Which Day Trips in Ushuaia Should You Take?

Ushuaia, Argentina’s final frontier and the boarding point for a variety of cruises to Antarctica and Chile, is a city that never fails to impress. From its awe-inspiring location surrounded by dizzyingly tall mountains and epic views of the Beagle Channel to the miles and miles of spectacular natural places on its doorstep, there’s never a dull moment here. We’ve taken our pick of the best day trips in Ushuaia to give you inspiration if you’re planning your visit to this far-flung corner of Patagonia.

Tierra del Fuego National Park

A short drive from Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego National Park is one of the region’s main attractions thanks to its splendid scenery of steep, craggy mountains, calm bays and native wildlife.

To visit, options include:

• Exploring the area by foot with a day’s hiking

One of the easiest of the day trips in Ushuaia to organize is hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park. Take the bus from the city and get off at the trailheads of a range of treks suited to different abilities, many of which include panoramic views of the bays at the edges of the park and the Beagle Channel.

• Taking the End of the World train

If enjoying incredible views from the comfort of a carriage is more up your alley, booking onto the End of the World train is a superb alternative to hiking in the park. Departing from the old prison, the Southern Fuegian Railway takes the tracks of the previous railway that would transport prisoners between chopping wood in the forest and Ushuaia.

Passing a series of beautiful local landmarks, including Lago Roca and Ensenada Bay, all juxtaposed against the whites of the mountains, the train shows off the region’s finest scenery.

 

Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse

Ushuaia’s iconic landmark, the 1920s Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse stands on the most northeasterly islet of the Les Eclaireurs islets in the Beagle Channel and is the perfect distance for a day trip out of Ushuaia.

Boats approach this colorful monument on their way to other islands further along the Beagle Channel, many of which contain resident sea lion and penguin colonies.

 

Cerro Castor

If visiting during the austral winter, another excellent day trip in Ushuaia is to Cerro Castor, the southernmost ski resort in the world. At only 16-miles (26km) from the city, this center has the longest ski season of all those in Argentina thanks to its geographical positioning and is open from late May until early September.

With 26 runs gracing the mountains here, there’s plenty to keep you occupied.

 

Isla Yécapasela and Estancia Haberton

With a day or two, you can visit the only Gentoo colony in Argentina on Isla Yécapasela (known as Isla Martillo in Spanish), which is part of Estancia Haberton. Once used for raising cattle and sheep, this island is now inhabited by 6,000 Magellanic penguins and 16 pairs of Gentoo penguins.

Catamaran tours from Ushuaia visit the islands but don’t allow you to disembark. Instead, if you stay overnight at the accommodation available in Estancia Haberton, you can join a tour to walk among the Magellanic penguin colony.It’s also possible to explore Estancia Haberton itself with a guide in order to learn about the native flora and fauna of the region, as well as to hear about the fascinating history of Thomas Bridges, the founder of the estate, and his family.

 

Day trips in Ushuaia and beyond

Find out more information about traveling to the world’s southernmost city with our article about things to do in Ushuaia, as well as our guides to cruises from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas, via the Chilean fjords and Beagle Channel, and those from Ushuaia to the seventh continent, Antarctica.