Yes, Ushuaia is the gateway to Antarctica… But it also has many other exciting things to offer. It is home to the Tierra del Fuego National Park that that itself could take up a few days to fully explore. Located at the bottom of the Andes Mountain range, the area around Ushuaia 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 that you can learn about as you sail through it. This article goes through the best things to do in Ushuaia whether you are visiting as part of a trip to Antarctica or not.
A 4 Day Itinerary With the Best Things to Do in Ushuaia
This itinerary will be focused on activities for you to do but will include a few restaurant recommendations based on our experience in Ushuaia. If you want to know more about food in Argentina, you can read about it here.
The two full days (Day 2 and Day 3) described in this itinerary are interchangeable and should be determined based on the weather.
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Day 1
Land in Ushuaia and walk around town
Reserve your Beagle Channel tour if you have not already
Book your bus ticket to Tierra del Fuego National Park
Day 2
Spend the whole day exploring Tierra del Fuego National Park
Day 3
Spend the morning doing your Beagle Channel tour
Visit the Maritime Museum and Presidio in Ushuaia
Day 4
Depart from Ushuaia
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, one of the best things to do in Ushuaia.
Book the Beagle Channel Adventure
Blueprint Travelers recommends the tour linked here to do a half-day experience in the Beagle Channel with a mid-size boat. However, if you want to visit the penguin colony near the Beagle Channel or have a few days to spare in Ushuaia, consider waiting until you get into town to reserve your experience. This way, you can evaluate the various tour options and make sure you know what the weather will be prior to reserving. There is one area in Ushuaia (located here) where all the different companies have kiosks that show you their offerings and options.
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, the one of the other best things to do in Ushuaia. 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 your company. You can read more about the Tierra del Fuego National Park experience here, including the various hikes and experiences to do within or around the national park.
Day 2: Tierra del Fuego National Park
Tierra del Fuego National Park is one of the best things to do in Ushuaia and is located just 45 minutes away from the town center. It’s a beautiful park to explore the mountains and forest in the Ushuaia area. We recommend you take the first bus to the park at 9 AM. This way, you can maximize your time in the park and experience some of the more touristy areas before the larger crowds arrive. A few things that are great highlights in the park include:
- Post Office at the End of the World
- End of the Pan American Highway
- A number of hikes varying in length and difficulty
If you are interested in the penal colony aspect of Ushuaia, you can consider taking the train to the End of the World on your way into Tierra del Fuego National Park. This experience is a family-friendly activity that allows you to experience the route that some of the prisoners had to take to work within the national park. It’s also a unique way to get into the park before you start your exploration of that nature. You can book your train ticket here.
The Blueprint Travelers Hiking Staples
Day 3: Beagle Channel and the Museo Maritimo
The Beagle Channel
The Beagle Channel is a unique strait that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in the south of the South American continent. If you are going to make your way to Antarctica, you will ride through this strait on your way to the Drake passage and ultimately Antarctica. Because of its connection to the two oceans, the Beagle Channel has become a haven for wildlife and one of the best things to do in Ushuaia. This is the tour that Blueprint Travelers recommends to explore the Beagle Channel.
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.
If you are doing a full day in the Beagle Channel, we recommend you visit this museum on a different day. This museum is a collection of exhibits about the history of Ushuaia and is one of the best things to do in Ushuaia to learn about the town’s creation. 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.
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 through the various exhibits.
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 Best 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. Typically, 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 is recommended to hire a personal guide to take you to the glacier. In addition, with a guide and on 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. The trail could be wet and muddy especially after rainfall so make sure you bring the appropriate equipment. 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.
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.
