Explore Ushuaia Argentina, the world’s southernmost city, with travel tips, top attractions, amazing views, and unforgettable adventures.
I can still hear the pilot announcing over the intercom, “Everyone, we are now beginning our descent into Ushuaia.”
I pressed my forehead against the tiny plane window like a wide-eyed kid for the first snow and there it was…
Jagged white peaks tumbling down into the icy blue water of the Beagle Channel and a scruffy little city hanging on to the beach like there was nowhere better to be.
You know what? It didn‘t look like a town. It looked like the set of a science fiction film describing the end of the world.
Because, well, it sort of is.
Ushuaia (oo-SHWY, in case you’ve been attempting to pronounce it like I did for the first three days) is the world‘s southernmost city.
Located at the bottom tip of Argentina, it is an Argentinean city in the Tierra del Fuego region, closer to the end of the world (literally the nickname of the city) than to Buenos Aires.
I was there for 10 days a couple of years ago, planning to do it on a long weekend and then head south to Patagonia.
I ended up lengthening my trip twice.
So here’s the scoop on everything I wish someone had told me before I booked that flight to Ushuaia Argentina and started planning my Top Things to Do in Ushuaia: Complete Travel Guide.
Where exactly is Ushuaia, Argentina?
Let‘s just get the geography out of the way for a second, because I know that about half of you were clicking a map right after reading that headline ( not judging, I did this too before I started writing).
Ushuaia is located along the south coast of Tierra del Fuego, an island divided at the tip of South America between Argentina and Chile (and definitely well explained on Argentina‘s tourism webpage).
It‘s the capital of the Argentinean Tierra del Fuego province and rests along the Beagle Channel, (the waterway Charles Darwin traveled through in 1832, and still one of the coolest things I‘ve ever thought about).
On a clear day, Chile‘s side of the island is within line-of-sight.
The one fact that tends to surprise everyone:
Isn‘t it amazing that Ushuaia is actually nearer to the Antarctic mainland (by approximately 1000 km or 620 miles) than the northernmost tip of Argentina?
It really is the last stop before the White Continent, which is why this is the second nickname of the city.
Quick facts box:
- Región: Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
- Population: population of 90000 (2004)
- Time zone: Argentina Time (ART, UTC-3)
- Ideal time of year to visit: November March (Southern Hemisphere summer)
- Nicknames:. Fin del Mundo (meaning: ‘End of the World’)
- Claim to fame: the most southern city in the world. Primary gateway city for cruises to Antarctica.
Why Ushuaia Deserves a Spot on Your Bucket List
To be honest , I should have gone right past Ushuaia.
Supposed to be going to Buenos Aires and then to the wine country of Mendoza.
My friends convinced me to make a side trip there, and I am glad she did, because Ushuaia is one of those that really puts your sense of things into perspective.
While I was standing on the rocky beach in Tierra del Fuego National Park, watching condors circle overhead, while wind whipped straight in off the channel, I remember thinking this is what “remote” really is.
Not “far from a Starbucks” remote.
Actual, geographic, end-of-the-map remote.
A few things make Ushuaia special:
- It‘s the gateway to Antarctica. Almost all of the cruises leaving the continent will begin in the port of Ushuaia, so you‘ll find yourself staring up at anything from tiny expedition ships to giant cruise ships shining in the port as they await the treacherous, two-day crossing of the notoriously angry Drake Passage.Nothing to do with departing on your own Antarctic voyage, just the sight of them leaving fills me with this weird little smirk; it’s like being at the very last real edge of the map.
- The terrain is workhorse. You have the Martial Mountains looming right inside the city, glaciers reachable in an afternoon‘s hike, and a national park that could be Patagonia‘s greatest hits all squeezed into something walkable.
