ushuaia tourist office

What do to in Ushuaia: Exploring the End of the World

Located at the tip of Argentina, Ushuaia is known as “Fin del Mundo” which translates to the end of the world. It’s a port town, most visited by individuals boarding an expedition cruise to Antarctica , which is exactly what led me here. To be honest, I didn’t expect much from Ushuaia. But I was pleasantly surprised by this little town and the stunning landscape surrounding it. So for those wondering what to do in Ushuaia and if Ushuaia is worth visiting, read on!

How long to spend in Ushuaia

I had less than 2 days total in Ushuaia. This was enough to explore the town and see the highlights. However, a lot of the charm of Ushuaia is the surrounding nature and I didn’t have time for that. So, if you’d like to explore more of the National Parks or if you enjoy hiking, I would probably recommend 3 days in Ushuaia.  

How to get to Ushuaia

Most people arrive to Ushuaia by plane. You can get direct flights from Buenos Aires that will get you there in about 3 hours. Most of the flight is over water rather than the mountains of Patagonia, however, as you get closer to Ushuaia you will be rewarded with some incredible views and a very scenic landing. You can also fly into Ushuaia from Rio Gallegas, Patagonia in about one hour.

It is also possible to get to Ushuaia overland by car or by ferry if you are coming from neighbouring Chile. However, the journey will take you at least half a day.  

Getting Around Ushuaia

Ushuaia town itself is very small and walkable. That being said, it is built on a hill and some of the roads can be incredibly steep so be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes.

There is a public bus system but it’s not ideal for getting to the main areas that tourists like to visit. In these cases, there are also plenty of day trip options and excursions from town. You can book online in advance or visit the waterfront where you will find lots of tour vendors. However, if you would prefer to explore on your own, car rentals are available.

Note that Uber and Lyft aren’t options in Ushuaia however, there are plenty of taxis. There are a couple of taxi stands throughout town but your best bet is to head down to the main office area by the water, you’ll find plenty there.

Where to Stay in Ushuaia

For a small town, Ushuaia does have a good mix of accommodation options. There are classic hotels, hostels, and B&B-type spots both within the town itself and on the outskirts more in nature. Keep in mind, if you are staying outside of town you will need a car or be ready to pay for taxis to get around. When I was here our hotel was further up in the hills which offered beautiful views but meant we had to rely on taxis every time we wanted to leave and come back which wasn’t ideal. Especially since accommodation in Ushuaia isn’t exactly cheap.

That being said, here are a few ideas of where to stay in Ushuaia:

Budget: Antarctica Hoste l or Yaghan Hostel

Midrange: Hotel Canal Beagle or Hotel Villa Brescia

Higher-end: Cilene del Faro Suites and Spa or MIL810 Ushuaia Hotel

Things to do in Ushuaia

For those wondering what to do in Ushuaia, there’s more than you would think! From museums to hikes to excursions to see penguins, yes that’s right, I said penguins! Here are some of the top things to do in Ushuaia.

Explore Town

Ushuaia actually reminded me a little bit of Banff town. Against the backdrop of the mountains, it gives winter ski-village vibes. There are plenty of little shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants lining the main streets. As you walk around keep an eye out for street art (plenty of penguins!) and some fun signage to take photos with. Tip: for amazing chocolate head to Edelweiss chocolates and for delicious empanadas go to Dona Lupita! 

Check out the Museums

The town of Ushuaia also has a couple of different museums as well that you may be interested in exploring.

The Galería Temática Historia Fueguina shares the history of Ushuaia. It looks a little cheesy with all the wax figures leaning out of the building and interactive exhibits. However, those that visit find it really interesting and educational.

There is also the Museo Maritimo which is housed in the old prison building. This actually is four museums in one and includes the Maritime museum, the Antarctic Museum, the Marine Art Museum, and the very popular Museum of the Prison.

Get an Antarctica and/or End of the World Stamp

The tourism office in Ushuaia has some tourist stamps that you are free to use. Stamps include a “Fin del Mundo” stamp and an Antarctica stamp. These are super fun but please keep in mind that these are considered tourist stamps, not official stamps.  Some countries do not recognize them and will consider your passport illegitimate with these types of stamps. It’s up to you whether to stamp your passport or not. I chose not to take the risk and instead stamped my passport journal and the postcards I bought in town to send from Antarctica.

Shop for Souvenirs at the Paseo de los Artesanos

Down by the port next to the tourist office, you will see a very brightly coloured building called the Paseo de los Artesanos. This is where you will find local artisans selling their work. From woodwork to paintings, ceramics and textiles, there’s plenty on offer here making it a unique place to pick up a souvenir. I got the cutest painting of a mommy and baby penguin.

Tierra Del Fuego National Park

The southernmost national park in the world, Tierra del Fuego is known for its beautiful scenery which includes glaciers, mountains, lakes, and waterfalls. You can visit on your own or with a guide and you can even camp here. Book a guided day trip to the park here.

End of the World Train

This train once carried lumber to the prison but today is one of the most popular things to do in Ushuaia. You can board the train which will take you 8km from town to the national park. The journey takes about an hour and your guide will share the train’s history with you over the span of your journey. Book your end of the world train adventure here.

Go Penguin Watching

Speaking of penguins, did you know that you don’t have to go all the way to Antarctica to see them? That’s right, there are some penguin colonies close enough to Ushuaia that you can visit them on a day trip. If you are lucky you might also see dolphins, sea lions, and whales. Book your penguin watching tour by catamaran here.

Scenic Flight

One of the best ways to see Ushuaia is from above! This way you get incredible views including the glaciers and lakes below. You can choose the flight-only option or land on a glacier and have a champagne toast. I didn’t do this but some of my friends did and their photos were incredible! Check out the helicopter ride options here.

Emerald Lake

One of the most popular hikes in the area, the trek to Emerald Lake is well-marked and relatively easy. It’s about 2 hours each way (so bring water and snacks!) and the goal at the end is a beautiful blue-green lake. Book a guided trek with a picnic here.

Travel Tips for Ushuaia

A couple of handy travel tips to keep in mind for your time in Ushuaia:

• Make use of the Blue Rate when in Argentina. This is a special rate offered when you exchange USD at specific money exchanges. The rate they will give you is nearly double the posted rate. While it does sound a little black market, I assure you it is legal and normal. It is definitely in your best interest to bring USD with you to take advantage of this. As of my visit (January 2023), Visa and Mastercard had also started offering the Blue Rate, but not American Express.
• Always wear sunscreen: Even when it is cloudy. The sun here in this part of the world (and moving further south to Argentina) is incredibly strong as it is the place where the ozone layer is its thinnest. Even if it is cloudy, put on sunscreen. Trust me.
• Don’t plan to buy everything you need in Ushuaia. It’s the departure point for Antarctica cruises and the shops know their clients. I did a quick peek in and a lot of gear was more expensive than you would pay at home. So, it’s great if you realize you forgot something, but don’t come planning to buy it all here.
• If you dream of going to Antarctica but can’t afford full-price cabins, it’s worth knowing that you can get last-minute deals from Ushuaia. Any ship that isn’t full will sell off cabins at discounted prices right before departure. Of course, this means you can’t be picky and if you are travelling with a partner or friend there is no guarantee that you will get a room together. You also will be too late to sign up for things like kayaking (which always book up right away) but you will get steep discounts. Worth keeping in mind if you can be flexible with your travel schedule.

So, is Ushuaia worth visiting?

If you are visiting here as a stop on your trip to Antarctica then absolutely! I definitely recommend 2-3 days in Ushuaia before or after your trip. You are coming here anyway, why not explore?

That being said, I’m not sure I would suggest coming all the way to Ushuaia if you aren’t planning to continue on to Antarctica. It’s not the easiest to get to and the flights are rather expensive. If you are doing a full trip exploring Argentina then maybe add it in, but I wouldn’t say it’s a must-see that you should go out of your way to visit.  

Ready to Book Your Trip?

Don’t forget travel insurance!

Please do not travel without travel insurance! I’ve had to use it multiple times throughout my travels and it has saved me thousands of dollars. You can learn more about travel insurance  here . If you are looking for a provider I love and recommend  SafetyWing . For Canadian readers, take a look at  SoNomad.

Book your accommodation

I love and recommend  booking.com  for accommodation. They have a range of hostels, guesthouses, hotels, and resorts. Plus, the platform has a great loyalty program that means the more you book, the more you can save. 

Book your tours

My go-to tour provider that I love to recommend is  GetYourGuide . They have options all over the world and partner with local companies for everything from day trips to food experiences and even airport transfers. 

Get connected

If you want to have data while travelling for online maps or any other needs, an esim is one of the easiest solutions. I’m a big fan of Airalo and have used their sim cards around the world from Brazil to Uzbekistan, Greece to the USA. It’s really easy- you download the app, pick what country you want an esim for, and after you purchase it follow the installation instructions. You can use promo code HANNAH3326 to save $3USD on your next esim purchase. 

Not sure what to pack?

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• 1.1 The area
• 1.2 History
• 1.3 Climate
• 1.4 Tourist office
• 2.1 By plane
• 2.4 By boat
• 3.2 By taxi
• 4.1 Buildings
• 4.2 Memorials
• 4.3 Museums
• 7.2 Mid-range
• 7.3 Splurge
• 9.2 Mid-range
• 9.3 Splurge
• 11 Stay safe
• 12 Stay healthy

Straddling the Beagle Strait, Ushuaia [dead link] is the largest city in Argentine Tierra del Fuego island, with about 75,000 residents (2019). It is 3,260 km south of Buenos Aires . It lays claim to the title "the southernmost city in the world". Puerto Williams, across the channel in Chile, also claims this title, but has only about 3,000 residents.

Ushuaia has been a missionary base, penal colony and naval base for the Argentine navy. Ushuaia is now a major tourist town, complete with casinos and nice restaurants, and commonly used as a base for hiking, winter sports and cruises to Antarctica .

Understand [ edit ]

Ushuaia is the capital of the Argentinian province of Tierra del Fuego, itself the eastern half of Tierra del Fuego island (and archipelago) in the southern tip of South America. The city has been transformed from a sleepy village to a lively tourist center, so you will not feel quite like you are at the end of the world. The scenic landscape around the city, with good outdoor sports including one of the southernmost winter sport resorts in the world complete with a view to the sea, make Ushuaia a place worth visiting.

The area [ edit ]

Ushuaia is east-west elongated city crushed between the Andes foothills to the north (which do not run north-south at this latitude) and the Beagle Channel to the south. Its sole road connection is "Ruta 3" which traverses the city from west to east and later drifts north-east across the Andes and all the way to Buenos Aires.

Consequently, Ushuaia's tourist attractions are either to the west (End of the World Train & National Park), to the east (Fagnano Lake, Harberton ranch and lots of hiking trails), within the city (Presidio Museum, Martial Glacier or the Beagle boat tours).

The city borders one of the southernmost legs of the Andes and has several urban centers. The mall is about 2 km long and stretches from the freight port past the Avenida Alem (National Road 3). East of downtown there is the industrial area, and the western side is dominated by residential buildings and the airport. Most hotels and resorts, particularly at the upper end of the price scale are on the road to the Martial Glacier.

History [ edit ]

Prior to the late 19th century, the land that is now called Ushuaia was inhabited entirely by Yámana (or Yaghan) people and a handful of missionaries. Due to outbreaks of typhus, pertussis and measles, by 1911, the Yámana had effectively disappeared; as of 2017, there was allegedly one pure-blooded native-speaking Yámana left, a woman who lives in Chile.

In the late 19th century, the Argentine government established a penal colony in Ushuaia intended for repeat offenders, serious criminals and some political prisoners, following similar examples by the French and British. The prison population became forced colonists who spent most of their time chopping down the now-protected lenga trees, which they used to build the town. The prison was shut down in 1947, and is now the Museo Maritimo. The railway to the settlement has become the Tren del Fin del Mundo.

Today the town is growing fast as a result of increased tourism since the 2002 economic crash. The government has encouraged this growth by designating Tierra del Fuego a virtually tax-free zone to encourage people to settle; many of the inhabitants of today's Ushuaia come from Chaco, in the north of Argentina. The cost of living, however, is relatively high as all goods have to be transported long distances, usually by container ship.

Climate [ edit ]

Climate-wise, Ushuaia is warmer than many assume; it is no further south than Belfast is north, and temperatures rarely drop below -10°C. However, it is still cooler and more unstable than on the drier northern half of the island. In the summer, there are hardly any clear days: On most days there are sun, clouds and short rain showers, with temperatures around +15°C. There is daylight from 05:00 to 22:00 The winters are somewhat clearer, with temperatures around -2°C, a lot of snow, and little daylight, the sun is only up from 09:45 to 17:15 The ski resorts have snow from May to early November. As in all of southern Argentina, strong winds add a significant wind chill factor.

If you plan to hike, you should have weatherproof clothing, and even if you are just visiting the city, you will need both a pullover and a jacket even in the summer months of January and February. In January, the city is full of domestic tourists (which means you should book your accommodation beforehand). There are fewer visitors from mid-February until the start of the ski season in June.

Tourist office [ edit ]

There are several tourist offices. Aside of the central one on the main street (which is closed, the nearest is in the port next to the 'end of the world' sign) there are smaller ones on the airport and the port.

• -54.8074 -68.3078 1 Central Tourist Office , San Martín 674 ( corner of Juana Fadul ), ☏ +54 2901 424550 , +54 2901 432001 , fax : +54 2901 432000 , [email protected] . free WiFi, toilets  

Get in [ edit ]

You can get there by plane in three and a half hours in a non-stop flight from Buenos Aires, or you can go by car, but it is a long trip (about four days travelling on desert roads). You can also go on a cruise ship.

By plane [ edit ]

There is one major airport serving the city:

By bus [ edit ]

Buses from all destinations except Puerto Natales stop at Rio Gallegos . It can be cheaper to buy a ticket to Rio Gallegos and purchase an onward ticket from there. The ride from Rio Gallegos costs AR$1,300 and involves crossing into Chile and taking a ferry across the Magellan Strait. There are three daily departures and the journey is advertised as taking around 12 hours, but it is often much longer in practice.

By car [ edit ]

Argentine National Route 3 connects Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, ending at the Tierra del Fuego National Park . Tierra del Fuego is an island, and the route requires crossing into Chile and taking a ferry to cross the Magellan Strait. There are two ferries connecting Tierra del Fuego to the South American mainland: a short crossing at Punta Delgada at the northernmost point of the island and a longer crossing from Punta Arenas in Chile to Porvenir on the island's west coast.

By boat [ edit ]

A number of cruise ships stop at Ushuaia, either as an attraction or as the destination.

• Cruceros Australis , ☏ +54 11-5199-6697 , +1-305-695-9618 , toll-free: +1-877-678-3772 (U.S.) . 4-night cruise from Punta Arenas . Excursions in Ainsworth Bay and Tuckers islets to view sea lions, penguins and other wildlife. Travels through the Beagle and Murray channels, stopping at the Pía Glacier and Wulaia Bay. Also stops at Cabo de Hornos National Park , the last piece of land before Antarctica. 7-night Punta Arenas–Ushuaia–Punta Arenas cruises (including a day tour of Ushuaia) also available. 4-night cruise from US$2,148 .  

Get around [ edit ]

There are city buses within Ushuaia, but they reach few of the tourist attractions. They are good to get to Playa Larga, for example, or from one part of the centre to another, along the east/west axis. The bus lines are nowadays labelled with letters, though the former route numbers may still be visible at some bus stops. The bus fare is AR$6.80 as of 2017, and the system to pay is the SUBE card, the same as for other big cities in Argentina.

Tours/transport to the main tourist attractions can be booked through the Tourist Office (on San Martin) or through many of the hostels.

Regular minivans leave for the National Park (first van 08:00), Glaciar Martial, the trailhead of Laguna Esmeralda or other places from a parking lot at the corner of Maipu and Fadul. To catch one, turn up at the lot, pay for your return ticket and you will informed of the pickup times to catch the minivan back. The cost for a return ticket to the national park is AR$850 (Nov 2019), excluding the entry fee, Laguna Esmeralda AR$300, and Glacier Martial AR$150. In the case of Glacier Martial a return taxi for 2 passengers is cheaper than the minivan and more flexible as there are usually taxis waiting for passengers at the Glacier base that can take you back immediately rather than waiting for a van.

By taxi [ edit ]

Taxis are another option, costing, for example, AR$250 to get from the city centre to the airport and AR$130 to the Glaciar Martial. There are plenty of taxis and remises , the fares being somewhat higher than in Buenos Aires. Taxis use the meter and are generally a trustworthy option.

There are also several car and bicycle rental companies. Be aware that in Ushuaia, all vehicles on hillside streets automatically have the right-of-way. In most places there are signs, but even if there isn't, this rule still applies. This is intended to prevent accidents due to ice and snow on the steep mountain roads.

See [ edit ]

There aren't really any architectural sights in Ushuaia. The city is modern, but the architecture is Scandinavian and positively different from other cities in southern Argentina.

Buildings [ edit ]

• -54.80637 -68.30385 1 Casa de Gobierno , San Martín . The local government building is a strange mixture of functionalism with Alpine elements and is hard to miss.  

Memorials [ edit ]

• -54.8103 -68.3157 3 Plaza Malvinas , Maipú ( on the seafront ). Monument to the Falkland Islands War of 1982. These islands are called the Islas Malvinas in Argentina.  
• -54.8635 -68.4828 4 Mastil de General Belgrano ( accessible by boat from Playa Larga ). A remote area west of the city of Ushuaia on Isla Redonda, paying tribute to one of the founders of Argentina, and to the navy cruiser named after him which was sunk by the UK in the Falklands War. It was a stop on one of the televised Amazing Race contests, and features a one-person post office for sending letters from the end of the world. ~$100 .  

