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.

What can I do in Tierra del Fuego?

Illustrated Guide

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 in Tierra del Fuego

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

Zodiac and Australis cruise ship in Tierra del Fuego

Adventure cruising in Tierra del Fuego

Swoop says

Swoop Says background image

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 near Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego

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 in Tierra del Fuego

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 at Alma Yaghan in Tierra del Fuego

Beagle Channel foodie experience

Swoop Says background image

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.

Customer review background image

What our customers think of Tierra del Fuego activities

What a wonderful experience we had in Tierra de Fuego. The crew were very nice, the drivers were careful and the guide Sebastian was truly amazing. He brought his camera and a telescope which we enjoyed very much. When we got to see the penguins, the local guide there was very excited to see us as we were probably the only tourists there for the day, the penguins were amazing to see. We also spotted about 10 condors and a bunch of different birds. Read the full review

Travelled: July 2018

Cynthia Blanco - United States Of America

The King Penguin tour (many king penguins and their babies - just adorable) and the Birding tour (birds, geese, sea lions, wild horses and dolphins galore) were outstanding. Our guide was outstanding and personable and we saw wildlife beyond what we could have imagined.

Travelled: October 2017

Gail - Florida, USA

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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

The remoteness of Tierra del Fuego was incredible, we didn't see another boat for 3 days. We saw a lot of wildlife - penguins, dolphins, seals, albatross, condors.

Travelled: January 2017

Peter -

Sailing to Cape Horn was excellent, with great landscapes, wildlife, and charming and highly experienced skipper.

Travelled: December 2016

Stephen - UK

With the peat bog valley floor, lakes and surrounding mountains, I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever about going down to Tierra del Fuego. It's all so different to Torres del Paine and El Chalten, it was worth every penny.

Travelled: November 2016

Michael -

Landing on Isla Magdalena to see the penguins and sea lions was great fun.

Travelled: November 2015

Chris -

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.

expedition cruise ship Seaventure in Antarctica

Antarctic expedition cruise

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