- It‘s oddly comfortable looking given how intense it sounds.That was what took me aback the most.For a place whose name at least in the Indigenous Yaghan language means something along the lines of “bay that pokes out to the west,” and which, on the other hand, is known for being one hell of a storm-blown, hard-as-hell, death-penalty post to be marooned in the city‘s streets are quite lovely, the restaurants are decent, and the feeling in the hub feels oh so much more like Vermont ski towns than an arguably-coldest-place-on-earth research base.
Getting to Ushuaia: How I Managed to Travel there, and What I would change if I could
I came to Ushuaia from Buenos Aires, definitely the most heavily traveled route.
It‘s a three-and-a-half hour flight, and if there are any seats available on the left side of the plane, take it you‘ll love the fabulous view of the descent over the Andes and into the Beagle Channel.
Then there‘s the airfield itself in Ushuaia.
The Malvinas Argentinas International Airport must be one of the most stunningly situated airports in the world.
The runway extends out into the channel, so the sensation of landing is truly one of landing on water before the tarmac emerges in front of you.
Flying is not the only way.
While I was in Chile overland travel was a common alternative for the journey south, through Argentina by ferry then bus.
I chatted to a couple in my hostel who had done this trip, and they said it was an amazing trip, although it took nearly two days!
If I had the money, I would travel more. by air but if you‘ve got the time and want to take the route, it is an option.
Here‘s one expert tip I have to offer: buy your flights well in advance, particularly if you plan to travel during peak season (December through February).
Book early as flights are quickly sold out.
This is not a tourist destination; it is also the departure point for expeditions and scientific expeditions to Antarctica as well for the cruise travelers, thus the rush most summer.
Whatever way you choose, arriving in Ushuaia Argentina by air remains the quick and most reliable way.
Best Time to Visit Ushuaia
This is very time-sensitive, more so than other places I‘ve been to.
Summer ( November to March)
Summer ( November to March) is the high season, and rightfully so.
The weather is nice, ranging from 45-55 degreesF (7-13 degreesC), and there is approximately 17 hours of daylight.
This is the season in which you can get out for your hikes, boat tours and Antarctic cruises.
I was there in January, and I still needed a heavy winter coat nearly every morning.
Winter (June to August)
Winter (June to August) gives the city a complete change.
The city is engulfed in snow and the city becomes a real ski destination as it has the Cerro Castor ski resort, one of the best for winter activities in South America.
During this period the days are shorter, the temperature is below freezing, but if you want to visit a more peaceful, snow-capped city, this is the best time.
Shoulder seasons(April-May and September-October)
Shoulder seasons(April-Mayand September-October) are the happy medium if you‘re anti-those crowds like I am.
Less tourists, cheaper prices, and the landscape oscillating between seasons in a manner most pleasing to shutterbugs.
Regardless of what time frame you choose, it‘s always worth the extra five minutes to look up the seasonal forecast for Ushuaia Argentina before packing.
Top Things to Do in Ushuaia
Tierra del Fuego National Park
This was by far the best day I spent on the trip, and it‘s one of the most popular attractions in Ushuaia Argentina.
National Parks Administration of Argentina runs the park, which is about 12 km from Ushuaia and provides hiking trails from an easy, lakeside walk to more strenuous trails through beech woods and along coastal cliffs.
We hiked the Coastal Trail (Senda Costera), and I think I stopped every ten minutes just to look at the water.
Note: the Tren del Fin del Mundo (“End of the World” train) travels into the park to follow old prison transport rails built decades ago.
Yeah, it‘s a little touristy, but it is also quite stirring to ride rails upon which convicts once transported logs in one of the most remote prisons on the planet.
Beagle Channel Boat Tour
Imagine this: you’re freezing on the deck of a small boat, spray from the sea splashing in your face, when the boat abruptly stops at a rocky islet crowded with sleeping, brawling sea lions like a bunch of hooligans at a summer pool party, barking and shoving one another.
That was about the sum of my Beagle Channel tour.
Others will include a side trip to see the legendary Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse incorrectly under the translation “Lighthouse at the End of the World” or chug westward to see Magellanic penguin colonies.