Museums [ edit ]

• -54.80376 -68.29665 5 Museo Marítimo , Yagones and Gobernador Paz . Located in an old prison, this is four museums in one. The maritime museum displays a collection of the history of Tierra del Fuego. One wing has been converted to an art gallery named Museo de Arte Marino featuring the work of local artists. There is also an Antarctic museum and, of course, a museum of the prison. adults $120, students $70, family ticket $250 .  
• -54.80634 -68.30133 6 Museo del Fin del Mundo , Maipú 173 . The museum exists in two separate buildings on Av. Maipu a few blocks apart. Highlights include the largest exhibited collection of birds from Tierra del Fuego, the figurehead of the Duchess of Albany (a sunken vessel), and a library dedicated to the history and nature of Tierra del Fuego. Admission AR$3000, cash only .  

Do [ edit ]

It’s a city that has charm in every season, in winter the weather is very cold, but it is the best season to practice skiing and other mountain sports, such as sledging by Siberian dogs and biking snowmobiles. The most important place to practice skiing is “Beaver Hill”, where you can enjoy this sport and also a typical meal or a rich chocolate to soothe the cold. In the city you can visit the museum of the jail where they used to take the most dangerous criminals.

In summer the temperature can reach 20 °C allowing us to enjoy the greenery. In summer you can hike, climb hills and visit the “Esmeralda” lagoon (in winter is difficult to reach because of the snow). Biking is difficult because the streets have many slopes. During the summer you can enjoy the landscape and get to places which are not accessible in winter due to the snow. There are many things to do. A highlight is a train tour called “The train where the world ends”; you can visit the national park “Tierra del Fuego”, where you can see “The Green Lagoon” and the “Black Lagoon”, which owe their color to the local flora. You can have a picnic on “Roca Lake” and watch a lot of rabbits. Another nice activity is to take a boat trip in The Beagle Channel, visiting The Birds Island and the “Lighthouse where the world ends”.

Summer [ edit ]

The area around Ushuaia is excellent for hiking and there are several marked paths. The most popular one leads up to the Glaciar Martial, a 1300-m-high snow covered peak with a small glacier and a spectacular view of the city and the surroundings. If you are going up the mountain you need sturdy and waterproof shoes - the path is steep and often slippery. You can pick up a map in the tourist office which is sufficient for shorter and popular hikes.

For serious hiking you should invest in the "Ushuaia Trekking Map," which can be purchased for around AR$230 at many stores downtown. You can head to the Tierra del Fuego National Park, 12 km west of Ushuaia, or hike the valleys around Estancia Haberton (where many paths aren't marked).

• -54.69 -68.129 1 Laguna Esmeralda ( about 15km northeast ). Before 15:00 . It's a short but muddy hike from the highway through peat bogs to get there, but the stunning lake is worth it. The colour of the water changes with the time of day. Try to be there before noon, which is when the majority of tourists start pouring in. Free .  
• -54.784 -68.406 2 Hike the Glaciar Martial . Provided that you wear comfortable shoes and have the patience, a hike up the Glaciar Martial will provide a very beautiful view of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel. There is also a single ski slope open during the winter months, and ski rentals are available from the site.  
• Mountain biking . The downhill trails are not to be underestimated: Bring your stamina. Club Andino sells mountain biking guidebooks with rough maps and trail descriptions. Mountain bikes can be rented at the Alamo car rental at Belgrano 96.  
• -54.833 -68.453 3 Ushuaia Golf Club . West of town just before the entrance to the National Park, this is probably the southernmost golf course in the world.  
• -54.8334 -68.4238 4 Tren del Fin del Mundo ( west of town just before the entrance to the National Park ). The "train to the end of the world" is a pleasant 45-minute train ride with an audioguide into the park on a narrow gauge railway rebuilt on part of the roadbed of the old logging train. The train line operated from 1909 to 1952, transporting timber and other material in the penal colony, and reopened in 1994 as a tourist train. You won't get very good views of the park but train enthusiasts in particular will enjoy the ride. The train also stops for about 15 minutes at a station in the middle of the journey, just long enough to take the 5 minute walk to the waterfall, or buy a drink and take a picture with the employees dressed as prison inmates. AR$1800 .  
• Parque del Tierra del Fuego . Just go to the "bus station" (next to the Tourist Information office) and ask for a ticket (see getting around section on this page) Get out at the second stop (number one being the ticket office) and do the long seaside walk. Do not spend too much time there though, make sure you do it in three hours. Have a cup of coffee at the refuge and then head down to the Policia Nacional and do the round routes (route number 1, 3 and 6 are the best). Hop on the last bus at 19:00 (make sure you don't miss it or you will have to travel "a dedo" back to Ushuaia). ( updated Feb 2016 )

Water [ edit ]

• -54.857 -68.203 5 Beagle Channel . Catamaran trips will take you around the Beagle Channel and give you nice views of the mountains, cormorants, penguins, orcas, seals and sea lions. Make sure that your guide is English speaking before booking a trip.  
• Kayak the Beagle Channel . Kayaks with a guide can be hired near the Aeroparque on the promontory jutting out from Ushuaia.  
• Motonave Barracuda Sail . Ship trips will take you around the Beagle channel and give you nice views of the mountains, cormorants, sea lions and penguins.  
• Ushuaia Divers located in the AFASIN Yacht Club , L.N.Alem 4509 , ☏ +54 9 2901 61-9782 (Carlos Giuggia) , [email protected] . US$150 + AR$40 for 2 dives .  

Winter [ edit ]

In the winter, the area turns into a large ski resort. In Ushuaia there are two pistes on Glacial Martial, both with sea view.

• -54.716 -68.019 6 Cerro Castor ( 20 km to the northwest ). If you want more, this centre for winter sports offers alpine and cross-country skiing and snowboarding. Nearby in Las Cotorras you can also ride snowcats or husky sleighs.  

Buy [ edit ]

The main shopping district of Ushuaia is near the waterfront, mostly on San Martín. There is a smaller center west of the city, north of the airport, where the locals mainly shop.

Prices in Ushuaia are higher than central Argentina, but there is no sales tax (IVA). Furthermore, due to low tariffs on imports in Tierra del Fuego, imported goods (electronics) are a comparative bargain. There is a duty free store on San Martín that sells perfume, alcohol and cigarettes, but keep an eye on the prices as some items may be cheaper elsewhere.

While Antarctic travelers should arrive with proper gear already in their possession, quality winter gear including boots, coats, and other necessities — as well as souvenirs — can be purchased from a variety of shops.

There are also souvenir shops, such as La abuela Oma, La ultima Vita and Fin del Mundo.

The Paseo del Fuego Shopping Center is a largish modern shopping mall featuring a cineplex showing first-run movies in English and Spanish, providing an additional option for rainy-day activities.

Eat [ edit ]

Highlight are lamb, crabs and other seafood dishes. Most Ushuaia restaurants are centrally-located, clustered around San Martín and Maipú. The western part of the city offers affordable rotiserías (pre-made/fast food) with standard Argentine dishes such as pizza and empanadas.

Seafood and meat dishes are very typical, as fruit and vegetables have to be transported from thousands of kilometers away and, as such, are rarely tasty and rather expensive. Be sure to try the centolla ( king crab ) for price around AR$350.

Regarding restaurants: Las cotorras, Mostacho, Chichilo, Tante Sara, all located in the city center, and many others in the outskirts of the city. As to the chocolate houses: La Laguna Negra and El Turista, where you can enjoy a rich hot chocolate with various cakes of different flavors.

Budget [ edit ]

• -54.80675 -68.30813 1 Barcleit 1912 , Juana Fadul 148 , ☏ +54 2901 43-3015 . Small restaurant with a variety of local dishes and a few unconventional options. Try the pizza alemana with mustard and sausage.  
• -54.80714 -68.30781 2 [dead link] Tante Sara , San Martín 701 , ☏ +54 2901 43-3710 . Su-Th 08:00-20:30; F Sa 08:00-21:00 . A popular two-floor café. Coffee, sandwiches and hot fast food, along with beer, wine and other spirits.  
• -54.8096 -68.3178 3 El Turco , San Martín 1410 , ☏ +54 2901 42-4711 . Argentine (not Turkish) cuisine. One of the most affordable restaurants in the city.  
• -54.806976 -68.314138 4 El Bambu , Luis Piedrabuena 276 . Vegetarian. Takeout only, but you can also eat-in on a stool, at a stand, with plastic forks. Some dishes are charged by the weight, others by the unit, all of them are delicious, vegetarian and extremely affordable. ( updated Nov 2018 )

Mid-range [ edit ]

• -54.8039 -68.3576 5 Chez Manu , Luis Fernando Martial 2135 , ☏ +54 2901 43-2253 . Local cuisine. Patagonia lamb, seafood and fish. Ask for a seat along the large windows for great views of Ushuaia.  
• -54.8044 -68.3 6 Chiko , Antartida Argentina 182 , ☏ +54 2901 43-6024 . Seafood.  
• -54.8053 -68.3009 7 La Rueda , San Martín 193 ( corner of Rivadavia ), ☏ +54 2901 43-6540 . Typical Argentine parrilla (barbecue). All-you-can-eat meat with a self-serve veggie and side bar.  
• -54.8075 -68.308 8 Marcopolo Cafe Restaurant , San Martín 748 , ☏ +54 2901 43-6612 , [email protected] . Local cuisine.  
• -54.8076 -68.3128 9 Maria Lola , Deloqui 1048 , ☏ +54 2901 42-1185 , [email protected] . M-Sa 12:30-15:00, 20:00-23:00 . Local cuisine, seafood. ( updated Nov 2022 )
• -54.8059 -68.3021 10 Moustacchio Parrillada , San Martín 298 , ☏ +54 2901 42-3308 , [email protected] . Argentine parrilla.  
• -54.80642 -68.30167 11 Tante Nina , Godoy 15 , ☏ +54 2901 43-2444 . Local cuisine.  
• -54.806 -68.30327 12 Tía Elvira , Maipú 349 , ☏ +54 2901 42-4725 . Local cuisine.  
• -54.8056 -68.2983 13 Volver , Maipú 37 , ☏ +54 2901 42-3977 . Known for its king crab.  
• -54.806309 -68.302099 14 [dead link] El Timonel Restobar , Gdor. Pedro Godoy 46 . Tu-Su 12:00-00:00 . Friendly family all-day seafood cafe with fish, seafood empanadas, and a few grills. ( updated Mar 2018 )

Splurge [ edit ]

• -54.8072 -68.3047 15 Gustino Restaurante , Maipú 505 , ☏ +54 2901 43-0003 , [email protected] . Local cuisine.  
• -54.8032 -68.3061 16 Kaupé , Roca 470 , ☏ +54 2901 42-2704 , [email protected] . Expensive compared to other restaurants in Ushuaia, but the view is spectacular and the food is absolutely, positively guaranteed not to disappoint. Also known for its king crab.  
• -54.8049 -68.3567 17 Temaukel , Cno. Glaciar Martial Km. 3.5 , ☏ +54 2901 43-0640 .  

Drink [ edit ]

There is not much of a nightlife in Ushuaia; most bars and pubs close early.

• -54.8061 -68.3036 1 Bar Ideal , San Martín 393 , ☏ +54 2901 43-7860 . Open until midnight . Irish pub.  
• -54.8077 -68.3095 2 Bodegon Fuegino , San Martín 859 , ☏ +54 2901 43-1972 . Locally-sourced, artisanal, home-cooked food. Tapas-style picadas recommended as sampling menu. Good wine selection.  
• -54.8069 -68.3096 3 Dublin Bar , 9 de Julio 168 . Popular with tourists.  
• -54.7972 -68.2687 4 Küar , Perito Moreno 2232 , [email protected] . A couple of kilometers outside town, right above the rocks by the sea, breathtaking bay views and good live music scene, sophisticated and good but not outstanding and somewhat pricey dining. If you don't mind the occasional dropping by of a bunch of gringos, be sure to book a table by the window in the restaurant area or to take a seat by the big wooden steps in the bar area.  
• -54.80986 -68.31812 5 Macario 1910 , San Martín 1485 , ☏ +54 2901 42-2557 . Local pub food and beers.  
• -54.8098 -68.3136 6 Nautico , Maipú 1210 , ☏ +54 2901 43-0415 . Open until 06:00 on the weekends . Ushuaia's only real nightclub/disco.  
• -54.80577 -68.30177 7 Cafe Bar Banana , San Martín 273 .  
• -54.8064 -68.30431 8 Ushuaia Che , San Martín 452 .  
• -54.7978 -68.279 9 Fusión , Perito Moreno 1530 .  
• -54.80408 -68.30038 10 Kaitek , Antartida Argentina 280 . Club focusing on electronic music.  

Sleep [ edit ]

Hotels in Ushuaia are often fully booked, especially during peak tourist season, so it is advisable to arrive in Ushuaia with reservations. On the other hand, hostels ( albergues ) are numerous, so even in midsummer you should have no problem finding a bed.

• -54.80369 -68.3009 1 Albergue Antarctica Hostel , Antártida Argentina 270 , ☏ +54 2901 43-5774 , [email protected] . Free internet access and breakfast are included. Shared kitchen. Dorm bed $70, double $250 .  
• -54.8034 -68.3096 2 Albergue Aonikenk , 25 de Mayo 576 , ☏ +54 2901 42-2098 , [email protected] . Check-out: 10:00 . Free internet access and breakfast are included. Great view of the bay from the dining room/kitchen/living room. Double $220/$290, triple $260/$340 (shared/private bathroom) .  
• -54.805 -68.3022 3 Albergue Cruz del Sur , Deloqui 242 , ☏ +54 2901 43-4099 , [email protected] . Hostel. Bed in 6-person dormitory: 370ARS .  
• -54.8062 -68.3109 4 [dead link] Albergue Free Style , Paz 866 , ☏ +54 2901 42-2833 , [email protected] . The Free Style has an excellent view of the bay from their 3rd-floor common room. The hostel is clean, new and well-maintained, with internet costing $1 per half hour, and breakfast is included. The kitchen is clean and fully stocked, with room for perishables. Dorm rooms, private rooms and private rooms with kitchenettes are available. Dorm bed $100/$120 (shared/private bathroom) .  
• -54.806534 -68.309122 5 [dead link] Albergue Los Lupinos , Deloqui 750 , ☏ +54 2901 42-4152 , [email protected] . Centrally located, big kitchen, free breakfast, padlockable lockers, free Wi-Fi. Dorm bed $400 .  
• -54.80788 -68.33157 6 B&B Casa Tekenika , Tekenika 192 , [email protected] . Affordable B&B. 423117 .  
• -54.7969 -68.2975 7 B&B Familia Piatti , Bahía Paraíso 812 , ☏ +54 2901 43-7104 . Located in the forest, isolated from the city center. Single $350, double $450, triple $550 .  
• -54.8029 -68.3152 8 B&B Tango , Valdez 950 , ☏ +54 2901 42-2895 , [email protected] . Offers daily room service, excellent location, seven blocks away from the main street, with warm and drinkable water 24 hours available, free Internet, cable TV in the living room, optional TV in the room, conditioned atmosphere, safe box at the front desk, buffet breakfast and the good quality that only the owners/hosts can give you. Tango show free with the unique view of the Beagle channel and the islands that surround it. Double $500 .  
• -54.815 -68.3408 9 Cabañas Las Aguilas , Provincia Grande 519 , ☏ +54 2901 44-0352 , [email protected] . Well-maintained, nicely furnished cabanas with kitchen. Double $360, triple $400 .  
• [dead link] La Casa en Ushuaia ( La Casa de Silvia Casalaga ), Gobernador Paz 1380 ( Corner of Gobernador Paz and Patagonia, 200 m from the main street ), ☏ +54 2901 423202 , [email protected] . Check-in: 12:00 , check-out: 10:00 . This wooden house, designed and refurbished by its owner/architect, features six rooms, singles or doubles, with bathrooms to be shared between two adjoining rooms only, some of them with great views across the town and the Beagle Channel. The owner speaks Spanish, French and English and is very helpful with local information. There is wireless internet throughout the house and a home made continental breakfast is included in the room price. from US$55 to US$70 . ( updated Mar 2016 )
• -54.8049 -68.3017 10 Hotel Antártida Argentina , Rivadavia 172 , ☏ +54 2901 43-6668 , [email protected] . Centrally located. Single $400, double $460 .  
• -54.8063 -68.3101 11 Hotel Austral , 9 de Julio 250 , ☏ +54 2901 43-5268 , [email protected] . 10 rooms, centrally located. Single or double $420, triple $490 .  
• -54.8114 -68.323 12 Hotel Las Lengas , Goleta Florencia 1722 , ☏ +54 2901 42-3366 , [email protected] . This is the first eco-friendly hotel of Ushuaia and it is located over a natural elevation of the terrain. Thanks to its large floor-to-ceiling windows, which are insulated and provide natural lighting, it is possible to enjoy the fantastic views over the bay of Ushuaia and Beagle Channel from all public areas of this unique hotel. All 46 rooms and suites are completely insulated and all of them have views to mountains and/or Beagle Channel. They all have in-room heating temperature controls, LCD and cable TV, hair dryers, safety boxes, LED and/or low energy bulbs, flow regulators and dual-flush system. Wi-Fi is complimentary in all rooms and public areas of the hotel. The attached restaurant integrates traditional dishes from Patagonia. Single or double $635, triple $810 .  
• -54.8018 -68.3049 13 Hostería Posada del Fin del Mundo , Rivadavia 603 , ☏ +54 2901 43-4847 , [email protected] . Lodge located in a residential area a few minutes from downtown. Single or double $600/$660, triple $720/$780 (shared/private bathroom) .  
• -54.831 -68.3487 14 Hostería Tierra de Leyendas , Tierra de los Vientos 2448 , ☏ +54 2901 44-3565 , [email protected] . Cozy lodge with five rooms and a small restaurant with large windows facing the Beagle Channel. Single or double $1,000 (standard), $1,300 (superior) .  
• -54.8073 -68.30496 15 Hotel Albatros , Maipú 505 , ☏ +54 2901 43-7300 , [email protected] . Located on the waterfront near the port, this hotel offers 78 comfortable rooms and suites and excellent service. Although most of its rooms do not have a view, they are warmly decorated. Free Wi-Fi is available to all visitors, the room price includes a continental buffet breakfast, and the staff are helpful and speak English. Amenities include the Albatros Spa: Sauna, Scottish and Finnish showers, hydro-massage and a gym. The use of the spa & health club is included in the rate (only massage sessions incur an extra cost). An on-site restaurant serves international food and also traditional dishes from Patagonia, with an air-conditioned wine cellar featuring Patagonian wines. Single or double $780, triple $945, suite $1,170 .  
• -54.80743 -68.30545 16 Hotel Canal Beagle , Maipú 547 , ☏ +54 2901 43-2281 , [email protected] . On the Beagle Channel near the harbor. Single $732, double $818, suites from $1,026 .  
• -54.8005 -68.3142 17 Hotel Las Hayas Resort , Luis F. Martial 1650 ( 2.5 km from the city, on the road to the glaciar Martial ), ☏ +54 2901 43-0718 , [email protected] . Surrounded by a natural forest with a view of the town and Beagle Channel Bay. Single or double $1,160, suites from $1,552 .  
• -54.7984 -68.3108 18 Hotel Ushuaia , Lasserre 933 , ☏ +54 2901 42-3051 , [email protected] . Single $528, double $672, triple $768 .  

