airport to Ushuaia

Today you will arrive at Ushuaia Airport from where you’ll take a private transfer to your hotel.

Accommodation: Cilene del Fuego, or similar, in Ushuaia

Day 2: Depart Ushuaia; Private 4x4 trip through the Andes

Begin your travels early in the morning as you go off-road into the wild and immense landscapes of Tierra del Fuego; views which have brought travellers to this captivating and remote spot of the globe for centuries.

Head eastwards out of Ushuaia on the Panamerican Ruta 3 Highway before immersing yourself in the magical forest, via muddy trails that these tough vehicles love to tackle. Stopping at exposed mountain passes, and different scenic vantages your guide will explain what makes this area, at the end of the world so special. Keep your eye out for local birdlife, such as Andean condors, woodpeckers and the impressive caracara hawk.

After crossing the Andes during the morning, you'll then rest for lunch in your rustic, yet charming, refugio where your guide will cook and serve a traditional Argentine asado BBQ meal for you, accompanied by local wines.

In the afternoon, take to the water in Canadian-style canoes, for a short adventure on the nearby lake, weather conditions permitting. Or, if you prefer, stretch your legs through the forest in this isolated, beautiful part of the world.

Today’s final stretch is by road to the tiny frontier village of Tolhuin, in the heart of the island of Tierra del Fuego. Check into your home for the night, a typical Patagonian inn, stunningly located by the shores of Lake Fagnano. Staff will certainly make you feel welcome and dinner at the hotel will be one of the locally sourced specialties.

An alternative to the 4x4 off-road adventure is a morning hike to Laguna Esmeralda, as you leave from Ushuaia. Enjoy this classic 5.6-mile/9km roundtrip hike instead of the 4x4 off-road adventure. You will take a box lunch for the hike, instead of the refugio BBQ lunch. After the hike, you will continue by road to Hosteria Kaiken, in Tolhuin. Please note that this option will need to be arranged in advance of travel.

Meals: Breakfast, BBQ lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Hosteria Kaiken, Tolhuin

Day 3: Tour the Atlantic coast; Estancia San Pablo

After a fantastic breakfast, with locally-produced bread and jams in a beautiful setting, you’ll take to your 4x4 passing back through Tolhuin where there will be time to stop for photos.

The varied topography and history of the area are captivating and your guide will tell tales of explorers and pioneers as each turn in the road reveals a different perspective of South America’s largest island. Your stops today might be to observe the various species of local flora or the quirky guanaco (a relative of the llama) that has roamed these plains for thousands of years.

Arriving at the Cape of San Pablo you will be in awe of the vastness and beauty of this stunning location as you take a short panoramic walk. This wild and inaccessible part of the Atlantic coast has a famous sentinel: the atmospheric shipwreck of the Desdemona - a sailors’ nemesis and a photographer’s paradise.

Lunch today is in a small restaurant located in front of the Atlantic ocean. The menu is unsurprisingly 'catch-of-the-day'. The ambience is welcoming, rustic and 100% authentic as you enjoy lunch with a view at the end of the world. Don’t expect silver cutlery, but do expect food that simply tastes wonderful, and is served with a huge Patagonian smile. Please note: other meals can be prepared, but please let us know your requirements.

This afternoon you will be driven the short distance to Estancia San Pablo, where your hosts for the afternoon will greet you. Settle into this beautifully renovated 100-year-old home - your accommodation for this evening - before enjoying a walking tour with the owner of the estancia. She'll be only too happy to share with you her family's history and their experiences of forging a life at the end of the world.

This is not a touristic estancia and you will likely be the only guests. This provides you with the perfect opportunity to take photos, walk at your leisure in the areas surrounding the estancia, or relax by the fireplace with a good book and listen to the silence afforded by few places on earth. This evening you'll be treated to a sumptuous lamb grill or stew, cooked and served by your hosts.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Estancia San Pablo

Day 4: Beagle Foodie Experience; Penguin viewing

After a relaxed, home-cooked breakfast, you'll have time to visit the remaining parts of the estancia either on foot or by vehicle, before you head off once more in your private vehicle. At around midday you'll arrive at the small fishing hamlet of Puerto Almanza - the main port for crab fishing on the Beagle Channel - and continue a little further down the coast to reach the house of one of the most well-known fisherwomen in the area.

She'll be waiting to guide you, step by step, through a true gastronomic experience. The incredible five-course lunch could include trout, sea bass and crab, all cooked by her and her partner in their kitchen. 

From here you can see Puerto Williams from afar and, if you're lucky, see whales in the bay.

You'll leave the house in the early afternoon and head to the nearby penguin colony on Isla Martillo by small boat. You'll join guests coming from Ushuaia on this one-hour cruise, and you'll get up close to the beach to see both Magellanic and Gentoo penguins from the boat.

You'll then return to Puerto Almanza and take your private vehicle back to Ushuaia, arriving in the evening, having clocked up around 250 miles (400km) of travel in four memorable days of exploring.

Please note that the boat trip is subject to weather conditions and may take place before lunch, depending on the times of the tides.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch (wine included)

Accommodation: Cilene del Fuego, or similar, in Ushuaia

Day 5: Morning Beagle boat trip; Afternoon transfer to airport

This morning your boat will be waiting for you and a small group of other travellers at the local port, ready to explore the Beagle Channel. Capacity is usually 18 passengers for this photogenic outing. You'll begin in the direction of Alice Island to see the colony of sea lions, continuing on to the Birds Island which the king and imperial cormorants inhabit. Observe the rock cormorants on the cliffs nearby, then see both sea lions and fur seals at Sea Lions Island.

During the voyage, enjoy tea, hot chocolate, coffee, biscuits and, of course, typical Argentinian maté. Finally, you'll reach Les Eclaireurs lighthouse, which was established in 1919 and is an iconic sight of Ushuaia. Going back, you will disembark on Bridges Island for a short hike which promises the discovery of abundant flora and fauna. On this island, you can also see archaeological remains of the Yamanas, the aborigines who lived here many years ago.

After the boat trip, you'll be driven back to your hotel and in the afternoon you’ll take a private transfer to the airport for your onward flight. Your flight should depart no earlier than 5pm.

Meals: Breakfast