Martial Glacier
Just a quick trip or a relaxing chairlift ride away from the center of town brings you to the foot of Martial Glacier, from where a walking path ascends toward the ice.
It‘s not an overly technical climb, but an elevation gain, with the end result being the equivalent of nature‘s StairMaster only the reward is an incredible vista overlooking the city and channel down below:
Museo del Fin del Mundo and the Maritime Prison Museum
Should the weather turn (which in Ushuaia will I have endured four seasons in a single afternoon more than once), the museums of the city are well worth the stop.
The former prison, once home to many of the most dreaded of Argentina‘s prisoners, has been turned into an intriguing, though slightly frightening display of the early days of the penal colony.
Antarctica Day Trips and Cruises
For the intrepid (and flush), Ushuaia is where serious expeditions to Antarctica begin.
According to IAATO, the industry body which regulates anterosive tour operators, about 90% of all Antarctic tourism departs from Ushuaia.
I didn‘t have the time or the budget for this trip, but I did meet a handful of travelers at my hostel who‘d just returned from sailing across the Drake Passage.
Their descriptions of encountering penguins the size of toddlers, seeing huge icebergs in all their glacier-blue Gatorade glory, and immersing oneself in silence so complete it bounced off your chest convinced me that someday I would have to give Antarctica the proper treatment.
Practical Tips From Someone Who Learned the Hard Way
Pack layers, always.
I fell victim to the now-former-packer classic fallacy of packing for “cold weather” as if it were a single entity.
Ushuaia‘s weather changes at a whim; locals joke you can see all four seasons before you‘ve finished your first (mid-morning) mate.
Take a windproof, waterproof shell whatever time of year you‘re there.
Currency & cards.
As the value of Argentina‘s peso can be quite confusing because of the changing exchange rate, I would suggest getting a quote before you go, maybe bringing some US dollars along in case, as some establishments give a more advantageous rate for cash.
Give yourself at least 3-4 days.
I had in mind two days and ended up staying ten!
With the national park, boat excursions and just having a couple of days ‘insurance’ (sometimes wind cancels boat trips) three-to-four days is the minimum you‘ll want to see the best bits.
Book your Antarctica trips way in advance or swing it by relying on the lastminute discount.
Some travelers to Antarctica actually get huge savings by booking their Antarctic cruises last-minute directly through local agents since all operators prefer empty cabins to sailing empty ‘em.
That‘s a gamble but if you can be flexible it could save you thousands.
Helpful Resources for Planning Your Trip
If you want to dig a little more before you book, these are the most credible sources I relied on and used myself while planning:
- Avail Visit Argentina Guide (the official country‘s tourism board page; updated with the latest list of activities and seasonality).
- Wikivoyage Travel Guide:Wikivoyage‘s community-compiled yet comprehensive guide to transportation, safety, and practical details.
Final Thoughts: Why Ushuaia Stuck With Me
I‘ve been to places where the photographs look great but you remember very little of the place itself after six or twelve months.
Ushuaia is not one of those.
There‘s definitely a different feeling about being physically at the bottom of the map, watching ships head off to a continent most people will never visit, that redefines the perspective on how huge the world really is.
It‘s not somewhere you go because there‘s 5 star hotels, or because it‘s convenient.
Bring a hat that can look after itself in the wind, an umbrella that can take a beating, and be prepared to plough through a few expensive flights, and you‘ll certainly need them for what you get in return.
Because if you want a destination that actually manages to feel like a world away, Ushuaia is one of the best.
So if you‘re on the fence about that trip to the end of the world, hear it from someone who almost didn‘t make it there: just go.
Stay longer if you have the chance, and don‘t forget a real jacket.
Ushuaia Argentina will teach you how to turn “maybe someday” into one of the greatest trips of your life.
Have you ever been to Ushuaia?
Or is it on your travel wish list?
If, then, I would love to know what attracts you to the end of the world.