Work [ edit ]

Industry and tourism were until the 1990s major draws for workforce from elsewhere. As some tax privileges were removed, this had a negative effect on the employment market. Today it isn't as easy to get a job in Ushuaia as it once was, but there are still job openings in the tourism and restaurant sectors, especially if you can speak many languages.

Stay safe [ edit ]

Usuaia and the region in general isn't entirely free of crime, but significantly safer than most of Argentina. There aren't any slums, and businesses seldom have bars installed in the front of their windows. Potential criminals from elsewhere would have a hard time getting out of Tierra del Fuego undetected, as the only ways out would be via the airport or Chilean territory.

Stay healthy [ edit ]

There are two hospitals in the city:

• -54.8284 -68.3428 2 Centro Médico Ushuaia , La Estancia 1925 , ☏ +54 2901 445130 .  
• -54.814 -68.3235 3 Hospital Regional , Malvinas y 12 de Octubre , ☏ +54 2901 422950 .  

There are no particular health risks in Ushuaia; the biggest threat would be catching a cold due to the varying weather conditions. But also note that especially in the summer and when trekking in the mountains, you should protect yourself from sunburn , as the ozone layer is relatively thin in this part of the world.

Cope [ edit ]

• The local newspaper is Diario del Fin del Mundo (literally the Newspaper of the End of the World); however, it does not feature cultural events very widely.
• Banks and exchange booths can be found along San Martín.

Connect [ edit ]

• The calling code for Ushuaia is 02901 and the postal code is V9410. Broadband Internet and a cell phone network are available.
• Internet cafés can be found on San Martín. Rates are higher than elsewhere in Argentina, $5/hour.
• Should you want a special "end of the world" stamp on your postcards, head to the small post office in Bahía Ensenada in the national park.

Go next [ edit ]

• Tierra del Fuego National Park - In Lapataia, 12 km west of Ushuaia. This national park provides some nice day hikes on well-marked trails in a forest and bog landscape. Longer treks are also possible, such as Paso de la Oveja (2 days) or the Sierra Valdivieso Circuit (4 days). These treks cross part of the national park but start and end elsewhere. The Compania de Guias de la Patagonia and Club Andino Ushuaia can help with organization and renting gear. The fee for each day spent in the park is AR$170, but there is no extra charge for camping there. Guided treks start from $200. You can get there by rental car, taxi, bus (AR$300 round trip) or the Tren del Fin del Mundo (AR$540).
• Isla Navarino - Zodiac boat to Puerto Williams, one way $1,000. It's a 15-minute boat ride to Puerto Navarino and then the minibus takes you to Puerto Williams.
• Estancia Haberton - Open only in the summer months, Estancia Harberton is a worthwhile trip for those interested in the Bridges family and their role in the local history. It's the oldest farm on the island and quite a popular place to visit. It's about 60 km east of Ushuaia on the Beagle Channel and there is no public transport, but some tour companies arrange tours. Going there by rental car is also possible, and in that case you can also continue further along the coastal road to the farm Estancia Moat .
• Isla de los Estados is the only ocean island of Argentina. It's an uninhabited and protected natural area with fiords and mountains. However people are not allowed to land there, but just to look at it from a boat.
• Punta Arenas - Daily buses depart at 05:00 from the bus station (there is one now), $180-210
• Antarctica - Ushuaia is one of the largest, if not the largest port and airport for cruises and flights to Antarctica. There are three ways of getting in: normal (luxury) cruises, cruise expeditions and overflights. Most cruises go to South Georgia Island , South Orkney Islands , South Shetland Islands or the Antarctic Peninsula . The season is from November to March.

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Things to do in Ushuaia

Select by activity type: : All Contemplative Tourism Trekking Canopy Adventure Popular Holidays Mountain Bike Ski & Snowboard Gastronomy Museums Aviation Recreational Tourism Bird watching Off-Road Diving Boating

Beagle Channel Navigation

The excursions embarked through the Beagle Channel show a heritage rich in biodiversity, and a little further, tell stories of explorers.

Paseo del Fuego, a Cozy Shopping Mall

The city at the world’s end boasts its first shopping mall. A site of encounter where the latest fashion trends, indoor entertainment and supermarket shopping are combined.

Trekking Lake Icebergs and glacier Vinciguerra

The landscape around Vinciguerra Glacier and <i>Laguna de los Témpanos</i> (Ice Floe Lake) is closer to sci-fi than to reality. Explore the unbelievable.

Ushuaia city tour

The experience in Ushuaia is fed back when part of the history and its most significant or curious places are known. City tour proposal.

Canopy in Ushuaia

Canopy is a different way to discover Ushuaia and its entire natural environment with forests and glaciers. An adventure full of emotions like no other.

Festival Internacional de Ushuaia

La ciudad de Ushuaia se viste de gala para dar comienzo al Festival Internacional de Música Clásica.

There Is Nothing Like Cycling In The Summer

When the summer comes, days seem to be endless. That is why, the southernmost city in the world is the perfect location to cycle in the summertime. Cyclers may go on pedalling until sunset.

Ushuaia and its Winter Resorts

A few kilometers away from the City of Ushuaia, the southernmost in the world, there are various winter resorts which have been specially designed both for grown-ups and children. Amusement starts as soon as the snow begins to fall.

Fuegian History Theme Gallery

The museum halls revive the events and legends of this fascinating region at the world’s end. We have even read about some of them in books.

Towards the Great Lakes with Heliushuaia

Flying over the fantastic scenes of Tierra del Fuego on a helicopter is hard to imagine. Those who choose this adventure will certain have an experience second to none.

Cerro Alarkén Nature Reserve

The nature reserve is perfect to discover all the stages of the Fuegian forest and the immensity that appears beyond the sea, the hills and the glacial valleys.

Ski in Cerro Castor

In the end of Patagonia during its fourth winter season you will discover the newest ski resort in Argentina nearest to the end of the continent.

Dream environments in Cariló and Ushuaia

Cariló and Ushuaia are two dream destinations. The first with all the charm of its beaches; the second, with the frame of the mountain range unmatched.

The Longest Night in the World

Every year, the longest night in the world is celebrated in Ushuaia on June 21, when the city gets decked out and sleeping is forbidden.

Tourist reserve on the way to the Martial glacier

Road to the Martial Glacier brings together establishments committed to sustainable practices and environmental care. A tour to meet them.

Close to the Sky, Heliskiing and Snowboarding in Ushuaia

This new sport consists in reaching the best locations in the mountain by helicopter and then skiing downhill. A way for skiers' dreams to come true.

Navigating the Beagle Channel

A dream come true for many people: sailing the Beagle Channel undoubtedly is one of the greatest attractions in the City of Ushuaia.

Beagle, Premium Beer

Tasting a delicious mug of icy beer turns out to be satisfying at any season. There are labels for every taste.

Martial Glacier Ascent

Close to the city, Martial Glacier is a great option for nature lovers.

Off Road 4WD. The Best Experience in Ushuaia

An indescribable ride around wild scenes where adventure becomes mixed up with the experience of men in these lands. An incredible tour that unveils the most remote nooks of Ushuaia. Suitable for all audiences.

Paintball in Ushuaia

Paintball is a tactical and combat strategy game that is most popular as a sporting activity. In Ushuaia this activity has a natural framework that is a wonderful ally to practice it.

There Is Nothing Better Than Riding a Bike In the Winter

Ushuaia is a beautiful city to see while riding a bike and, though it may seem hard to believe, when the winter comes, this is the perfect outing. Even on ice, cyclists may enjoy memorable moments on a mountain bike.

Searching for Lake Esmeralda

Lake Esmeralda is a perfect outing in the surroundings of Ushuaia, ideal for hiking around in groups.

Scuba Diving in Southern Waters

Forests of algae plants, sea animals and mysterious shipwrecks make up the ideal setting for adventurers eager to explore the other side of the Beagle Channel, the one under the sea.

Malvinas War Memorial

This city saw the war against Great Britain from a very close distance. The deep local feeling was portrayed in a monumental work on Islas Malvinas Square.

Tierra del Fuego National Park

Created in 1960 to protect the southernmost forests by the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego National Park covers an area of 63,000 hectares.

Ushuaia: Host of the Interski

Ushuaia, an avant-garde city when it comes to international events, has welcomed the Interski 2015. Urban, sport and technological works have been carried out for such purpose.

Visiting Lake Fagnano

Upon crossing the Andes from Ushuaia, the Great Island of Tierra del Fuego features imposing natural scenes, among which famous Lake Fagnano emerges.

The End of the World Museum

The <i>Museo del Fin del Mundo</i> (End of the World Museum) holds a remarkable collection of pieces of the first expeditions and the indigenous people who inhabited these coasts.

Discovering Legendary <i>Estancia</i> Harberton

Visiting famous <i>estancia</i> Harberton is a way of understanding the City of Ushuaia, sailing the Beagle, seeing a colony of Magellanic penguins and much more.

Flying over Ushuaia by Helicopter

Attractions at the world’s end include a fascinating experience: watching the area from above.

The Maritime Museum, Prison at the End of the World

Ushuaia has grown by the sea, under the watchful gaze of the prison. Both museums, the Maritime and the Prison, bear witness to the passing of time.

Dog Winter next to Gato Curuchet

Valle de los Lobos is the name of Gato Curuchet’s sled dog kennels, one of the most imposing sites that may be visited in the surroundings of the City of Ushuaia.

Ushuaia´s Varied Cuisine

Gastronomy is one of the strengths of the City of Ushuaia. Praised both by locals and international tourists, it is well worth trying.

Mare Australis, a Tierra del Fuego Classic

Considered by many the most surprising outing in Ushuaia which everyone will love, even those who never dreamed of reaching Cape Horn

A Summer Day with Gato Curuchet.

When summer arrives in the southern hemisphere days grow longer and it’s time for the best excursions, like the ones Gato Curuchet provides.

Ushuaia, at the Tip of the Continent

As in all great tourist cities in the world, the best way to get to know the present and past of Ushuaia is the double decker city tour.

The End of the World Train

Passengers from all over the world come to glimpse a piece of Argentina´s history of the last century. The train is a ride that crosses those roads.

Tourism in Tierra del Fuego

The Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, on the southern end of the country, features must see natural charms. Ushuaia is the capital city of the Province and a first-class tourist pole.

Travel agency and activities in Ushuaia

Ski equipment rental

Jumping Rental Ushuaia

Travel and Tourist Agency

Brasileiros em Ushuaia Travel

Complejo Villa las Cotorras

Heliushuaia - Helicóptero y Avión

Ushuaia Blanca

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Hotels and accommodations in Ushuaia

Hostería Oikos

Espacios Inspiradores - Casa

Departamento La Rueda

3-star Apart Hotels

Los Arboles

Comarca Fueguina

Ushuhouse Apartments

Temporales Ushuaia

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Ushuaia, the provincial capital and tourism hub for the whole of Tierra del Fuego , lies in the far south of Isla Grande. Dramatically situated between the mountains – among them Cerro Martial and Monte Olivia – and the sea, the city tumbles, rather chaotically, down the hillside to the encircling arm of land that protects its bay from the southwesterly winds and occasional thrashing storms of the icy Beagle Channel. Ushuaia is primarily a convenient base for exploring the rugged beauty of the lands that border the channel, a historically important sea passage, but be warned that it exploits tourism to the full – prices vary between high and astronomical.

Brief history of Ushuaia

Getting to ushuaia, ushuaia travel information and tours, accommodation in ushuaia, eating in ushuaia, places to visit in and around ushuaia.

Puerto Williams lies just across the channel, on the southern (Chilean) side of the strait, and there are other trips as well: to historic Estancia Harberton and its small penguin colony, and to nearby Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego. In winter, there’s decent skiing in the Sierra Alvear region north of town; in warmer seasons, it’s also good for trekking.

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In 1869, Reverend Waite Stirling became Tierra del Fuego’s first white settler when he founded his Anglican mission among the Yámana communities here; the city takes its name from the Yámana language, and means something akin to “bay that stretches towards the west”. Stirling stayed for six months, before being recalled to the Islas Malvinas/Falklands Islands to be appointed Anglican bishop for South America. Thomas Bridges, his assistant, took over the mission in 1871, after which Ushuaia began to figure on mariners’ charts as a place of refuge in the event of shipwreck. Bridges went on to found the first estancia in Tierra del Fuego. A modest monument to the achievements of the early missionaries can be found where the first mission stood, on the south side of Ushuaia Bay.

The penal colony

In 1884, Commodore Augusto Lasserre raised the Argentine flag over Ushuaia for the first time, formally incorporating the area into the Argentine Republic. From 1896, in order to consolidate its sovereignty and open up the region to wider colonization, the Argentine state established a penal colony here. Forced convict labour was used for developing the settlement’s infrastructure and for logging the local forests to build the town, but the prison had a reputation as the “Siberia of Argentina” and Perón closed it in 1947.

Ushuaia today

Nowadays, Ushuaia has a quite different reputation: the most populous, and popular, city in Tierra del Fuego, it depends largely on its thriving tourist industry, capitalizing on the beauty of its natural setting. You’ll soon catch on that this is the world’s most southerly resort, allowing you to amass claims to fame galore – golf on the world’s most southerly course, a ride on the world’s most southerly train, and so on. Ushuaia has plenty of sites worthy of a visit on their own merits, but unfortunately tourism has been allowed to develop with scant regard for the unique character of the town, and has changed it almost beyond recognition. At certain moments you can still get a sense of the otherworldliness that used to make Ushuaia special, but if you are coming expecting a Chatwin-esque frontier town, you will be disappointed.

The international airport, Malvinas Argentinas , is 4km southwest of town. There’s no public transport; a taxi to the centre costs around $250. The Aerolíneas Argentinas office is at Maipú and 9 de Julio, and LADE is at Av San Martín 542.

There’s no single bus terminal; buses depart from their respective company offices. Buses Pacheco and Bus Sur (book both through Tolkeyen at San Martín 409) and Tecni Austral (book through Tolkar at Roca 157) run to Punta Arenas via Río Grande and Tolhuin; Bus Sur carries on to Puerto Natales ; Río Gallegos is served by Taqsa , also via Río Grande and Tolhuin; change in Río Gallegos for buses to El Calafate. These timetables are for the Nov–March period; out of season, services are reduced drastically.

Avis and Hertz have offices at the airport. Most companies do not permit you to take your rental car out of Argentina . Roads are fairly reliable Oct to early May; outside this period, carry snow chains and drive with caution.

Cruceros Australis operates luxury cruises between Ushuaia and Punta Arenas, with three-, four-, seven- and eight-day trips, including one retracing the route of Charles Darwin.

Tourist information

The tourist office is opposite the Muelle Turístico . There’s also a smaller branch at the airport.

Trekking and climbing information

Serious trekkers and climbers should contact the Club Andino Ushuaia , at Leandro N. Alem 2873, which can advise on longer treks outside the normally visited areas of the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego and put you in touch with qualified guides. Register here or at the tourist office before embarking on any independent trek or climb.

Canal Fun & Nature and Rumbo Sur offer a range of tours and day- trips, from kayaking and beaver-spotting to horseriding and dog-sledding. Birding Ushuaia provides birding-, wildlife- and nature-focused tours in and around Ushuaia, the national park, Estancia Harberton and the region as a whole.

In order to boast that you have been to the end of the world to ski or snowboard, you’ll need to visit between late May and early September – June to August are the most reliable months. Most runs are for beginners and intermediates, but several companies, such as Gotama Expediciones offer guided back-country skiing for the more advanced. Equipment rental is reasonable and there are a couple of downhill ( esqui alpino ) pistes close to Ushuaia: the small Club Andino, 3km from town, and the more impressive one up by Glaciar Martial, 7km away.

Better runs are to be had, however, in the Sierra Alvear, the resorts of which are accessed from the RN-3. These include the modern Cerro Castor centre, 27km from Ushuaia, with 15km of pistes in runs, including a few black ones, up to 2km long. The Sierra Alvear is also an excellent area for cross-country skiing ( esqui de fondo or esqui nórdico ). In addition, there are several winter-sports centres ( centros invernales ) along the Valle Tierra Mayor where you can try out snowmobiles, snowshoes, ice-skating and dog-sled trips ( trineos de perros ), including Valle de Lobos and Nunatak. Bear in mind that winter this far south entails short days, and it can be bitterly cold.

Antarctic cruises

Ushuaia lies 1000km north of Antarctica but is still the world’s closest port to the white continent. Most tourists pass through the city to make their journey across Drake’s Passage, the wild stretch of ocean that separates it from South America; the two-day crossing is notoriously rough.

The grandeur of Antarctica’s pack ice, rugged mountains and phenomenal bird and marine life will leave you breathless: whales, elephant and fur seals, albatrosses and numerous species of penguin. Kayaking, hiking, Zodiac boat trips and diving are among the activities on offer.

