How to get to Tierra del Fuego
Whether you're travelling from Buenos Aires or Los Glaciares in Argentina, or approaching from the Chilean side of the border, there are plenty of ways to get to Tierra del Fuego.
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Activities in Tierra del Fuego
- Pull on your walking boots for day hikes to mountain lakes or wild camping on the southernmost trek in the world
- Take an adventure cruise and head for Cape Horn, sailing past glaciers and stepping foot on remote shotes only accessible by sea
- Watch penguins on remote islands or spot condors and albatrosses on the same day where the mountains meet the ocean
- Go horseriding, mountain biking, canoeing and even exploring by 4WD to reach hidden corners
- Discover the history and culture of the 'land of fire', from indigenous traditions to gastronomic extravaganza.
Vinciguerra hike
Observing Magellanic penguins from a zodiac in the Chilean fjords
Pia Glacier hike
Horse riding on Navarino Island
Discovering the glaciers of Tierra del Fuego
Deep Trek in Tierra del Fuego (Sierra Valdivieso)
What to see & do in Tierra del Fuego
Hiking & trekking
Forests, glaciers, mountains, peat bog and steppe – Tierra del Fuego has a lot of different scenery to explore. Find your own path through this wild and rugged land: the trails here offer adventure at its most exciting and least explored.
Ushuaia is perfectly placed to allow easy escape to a wide variety of excellent day hiking trails to mountain lakes and glaciers, as well as some gnarly wild camping treks to push even the most experienced hikers.
Alternatively, hop across the Beagle Channel to Navarino Island, where the southernmost trek in the world awaits up in the stunning Dientes de Navarino mountains.
Torres del Río Chico trek
Adventure cruises
Tierra del Fuego is a maze of fjords, glaciers and waterways that can only be explored afloat. Small ship adventure cruises ply the seas around this vast archipelago, taking in Cape Horn, penguin colonies and a host of dramatic glaciers. You'll sail between highlights, setting out on small zodiac boats each day to explore new parts of the shore or hike up to hidden glaciers.
Adventure cruises are also the best way to make the most of your time travelling in Tierra del Fuego. With cruises either starting or finishing in Punta Arenas (sailing to and from Ushuaia), you're perfectly placed to combine the region with Torres del Paine.
Adventure cruising in Tierra del Fuego
Swoop says
In just a few days from Ushuaia, I got to explore the coastline by horse and e-bike, see its waterways by canoe – and then headed into the mountains on a trail that was almost completely empty. The diversity of experiences in a single place was amazing.
Nicolas Sorhaburu Patagonia Sales Consultant
Adventure activities
There are more ways to experience Tierra del Fuego’s great outdoors than just along its hiking trails or sea routes.
Saddle up for day rides on horseback from Ushuaia (or Puerto Williams), exploring along the coast and into the vast emptiness of the mountains. If you prefer pedal power, there is mountain biking to take you along the dirt roads, with e-bikes offering a little extra juice to help with the ascents.
Canoes and kayaks are there to show you the lakes and waterways either side of the Beagle Channel. If you want the adventure to come to you, there are even a number of 4WD trails to take you out into the wilderness .
Horse riding in Tierra del Fuego
Wildlife watching
Tierra del Fuego has some great wildlife watching opportunities, thanks to its mix of mountains, forest, steppe and marine landscapes at an extreme southerly latitude.
Stars of the show are its Magellanic penguins, best seen during an adventure cruise, but Chilean Tierra del Fuego is also home to South America’s only king penguin colony at Porvenir near Punta Arenas. In season, there are humpback whales, plus dolphins and sea lions in the Beagle Channel.
Tierra del Fuego is also a haven for bird-watchers, with a number of waders and waterfowl, along with the chance to see the magnificent albatross while condors fly in the mountains above.
Magellanic penguins
Cultural tours
Not everything in Tierra del Fuego has to involve adventure. The region has a long and fascinating history and there are plenty of opportunities to explore its cultural side.
Head along the coast for wild shipwrecks and the historic ranches of the early European settlers, or a unique gastronomic experience in an old fisherman's cottage. Alternatively, discover the dark history of Ushuaia's penal colony at Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Across the Beagle Channel, Navarino Island is home to the Tierra del Fuego's main Yaghan community, who first settled the region thousands of years ago. As well as connecting with their stories, ethnobotanic tours here can get you truly closer to nature.
Beagle Channel foodie experience
Swoop says
Tierra del Fuego is an ideal place to mix and match, building a variety of activities into a larger itinerary – or taking advantage of its good transport connections to combine with Torres del Paine or Los Glaciares National Parks.
What our customers think of Tierra del Fuego activities
The highlight of the trip had to be a perfect day at Cape Horn in weather to die for. Surprises were everywhere while travelling down to the Cape, glaciers that eclipsed those in Alaska, wildlife to be seen on all our excursions.
Travelled: October 2017
Peter - Australia
Review:
Getting to Antarctica
For some, reaching the end of the world is just the beginning of the adventure. Head south from here and you reach the wide empty expanses of the 7th Continent: Antarctica.
Ushuaia is the gateway port for almost all expedition cruises to Antarctica. From here, you can sail for two days across the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula, to explore its penguin colonies, icebergs and its almost unfathomable beauty.
Our Swoop Antarctica specialists know the entire polar fleet inside out, so if you’re interested in combining your Patagonia adventure with a trip to to Antarctica, let us help you find the best ship at the best price for your polar experience.
Antarctic expedition cruise
Discover Tierra del Fuego
Adventure cruises in Tierra del Fuego
Adventure cruises around Tierra del Fuego can take you to remote and beautiful glaciers, penguin islands and Cape Horn on the tip of South America.
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When to go to Tierra del Fuego
Discover the changing faces of Tierra del Fuego throughout the seasons of the year, where the extreme southerly latitudes mean short summers and snowy winters.
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Day hiking in Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is a land of mountains, lakes and glaciers that are perfect for day hikes, from a base in Ushuaia or Navarino Island.
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