Where to visit in Tierra del Fuego

The southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia sits between the steep mountains of the Fuegian Andes to the north and the Beagle Channel and Navarino Island to the south. It's the main entry point for travellers in Tierra del Fuego, as well as being the major port of call for Antarctic cruises.

There is plenty to do in and around Ushuaia, whether you put on your hiking boots to explore the beautiful (and largely empty) mountain trails, enjoy outdoor adventure activities, or want to watch wildlife along the Beagle Channel. Adventure cruises also leave from here to explore the region's glaciers and Cape Horn . 

Ushuaia also has a fascinating history, brilliant seafood and the best selection of accommodation in Tierra del Fuego. 

Argentina's southernmost national park is located a short drive from. Here, well-marked trails wind in and around the dense forest, and the views of the Beagle Channel, rivers, lakes and bays are spectacular. There is a host of short day hikes that can be done, including looking for historic traces of the region's indigenous Yaghan and Selknam people. There is also a railway from the early 20th century when the area was used as a penal colony. 

Day tours can take you to some of the more secret gems, more adventurous excursions or on specific birding tours – the birdwatching in the national park is particularly good. 

Navarino is Chilean Tierra del Fuego's largest island, lying across the Beagle Channel from Ushuaia. It's easy to be humbled by the vastness and wonder of the wilderness here, which can be explored from Puerto Williams and one of Patagonia's most pioneering ecolodges.

There are plenty of day adventures to be had on Navarino Island, from hikes and horseriding to kayaking. For those looking for something more however, there is the Dientes de Navarono trek, a multi-day wild camping hike through some truly wild mountains on the southernmost trek in the world. 

A small ship adventure cruise through the Beagle Channel will bring you to one of the most iconic places in South America – the tiny island of Cape Horn. Now part of Cabo de Hornos National Park, this craggy spit of land overlooks the point where the great currents of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet – and struck fear into the hearts of generations of mariners. 

Raised walkways take you to the iconic Cape Horn monument, and you can visit its famous lighthouse, or simply stop and appreciate that ahead of you lies nothing but sea until Antarctica. 

Tierra del Fuegos' wild coastline contains more than just Cape Horn: adventure cruises here explore remote glaciers, penguin colonies and more. 

Porvenir is a sleepy, rural town on a sheltered harbour on Bahía Inutil (the unfortunately named Useless Bay), just across the Magellan Strait from Punta Arenas.

Porvenir is a good palace to get a taste of small town Tierra del Fuego. It was founded during the 1880s gold rush and now makes a living from wool, but most people visit today to visit the only colony of king penguins in South America. They live in a private reserve near the town that is open between November to May.

The coastline is also home to the Laguna de los Cisnes reserve, which has excellent birdwatching, and guanacos and wild foxes are often seen. Porvenir can be reached by ferry from Punta Arenas or a short hop in a light plane. 

The rugged, forest-clad Cordillera Darwin mountains of Alberto Agostini National Park are only accessible by boat, but they're home to the highest mountains in Tierra del Fuego, complete with icecaps and creaking glaciers. It remains an option for experienced trekkers and climbers only

Yendegaia National Park is an important wildlife corridor between the Tierra del Fuego and the Alberto Agostini national parks. If you want to explore its mountains, glaciers, forests, lakes and rivers, you should be prepared to be out in the wilderness with few resources.

Karukinka National Park has a number of day hikes and challenging multi-day treks. The scenery is stunning, with mountains, valleys, glaciers, meadows and peat bogs, but getting there remains a bit of a challenge.