Regular cruise ships depart from November to March and most cruises last 8–21 days. Some of the longer cruises also stop at the South Atlantic islands (Islas Malvinas/ Falklands, South Georgia, the South Orkneys, Elephant Island and the South Shetlands) en route. Some ships are huge, carrying 500 passengers or more; travellers generally report a better experience on smaller vessels, plus the biggest ships are banned from landing passengers on Antarctica.

As an alternative to the cruises, several agencies, including Quark, also offer packages in which you fly from Punta Arenas (Chile) to Antarctica, explore by Zodiac boat for several days, and then fly back.

Booking a cruise

Cruises are very expensive, but you can sometimes get last-minute discounts (bringing trips to around US$4000/person in some cases) in Ushuaia, especially on the newest ships and on the companies’ last cruises of the season. Ushuaia’s Oficina Antártica, next to the tourist office, has details of current sailings and can advise on what each trip involves. Otherwise, try contacting the following agencies: Antarpply ; Canal Fun & Nature ; Rumbo Sur ; or Puerto Williams-based Sim Expeditions .

Whoever you book with, make sure they are a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), which promotes safe and environmentally responsible travel.

Recommended cruise companies

• Polar Latitudes Excellent operator with luxurious, 100-passenger ships and a range of itineraries lasting 11–22 days; the three-week voyage taking in the Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula is highly recommended. Kayaking, camping on the ice and an extensive “citizen science” programme (including penguin surveys, whale migration mapping and microplastics tests) are among the activities on offer.
• Quark Expeditions Offers a range of cruises, lasting 11–23 days; prices start at around US$7700 per person. Some vessels take as few at twelve passengers, giving you a more private and intimate experience, though you have to pay more for this privilege.

Ushuaia has a wide range of hotels, guesthouses and hostels, many of which are clustered along the first four streets parallel to the bay. Nonetheless, most get booked up in the height of summer, and all are expensive. The most attractive options tend to be up the mountainside on the road to Glaciar Martial, west towards the national park, or on the northeastern outskirts; some of these have shuttle buses into the centre.

The city centre has plenty of places to eat or grab a coffee, but many are tourist traps. You’ll get better-quality food at lower prices – and, often as not, breathtaking views into the bargain – if you move around a bit. The quality of cuisine in Ushuaia is generally pretty high and there are several places where you can splash out on a memorable meal and sample the local gastronomic pride, centolla . Prices are high; those on a tight budget should consider self-catering.

Antigua Casa de Gobierno

The best place to start exploring Ushuaia is down by the pier, the Muelle Turístico (Tourist Dock), where an obelisk commemorates Augusto Lasserre’s ceremony to assert Argentine sovereignty in this part of the world. Overlooking the sea from the other side of the street is the late nineteenth-century Antigua Casa de Gobierno, originally the governor’s house before being used by the local government and then the police. It has been restored to reflect its original use, so you get an idea of how the wealthy would have lived in Ushuaia’s early years.

Museo del Fin del Mundo

The worthwhile Museo del Fin del Mundo , a five-minute walk from the Antigua Casa de Gobierno, has exhibits on the region’s history and wildlife, including the polychrome figurehead of the Duchess of Albany , an English ship wrecked on the eastern end of the island in 1883, and a rare example of a Selk’nam–Spanish dictionary.

Museo Marítimo y Presidio

Ushuaia’s former prison is now the must-visit Museo Marítimo y Presidio , and houses a motley collection of exhibits, including meticulous scale-models of famous ships from the island’s history in the maritime section as you first enter. The prison building itself, though, is the main draw, an example of the panopticon style popularized by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, its wings radiating out like spokes from a half-wheel, most of which have now been opened to the public.

The cells in wing four are complete with gory details of the notorious criminals who occupied them, and details of prison life, with informative panels in Spanish and English. The most celebrated prisoner was early twentieth-century anarchist Simón Radowitzsky, whose miserable stay and subsequent brief escape in 1918 are recounted by Bruce Chatwin in In Patagonia.

Upstairs, fairly dry displays tell something of Antarctica and the history of its exploration, as well as prisons around the world. Wing three has been given over to an art museum and a gift shop, while wing two contains an art gallery with regularly changing exhibitions.

Finally, wing one, which has not been restored and contains no exhibits at all, is perhaps the most interesting – the unheated and bare cells with peeling walls are quite spooky, and give something of an idea of what it must have been like to have been locked up or working here.

Antigua Casa Bebán

Southwest of the centre, the Antigua Casa Bebán is a pavilion-style building with

a steep roof and ornamental gabling prefabricated in Sweden in 1913. It hosts exhibitions of photos and artwork, as well as occasional films, and is the venue for the Ushuaia Jazz Festival every November.

Glaciar Martial

For first-rate Beagle Channel views, head up to the hanging (and fast receding) Glaciar Martial. A chairlift (currently closed) runs from beside the Cumbres del Martial hotel, which has a great tearoom. During the winter, Glaciar Martial offers the closest decent skiing to Ushuaia. Canopy tours are on offer in peak season.

Beagle Channel

No trip to Ushuaia is complete without a voyage on the legendary Beagle Channel, the majestic, mountain-fringed sea passage south of the city. Most boat excursions start and finish in Ushuaia, and you get the best views of town looking back at it from the strait. Standard trips visit Isla Bridges, Isla de los Pájaros and Isla de los Lobos, looping around Faro Les Eclaireurs, sometimes erroneously called the Lighthouse at the End of the World – that title belongs to the beacon at the tip of Isla de los Estados – on their way back. Look out for the black-browed albatross, the thick-set giant petrel, southern skuas and the South American tern, as well as marine mammals such as sea lions, Peale’s dolphin, and the occasional minke whale.

Top image: A view of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego © ocphoto/Shutterstock

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Travel to Ushuaia, the essential guide

Here is a complete guide to travel to Ushuaia , the city at the end of the world and one of the main destinations if you are going to travel to Patagonia. Surrounded by high mountains, forests and on the shores of the Beagle Channel, it has unique landscapes.

Table of Contents

Orientation, travel to Ushuaia

Ushuaia is located in the extreme southwest of the island of Tierra del Fuego , on the shores of the Beagle Channel , an important maritime communication route between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It is a city that has grown a lot in number of inhabitants in the last decades, playing a fundamental role in tourism within Argentina .

Getting there and away

– direct flight to ushuaia.

If you are a foreigner arriving to the country through Buenos Aires, there are direct flights to Ushuaia from the Argentine capital all year round, with a flight duration of 3.5 hours and daily frequency. The airline that makes the trip (and has more frequency) is Aerolíneas Argentinas , the argentinian flag airline. Most flights from Buenos Aires depart from Jorge Newbery airport (also called Aeroparque), located in Buenos Aires city. Only one flight departs from Ezeiza International Airport.

If you are not in Buenos Aires, you can also fly directly from Córdoba or El Calafate with Aerolíneas Argentinas .

On the other hand, the airlines FlyBondy and JetSmart operate flights from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, with fairly frequent weekly flights. LADE also operates flights from Río Gallegos and Comodoro Rivadavia to Ushuaia , but with very low frequency.

✈️ Check here for cheap flights to Ushuaia .

The 5 km separating Ushuaia airport from the city center can be done by taxi or private transfer , but there is no public transportation.

– Getting to Ushuaia by bus

There are no direct buses between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, despite how long it would take for the distance (about 2,800 km). There are two options to get to Ushuaia by bus :

• From Río Gallegos in Argentina : Río Gallegos can be reached by bus from Buenos Aires, and then travel to Ushuaia from the Rio Gallegos Bus Terminal. The trip takes about 8 hours, including the ferry crossing through the Strait of Magellan and the border crossing between Argentina and Chile (to get to Ushuaia you have to cross Chilean territory).
• From Punta Arenas in Chile : it lasts 10 hours, including crossing the border and the ferry to cross the Strait of Magellan.

– Arriving in your own car or renting a car in Ushuaia

If you want to arrive by car to Ushuaia, you must use the ferry that crosses the Strait of Magellan and make the customs between Chile and Argentina. The ferry service is provided by the company Tabsa .

🚢 Check schedules and prices in the Tabsa official website .

If you drive from Argentina, you have to take RN 3 from Río Gallegos to the border crossing with Chile, then cross the Strait of Magallanes by ferry, then continue in Chilean territory, customs again to enter Argentine territory and reach Ushuaia. It is a trip that can last about seven hours, depending on the customs formalities and the ferry schedule.

🚗 Check here if you want to rent a car in Ushuaia .

Best time to travel to Ushuaia

Considering that it is located in the extreme south of the American continent, the climate in Ushuaia is very cold , with extremely low temperatures in winter and pleasant climate for hiking in summer. So if you are going to travel to Ushuaia, you should always wear a coat, no matter what time of year you go.

In Ushuaia in summer , daytime temperatures range from 10 to 15ºC (50 to 59ºF), although at night it cools down to below zero. This is the ideal time of year for hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park , sailing in the Beagle Channel and outdoor activities. The duration of sunlight in these months reaches 16 hours during the day, so it’s a plus point to travel to Ushuaia .

Travelling to Ushuaia in autumn has its charms, the maximum temperatures drop and the minimum temperatures usually go below zero. The color of the leaves of the trees changes, which offers a different landscape to other seasons of the year.

In Ushuaia in winter , the climate is very cold with maximum temperatures that do not exceed 5ºC (41ºF) and minimum below zero. This is the ideal time to enjoy ski resorts or sled in the snow. Keep in mind that the duration of sunlight is only six to seven hours in the day.

Ushuaia in spring mixes cold weather with the beginning of outdoor activity. During October you can hike on trails , while enjoying the high snow-capped peaks. The days begin to lengthen in terms of the duration of sunlight.

🔎 Want to live a unique experience near Patagonia? Check out our guide to travel to Antarctica .

Getting around Ushuaia

The city itself is small, you can easily walk and stroll along the shore of the Beagle Channel , as the distances are short. There are three public transportation lines that serve the city, you can check the route from here.

🚌 Check routes and schedules of the lines in the Ushuaia government website (in Spanish).

To pay the ticket, you have to buy a SUBE card (plastic card with the size of credit cards) and charge it at many of the stores that are “Puntos Sube”. Once on the bus, you have to tell the bus driver where are you going, hold your card over the electronic reader and the appropriate fare will be discounted from your SUBE card. You can also use the balance in other argentinian cities.

📌 See more in the SUBE official webpage (in Spanish).

If you want to go to the most touristic places in the surroundings, such as Tierra del Fuego National Park , Tren del Fin del Mundo or the ski resorts, you must do it with your own car, excursion, private transfer or taxis.

How many days are needed to visit Ushuaia

If you are on a trip to Patagonia Argentina, you should spend at least 2 days in Ushuaia . But if you want to fully explore the city, we recommend staying in Ushuaia for about 4 days , so that you can see most of the attractions.

What to pack to Ushuaia

Regardless of the time of year, Ushuaia is located in the extreme south of the country, so the weather is cold all year round .

Whether in summer or winter, you should bring a warm coat, a mackintosh and trekking shoes . Don’t forget sunscreen and sunglasses, especially if you go up the mountains and sail the Beagle Channel.

In winter, due to the presence of snow, you have to be careful when walking. It is advisable to be dressed in several layers of clothing , wearing a mackintosh on the last layer, of course, to avoid getting your clothes wet when the snow melts.

Is it possible to visit Ushuaia with children?

Of course you can, just the sighting of marine wildlife such as penguins, sea lions , a ride on the train at the end of the world and sending a postcard from the post office at the end of the world , are activities that they will undoubtedly enjoy.

Of course, always have warm clothes available for any outing, because the temperature can drop considerably in a few hours.

Accommodation in Ushuaia

🏨 Check here where to stay in Ushuaia and get your ideal accommodation.

Ushuaia must-see sights and attractions

There are many places of interest, especially the nature that surrounds the city with forests, mountains, the Beagle Channel and bays. If you want to know the essential things to do in Ushuaia check out our article top 5 places to see in Ushuaia .

Ushuaia is also an ideal destination for outdoor activities and sports such as trekking, sailing, mountain biking, and of course, skiing in the ski resort.

📷 Take a look at these tours in Ushuaia with a local agency. Book your place!

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The Ultimate Guide to Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego

Ushuaia is very often at the top of most people’s lists when traveling to Argentina . The world’s southernmost city is a draw precisely because of its location, but what else is going on in Ushuaia? We find out in our ultimate guide to the city at the end of the world.

Location and history.

Tierra del Fuego , Ushuaia’s home province, is in southern Argentina and is an archipelago separated from continental South America by the Strait of Magellan. It was discovered by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan on his 1520 expedition. Argentine Antarctica falls into the Tierra del Fuego province, and, when in Argentina, it is wise to consider Las Islas Malvinas (or the Falkland Islands in English) as constituting Argentine territory, although technically these islands are considered as British overseas territories.

Tierra del Fuego means “Land of Fire” in English, and is the southernmost province in Argentina, with the provincial capital of Ushuaia being commonly known as the southernmost city in the world, giving it the name “End of the World.” Ushuaia means “bay looking into the west” in the ancient Indian tongue of Yamana, and it is bound by the Martial Mountains to the north and by the Beagle Channel to the south, locking it between land and sea.

Tierra del Fuego is famous for many reasons, one of the most interesting being that, as a young naturalist, Charles Darwin came to Tierra del Fuego and spent over four years in Patagonia researching and gathering information on the local flora, fauna and indigenous Indian cultures. Traveling with an expedition led by Captain FitzRoy on the HMS Beagle that set sail from Plymouth, England in 1831, Darwin spent just over three years exploring the land of Tierra del Fuego, and a further 18 months trawling the seas, straits, and passages around the archipelago. Many of his findings, including conclusions made about three captured Fuegian Indians that had spent a year in England and were taken back to Patagonia as missionaries, hugely influenced what would later become his Theory of Evolution.

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Although it has a subpolar oceanic climate, because it is surrounded by forests, Ushuaia and its environs enjoy a relatively mild climate considering the location. In winter, temperatures average 34.9F (1.6C) degrees, and in summer 50.5F (10.3C) degrees. However, due to the unpredictable Patagonian weather, it is perhaps best to go in spring or summer, as the weather is more likely to be sunny, although Ushuaia suffers from fairly consistent cloud cover. Avoid in winter unless you want to partake in some of the winter sports on offer.

What to see and do

There are many things to see and do in Ushuaia, but it is mainly famed for the wealth of natural landscapes to enjoy. Ushuaia city is used as a base by many tourists who want to explore the surrounding waterways and mountains, but the city itself has a lot to offer. The Glacier Martial is accessible from Ushuaia, but the walk is long and many people prefer to get an inexpensive taxi from the town to the base, and then hike or get the chairlift (often only running in summer) from there. The hike to the glacier provides beautiful views out over Ushuaia and the bay.

The Tierra del Fuego National Park, seven miles (11km) from Ushuaia, is also a well-worn haunt for nature and outdoor lovers, and there are many well-marked trails and short hikes for those wishing to spend the day exploring the park independently. For those who want to see a bit more, longer trails and hikes are available; El Paso de la Oveja, or “Sheep’s Pass” takes two days, whereas a longer trek of four days can be done on the Sierra Valdivieso Circuit. The park also has two beautiful lakes and some waterfalls.

There are many museums, including Museo del Fin del Mundo , which has a large bird exhibition, and Museo Mundo Yamana , which explains the indigenous history of the local Yamana Indians. One of the biggest attractions is the Maritime Museum and Presidio Prison . Located on the same site, you can visit the Maritime Museum and also gain entrance to the prison. Ushuaia was once the location of a former military base and penal colony, and the prison itself, “the Prison at the End of the World,” is well preserved and worth a visit.

The End of the World Train is another fun outing that may appeal to those who prefer a more leisurely holiday activity. The End of the World Station is five miles (8km) from Ushuaia and takes passengers through the Toro Gorge and the national park and forest, ending at the El Parque Station. Another right of passage for any visitor to Ushuaia is to get their passport stamped and to send a postcard home from the End of the World, both of which can be done at the post office in the town center.

Arguably the most popular activity in Ushuaia is to sail the Beagle Channel. The channel was named after the HMS Beagle, the ship that brought Darwin on expedition to Patagonia. The channel is roughly 150 miles (240km) long and can be explored by the many catamarans that leave frequently from Ushuaia where the mountains and forests can be better appreciated from afar. You can also see the lighthouse at the End of the World from the Beagle Channel boat trip, or take a short boat tour out to it from Ushuaia itself. Ushuaia is also the jumping-off point for those wishing to visit Antarctica, and cruises leave from the port, but must be booked far in advance, as spaces and departures are limited due to the protected nature of Antarctica.

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Best things to do in Ushuaia, the capital of the end of the world

Seven years after our first visit, we return to Tierra del Fuego to rediscover the best things to do in Ushuaia, the capital of the end of the world

There are few places left in the world that still evoke the romance of old-world exploration. They inspire nostalgia for a time we never knew; places to which we’ve never been.

We know their names in the same way we know Neverland and Narnia: shrouded in legend and lore. Cartagena , Antarctica , the Northwest Passage and Vinson Massif. Even men sounded greater then: Drake, Amundsen, Livingstone and Shackleton.

Amid these legendary places surely lies space for Tierra del Fuego, the southern tip of Argentina and the famed “end of the world”, the last huddle of humanity before the wilderness of Antarctica.

It’s with this sense of awe that we set foot in Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego nestled between the Martial mountains to the north and the Beagle Channel to the south.

Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to explore the area. Sailing for the Spanish Crown in 1520, he happened upon the natives’ numerous fires across the land and thus was born the moniker Tierra del Fuego, or “Land of Fire”.

In reality, Tierra del Fuego is a frigid land of changing landscapes. In summer, it is clear and crisp; in winter, it is heavy and imposing. We have seen it in both seasons and winter is undoubtedly more beautiful. If you’re travelling onwards to Antarctica, however, summer is the only option. Either way, there are plenty of things to do in Ushuaia, the best of which we share below.

Best things to do in Ushuaia

Ushuaia is a destination in and of itself. We spent four days there in winter 2015 as part of our trip around the world , and returned there in summer 2022 en route to Antarctica. Either way, it’s worth stopping for a few days to explore the best things to do in and around Ushuaia.

