Argentina
Ushuaia sits where the Andes tip into the Beagle Channel, a small port town at the bottom of Argentina with snowy peaks behind it and the sea in front.
This guide books the headline experiences properly: a Beagle Channel cruise to the sea lions and the Les Eclaireurs lighthouse, the penguin walk on Martillo Island, Tierra del Fuego National Park, the End of the World Train, the Laguna Esmeralda hike, Martial Glacier, the old prison at the Maritime and Prison Museum, a 4x4 day out to Lakes Escondido and Fagnano, and a king crab lunch at Puerto Almanza, plus glacier treks, a helicopter flight, packrafting, a winter snow day and a long day to the Atlantic coast. It also explains how Antarctic cruise departures work from the same pier. Then it matches you to a base, from a beachfront or mountain-view luxury resort to central hotels and a friendly hostel. Four travel guides cover a three-day plan, food, the best season to visit and day trips, with notes for spring, when the main season starts, days are long and the trails are open.
Beagle Channel Cruise to Sea Lions and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse
The classic Ushuaia boat trip: a catamaran or similar vessel out along the Beagle Channel to the rocky islets where sea lions haul out and cormorants nest, ending at the little red-and-white Les Eclaireurs lighthouse. It is the easiest way to see the mountains, the town and the wildlife in one outing.
Martillo Island Penguin Walk
A guided walk among Magellanic and gentoo penguins on Martillo Island, one of the few places in the world where you can stroll beside a penguin colony on foot. It is a seasonal highlight, and spring is when the nesting season gets under way.
Tierra del Fuego National Park
Argentina's southern national park, a short drive from Ushuaia, where forests of lenga and guindo trees meet the Beagle Channel and the road ends at Lapataia Bay. It is the easiest way to feel the wild edge of the continent, with short trails, lakeshores and big mountain views.
End of the World Train
A narrow-gauge heritage railway that runs through the Pipo River valley to the edge of Tierra del Fuego National Park. The ride is short, scenic and rooted in the history of the old prison railway, and it runs daily through the spring and summer season.
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
The classic Ushuaia boat trip: a catamaran or similar vessel out along the Beagle Channel to the rocky islets where sea lions haul out and cormorants nest, ending at the little red-and-white Les Eclaireurs lighthouse. It is the easiest way to see the mountains, the town and the wildlife in one outing.
A guided walk among Magellanic and gentoo penguins on Martillo Island, one of the few places in the world where you can stroll beside a penguin colony on foot. It is a seasonal highlight, and spring is when the nesting season gets under way.
Argentina's southern national park, a short drive from Ushuaia, where forests of lenga and guindo trees meet the Beagle Channel and the road ends at Lapataia Bay. It is the easiest way to feel the wild edge of the continent, with short trails, lakeshores and big mountain views.
A narrow-gauge heritage railway that runs through the Pipo River valley to the edge of Tierra del Fuego National Park. The ride is short, scenic and rooted in the history of the old prison railway, and it runs daily through the spring and summer season.
A day hike from Ushuaia through peat bog, lenga forest and beaver ponds to a turquoise glacial lagoon beneath a hanging glacier. It is the best walking day near town, with a moderate pace and big payoff views.
A short, steep trek above Ushuaia to the Martial Glacier, with a chairlift option and wide views over the town and the Beagle Channel. It is the quickest way to get into the mountains from the city centre.
Ushuaia's old prison, now a museum of ships, polar exploration and the convicts who built the town. It is the best rainy-day activity in the city and the place to understand why Ushuaia exists.
A full-day 4x4 journey over the Garibaldi Pass to Lago Escondido and Lago Fagnano, the big lakes of the Fuegian Andes. You get mountain passes, forest tracks and a lunch by the water, in a day that suits anyone who has already seen the park.
A day on the coast road east of Ushuaia to Puerto Almanza, a small fishing village on the Beagle Channel, ending with a lunch of centolla, the local king crab. It is the best way to taste the region's signature seafood and see another side of the island.
Ushuaia is the main gateway to Antarctica, and from November to March expedition ships sail from its pier across the Drake Passage. This entry explains how the departures work so you can plan around them, with no booking on this page.
The demanding big-day hike behind Ushuaia: a small-group climb up into the Fuegian Andes to a hanging glacier and the blue ice of the Ojo del Albino. It is the trek for people who found the easier trails too short.
A guided day trek through beech forest and peat bog to a glacier and a lagoon full of floating ice. It is one of the best-reviewed hikes in the area and a step up in drama from the Martial Glacier.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Hillside above Ushuaia
Ushuaia's grand mountain resort, set on a hillside above the Beagle Channel with sweeping views, indoor and outdoor pools, a full spa and membership of Leading Hotels of the World. It is the splurge pick for a special trip.
Check rates →Ushuaia
A resort-style hotel with an indoor pool, spa, sauna and gym, a free area shuttle and a free buffet breakfast. It is a good-value upscale base for families and for travellers who want facilities after a day on the trail.
Check rates →Downtown waterfront
A boutique waterfront hotel in the centre of Ushuaia, a few minutes on foot from the pier, the museums and the main street. Suites, an indoor pool and a spa make it a comfortable, walkable base.
Check rates →
$$City centre
A four-class hotel at the heart of Ushuaia, one minute from 25 de Mayo Square and two from the port. Free breakfast, a spa, a gym and free parking make it a sensible mid-range choice.
Check rates →Ushuaia, about a mile from the port
The budget pick in this guide: a friendly hostel with dorms and private rooms, a free buffet breakfast, communal kitchens and a garden. It is about a mile from the port, with a very good guest score.
Check rates →Bahia Cauquen, on the Beagle Channel
A five-star beachfront resort on the Beagle Channel with indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs facing the water, a spa and a regional restaurant. It is the quiet, scenic alternative to a hillside resort, with a very high guest score.
Check rates →Mountain road toward the Martial Glacier
A four-star mountainside hotel on the road toward the Martial Glacier, with a free buffet breakfast, a spa, free parking and a ski shuttle. It suits travellers with a car or tours who want mountain views and a good value base.
Check rates →City centre waterfront
A four-star waterfront hotel in the centre of Ushuaia, three minutes on foot from the port, with a free buffet breakfast, a full-service spa and a very good guest score. It is the pick for anyone who wants to walk to everything.
Check rates →What to book ahead, how to get around, how many days you need and where the headline sights fit, with notes for spring, when the main season starts.
Which base suits you: a walkable downtown hotel, a hillside resort with a spa, or a budget hostel, matched to the way you plan to spend your days.
A practical three-day plan for Ushuaia: the Beagle Channel on day one, the national park on day two and a longer outing on day three, with swaps for weather and season.
What to eat at the end of the world: centolla, Fuegian lamb, seafood, chocolate and hot drinks, how meals work in Argentina and how to eat well without overspending.
How the seasons work at the bottom of Argentina: summer daylight, penguin and Antarctic seasons, autumn colour and winter snow, with what to do in each.
The best full-day excursions from Ushuaia compared: the lakes, the king crab route, glacier treks, Martillo Island and the Atlantic coast, with who each suits.
