Day Hikes in Tierra del Fuego

Day 1: Arrive in Ushuaia; Mt Martial sunset dinner experience

You'll arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and will be met by your guide who will welcome you to Tierra del Fuego and take you to your hotel. Please note: hotel check-in times will vary.

Take advantage of the long daylight summer hours at the end of the world with an evening excursion and dinner at Mount Martial.

You'll be picked up from your hotel and driven 40 minutes to the trailhead. From here you'll enjoy a pleasant walk through the Fuegian forest on old lumberjack trails to a couple of lookout points with fantastic views of Ushuaia Bay and the mountains. Your destination is the Mountain Dome - the setting for a delicious three course dinner featuring regional food, along with a glass of wine.

You'll return to Ushuaia at around 9.45pm.

Accommodation: Cilene del Fuego (or equivalent) or Cauquenes Resort

Day 2: Beagle Channel Boat Trip; Mt Susana hike

In the morning, you'll take a boat trip on the Beagle Channel with a small group of fellow passengers. You'll depart from Ushuaia to Alicia Island, where you'll observe a colony of sea lions. Next, you'll head towards the Island of the Birds, where colonies of royal and imperial cormorants live - you'll be able to see their chicks from spring to autumn. You'll then head east to another small island where, depending on the time of year, you'll see more sea lions. Very close by is the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, a symbol of the city of Ushuaia, built in 1919. From there you can see an island that's home to rock cormorants.

On the return journey, you'll disembark at Bridges Island to follow an interpretative path amongst flora and birds, telling the history of the Yámanas aborigines. The largest anthropogenic Yámana shells in the region are found on this island. This is the largest island in the area and from the highest panoramic point you can observe the magnificence of the Beagle Channel with the city of Ushuaia in the distance. During the trip, you'll have tea, chocolate, coffee with liquor and cookies.

In the afternoon, you can take a half-day hike with your guide to Monte Susana. The trailhead is only a short distance from Ushuaia and from where it's a continual ascent of around 3km, via two viewpoints to reach the final viewpoint at the top. From here there are fantastic 360-degree views of Ushuaia, the surrounding mountains and forests, and the Beagle Channel. You'll retrace your route to return to the trailhead.

You'll return to your hotel for the evening. 

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Cilene del Fuego (or equivalent)  or Cauquenes Resort

Day 3: Vinciguerra Glacier Hike

Today you'll undertake a hike packed with a range of terrains - open landscape, forest, moraine, rock slabs and a glacier.

The trailhead is about 30mins from Ushuaia from where the first section is fairly flat. You'll then climb to the tree line to some breathtaking alpine scenery on a path that can be muddy and slippery in places, so you'll need proper hiking boots and perhaps some walking poles.

Once out of the tree line, you'll climb the moraine for another 30-40 minutes to reach the Tempanos Lagoon and the beautiful Vinciguerra Glacier, located at almost 800m/2,300ft above sea level. The immense views down the valley and isolation of being at this glacier, with not many other hikers around, make this one of the best day hikes, albeit strenuous, to be taken from Ushuaia. You can spend some time walking on the glacier and there is a chance to see some ice caves and you'll likely eat your packed lunch whilst enjoying the glacier mountain views, before returning via the same route.

Length of hike: 7 hours, 12km/8 miles
Elevation gain: +700m/2,000ft
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch
Accommodation: Cilene del Fuego (or equivalent)  or Cauquenes Resort

Day 4: Esmeralda Lagoon Hike; Depart from Ushuaia

This morning you'll leave the city by National Route 3 to reach the trailhead for a morning hike through a beautiful mountain valley. It'll take about two hours to reach Esmeralda Lagoon, crossing subantarctic forests, peat valleys and beaver dams. Once you reach the lagoon, you'll have time to soak up the stunning surroundings, take photos of the turquoise waters and enjoy a picnic lunch and hot drink.

You'll then return to Ushuaia and in the afternoon take a transfer to your cruise ship, or the airport.

As this trek takes only around four hours, plus any time you take exploring around the lagoon, it's ideal for your final day.

Length of hike: 4 hours, 8km/5 miles
Elevation gain: +300m/900ft
Meals: Breakfast