Museo Marítimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia

This former prison has been converted to the Maritime and Prison Museum of Ushuaia . The eerie corridors and cells once held the country’s most notorious criminals, among them anarchist Simón Radowitzky and 16-year-old serial killer Cayetano Santos Godino.

Today, the complex has a less gory purpose. Its separate wings showcase different aspects of life in Tierra del Fuego, from naval and aerial history to modern-day art. Tickets aren’t available online and so must be bought on site. (Tip: Take USD with you and convert to local currency on the ground as your money will go much further.)

Plaza Islas Malvinas

We paused at Plaza Islas Malvinas, a memorial dedicated to the fallen soldiers of the Falklands War. The Wall of Remembrance contains the names of 649 Argentine servicemen who lost their lives in the conflict.

The Falklands – which are still claimed by Argentina – are known as Las Islas Malvinas here. If you find yourself in a political discussion, be sure to use the local name and not the British one.

Tren del Fin de Mundo

The Tren del Fin de Mundo , or End of the World Train, once shuttled prisoners into nearby forest to collect wood and stone. Today, it transports tourists from Ushuaia to Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego and completes the final 7km of what was once the prisoners’ journey. The route takes in vast scenic landscapes, a waterfall, a ‘tree cemetery’ and swathes of lenga forest.

The train station is located 8km from Ushuaia, so passengers will need to organise transport to and from the site. The train is popular with tourists so pre-book tickets if you don’t want to miss your ride.

Passport stamp at the end of the world

The end of the world offers one of the coolest passport stamps in the world. Visit the tourist office at Prefectura Naval Argentina 470 to get your passport stamped.

Ink pads and stamps are set out on a surface towards the back and you can use them as you see fit. We were travelling to the seventh continent , so stamped our passports with both Ushuaia and Antarctica.

Museo del Fin del Mundo

The Museo del Fin del Mundo , also known as the End of the World Museum, provides little more than 30-45 minutes of entertainment, but is worth visiting for posterity alone.

Built in 1903, the former bank now displays exhibits on natural history, birdlife, natives and early penal colonies. If you do visit, be sure to ask about the museum’s second section which is housed in a different building.

Best things to do around Ushuaia

The map below shows the best things to do in and around Ushuaia. Pink pins show sights that are within the city and yellow pins show sights nearby.

Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse

Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse can be reached by a short boat ride on the Beagle Channel. The Argentines call it Faro del Fin del Mundo or Lighthouse at the End of the World, not to be confused with the San Juan de Salvamento lighthouse on the more easterly Isla de los Estados, made famous by the Jules Verne novel The Lighthouse at the End of the World .

Laguna Esmeralda

The 9km hike to Laguna Esmeralda is one of the most popular from Ushuaia. The trail is moderate but traverses extremely muddy terrain, so pack good hiking shoes, galoshes and walking sticks if possible. Those who brave the mud will be rewarded by the green glacial waters of Laguna Esmeralda, snow-capped mountains and dense ancient forest.

The trailhead is a few kilometres northeast of Ushuaia. You can take a shuttle or taxi to the trailhead to hike it independently or book a guided trip . Note that you cannot enter the trail after 3pm in spring-summer or 1pm in autumn-winter, so plan accordingly.

Isla Martillo (Penguin Island)

Nearby Isla Martillo, or Penguin Island, allows visitors to walk among penguins. Sadly, we didn’t visit the island ourselves as it was closed the first time we visited. The second time, we were en route to Antarctica and due to see a multitude of penguins anyway. Viator offers a number of well-reviewed tours (see below), so we recommend booking one of them.

Glacier hiking

Glacier Martial and Glacier Vinciguerra are both reachable by day hikes from Ushuaia. The trailhead for the first is a few kilometres north of Ushuaia and easily accessible by road (book a taxi or return minibus).

CC; Shutterstock

Martial glacier (left) and vinciguerra glacier (right).

The Martial Glacier Trail itself is 6km, but you can cut out part of the uphill section by opting to take a chairlift. The glacier itself doesn’t rival Perito Moreno – especially in the summer – but it does offer picturesque views of Ushuaia across and the Beagle Channel.

The Vinciguerra Glacier Trail is deeper in the mountains and longer, harder and muddier, but hikers are rewarded with arguably prettier views.

Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego

Finally, don’t miss Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego (Tierra del Fuego National Park). The departing bus companies are a few minutes from the tourist office but if you pre-arrange the trip, they can pick you up from your hotel.

At Tierra del Fuego National Park, we found the isolation we expected, both bleak and beautiful in its snow-capped glory. With expansive panoramas of echoing mountains in the still winter air, the park is undoubtedly one of the best things to do in Ushuaia.

After several hours of hiking, we rounded off our visit with a warm drink by an open fire. What better way to spend our last day at the end of civilisation?

Things to do in Ushuaia: The Essentials

What: Things to do in Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego in Argentina.

Where: We stayed at a charming bed and breakfast called Mysten Kepen , eight minutes from the centre of town. Hosts Rosario and Roberto are incredibly warm and welcoming (Spanish speaking only) and put on an excellent breakfast in the mornings. The rooms are cosy and comfortable with reliable hot water – much needed in the winter chill. Higher-end hotels are further out of town, but the apartments at Ushuaia Drake Departamentos are centrally located and well reviewed.

When: We first visited at the end of May just as the first snow hit the ground. It was beautiful but there are more activities available outside of the southern winter.

November to March is best for hiking and visiting penguins, mid-November to mid-April is best for fly fishing and July to September is best for skiing, snowboarding and dog sledging. Most Antarctic expeditions leave from November to March.

How: You can get to Ushuaia by bus from El Chaltén and El Calafate (via Rio Gallegos) in Argentina (see Taqsa Patagonia for schedules and prices). Buses also run from Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas in Chile (see Buses Pacheco ). Domestic flights are also available. Book via  skyscanner.net .

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Ushuaia Travel Guide: Journey to the End of the World

• Argentina , Patagonia , South America , Walks
• Updated: May 19, 2024

Nestled at the southernmost tip of South America, Ushuaia is a place where the boundaries of civilisation meet the untamed wilderness of Patagonia.

Being a long-time lover of the Arctic regions , naturally I’ve been dreaming of visiting Antarctica for years. Unfortunately, the reality of stepping foot on Antarctica would require me to sell off one of my kidneys to afford the trip. Since that is something I’m not prepared to do (at least not quite yet), I travelled to the next best place: Ushuaia. 

One of the southernmost cities in the world, Ushuaia sits at the bottom tip of Argentina  on the island of Tierra del Fuego . Dubbed the End of the World and operating as the main gateway to Antarctica. Explorers have been landing on its shores for centuries now in a quest to reach the South Pole, but recently, ordinary folk like me come for the nature and in the name of adventure.

The main point of this article is to convince you that Ushuaia is a final destination in itself, not just the starting point to reach Antarctica. It offers so much to do and see, particularly in the form of nature-based pursuits.

It was the highlight of my trip to Argentina, so I’ve put together this Ushuaia travel guide in case you’re planning a trip to Argentina and wondering whether it’s worth the journey down. 

With its breathtaking natural beauty, unique wildlife, and fascinating history, Ushuaia is a destination that lingers in the memory long after you’ve left its shores. If those things haven’t already captured your attention, then now would be a good time to mention that you’ll have the opportunity to see some adorable penguins in their natural habitat. 

You don’t have to be an adrenaline junkie to enjoy Ushuaia either. In the city, you’ll find surprisingly good restaurants, interesting museums, great shops selling hand-made leather goods to top-of-the-range outdoor clothing brands, and a variety of incredible walks and hikes depending on your comfort levels. 

It’s also the small things that make Ushuaia special. Similar to being in the Arctic, the sky has a special light that looks like it’s breaking into the heavens. After golden hour it transforms into pillows of burning red and orange, before diffusing into shades of purple and blue before nightfall. 

Whether you’re drawn to its pristine landscapes, crisp air, or inspired by its spirit of adventure, a visit to the End of the World will be a journey you won’t soon forget. It’s not the easiest place to reach, but its worth it when every moment feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  

Ushuaia Travel Guide - Everything you need to know

Getting to Ushuaia

Ushuaia is accessible by air, with Malvinas Argentinas International Airport (USH) serving as the primary entry point.

Several airlines offer regular flights to Ushuaia with the most popular starting point being from Buenos Aires .

I flew to Ushuaia from Buenos Aires which took approximately 3h 30m. Afterwards I flew from Ushuaia to El Calafate (approx 1h) to explore more of Patagonia, i.e. Perito Moreno Glacier . Then I flew back to Buenos Aires from El Calafate for a few days before heading to Rio de Janeiro.

You can also reach Ushuaia by sea, with cruise ships and ferries arriving at the city’s port.

Best time to visit

Ushuaia experiences a subpolar oceanic climate, characterised by cold winters and cool summers. 

The best time to go would be December until March as these are the summer months and many outdoor activities are possible, but the region can be visited any time from September until April. I visited at the beginning of November and the temperature was nippy but nice and stable. Also, this time of year isn’t very busy, so nowhere really feels crowded or touristy which is a bonus.

The winter (May until August) is very cold and dark, but if you like snow sports like skiing and snowboarding, it might still be an option for you.

A brief history of Ushuaia

Ushuaia’s history is a fascinating one that traces the city’s evolution from indigenous territories to a remote penal colony, a bustling naval base, and today it has become a tourist destination and gateway to polar expeditions. 

Long before Ushuaia became a city, the region was inhabited by indigenous peoples , including the Yaghan and Selk’nam. These resilient communities had adapted to the challenging climate and landscape, relying on fishing, hunting, and gathering for their sustenance. The Yamana Museum which has now unfortunately closed was dedicated to learning about the history and life of these first settlers. Alternatively, I recommend going to the City Museum which also shines a light on the indigenous cultures of Ushuaia,

Ushuaia’s history is also strongly intertwined with the age of exploration. In the 16th century, European explorers, such as Ferdinand Magellan and Sir Francis Drake, ventured into the treacherous waters of Tierra del Fuego, passing by the future site of Ushuaia. In 1833 Darwin set sail on the Beagle voyage, passing through the canals of Tierra del Fuego to cement Ushuaia’s place in the history books. 

Ushuaia’s next transformation began in the late 19th century when the Argentine government established a penal colony on the shores of the Beagle Channel. The remote location made it an ideal spot to house Argentina’s most notorious criminals. The prisoners were put to work constructing the city and building roads. The original prison, known as Presidio de Ushuaia, is now the Museo Marítimo y del Presidio, a museum where you can learn about this period of history.

You can read more here about how Ushuaia transformed from a penal colony to tourist destination. 

Best things to do in Ushuaia

• Tierra del Fuego National Park:  The best place to explore lush forests, lakes, a rugged coastline and even some small beaches. There are hiking trails, including the famous Coastal Path, and opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife spotting. You can go on your own via bus, taxi or train (see below) from the city. Alternatively, you can join one of the guided tours which I recommend so you’ll be in expert hands of those with knowledge of the local flora and fauna.

• End of the World Train: Ride the historic “Train of the End of the World,” which offers a glimpse into the region’s history, including its penal colony past. The entire trip is only 7 kms (4.3 miles) and ends at Tierra del Fuego National Park. Therefore, if you’re not doing a guided walking tour of the park, the train is a fun and memorable way to get there.  

• Beagle Channel:  Join an invigorating boat tour on the Beagle Channel to view iconic landmarks like Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse and appreciate the stunning marine wildlife, including indigenous birds and sea lions. The sheer amount of wildlife and bird plop around the lighthouse has resulted in these rocks being rather stinky – just a note of warning! 🙂

• The penguins of Martillo Island:  The highlight of my incredible trip to Ushuaia was stepping foot onto Martillo Island, located on the southernmost reaches of Patagonia and famed for being home to hundreds of adorable  penguins , particularly the beloved Magellanic and Gentoo penguins. While I’ve still not been to Antarctic, seeing this beauties up-close made me feel like I almost have! For more information about this trip read more here . 

• Martial Glacier:  The hike to Martial Glacier takes you up the mountains surrounding Ushuaia and offers gorgeous views across the Beagle Channel. It’s quite a challenging route and takes around 2 to 3 hrs. The easiest and most convenient way to get to the starting point (Refugio de Montana) is by taxi.
• Skiing and Snow Sports: In the winter, enjoy skiing and snowboarding at Cerro Castor, the southernmost ski resort in the world.

Accommodation in Ushuaia

Whether you’re seeking a cosy bed and breakfast, a boutique hotel, or a larger resort, you’ll find choices that provide comfort and charm in this unique destination. Here are my recommendations:

Antarctica Hostel is one of the best hostels in town, and certainly the most centrally located. It offers both private and mixed dorms. The prices are slightly higher than most hostels but the quality is above standard and accommodation in Ushuaia is relatively expensive.

If you’re looking to meet other people and hopefully some fun characters, you’ll be sure to hear. There’s also a large communal area, and a kitchen to cook your own stuff.

My friend and I stayed at Pacífico Apartamentos and I couldn’t recommend it more highly! I think it’s very good value considering how clean, modern, spacious and cosy everything is in the apartment. It also has all the amenities you need to ensure a comfortable and relaxing stay in Ushuaia.

The location is great, just a short walk away from the city centre. The views from the balcony are lovely, and there’s also parking available if you have a hire car.

If you’re looking to indulge,  Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort is the place for it. As well as having all the usual amenities, you’ll also have access to a swimming pool, outdoor hot tubs, sauna rooms and treatment facilities such as hammam and Turkish baths.

Located just outside the city on nature’s doorstep, you can enjoy stunning views across the bay and endless hiking opportunities from the site.

So have I convinced you to go to Ushuaia now?

If you’re looking for more places to visit in Patagonia, I highly recommend Bariloche, El Chalten and El Calafate.

Are you planning a trip to Ushuaia?

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16 Epic Things to Do in Ushuaia Argentina

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What are the best things to do in Ushuaia, Argentina?  It’s the southernmost city in the world, but how do you commemorate that? Is Ushuaia worth a trip on its own, or just a brief stopover on your way to Antarctica?

Honestly, I didn’t have high expectations for Ushuaia, what to do or what to see. I was just there for a few days before my life-changing Antarctica trip and while I was curious about the city, I didn’t think it would be that impressive. After all, aren’t there much more beautiful places like Torres del Paine and El Chaltén?

Planning your trip to Ushuaia last minute?

Ushuaia tends to book up quickly. Book ahead to avoid disappointment!

💃🏻 Top Experiences and Tours in Ushuaia :

• Tour Tierra del Fuego National Park (My #1 recommendation!)
• Send the penguins on Martillo Island (Only if you’re not heading to Antarctica!)
• Cruise the Beagle Channel (Easy half-day excursion)

🛌  Top-Rated Hotels in Ushuaia :

• Los Cauquenes Resort & Spa (Top-rated luxury option)
• Tango B&B (Family-run hotel with views)
• Antarctica Hostel (Fun budget option)

🚗 Renting a car from the Ushuaia Airport? Find deals on car rental rates here.

I was wrong. The scenery surrounding Ushuaia and the southern tip of Argentina is STUNNING. It began with a flight that descended through a web of jagged black mountains reminiscent of crow feathers.

Soon the mountains gave way to grassy hills, bright blue seas, and peaks of all colors in every direction.

And the lakes! Tierra del Fuego National Park introduced me to bright teal lakes and the turquoise coastline leading to the Beagle Channel. No wonder they call this the land of fire.

Ushuaia Argentina was definitely worth a few days of my time. Here’s how you should spend your time there.

This post was most recently updated in January 2023.

Table of Contents

Why You Should Visit Ushuaia Before Antarctica

When scheduling my flights for my Antarctica trip, I made sure to arrive in Ushuaia one full day earlier than necessary. Why? I was terrified that my luggage would be lost. Antarctica is NOT a place where you can pop over to H&M to pick up some essentials (even though there is a shop with winter gear on board). I wanted the extra day just in case I had to wait an extra 24 hours for my luggage.

Turns out I didn’t have to worry; my luggage arrived with me on my flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia Airport. But soon I realized I had lucked out — giving myself a full extra day in Ushuaia allowed me to book a sightseeing excursion and check out things to do in Ushuaia!

If you’re on your way to Antarctica, there’s no need to book a penguin cruise in Ushuaia — it will pale in comparison to Antarctica.  Plus, you might get to see the lighthouse on the way out and on the way back.

Instead, prioritize land-based excursions, like a tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park .

Don’t plan on doing any sightseeing when you come back from Antarctica. After 10+ days with limited internet access, you’ll probably want to go straight to a coffeeshop with wifi and catch up on everything you missed.

Ushuaia Argentina FAQs

Ushuaia is located at the tip of Argentina on the Beagle Channel and is known for being the busy port city for Antarctica cruises. It also holds the title as the southernmost town on the American continent and in the world.

By far, the best thing to do in Ushuaia is to visit Tierra del Fuego National Park . Other memorable activities include seeing penguins on Martillo Island and cruising Beagle Channel.

The easiest way and most direct way to get to Ushuaia is via one of the daily flights from Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. You can also fly from Rio Gallegos (1 hour) or take a bus and boat from Punta Arenas, Chile, through the Magellan Straits (a long trip of 12 hours).

If you’re heading out on an Antarctic expedition, I recommend giving yourself at least one extra day in Ushuaia but two is better for exploring. If you’re visiting Ushuaia itself, 3 to 5 days is perfect, depending on which activities you’re planning.

Things to Do in Ushuaia Argentina

If you’re traveling to Ushuaia and not going to Antarctica, just go for everything!  See penguins, go on cruises, see the national park, do it all.

If you’re traveling to Ushuaia without going to Antarctica, you’re probably doing a longer Patagonia trip. In that case, it’s smart to plan out what activities you can do in each of your destinations and seeing what you should prioritize in each place.

In that case, I would prioritize seeing the Beagle Channel and seeing penguins — these are the best things to do in Ushuaia that you can’t replicate in other parts of Argentina.

