Reasons to explore Ushuaia

  • Discover the mountains of Tierra del Fuego on a series of day hikes or remote multi-day treks
  • Take a boat trip along the Beagle Channel for wildlife watching and an iconic lighthouse
  • Taste the fruits of the sea with some of the freshest seafood and most unexpected gastronomic experiences
  • Explore the forests and lakes Tierra del Fuego National Park, a short drive from the city
  • Board an adventure cruise to Cape Horn, sailing to Punta Arenas  via remote glaciers and penguin colonies 

What to see & do around Ushuaia

Hiking

Ushuaia sits at the heart of one of Patagonia's most remote regions, and it mountains offer some brilliant hiking with barely another person on the trail. Both day hikes and multi-day treks are available from Ushuaia. 

One of our favourite day hikes include to Laguna Esmeralda, a milky blue glacial lake ringed by snow-covered mountains, and the hike forest hike to the cliff face of the Vinciguerra glacier

For those looking to get a little deeper, the Sierra Valdivieso has four days of hiking and wild camping along a mountainous route past Tierra del Fuego's largest lake, or you can cross the Beagle Channel to Navarino island for the challenging Dientes de Navarino trek. 

Hiker at Laguna Esmeralda near Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego

Laguna Esmeralda hike

Beagle Channel

While it sits with its back to the mountains, much of Ushuaia's life remains dominated by the Beagle Channel that divides Argentinian Tierra del Fuego and Chile's Navarino island. 

Small boat tours make day trips up and down the Beagle Channel, allowing you to drink in the dramatic scenery from the water. There are chances to make landfall along the way from some short hikes, as well as calling at the famous Les Eclaireurs lighthouse. The red and white stripes of this landmark are one of Ushuaia's biggest icons. 

There is a strong possibility of seeing dolphins in the Beagle Channel, as well as the South American sea lions that haul up on the islets dotted along the waterway. 

Les Eclaireurs lighthouse in the Beagle Channel, near Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego

Les Eclaireurs lighthouse in the Beagle Channel

Swoop says

Swoop Says background image

Ushuaia today feels on the verge of something big. Traditionally seen as just a fly-in, fly-out destination for Antarctic cruises, its fabulous mountain trails offer hikers the chance of feeling like they’re genuinely breaking new ground.

Nicolas Sorhaburu Patagonia Sales Consultant

Gastronomy

The farthest tip of South America isn’t somewhere that you'd think to find incredible gastronomic experiences, but Ushuaia is definitely somewhere to give your palate a treat.

The Beagle Channel is enormously productive for seafood, and Ushuaia’s king crab is famous across Argentina. Locals are also deservedly proud of their wild salmon, along with their asado – a traditional Patagonian barbecue. 

Foodie tours around Ushuaia come with an immersive twist at the hidden kitchen at Alma Yaghan, where gastronomic wizardry conjures unexpected seasonal plates from the fruits of the surrounding sea and forest. 

King crab in an Ushuaia seafood restaurant in Tierra del Fuego

King crab in Ushuaia

Tierra del Fuego National Park

Tierra del Fuego National Park begins just a few short miles from the outskirts of Ushuaia. It runs along the Beagle Channel coast on one side and stretches up into the mountains on the other. The landscape is dotted with picturesque lakes and thick forests of native coihue and lenga trees. 

The park has plenty of short walking trails and scenic viewpoints, and is rich in birdlife. Several locations memorialise the indigenous Selk'nam and Yaghan people who once lived here, harvesting their waters from simple bark canoes. 

Walking in Tierra del Fuego National Park

Tierra del Fuego National Park

Swoop says

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Sat in what looked like a fisherman’s hut, I was served dish after dish of food from an incredible kitchen, showcasing the best and freshest produce from the Beagle Channel and the surrounding forests.

Sydney Miller Patagonia Specialist

History & culture

Ushuaia is small enough to digest in a day, enjoying its street art, exploring the waterfront and perhaps stopping for a beer at the world’s southernmost microbrewery.

