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9 essential things to do in Ushuaia, the End of the World

ushuaia fin del mundo

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If you are thinking about traveling to Ushuaia, Argentina, surely you already know that it is, or was, the most southern city in the world, since 2019 it is Puerto Williams, in Chile, the city that has “stolen” this denomination.

But don’t worry, because Ushuaia (End of the World) still has many things to offer you. Today we tell you what to do in Ushuaia, the southernmost city of Argentina.

What to do in Ushuaia

Located in the Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia has infinite possibilities. From activities by boat to trekking routes, passing also by local museums that will tell us the history of this city. Today we give you different options of excursions in Argentina, exactly in Tierra del Fuego.

Tierra del Fuego National Park

The National Park of Tierra del Fuego includes the most southern area of the Cordillera de Los Andes. Here we can find an infinite number of trekking routes where you will find lakes, mountain peaks, valleys between mountains, and even the sea coast.

It is located 12 kilometers from Ushuaia, and you must pay to enter. You can also spend the night in the park, so you can amortize this entrance if you decide to sleep there.

Hidden Lake in Ushuaia

The visit to the Lago Escondido is one of the most famous tours in Ushuaia. Normally this lake is accessed by 4×4 vehicles, which will make you fall in love with the views and the road to the Laguna Escondida.

This lake, whose origin is a glacier, has this name because it is hidden in a valley among the mountains that surround the city of Ushuaia.

We cannot forget the Lago Fagnano, a slightly less known lagoon, but due to its proximity to Lago Escondido, it is another mandatory stop in your trip to Ushuaia.

Ushuaia’s Maritime and Prison Museum

This museum is the living history of the city of Ushuaia. At the time, only the prison was located in this place.

As time went by, the more jobs were generated in the prison, the more dependence there was to live in this area. With the increase in the number of families dependent on this prison, this urban center began to be created, which currently has more than 70,000 inhabitants.

In the museum, we can visit some of the cells of this prison. In addition, it has expositions of maritime thematic, due to the proximity with Antarctica and the Malvinas Islands.

Sailing by boat in the Beagle Channel, essential to do in Ushuaia

The Beagle Channel is the most southern channel in America. This channel is also the natural border between the most southern part of Argentina and Chile.

On this boat trip, you can see the Les Éclaireurs lighthouse, the most famous postcard of Tierra del Fuego. Many people confuse this lighthouse with the Lighthouse at the End of the World, which inspired Jules Verne’s novel.

You can also visit the Isla de Los Lobos, inhabited by sea lions, and the Isla de Los Pajaros, where you can see different species of spectacular sea birds.

Visit to Harberton Estancia and Isla Martillo

This is the first ranch in Tierra del Fuego. It was built in 1886 by the Anglican missionary Thomas Bridges, and nowadays, it still offers tourist activities, such as accommodation, group tours, and even restaurant service.

Here you will be able to live a jump to the past, where the indigenous communities were still the queens of these places.

Right in front of the Harberton Ranch is located Hammer Island. This island is famous because for some months, the penguins live on the same beach, so you can visit it and take all the pictures you want with these lovely animals.

If this excursion is not enough for you to see penguins, we recommend the Puerto Madryn tour, the best place in Argentina to see penguins.

Trekking to the Emerald Lagoon

It is another of the essential things to do in Ushuaia.

About 20 kilometers from the city, is the beginning of this wonderful route. It takes about 2 hours to go and 2 hours to return, and you don’t have to pay an entrance fee to do it.

Moreover, it is a trekking route suitable for all publics, so it should not be missing in your list of things to see in Argentina.

On the way to the lagoon, you will walk between valleys, you will be able to drink water from the rivers, which circulate there, see the glaciers, etc. Finally, you will find Laguna Esmeralda, a beautiful lagoon located between mountains, and that honors its name.

Trekking of the Martial Glacier

The Glacial Martial is the most important source of drinking water in Ushuaia. It is very close to the city, in fact, you can see it from almost any point in the city.

You can reach the base of the glacier on foot or by cab. It’s only 7 kilometers away, so we recommend you to do this route on foot. It is an easy climb, but if you want to get to the top of the glacier, you will have to hire a local guide and have the appropriate equipment to do so.

What to do in Ushuaia during winter

If you are thinking about what to do in Ushuaia during the southern winter, skiing on Cerro Castor is one of the  essentials things to do in Ushuaia in winter.

Taking advantage of the situation in the same Patagonia Argentina, you can not miss your day of skiing. Cerro Castor has about 15 ski slopes, where can practice this sport skierers of all levels, from the most experienced, to the less experienced, or even, make your debut in this place. We can’t think of a better place to start practicing this popular sport.

Travel to Puerto Williams

If with the appointment of Puerto Williams as the southernmost city in the world you have been left with the desire to be in the southernmost city on the planet, the proximity of these two cities allows you to do so.

There is the possibility of going by boat from one place to another. It is about 2 hours across the natural border of Argentina and Chile. Once you arrive at your destination, you can only return to Ushuaia the next morning.

If you have stayed with more desire to know about this “conflict”, we invite you to watch this video.

As you can see, there are a lot of things to see in Ushuaia. Are you going to miss the chance to travel to the most southern area of the whole American continent?
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