I would not prioritize glacier trekking in Ushuaia if you’re already planning to visit Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park, further north in El Calafate, Patagonia. Anything compared to Perito Moreno will be a disappointment.

Tierra del Fuego National Park

Visiting Tierra del Fuego National Park was my favorite activity I did in Ushuaia. (Tierra del Fuego translates to “land of fire”.)

I had no idea that it was so beautiful in this part of the world! This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been in Latin America. And it definitely helped that the weather cooperated that day!

There are several versions of this tour that take place; I took this half-day tour . We began with a ride on the Tren del Fin del Mundo (train to the end of the world).

Ushauia used to be home to a prison penal colony, and the prisoners cut down trees as part of their labor. This train was used for transporting the timber.

Today, the prison is closed, but the train has reinvented itself as a way for tourists to explore the national park.

We got to see some nearby waterfalls, too.

From there we took a ride to a lookout. I would SO love to bring a picnic out here…

After this we took a trip to the post office, where I got my passport stamped and sent a postcard (see more on that below). Next up was a gentle hike through the park, taking in the many colors of the landscape.

A wooden path built over the marsh took us to our final destination…

…this glorious bit of coastline on the shores of the Beagle Channel. Doesn’t it make you want to take a dip?

I loved this tour. I love that it covered so much different scenery and some of the quintessential experiences in the area within a short time period. This tour really made me fall in love with Tierra del Fuego in a way that I didn’t expect. And if you only have one day, this is what to do in Ushuaia.

The only problem is that the lighting conditions weren’t great for photography. But honestly, with Ushuaia being so far south, if you visit in the summer months, you’re going to struggle with the light.

This is the half-day tour I did. You can also combine it with a Beagle Channel Tour to make it a full-day tour.

If you have longer to explore and are heading to Chile after, you can take a cruise from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas, Chile that will take you through Tierra del Fuego to Chile, with a stop at Cape Horn.

Fun fact: Ushuaia is the capital of Tierra del Fuego but the park itself is split between Argentina and Chile.

Patagonian Cuisine at Kalma Resto

If you want to have one special meal in Ushuaia, I highly recommend Kalma Resto .  This place is outstanding — probably the most interesting meal you could find in town.

I’m not a huge fan of Argentine cuisine in general — the steak is fantastic, as is the red wine — but move beyond that and it’s a carb parade of pizza, pasta, empanadas, bread, and sweets.

This fresh, creative Patagonian tasting menu, helmed by Indigenous people for thousands of years, was an antidote to my former experiences with Argentine cuisine.

Pictured above, I started with nuts and levistico bread, canelo, focaccia and lactonesa.

It was followed by the following courses:

Cured lamb loin, sambayon, centollón little ball. Centollón is a kind of crab — these were basically fried crab balls!

Wild salmon tartare, forest berries, vinegar gel. This was my favorite course and reminded me of many dishes I’ve had in the Nordic countries.

Fuegian centollón cappelletti with vegetable extract and levistico pesto. I love that this soup was served with panache, poured right into my bowl!

Fin del mundo “Entraña,” spring carrots and alfalfa sprouts. Entraña is skirt steak, one of the most popular cuts in Argentina. So juicy and delicious.

Three milks cake, sea celery meringue and dulce de leche. The perfect quirky end to a perfect quirky meal.

Everything was fantastic, from beginning to end. At one point the chef came out and we chatted about the menu. Nobody was around when I sat down (at around 8:00 PM, very early for Argentines), but by the time I left the tourist groups were arriving en masse.

I have the feeling Kalma Resto is going to be on lists of what to do in Ushuaia soon. Definitely make a reservation here if possible.

Check with the restaurant  for the current prices and check xe.com for the current exchange rate. Because the value of Argentine pesos fluctuates so wildly, I recommend contacting Kalma Resto for the current prices beforehand.

Other top-rated Ushuaia restaurants include Puerto Pirata Aldea de Pescadores, Restaurant Orange, and Restaurante Le Martial.

Explore the City of Ushuaia

Ushuaia is a fun city to explore for a day or two. The population is about 60,000, but 50 years ago it was closer to 5,000. In short, the city of Ushuaia is a new city, a young city, and a city built around the demand for tourism. The population swells during the southern hemisphere’s summer months (December to March).

Walk around main street and downtown Ushuaia, take photos, and enjoy the colorful homes and street art. Sit in cafes and enjoy some coffee with  medialunas (little Argentine croissants). If you’re looking to do shopping, Ushuaia is one of the better places to find outdoor gear shops and souvenir shops in Argentina.

If you want to so some sightseeing in Ushuaia, I recommend the Museo del Fin del Mundo (museum of the end of the world) and the Museo Marítimo (Maritime Museum). These are good things to do in Ushuaia if it’s raining.

Have a Guinness at the Southernmost Irish Pub in the World

Man, is there anywhere on the planet that DOESN’T have an Irish pub?! You may scoff at the sight of an Irish pub in Paris or Rome…but sometimes they’re welcome sights when you’re exhausted and need something familiar.

And in Ushuaia, an Irish pub called Dublín claims to be the southernmost Irish pub in the world. That’s an interesting statistic. What better place to grab a Guinness?

There is a nice selection of beer here and a very lively crowd, especially in the evenings.

Send a Postcard From the End of the World

There is a tiny post office on stilts located in Tierra del Fuego National Park, and if you’re on a tour, you’ll likely stop there. They sell postcards at the shop and you can buy postage to send a postcard right from there.

This is what to do in Ushuaia if you have kids in your life — they’ll be excited to receive a penguin postcard from the bottom of the world!

Don’t expect your postcard to arrive in a timely manner. My friends actually got my Antarctica postcard (which traveled from a British base south of the Antarctic Circle to the Falkland Islands, then Britain, then the US) before they got my Tierra del Fuego postcard.

Get a Giant Souvenir Passport Stamp

It can be fun to get a souvenir stamp in your passport! I’ve gotten them from Liechtenstein and Stonington Island, Antarctica.

I had room to spare in my passport, so I got this at the post office of Ushuaia, Patagonia, in Tierra del Fuego National Park. El Fin del Mundo, indeed!

I had NO IDEA it would be this big, though! I thought it would be a tiny one-square stamp! Just make sure you have enough space in your passport before you get it.

2023 Update: Some people recommend not getting souvenir passport stamps these days, so double-check the pros and cons before you get it. I personally would not get any souvenir stamps today.

See the Penguins on Martillo Island

If you’re not heading to Antarctica, this is as south as you’re going — so you might as well see some penguins while on the way! Just a short boat trip away are penguin colonies. Martillo Island is one of the best spots to see them, and you’ll learn the most while on a day trip tour with a naturalist guide.

Penguins are sociable animals and while you should never walk up to them, they very well may approach you out of curiosity! Perfect for getting the penguin selfie you’ve always wanted.

Martillo Island is easily done as a half-day excursion from Ushuaia.

Cruise the Beagle Channel

Ushuaia is perched on the Argentine side of the Beagle Channel. Look straight ahead and you’re actually looking at Chilean land! Travel further down the channel and you’ll hit Puerto Williams, a small Chilean outpost and a far more remote location than Ushuaia.

On shorter visits, you’ll get to marvel at the scenery, sail past colonies of sea lions, pass the Lighthouse Les Eclaireurs, and stop for some brief hiking. Some of the best views of Ushuaia are from the channel.

Book a half-day Beagle Channel cruises here  or book a full-day tour with a side trip to Estancia Harberton .

Hike Vinciguerra Glacier or Albino’s Eye Glacier

With all the heavy Argentine cuisine you’ll be consuming, you’ll want to burn it off — and is there a better way to do so than hiking through the countryside to a glacier?

This hike to Vinciguerra Glacier is more about climbing through the valley.   You’ll climb upwards through the Andorran Valley and past a river and the Tempanos Lagoon until you reach the glacier. You’ll want to be in shape for this one as it’s fairly intense.

Alternatively, book a longer glacier trek to Albino’s Eye Glacier . This trek involves more climbing on the ice and lasts longer (10 hours as opposed to 8). This is one of the best things to do in Ushuaia if you’re looking for a physical challenge.

Trek to Laguna Esmeralda

When you think about lakes in Patagonia, the bright turquoise lakes of Torres del Paine, Chile, probably come to mind. But there is a scintillatingly beautiful lake close to Ushuaia: Laguna Esmeralda. This is one of the best Instagram spots in the Ushuaia region.

To get here, you’ll need to trek. It’s about a two-hour trekking journey from the road if you want to do it independently. Otherwise, you can join a group with a guide.

Check the latest rates on Laguna Esmeralda treks here.

Argentina is considered one of the world’s best ski destinations in the Southern Hemisphere, and the world’s southernmost city is no exception when it comes to winter sports.

This is a very seasonal activity, with the ski season lasting from late June to late September, so keep that in mind when planning your trip. (This is also the opposite of the best time to visit Tierra del Fuego.)

Popular areas to ski include Martial Glacier (Glaciar Martial) and ski resorts like Cerro Castor .

Try to Get a Discount Antarctica Cruise at the Last Minute

Warning — this is a very risky gamble, but it can pay off! Ushuaia, as the southern tip of South America, is the starting point for most Antarctic cruises.

Antarctica expeditions are extremely expensive, but if you show up at the Ushuaia offices of the major expedition companies, you can often get a last-minute discount if they have seats to sell. Nobody wants empty spots on their Antarctica cruise ships, so they’d rather sell it for less than let it go empty.

How much of a discount can you get? It varies. One passenger on my cruise showed up at the office last minute and got a private room at the rate of sharing a triple.

How much of a discount should you expect? Around 25-30% seems to be the average, depending on how busy it is, and definitely don’t plan on a discount of more than 50%.

Best Time to Visit Ushuaia Argentina

Ushuaia weather never gets too warm, even in the summer months, when the vast majority of tourists tend to visit. Summer months are when you have the nicest weather and when the most activities are running.

In the summer months (November to March) Ushuaia temperatures tend to range from a low of 40-43 Fahrenheit (4-6 Celsius) to a high of 52-55 Fahrenheit (11-13 Celsius).

In the winter months (May to August) Ushuaia temperatures tend to range from a low of 30-34 Fahrenheit (-1 to 1 Celsius) to a high of 38 to 41 Fahrenheit (3-5 Celsius).

Ushuaia weather tends to be cloudy and windy year-round. It’s always a good idea to wear layers and sun protection in Ushuaia.

Where to Stay in Ushuaia

Ushuaia has a variety of accommodations at every price level , from luxury resorts to hostels with dorms and private rooms. Be sure to book in advance, especially if you’re visiting during high season (December to February).

I stayed at Hotel Los Acebos , which was the included hotel for my Quark Expeditions cruise. This was a very nice, very comfortable hotel — and the views were phenomenal — but I didn’t like staying so far from town. There were free shuttles, but only a few per day, so I had to pay around $10 each way for a taxi. Next time I’d choose an Ushuaia hotel right in town.

The best high-end hotels in Ushuaia are located far enough outside town, but the majority of other Ushuaia hotels are located in town. Here are some recommendations:

Top-Rated Ushuaia Hotels:

• Luxury: Los Cauquenes Resort & Spa
• Midrange: Tango B&B
• Budget: Las Retamas B&B
• Hostel: Antarctica Hostel

Find deals on Ushuaia hotels here.

Is Ushuaia worth it?

Ushuaia is definitely worth it! I had no expectations for Ushuaia — and I was thrilled when it turned out to be far better than I expected!

Ushuaia was one of the biggest surprises of my time in South America and I hope that you have just as good a time as I did.

More on Antarctica:

• A Typical Day on an Antarctica Expedition Cruise
• Antarctica Packing List: What You Need (And What to Leave at Home)
• Kayaking in Antarctica: What You Need to Know
• Antarctica and the Traveler’s Ego
• Solo Female Travel in Antarctica
• My Favorite Moments in Antarctica

More on South America:

• Solo Female Travel in Colombia: Is it Safe?
• Best Travel Moments in Colombia
• Traveling in Guyana: What It’s Really Like
• 25 Epic Things To Do in El Calafate, Argentina
• 18 Wild Things to Do in El Chaltén, Argentina
• El Calafate vs. El Chaltén: Which Town in Argentine Patagonia Better?
• 26 Fun Things to Do in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
• Staying at Ecocamp Patagonia: A Sustainable Resort in Chile
• 32+ Fun Things To Do in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• 17 Best Things to Do in Santiago, Chile
• 15 Best Things to Do in Puerto Varas, Chile
• 11 Cool Day Trips from Santiago, Chile
• 17 Colorful Things to Do in Valparaíso, Chile

Many thanks to Quark Expeditions for covering my two nights at Hotel Los Acebos . I covered all of my other expenses in Ushuaia. All opinions, as always, are my own.

Have you been to Ushuaia? What was your favorite thing to do?

18 TOP Things To Do In Ushuaia Before An Antarctica Trip!

Categories Antarctica , Argentina

Ushuaia may be on your radar because of your upcoming Antarctica trip and there are many things to do in Ushuaia and Ushuaia attractions to visit to keep you busy for 1-3 days before or after your Antarctica trip . To be honest, not spending time in Ushuaia before or after Antarctica is a bit of a shame!

Not going to Antarctica? Don’t worry, there are still so many Ushuaia things to do for you too and if you are wondering is Ushuaia worth visiting? even if you aren’t going to Antarctica, my answer is 100% YES!

Things To Do in Ushuaia

Visiting Ushuaia before Antarctica

Ushuaia, also known as the ‘end of the world’ is the Southernmost city in Argentina and the world! And it’s super fun to go there and start saying everything is ‘at the end of the world’ – the post office, the railway, the tavern, the museum etc!

I have just spent 3 days in Ushuaia around my Antarctica expedition in November , and I fell in love with the small town-like city like most people who also visit do, I’m sure!

I got to Ushuaia 48 hours before my cruise to Antarctica left because I wanted to see the end of the world, and, if my luggage had gone missing on my flights, I wanted to give myself some time to retrieve it!

Luckily everything was ok with my luggage and I ended up very glad I had 2 days before my cruise and 1 day after to explore this part of the world and many of the ‘most southern x places in the world’ which you’ll see plenty of below in this things to do in Ushuaia travel guide.

Travel Tip – If you are still planning your trip to Ushuaia, I do recommend spending more time in Ushuaia before rather than after your Antarctica cruise because Ushuaia and the surrounding areas are incredibly beautiful but once your eyes have seen Antarctica you might come back not as impressed with Ushuaia, that’s how I felt anyway!

I went out on this half-day tour in Ushuaia which was a perfect way to see a lot and get a feel for the surrounding area and most notably the national park Tierra del Fuego .

I explored the city too eating in some of the best places to eat in Ushuaia , of course, I tried the famous King Crab! And I got a good feel for plenty of the other attractions in Ushuaia and tours in Ushuaia on offer which I’ll go into to help you plan the best trip.

So Vamos, let’s get into what to do in Ushuaia along with some extra helpful information on where to stay in Ushuaia and where to eat in Ushuaia !

Ushuaia Day Tours

1. 4 hour half day tour – tierra del fuego national park, end of the world train ride, end of the world post office stop.

If you are short on time or don’t want to worry about getting taxis from place to place, especially if you don’t speak any Spanish, then a day tour in Ushuaia is the best way to go!

I did this half-day tour in Ushuaia which included transport from the city to the Tierra del Fuego National Park , tickets for a journey on the train which is the most Southernly train and railway in the world, transport from the train station to a few stops in the national park including the most Southernly post office and Lake Roca .

I really enjoyed this Ushuaia tour because the train journey was absolutely stunning and I ticked many things off my list like seeing Tierra del Fuego National Park, the train and the post office .

It was a whistle-stop tour, we didn’t do much walking and were very much on and off the coach, it also cost quite a bit with the train included however getting taxis to Tierra del Fuego National Park by yourself can really add up in cost and you risk not being able to find a taxi to take you back, plus, most train tickets were sold out online but the tour company could get train tickets and this part was a huge highlight as the train journey was stunning.

Having a local tour guide who spoke Spanish and good English was a huge advantage too!

Click here to view and book this tour on Viator which is what I and many others did!

2. Full Day Tour – Beagle Channel Cruise, Tierra del Fuego National Park, End of the World Train Ride, End of the World Post Office Stop

There is also this full-day tour on offer by the same provider I went with above which includes all of the above plus a boat ride on the Beagle Channel which is easily one of the top things to do in Ushuaia because of the impressive scenery and chance to see wildlife like Sea lions and Penguins, depending on the season.

I decided to do the half-day tour because the full-day tour is a full 10-hour day out and I was worried jetlag may come after me later on, however afterwards, I realised that although this day tour of Ushuaia is 10 hours long, you do have a 1.5-2 hour break in Ushuaia at lunchtime so you can get yourself lunch, pop back to your hotel and have a break before heading out on the beagle channel.

The company these tours run through is Rumbo Sur which is a well-known tour company in Ushuaia and their office and meeting point is at ‘Muelle Turistico’ right by the harbour along with other companies.

You can book in person with the company at their office however unless you arrive a few days before, in high tourist season (November to March) you’ll probably find they have sold out so booking ahead online is a good idea!

Talking of tickets selling out… I visited Ushuaia and Antarctica in November which is the start of Antarctica cruise season and the city was very busy. I booked my ticket for the half-day tour the day before for 8:00 am as this was the only option on Viator, however, the tour operator messaged me a few hours later to say 8:00 am was not available as it was sold out and asked if I could do 2:00 pm instead . 

This was fine for me but if you are looking for things to do in Ushuaia before an Antarctica cruise, you should book a tour like this a whole day before or after your cruise, not on the morning you depart in case you come back late or times get changed.

Things to do in Ushuaia

Below are more places to visit in Ushuaia and places to visit near Ushuaia , notably in Tierra del Fuego National Park.

These places are top of the list of things to do in Ushuaia however due to the lack of public transport they aren’t the easiest to access on your own as you need to rely on taxis, shared minibuses, and perhaps a bit of Spanish, but it can be done.

3. Double Decker Ushuaia City Tour

Aside from an organised half-day tour or full-day tour like this , an easy way to see the city of Ushuaia and some of the places near Ushuaia to visit is via this Double Decker Ushuaia city tour .