There is an excellent museum at the Museo Marítimo & Museo del Presidio, which is atmospherically housed in the city’s old prison. As well as telling the wider story of Ushuaia, it has a strong focus on Antarctic exploration, as well as the indigenous Yaghan people. 

Outside Ushuaia, it's possible to make day trips to the fascinating historic Estancia Harberton, founded by the missionary Thomas Bridges, who settled in Ushuaia in 1869 and spent his life studying indigenous culture and language. 

Fin del mundo End of the World sign in Ushuaia Tierra del Fuego

City tour at the end of the world

Adventure cruises

Some of the best of Tierra del Fuego's landscapes can only be explored by ship, and adventure cruise ships spend five days sailing from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas (or vice versa), taking in the best of this epic scenery. 

Itineraries include sailing through both the Beagle Channel and Magellan Strait, and calling in at Cape Horn – one of the most mythologised places on any nautical chart. There are glaciers aplenty – including the freezing waters of Glacier Alley, as well as a chance to land in small zodiacs and hike through thick forests to scenic viewpoints over these magnificent cliffs of seemingly endless blue ice. Visits also include historic locations like Wulaia Bay and Magellanic penguin colonies on tiny islands. 

Zodiac cruise to Pia Glacier in Tierra del Fuego from Australis cruise ship

Pia Glacier

Swoop Says background image

Swoop says

While Ushuaia loves to lean into its ‘end of the world’ branding, it’s actually pretty well connected to the rest of Patagonia. The fabled hiking trails of the Fitzroy range in particular are just a 75 minute flight away, with direct connections to El Calafate – the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park.

Customer review background image

What our customers think of Ushuaia

Going to the king crab dinner. It was so cool to have a crab fisherman go to get us our own king crab. The taste was amazing. Read the full review

Travelled: February 2022

Carol Hixenbaugh - USA

Review:

Where to stay in Ushuaia

The views over the Beagle Chanel are some of the most impressive sights in Ushuaia, and it's well worth the short taxi ride up into the mountains to get to find them. A number of hotels perch on the mountainside up here, ranging from luxurious spas to more authentic mid-range options. In the town itself, there are a few gems to be found, but most hotels are clean and comfortable and simply good stopping points after a day exploring.

Los Cauquenes Resort, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, with view over the Beagle Channel

Los Cauquenes Resort, Ushuaia

How to get to Ushuaia

Ushuaia airport (code USH) is 2½ miles (4 km) from the centre of Ushuaia, and has multiple daily flights connections to Argentina's international gateway of Buenos Aires (3½ hours), connecting to the domestic airport Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery (AEP). 

Ushuaia also has direct flights to El Calafate (FTE, 75 minutes), the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park

There are no direct flights to Chile, but there is an excellent direct daily bus service to Punta Arenas (12 hours), from where it is an easy connection through to Torres del Paine National Park

A daily ferry across the Beagle Channel joins Ushuaia to Puerto Williams (3-4 hours). 

Flying into Ushuaia airport in Tierra del Fuego

Flying into Ushuaia

How to get to Antarctica from Ushuaia

Ushuaia is the gateway to Antarctica. From here, it’s just 500 miles (800 km) to the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula: more than three times closer to Ushuaia than it is to Buenos Aires!

More than 95% of Antarctic cruises start and finish in Ushuaia. Trips range from around eight days to up to three weeks, allowing you to experience the best of Antarctica or even add in South Georgia, one of the world’s greatest wildlife watching destinations.

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 the White Continent, get in touch so we can help find the best ship at the best price for when you want to travel.

Aerial view of the expedition cruise ship Ultramarine in the Antarctic Peninsula

Expedition cruise ship in Antarctica

Explore more of Tierra del Fuego

Tourists at the Cape Horn Monument

Cape Horn

Cape Horn is South America’s final lonely outpost in the ocean. Shrouded in the myth and romance of the sea, it’s accessible only by adventure cruise ship.

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