Yes, Ushuaia is the gateway to Antarctica… But it also has other things to offer. It has a national park that could take up a few days to fully explore. Located at the bottom of the Andes Mountain range, this area has a few other incredible hikes and climbs to challenge yourself. It is also home to a complex channel of water, the Beagle Channel with a variety of wildlife to learn about.
This itinerary will be focused on activities but we will include a few restaurant recommendations based on our experience in Ushuaia. If you want to know how we find food in a new location, you can read our post here.
The two full days described in this itinerary are interchangeable and should be determined based on the weather.
Day 1: Arrival and Town Exploration
Airport Arrival
Landing in Ushuaia is beautiful unto itself. If you are sitting on the right side of the plane, you will most likely feel like you are flying through the mountains as you approach for landing. On the left side, you will have views of the channel and the ocean. From the airport, you can take a taxi into town to your accommodation. These taxis only take cash.
Town Exploration
After you drop off your belongings, you can start walking through the town. All around you will be the mountains and, as long as the clouds stay high or stay away, you will have beautiful views everywhere you turn. Head towards the water to see the Ushuaia letters and the docks, especially the ones where the impressive Antarctica cruise ships depart from.
This is where you will want to book your Beagle Channel adventure tour.
Book the Beagle Channel Adventure
While you can book these tours prior to your arrival online, it is recommended to wait until you get to Ushuaia to book your boat, especially if you have a few days in town. You will get the best price in person and you will be able to evaluate every option prior to booking. In addition, the weather in Ushuaia changes very quickly and these companies are tracking it closely. They will tell you the best day and time to take the tour, with the smallest chance of cancelation.
There is one area (located here) where all the different companies have kiosks that show you their offerings and options. Go directly to these kiosks to learn about their availability and pricing. They are open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. You can read more about the tour we booked here.
Book Your Bus Ticket for Tierra del Fuego
The next thing you will want to do is go to the main bus station, located here, to book your roundtrip bus ticket for the Tierra del Fuego National Park. There are a few bus companies that provide the same service, at the same times, for the same price. It does not matter which company you choose to go with. They will tell you the names on the large vans to look for that correspond to that company. You can read more about our Tierra del Fuego National Park experience here.
Day 2: Tierra del Fuego National Park
Tierra del Fuego National Park is located just 45 minutes away from Ushuaia. It’s a beautiful park to explore the mountains and forest in the area. We recommend you take the first bus to the park at 9 AM. This way, you can maximize the park and experience some of the more touristy areas before the larger crowds arrive. A few things that are some great highlights in the park include:
- Post Office at the End of the World
- End of the Pan American Highway
- A number of hikes
To learn more about exploring the park, the trails that are available to you, and some suggested itineraries, you can read more here.
Day 3: Beagle Channel and the Museo Maritimo
The Beagle Channel
If you are doing a full day in the Beagle Channel, we recommend you visit this museum on a different day. Just make sure to make some time to visit. This museum is a collection of exhibits about the history of Ushuaia. Located in the former prison that started this whole town, the museum talks about the penal colony, history of Antarctica excursions, and the history of the maritime trade in this region. The panels throughout the exhibits are written in both English and Spanish. There is also an audio guide through your phone that is in multiple languages.
Museo Maritimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia
Ushuaia, as a town, began as a penal colony for 580 inmates. It was intended for dangerous criminals and repeat offenders. Due to how new the town was, these prisoners built the town. This included a railroad to get supplies from the forest. You can now ride part of this rail-line into Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Finally, one wing of the museum has remained as to what the prison looked like during its final years of usage. You can truly spend as much, or as little, time as you feel necessary to learn about the history of Ushuaia.
Day 4: Departure
If you did not get the chance to visit the Museo Maritimo and have time in the morning before your departure, this is a good time to visit it. Otherwise, make sure to walk through the town to take in all the different views of the mountains and the ocean. If you are there in early January, you may see the beautiful lupin flowers growing throughout the town.
Other Things to Do in Ushuaia
Martial Glacier Hike
The Martial Glacier hike is not too far from the center of town of Ushuaia and the trailhead can be reached via taxi. While we didn’t do this hike, we have read that taxis hang out at the trailhead to help people get back to town. Otherwise, there are some coffeeshops nearby that can help call you a taxi as well.
While the trail is listed on AllTrails, it was recommended to us to hire a guide to take us to the glacier. In addition, with a guide and some of the tours available, you can also hike on the glaciers. The hike itself should take you around 2-3 hours.
Esmeralda Lagoon Hike
This is a moderate hike outside of Ushuaia. To get to the trailhead, you can take a bus from the same transit hub as for Tierra del Fuego National Park. They can tell you all their bus schedules for the excursion. If you prefer to take a taxi, you will need to arrange with the taxi company to take you there and schedule return transportation. The trail itself can be found here on AllTrails. This hike should take you to a beautiful blue-green alpine lake. We were told that it could be a wet and muddy hike, especially after rainfall. The trail itself is 5.5 miles and should take around 2.5 hours.
Places to Eat in Ushuaia
El Viejo Marino: An institution in Ushuaia and a delicious seafood restaurant. Everything is incredibly fresh, as seen by the crab tank within the restaurant. The crab with a pink sauce is absolutely delicious. You can read more about our meal here in our travel update.
Ramos Generales El Almacen: An Argentine restaurant with a changing main menu based on local catch. The place is decorated with fishing equipment and knick-knacks.
Cerveceria Grut 84: Local bar with great food ranging from salads, dips, pizza, and burgers. The cocktails and food here are delicious.
Taberna Del Viejo Lobo: A traditional Argentine brewpub in the theme of sailors and the penal colony. It has great views of the dock and the food is very good. We got some stews to warm us up after a chilly, rainy day.