This double-decker tour is one of the unique things to do in Ushuaia as you will board an old blue English double-decker bus which acts as a hop-on hop-off bus to see the city with an audio guide.

A journey last as little as one hour depending on your time off, meaning if you are short on time, you can see the Ushuaia attractions easily in a comfortable way. Visit places in Ushuaia like Ushuaia’s old prison and homes constructed by some of the area’s first immigrants—and take a trip out to Le Martial Glacier !

Book your Double Decker Sightseeing Bus here on Viator!

4. Beagle Channel Cruise

The Beagle Channel, or by its native name Onašaga , is one of the things that makes the end of the world fascinating. This is a channel leading out to the Drake Passage and the literal end of the world with Chile on one side and Ushuaia on another .

If you are going on an Antarctica Cruise expedition, you will sail down the Beagle Channel on your ship but a dedicated cruise gets you much closer and you’ll actually spend time and learn about the channel and its wildlife.

If seeing the lighthouse at the end of the world is on your list of Ushuaia things to do, you’ll see that on a Beagle Channel Cruise like this!

There are many different Beagle Channel cruises on offer offering chances to see different wildlife. Here are the top-rated tours on Viator with local providers in Ushuaia!

• Half-Day Boat Trip to Penguin Colony from Ushuaia
• Beagle Channel Navigation – Sea Lions Island
• Beagle Channel Sailing Tour: Islands, Penguins and Estancia Harberton
• Beagle Channel and Seal Island Catamaran Tour from Ushuaia
• Beagle Channel navigation with mini trekking by Patagonia Explorer

5. Ushuaia Sign

A great photo opportunity to celebrate being in Ushuaia and at the end of the world is to get a photo at the Ushuaia Sign along the harbour.

The sign isn’t super close to the city centre or right next to the tourist information offices and booking offices, it’s a 10-minute walk or so along the water but it is a lovely walk and worth going to!

At night, and around sunset, the sign lights up in lots of colours which is great to see.

If you are a solo traveller, don’t worry about not getting a picture of you with the sign. There’s bound to be lots of people around taking photos so ask them to take one of you!

6. Harbour Walk

I recommend heading to ‘Muelle Turistico ‘ where all of the tour company offices are, walking around here and then walking to the Ushuaia sign to really soak in the views of the Beagle Channel and the mountains all around.

It’s incredibly impressive in the day, the scenes your eyes will see look like paintings! But it’s also really pretty at sunset if you get a good sunset sky.

If you need to blow off any jet lag cobwebs or want an easy Ushuaia walk , this is the place to go!

7. Glacier Hike from Ushuaia

I did this hike on my last day in Ushuaia and I really loved it! We were looking for some fairly easy hikes in Ushuaia and specifically hikes from Ushuaia rather than hikes in the National Park.

It’s a hike to Martial Glacier but don’t let the idea of the Glacier put you off! Also, if you go in Summer, you won’t see too much of the Glacier but it’s still a great hike in Ushuaia to do!

This hike starts from one of the hotels up on the hill . We started it from Las Hayas Hotel ( google maps link here ) which is where we stayed on the night of our Antarctica tour so if you do a tour with Intrepid and stay here too, you could easily do this short Ushuaia hike in the morning before getting on the cruise .

You can walk from Ushuaia city to Las Hayas hotel but it is quite a walk uphill, so we took a taxi up to Las Hayas Hotel from Ushuaia centre which cost around 800 Peso, walked around the back of the hotel and from there there are blue dots on all the trees which you keep following until you enter an opening high up which offers a great view over the city and water. From here, you can continue until you get to the bottom of the mountains.

(The footpaths are detailed on the app maps.me which I prefer to use for footpaths instead of Google Maps as Google doesn’t show these footpaths)

To get back, simply follow the red dots on the other side of the trees and from Las Hayas Hotel it’s easy and nice to walk down the windy road back to Ushuaia city centre.

The whole hike including getting the taxi up took us about 2 hours . Unless you are walking up to Las Hayas it’s not particularly strenuous and it is amazing to be up this high at the Mountain base!

8. Scenic Helicopter Flight

This trip is likely a once-in-a-lifetime trip for you, something you have been saving, planning and waiting for so why not do a bucket list activity like taking a Helicopter ride ?

One of the couples on my Antarctica cruise booked this Helicopter flight when they arrived in Ushuaia and they said it was amazing!

On this scenic flight, you’ll fly over the Tierra del Fuego with views of glaciers, lagoons and valleys below you. For a scenic flight, there are not many more scenic places in the world!

Check out the Helicopter ride on Viator here!

9. See the Ships going to Antarctica

Seeing the different ships heading out to Antarctica at the port can be really interesting to see, especially if you are heading out on a cruise yourself or you’re looking for things to do in Ushuaia after Antarctica as you’ll understand the ships a bit better.

The best spot for ship spotting in Ushuaia is from ‘Muelle Turistico ‘ where all of the tour company offices are.

10. Ushuaia Prison

The history of Ushuaia is really interesting! The prisoners of Ushuaia were part of the Ushuaia community building places like the railway in the city and houses for residents.

As this shows, Ushuaia Prison was not like other prisons around the world and you can now not only learn about this history but visit it too and it’s right in the city centre. ( Google maps link here )

Find out more about visiting the Prison as part of what to do in Ushuaia on there website here !

11. Museum of Local History

A great place to visit when you first get to Ushuaia and before your Antarctica Cruise is this Museum of local history and natural history called Museo del Fin del Mundo ( Google maps link here ).

Learn about exhibits on sailing, whaling, and seabirds which relate to this southern part of South America and nearby Antarctica.

Read more about the museum and visiting on their website here . Note that the museum is closed on all day Sunday and Saturday morning.

12. Shopping in Ushuaia

There are many souvenir shops in Ushuaia (although unfortunately, they barely sell any Antarctica items, only Ushuaia-related pieces) which sell the usual teddys, t-shirts, magnets and keychains.

But there are also many outdoor shops and chocolate shops! Don’t forget to get some boxes of Alfajores to take home!

One of the places for shopping in Ushuaia I recommend is the Enriqueta Gasturumendi’s Craft Fair ( google maps link here ) because this has lots of stalls with handmade items by small local businesses and you get different things here than in the general souvenir shops!

Places to visit near Ushuaia

13. train at the end of the world.

This was a huge highlight of my Ushuaia activities! As mentioned, I combined the train journey with my half-day tour so I was taken to the train station and the tour guide purchased my tickets but you can do this yourself too !

Take a 1.5 – 2 hour journey on an old steam heritage train through incredibly beautiful scenery along the base of the Andes with horses roaming either side, small waterfalls to see and a few stops included.

You’ll also get a smile from the staff dressed as prisoners as well as learn a lot about the railway and prison history using an audio guide available in many languages.

The train station is called the Southern Fuegian Railway and it’s called this on Google maps too ( link here ).

It’s best to buy tickets in advance on their website here and fairly in advance during high season as when I was there in November, all the people I know who looked for tickets the day before they wanted to go, saw that tickets were all sold out.

You’ll be assisted onto the right train by the staff who I found helpful and who communicated in English well. After your return journey, you’ll be back at the station and because many people get a taxi here you should be able to get a taxi from here .

Check and Book Train Tickets on their direct website here

14. Post Office at the End of the World

A super cool place to visit near Ushuaia is the most southern post office, also known as the post office at the end of the world !

On Google maps it is called Correo del fin del Mundo ( link here ) and is located on the edge of Tierra del Fuego National Park .

Here, you can get your passport stamped (if you wish and at your own risk) and send a postcode from the end of the world!

It’s also located in a stunning place right on a stony beach with clear waters and grass areas to sit in, we even saw wild horses eating by themselves on the grass!

If you want to get here on your own you can get a taxi from Ushuaia . Note that you will need to pay the National Park fee so it is best that you combine visiting here with a hike too to get more use out of the fee.

(I think the fee keeps changing as the Argentinian peso keeps changing so ask your accommodation for the current Tierra del Fuego National Park entrance fee)

It’s best to get a taxi number or arrange with the taxi driver to wait or pick you up as you might struggle to get a taxi back as you are being dropped off in a fairly remote area.

The post office opening times do vary . I believe it’s open Monday to Saturday but does close around lunchtime each day, but also double-check that with your accommodation or at the tourism office.

15. Tierra del Fuego National Park Hikes

If you like hiking, hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park is what you need to plan for your Ushuaia thing to do!

Many people come to Ushuaia purely for these Tierra del Fuego National Park hikes, especially the popular hike to Emerald Lagoon .

A group I met on the ship to Antarctica did an easy Tierra del Fuego National Park hike after the cruise to the point in the National Park where the Chile border which they really enjoyed.

I didn’t do anything hikes here myself so I’d recommend checking out this hiking Tierra del Fuego National Park guide and this guide to hiking Tierra del Fuego National Park to help you with planning independent hikes.

Or, if you wish to book a hiking tour with a guide and added extras like the Train at the End of the World, here are highly-rated options on Viator:

• Emerald Lagoon Trekking from Ushuaia
• 5-Hour National Park + City Tour For Cruise Ship Passengers
• Tierra del Fuego National Park Hike and Canoe Tour
• Tierra del Fuego National Park Easy Guided Tour
• Full Day Tour of Cabo San Pablo and Estancia Pirinaica

Where to Eat in Ushuaia

Part of your Ushuaia sightseeing and things to do in Ushuaia should include eating local foods in some of the best restaurants in Ushuaia.

16. Eat King Crab

Natural king crab  is one of the popular specialities of Ushuaia so make sure this is on your list of things to do in Ushuaia.

We were recommended by my friend’s Airbnb host to eat at La Cantina de Freddy or in Spanish El Rey de la Centolla which we really enjoyed. ( Google maps link here )

It’s only a small restaurant and you can make reservations if you are a group (in fact, making reservations during the high season even for 1 or 2 of you is a good idea as places book up quickly!), and we liked that it felt like a local authentic restaurant but as non-Spanish speakers, it was easy to order everything.

I particularly enjoyed that the crab had been pulled apart already for us as I’m not used to eating crab, it tasted incredibly fresh!

If you love Crab or want to know more about the history of the King Crabs, check out this well-rated tour on Viator – Crab Route through Tierra del Fuego from Ushuaia

17. Visit the Tavern at the end of the world

Another top ‘end of the world’ location is the most southerly tavern Taberna Del Viejo Lobo (Google maps link here )

I liked it here because it has a few different floors, it’s pretty cheesy with a Prisoner theme but fun and whether you just want a drink, a coffee and cake or a full meal, you can get that here.

There’s also a museum on the bottom floor.

18. Try Authentic Patagonian Food

Bodegón Fueguino ( Google maps link here ) is one of the popular places to eat in Ushuaia. It’s a century-old Fuegian home which is cool to see from the outside and the inside with its cosy interior. It’s recommended by Lonely Planet !

I had fish risotto which is a popular dish to eat in Ushuaia and it’s perfect for lunch or dinner in Ushuaia.

Getting around Ushuaia

If you stay in the city and on one of the streets close to the water you will be within walking distance of everything in the city and will need transport only to get to and from the airport and National Park.

I got a taxi from Ushuaia Airport to my hotel easily.

Where to Stay in Ushuaia

Some of the hotels in Ushuaia are up on the hill like Las Hayas Hotel , Wyndham Garden Hotel and Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa . In general, all the 5-star hotels in Ushuaia are up on a hill.

There are in a really amazing location with beautiful views over the mountains and water , with wood walks on your doorstep, however, when it comes to how to get around Ushuaia, you will need to hire a car, rely on taxis which do not only add up in cost but you do have to wait a while for them to arrive as you are far from the town, or rely on hotel shuttle buses if available.

I recommend staying in the city of Ushuaia rather than up the hill if you do not have a car and if you do want to be in the city quite a bit.

I stayed at Hosteria y Restaurante America which is in a perfect location, the staff are friendly but I did find the rooms quite noisy at night.

Hotel Albatros is a well-rated and centrally located hotel and I know a few people who stayed at Yangan Hostel who enjoyed it for a dormitory experience and lower cost option.

There are also many private homes and apartments in Ushuuaia available here on Booking.com and on Airbnb .

I hope this list of things to do in Ushuaia helps you out! It’s the perfect base and excitement builder for Antarctica!

• Here are more posts from my trip:
• Visiting Antarctica in November! Best Time To Visit Antarctica?

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A Backpacker’s Guide to Ushuaia, Argentina

• Last Updated March 17, 2024
• Argentina , South-America

“Among the scenes which are deeply impressed on my mind, none exceed in sublimity the primeval forests undefaced by the hand of man; whether those of Brazil, where the powers of Life are predominant, or those of Tierra del Fuego, where Death and decay prevail. Both are temples filled with the varied productions of the God of Nature: — no one can stand in these solitudes unmoved, and not feel that there is more in man than the mere breath of his body.” Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle

A rugged archipelago surrounded by frigid, treacherous waters, Tierra Del Fuego is South America’s southernmost reach, a place where the Andes meet the southern oceans and icy glaciers hang onto slopes above dense, impenetrable forest.

The land of fire may seem a counterintuitive name for a landmass so battered by freezing wind and waves, but it was not named for its climate, but instead for the fires that were built by the indigenous population. They were initially noted by Magellan in 1520 as he sailed past the shore here, seeking passage to the Asian spice islands and spotted hundreds of flames burning on the coastline, like candles flickering in the night. The Yamana people used the fires to keep themselves warm in Tierra Del Fuego’s hostile environment for over 6,000 years before the European invaders decided to settle here in the early 18th century, dooming them with foreign diseases.

Today, the region is shared by two hostile neighbours, Chile and Argentina, with only about a third of Isla Grande – Tierra Del Fuego’s main island – belonging to the latter. However, the locals will tell you this doesn’t matter, as the area’s largest city, Ushuaia, belongs to them. To call it a city may be a little generous but it is essential if you want to claim Ushuaia as the world’s southernmost city, as the Argentinians do, and take the title away from the other contender, the much larger Punta Arenas in Chile, which sits just 1.6 degrees further north.

In other ways, Ushuaia’s size doesn’t matter too much. This former penal colony, set on the cold, damp shores of the beagle channel with a stunning backdrop of snow-capped glaciers, is one of Patagonia’s most visited cities. It attracts everyone from backpackers, nature-enthusiasts, and cruisers looking to embark on trips to Antarctica to more adventurous visitors who use it as a base for multi-day hikes.

Beyond the tourist attractions, Ushuaia is disarmingly pretty. Looking back at it from the Beagle Vhannel and seeing painted wooden houses and buildings clad in colorful corrugated sheets climb up the hillside, framed by snow-clad peaks, it definitely feels worth travelling to the end of the earth for.

Getting to Ushuaia

I flew into Ushuaia from Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery in Buenos Aires. The flight time is around 3 and a half hours and operated by LATM, Aerolineas Argentinas, and Norwegian. Expect to pay around £100 for the flight but prices can be as low as £70 if booked far enough in advance. Ushuaia’s small but modern airport is located around 4km south of the town centre so you will need to catch a taxi into town. It’s worth noting that if you choose to fly out of Ushuaia to your next destination, you will be charged a departure tax but this is now included in your ticket price.

Onward buses to  Punta Arenas  in Chile take around 11-12 hours, including a short ferry trip across the rough waters of the Magellan Strait at its narrowest point. The journey from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas is particularly picturesque, taking you through the mountains surrounding Ushuaia and then onto the landscape of the Patagonian steppe and along the Magellan Straits. Buses run from Terminal de Ómnibus de Ushuaia. Bus Sur leaves on alternating days at 8am while Buses Pacheco run every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9am. The timetable from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia is every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8.30am. Make sure you purchase a ticket (£35) at least one day in advance as the bus does tend to fill up quickly on the day.

Check bus prices and availability between Ushuaia and Punta Arenas.

Buses to and from Rio Grande take 3 hours and leave regularly, up to 8 times per day.

Getting Around

The grid-like layout of Ushuaia’s town centre is easy to navigate and compact enough to walk, although taxis and bike-rental shops are plentiful should you need them. If you plan on visiting Parque Nacional Tierra Del Fuego, minibuses to the park leave every hour between 9am and 6pm from the corner of Av Maipu and Fadul. If there are more than two of you, it may be cheaper to take a taxi to the park.

Where to Stay in Ushuaia

While the streets of Ushuaia are packed with more upmarket hotels that cater to the cruise crowd, there are plenty of excellent hostels and camp sites for the more budget-conscious. Most of them have kitchens and a laundry service as well as free breakfast and decent wi-fi. If you are travelling in the height of summer (December and January), make sure you book far enough in advance.

Antarctica Hostel

The coolest and most popular hostel in town, Antarctica is a sociable place filled with  buena onda , good vibes. There is a large lounge and garden as well as an on-site bar for when you feel like partying. Breakfast is free and their excursion service means that you don’t have to go through the hassle of traipsing through town visiting dozens of tour operators.

Galeazzi Basily

Run by a lovely French and English-speaking couple, Galeazzi Basily Bed & Breakfast is a family house set back away from town on a quaint residential street, giving it a welcoming and cosy feel. I stayed for two nights and really appreciated the constant supply of hot drinks and cake when the weather took a chilly turn. They also offer cabanas that sleep up to four people.

Los Yámanas

Named of the indigenous population of this part of Patagonia, Los Yámanas is located just out of town on the banks of the Beagle Channel, offering enchanting views over the water. It is very much a heritage property, with four poster, wrought iron beds and slightly dated décor but the hotel does have a chic spa, sauna and fantastic restaurant.

The Best Things to do in Ushuaia

Despite most of the region’s attractions being located outside of towns in the national parks and mountains that surround Ushuaia, the town itself is a pretty, pleasant place to relax for a few days, sampling the delicious seafood on offer and wandering the quirky museums. It’s easy to see most of the sights on the main drag in a day or two, but the real joy of Ushuaia is putting on your hiking boots and venturing a little further.

Go Hiking in Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego

Located 12km west of Ushuaia, Parque Nacional Tierra Del Fuego encompasses 630 kilometres of mountains, lakes, forest and valleys, stretching all the way from the Beagle Channel to the Chilean Border. While only 30km of the park is actually accessible by hiking trails, there are a number of hugely popular walks such as the Costera Trail (11km) which follows the channel’s coastline and the Cerro Guanaco Trail which is a hard, 8 hour slog up to a stunning viewpoint and back.

There are amble wildlife spotting opportunities for nature-lovers hoping to catch glimpses of Guanacos, foxes and non-native species such as rabbit and beaver. However, most people come here for the spectacular views of the bay, particularly from Mirador Lapataia and Mirador Guanaco. There are multiple campsites dotted around the park but only one, at Lago Roca, has a café and grocery store.

Park entry fee : $14 Getting there : Regular buses leave from the bus station in Ushuaia for Tierra Del Fuego. Ensure that you check the timetable for pick-up times.

Ride the Fin Del Mundo Train

Originally constructed to transport prisoners for work in the forests surrounding Ushuaia, this narrow-gauge steam train has since been converted into one of Ushuaia’s most popular tourist attractions. In 1994, after 40 years of not functioning, El Tren del Fin del Mundo’s station reopened so that passengers can relive the prisoner’s journey towards the slopes of Susana Mountain. Along the 7km of track, zig-zagging past the Pipo River into an otherwise inaccessible part of Tierra Del Fuego National Park, you will hear stories of the prisoners who came here to collect materials to build the very prison that held them. The station is located 8km west of Ushuaia and requires a taxi ride to reach. Tickets cost AR2100 and entrance fee for the national park are not included in the price.

Museo Maritimo y Presidio

Also known as the Museo de la carcel due to the fact that it is located in the city’s former prison where 700 people were incarcerated in just 380 small cells until 1947, Museo Maritimo y Presidio acts as both a prison museum and a maritime one. While the maritime section is interesting, the main draw is wandering the hauntingly atmospheric cells of the prison block where models and displays describe the lives of inmates.

Where :  Gobernador  Paz y  Yaganes  Ex Presidio When : Daily 9am – 8pm  

Glacier Martial

The best views ver the Beagle channel can be found at the base of Glacier Martial. This receding glacier is a 7km walk uphill (or taxi ride) from town where you can then hop on a scenic chairlift ride up the mountain (closed in April and May). Although it may not be as impressive as the Perito Morena Glacier, the one and a half hour trek from the chairlift station takes you directly below Glacier Martial where you will even find ski runs open in the winter. There is even a charming refugio at the base selling warming mulled-wine and snacks.

Take a Boat Trip on the Beagle Channel

Taking its name from the vessel on which Darwin travelled for one of his most famous exhibitions, the channel running eastwards from Ushuaia is stunning and packed with wildlife-spotting opportunities. Most boat tours of the channel last around 3 – 5 hours and take in the sea lion colony of Isla de los Pajaros, where you will find thousands of the pinnipeds lazing and lounging on top of one another, and Faro Les Eclaireurs, sometimes (incorrectly) dubbed the lighthouse at end of the world, where its picturesque red and white tower stands on a desolate island, alone but for the cormorants and albatross that swarm around it.

Longer trips take in the  Penguin colony at Isla Martillo , but when I visited in April, the penguins had long gone (October to March is the best time to see them). Boat sizes range from small outboard motor fishing vessels to larger catamarans and the shorter tours cost around £30.   I took a fantastic tour with  Patagonia Explorer  which included a short trek on Bridges Island with a guide well-versed in the local ecology.

Get your Passport Stamped with an 'End of the World' Stamp

While the Ushuaia’s main tourist office offers all the usual services – tourist information, tour booking and registration services for people planning to hike anywhere but the main route through Parque Nacional Tierra Del Fuego – it’s also worth stopping by to get your passport stamped with a little seal to prove that you have been to  the end of the world . They have a couple of different designs but if you don’t want a mark in your passport, they are also willing to stamp notebooks and travel journals for you.

Where : Av. San Martin 674 When : Mon to Fri 9am – 10pm; Sat & Sun 9am – 8pm

Museo Fin Del Mundo

Located in a building that acted as the city’s bank between 1903 and 1979, Museo Del Fin Del Mundo offers an in-depth overview of the region’s history, from the indigenous people of Tierra del Fuego to the Europeans that settled here. A highlight is a room filled with stuffed regional fauna.

Where : Av. Maipú 173 When : Mon to Fri 10am – 5pm; Sat 1pm – 5pm

Hike the World's Southernmost Trekking Route on Navarino Island

Home of the southernmost trekking route in the world, the Dientes Circuit, Navarino Island is also the most southerly permanently inhabited place in the world, and it is this remoteness that draws people in. Separated from the barren beauty of Tierra del Fuego by the Beagle Channel, Navarino Island is dotted with alpine lakes and stunning granite spires shrouded in mist. With over 150km of trails that wind through mossy forests and the towering Dientes de Navarino, the island is a hiker’s paradise: most people come here to hike the 70km long Los Dientes de Navarino Circuit over the course of an entire week.

Puerto Williams, the island’s only town, is home to just 4,000 people, including the last remaining Yamana people who were relocated here in 1941. If you’re planning an extended stay on the island,  Lodge Lakutaia  brings a bit of comfort and civilisation to “El Fin Del Mundo”. Known as the southernmost hotel in the world, it has 24 comfortable rooms, as well as a restaurant serving Chilean wines and local cuisine. For those not looking to trek the Dientes Circuit, there is a jam-packed activity calendar including kayaking, cycling and horse riding, as well as fishing excursions.

Getting there : There are two boats that do the 30-minute trip from Ushuaia to Navarino each day at 8.30am (Zenith Explorer) and 9.30am (Ushuaia Boating) before returning later in the day. The price can be a little expensive and note that you will be crossing into Chile so will need your passport when you reach the island. Minibuses take passengers from the port to their hotels but it is worth noting that in extreme conditions, the boats will not sail so be prepared to spend an extra day on Navarino Island.

Museo Yamana

The indigenous Yamana people lived undisturbed in Ushuaia well into the late 19th century, when the first European settlers arrived in search of gold and farmland. Unfortunately, these invaders proved fatal for the Yamuna who were all but wiped out by foreign disease brought to the region by the Europeans. Museo Yamana showcases the lifestyle and culture of the Yamana Indians through dioramas and fascinating displays explaining how these people survived such an inhospitable climate.

Where : Pres. Bernardino Rivadavia 1

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STAY IN USHUAIA?

The majority of visitors to Ushuaia stay for just one night either before or after taking a cruise to Antarctica, however, I recommend giving the town a little more of your time. 2 days is enough to explore central Ushuaia but I recommend allowing yourself at least 5 if you plan on hiking in Parque Nacional Tierra Del Fuego or taking a boat trip to explore the islands of the Beagle Channel.

Where to Eat & Drink in Ushuaia

Due to Ushuaia being very much a tourist town, many of the restaurants can be expensive, catering to the cruising crowd and people embarking on expeditions to Antarctica. However, of all the spots in Argentina, you may want to splurge while in Ushuaia and visit a couple of the city’s fantastic restaurants.

Like in much of Patagonia, the seafood – particularly the king crab, merluza negra (bass), and cholgas (mussels) – is excellent and most places have their own take on Fuegian cordero, a slow-cooked Patagonian lamb. There are budget options for backpackers though: many of the city’s drinking spots will do comparatively cheap bar food and there is an abundance of panaderias where you will find sandwiches, cakes and empanadas.

Patagonian cuisine isn’t known for catering to vegetarians so luckily, this compact Asian takeaway can be a god-send for veggies and vegans in Ushuaia. Run by a Taiwanese family that speaks both English and Spanish, the food is served as a buffet and the prices are relatively cheap (some dishes are priced by weight while others are per serving). Takeaway only.

Where : Cmte. Luis Piedrabuena 276 When : Mon to Fri 11.45am – 5pm

Bodegón Fueguino

Painted peach, this cute, historic wooden house was built way back in 1896 and is now home to Bodegón Fueguino, a cosy restaurant serving up hearty, homemade Fuegian food. They have 9 types of Patagonian lamb dishes on the menu as well as pizzas, pasta and great home-made beer.

Where : Av. San Martín 859 When : Tues to Sun 12pm – 2.45pm & 7.45pm – 11.45pm

Microbreweries are common throughout Patagonia but Birra is one of the first bars in the region to really embrace the bottleshop and craft beer bar fomula that is incredibly common in the US and UK. Clad entirely in wood, this narrow, two storey high drinking spot brings a hipster flair to Ushuaia. The well-stock fridges contain beers from Germany, Argentina, Spain, France, Czech Republic, Mexico and the UK and they serve up some fantastic burgers.

Where : Pres. Julio Argentino Roca 61 When : Daily 12pm – 3pm & 7pm – 2am

It seems that no matter how remote your location, it is possible to stumble across an Irish bar almost anywhere in the world, However, this green-walled pub in downtown Ushuaia must take the title as the world’s most southern. It’s a popular spot with backpackers due to its lively atmosphere and live music,. Plus, the Guiness isn’t too bad either.

Where : 9 de Julio 168 When : Mon to Sat 7pm – 3am

TREAT YOURSELF

Kalma resto.

Described by many as the best restaurant in Ushuaia, even topping those that are situated in the elegant confines of the luxurious hotels lining the harbour, Kalma Resto is the brainchild of chef Joan Miró who breathes new life into Fuegan stables like Patagonian lamb and seafood fresh from the Beagle Channel. The intimate restaurant seats just 24, so ensure that you make a reservation.

Where : Gdor. Manuel Fernández Valdez 293 When : Mon to Sat 7pm – 11pm

When to Visit Ushuaia

Most tourists visit Tierra del Fuego during summer months of December, January and February when the daylight ours are long and weather is more bearable. Not only is it warmer, but this is also the time that most cruise ships to Antarctica depart as they have fewer icebergs, storms and rough seas to contend with. It’s also the time that the wildlife around Ushuaia, such as sea lions, whales, penguins and migratory seabirds, are most active. Unfortunately, this also means that prices are higher during these months.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Most of the banks dotted around Ushuaia have ATMs, although there is normally a withdrawal limit of $150 US and a fairly hefty transaction fee. Luckily, most bars, restaurants, and hotels around town accept major credit/ debit cards

Dave McClane

David McClane is a photographer and travel writer based in Leeds, UK. Since first picking up a camera on a yearlong journey through Central and South America in 2014/2015, He has carefully documented his travels through almost 50 countries.

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Thank you for your post! I am struggling to find some infos on how to get from Ushuaia to Puerto Williams so this was really helpful!! I saw that the boat+bus ride can be pretty expensive. Could you please let me know how much it cost? Thanks a lot!

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Tourist Office in Ushuaia Argentina

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Want to impress your travel friends and show off your passport prowess? Then don’t miss getting a passport stamp from the southern most city in the world - Ushuaia Argentina. Once you make it all the way down there to the tip of Argentina - but sure to stop in at the tourist office near the port and get your passport stamp that will say Fin del Mundo - End of the world. They have different sized and stamps to choose from - a fun way to remember this unique location.

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An impression of the southernmost city in the world.

Information on this page, including website, location, and opening hours, is subject to have changed since this page was last published. If you would like to report anything that’s inaccurate, let us know at [email protected].

Visiting the End of the World Post Office in Ushuaia

Sending mail from the End of the World Post Office was something I knew I wanted to do during my visit to Ushuaia!

Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world and it really relishes its status. It’s right here at the very bottom of Patagonia that you’ll also find the post office at the End of the World, ride the train at the End of the World , and tour the prison at the End of the World.

Talk about ticking off bucket list items!

In this blog post, we’re going to focus on how you can visit the End of the World Post Office, send some postcards, and get your passport stamped with an End of the World stamp.

Because if you’re making it all the way to the bottom of the Earth , you may as well relish the achievement!

Where is the End of the World Post Office?

The post office at the end of the world is located in Tierra del Fuego National Park in Ushuaia, Argentina.

It’s only an 11-kilometre drive from the city of Ushuaia to the park’s entrance and there are a variety of ways to get there.

You can catch a shuttle from the Ushuaia Bus Terminal, you can take a taxi, or you can visit the park as part of a guided tour.

Once you reach the park and have paid your admission fee, you follow the main road (Ruta 3), and then turn left on the dirt road that leads to the trailhead for Senda Costera , or the Coastal Path.

Right at the edge of the water on Bahía Ensenada Zaratiegui is where you’ll find the End of the World Post Office!

If you have the time, you can spend the whole day in the park and hike after visiting the post office. That’s exactly what we did but more on that later!

If you’re pressed for time, this half-day tour to Tierra del Fuego National Park might be a good idea. This 4-5 hour tour includes a visit to the southernmost post office for a stamp, a quick hike to Lago Roca, and a visit to Bahía Lapataia where the Panamerican Highway ends.

Sending mail from the End of the World

Made of corrugated metal and wood, this tiny post office sits atop a pier on the shores of the Beagle Channel and it’s the last chance to send mail before reaching Antarctica.

The post office at the end of the world is super cozy with a wood-burning stove, an all-wood interior and a skylight.

The exterior is plastered in stickers from travellers who’ve reached this place from all over the globe, and inside the walls are covered in postcards, maps, magnets and currencies from faraway lands.

There can be long lines at the post office at the End of the World if you happen to be there at the same time as a tour bus. In that case, there will usually be a long line that stretches out of the post office, but it does move fairly quickly.

To give you an idea of prices for mailing a postcard, we paid the equivalent of $4.40 USD for international postage and we were told it would take around 20 days for the postcard to arrive.

And yes, it did make it all the way to Canada!

Where can I get a passport stamped in Ushuaia?

Aside from sending mail, you can also get your passport stamped at the post office at the end of the world.

Getting your passport stamped costs the equivalent of $2.50 USD in pesos, and you get a collection of stamps that fill one passport page.

During my visit, I was given a sticker commemorating Carlos de Lorenzo, the postman at the end of the world, whose post office was at one point located on Isla Redonda 2 kilometres from shore.

Next was a double stamp featuring a penguin next to a postbox which read ‘Correo del Fin del Mundo Ushuaia, Argentina’ which translates to ‘Post Office at the End of the World Ushuaia, Argentina’. There was a little penguin wearing a scarf and a hat next to that one.

There was another stamp that read ‘Argentina’ with a small Argentine flag next to it.

And lastly, a stamp with the date of my visit.

But fret not if you can’t reach the Post Office at the End of the World during your stay in Ushuaia , because there are two more ways to get your passport stamped!

You can go to the Tourist Office in Ushuaia just east of the pier where boat excursions depart from, or you can also get a stamp during your Beagle Channel cruise (crew members come around with a stamp and anybody who wants one can get one).

Hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park

After visiting the End of the World Post Office, sending postcards and getting our stamps, we decided to spend the rest of the day hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park . I mean, we were already there!

We hiked the Senda Costera, which is the coastal trail that starts at Bahía Ensenada Zaratiegui directly west of the post office.

This trail hugs the coastline and runs past numerous coves and beaches, with plenty of opportunities for bird watching along the way.

We’d recommend packing a picnic because there are lots of nice places to stop along the way!

It takes anywhere between 3-4 hours to hike the Senda Costera and it’s considered medium-level difficulty.

The trail ends in Alakush, which is where the Visitor’s Centre is located and inside there’s a cafeteria where you can celebrate completing the hike with a cup of coffee and a slice of cake!

This is also where the shuttle back to Ushuaia departs from, so it’s the ideal place to end your hike.

And that’s our guide to visiting the End of the World Post Office in Ushuaia. Now you know how to get there, how to send mail, how to get a stamp, and where to hike.

That takes care of one full day of your Ushuaia travel itinerary ! You can get more ideas of fun tours in Ushuaia here.

GROUP TOURS – If you’d rather join a group tour to travel in Argentina, check out Gadventures .

CAR RENTAL – To explore Argentina beyond the cities, the best way to do so is by renting a car. Discover Cars offers rentals across the country.

BUS TICKETS – Bus travel is a great way to see Argentina. BusBud offers numerous routes.

TRAVEL INSURANCE – Don’t leave on your trip without booking travel insurance. You can get a quote on SafetyWing .

HOTELS – Booking.com offers accommodations to suit all budgets and travel styles.

TOURS – For a variety of tours and activities, have a look at Viator .

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Ushuaia City Tour

Ushuaia City Tour invites you to tour the city aboard an antique double-decker bus to get the best pictures from a privileged angle.

In summer the tour is done in an old double-decker bus to get the best pictures from a privileged angle, and during the winter, in the Bondi 4x4.

Contact Information

+54 9 2901 582400

Av. Maipú 450 - In front of the port.

[email protected]

Departures from Tuesday to Sunday at 10:30, 12:30, 3:30 and 5:30pm. Duration 1h 20.

www.ushuaiacitytour.com

Let yourself be carried away by the nooks and crannies of the city.

In a city tour aboard comfortable vehicles you will get to know the history and culture of the end of the world. The old town, the best panoramic views and the secrets of the city, accompanied by a guide in different languages who will explain each place.

A city tour is the ideal opportunity for both adults and children to enjoy a family activity and have a broad view of Ushuaia.

The conventional tour is offered in different travel agencies of the city; they also give you the option of doing a city tour on foot together with a specialized guide, visiting the city's points of interest and with the possibility of visiting some of the museums.

Most of the buses leave from the port and visit the civic square, the old Government House, cross the footbridge to have a panoramic view of the city, the old neighborhoods and the viewpoint of Las Hayas on the Martial road to appreciate the Beagle Channel from above; these are just some of the points that the city tour covers.

Another way to do this city tour is on the City Train: an adapted bus that imitates the shape and atmosphere of the Train at the End of the World. This option is offered once winter ends and offers an audio guide.

The other way is to take the city tour in a double-decker bus, the Double Decker. In this old-fashioned bus you will go around the corners of Ushuaia along with a historical narration and the possibility of taking pictures from a privileged angle. The Double Decker operates from November to May.

A glimpse of the city before discovering in depth the End of the World.