You will set out for a navigation on the stormy waters of the Beagle Channel. The Beagle Channel is located south of Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego, overlooking the islands that extend all the way to Cape Horn.
It was first discovered by the Fitz Roy expedition of 1830 and again by Charles Darwin in 1833. The first Anglican settlers arrived in 1860. You'll cruise alongside several islands, including Seals Island where you may spot petrels, cormorants, and sea lions at close quarters. Duration: 3 hours.
The history of Ushuaia and the train revolves around the prison. The engineer Catello Muratgia began definitive construction of an adequate prison in 1902. The prison was built using local materials, and labor was provided by the convicts. For the transport of materials, a train was built which travels along wooden rails.
At the end of 1909 the first railway movements were recorded. The “Decauville” rails with a 60 centimeter gauge were put into service and the work of the “Prison Train” began. In 1952, the “Prison Train” was decommissioned, and with it the voices of those inmates faded away.
Forty-two years after its last service in 1994, the southernmost train in the world resumed its historic path. Come and take a ride! Duration: 4 hours.
Tierra del Fuego National Park contains a summary of all the landscapes in Patagonia: sea, mountains, and forests. During this relaxed morning excursion, you will enjoy the various lookout points of the park and be amazed at the beauty of the area.
The visit to the national park includes the following stops: Isla Redonda viewpoint, from which the island and islets of the channel can be seen, Lake Roca with its camping and restaurant facilities that is an ideal place to observe the sub-Antarctic rainforest, and Lapataia Bay at the end of National Route 3, which marks the end of the continent. Duration: 4 hours.
Upon arrival in the park, you will start a 4.5-mile (3-hour) trek to a wonderful scenic point overlooking Lake Roca, Lagunas Verde and Negra, Rivers Ovando and Lapataia, and Bahía Lapataia.
Hiking through this beech forest, you will be able to look for the Magellanic Woodpecker (the largest in South America), Austral parakeets, black-chested buzzard eagles, and Andean Condors.
After lunch, the canoeing experience will begin, rowing in duckies along the internal rivers of the park. Guides will give you the basic rowing and security instructions and, after rowing in Lake Roca, you will enter a small river which flows to Lapataia Bay. The paddling does not require any previous experience or a very great effort.
It is a different way of experiencing nature, feeling for a moment what the native Yamanas communities felt traveling along the same waters with their canoes. Includes lunch. Duration: 7 hours. Available August through April.
Depart Ushuaia on a scenic drive along National Route 3 and the “J” route towards Harberton Ranch, the oldest of the region. The 90 km (56 miles) to the ranch will offer interesting views of the famous "Flag Trees" (exposed to the strong winds) until reaching the Lashifashaj River.
In Brown Bay guides will give you basic rowing and safety instructions and prepare the duckies. You begin paddling down the meandering Lashifashaj River, a smooth and relaxing stream, towards the Beagle Channel. The duckies are inflatable canoes, very safe and stable for these waters.
While rowing, you will see the forests on the shores of the river and hundreds of birds will be flying along the way. The arrival to the Beagle Channel is impressive and the open sea seems endless. You will get close to an island inhabited by rock cormorants and sometimes seals and continue paddling to Estancia Harberton. The estancia at Harberton belongs to the descendants of the first British Missionaries to reach the area - Reverend Thomas Bridges - and was managed for many years by Ms. Natalie Goodall, a foremost naturalist in the area.
You will have a short time to visit the ranch before paddling to Martillo Island, a Magellan penguin rookery (they can only be seen from December until around February).
The unique location of this island makes it an ideal place for an incredible variety of rich sub aquatic life and therefore, an amazing spot for bird watching (petrels, skuas, cormorants, sea gulls and albatross). The rowing continues to Gable Island, the largest in the Beagle Channel, which belongs to Harberton ranch.
Formerly, this was the place where they used to take their sheep during the summer. Today, only a large shearing shed is left. After a short walk, you will reach a refugio. The views over the Beagle Channel from here are breathtaking. After lunch (included), you will enjoy a 2-3 hour hike, which will lead into a beech forest with white orchids, wild berries, strawberries and ferns. Return to the refugio and paddle back to the mainland. Transfer to Ushuaia.
*Alternate excursion with navigation by boat instead of canoes (duckies): From the estancia you will board a small boat and navigate the Beagle Channel to Martillo Island. The boat trip continues to Gable Island, followed by the walk to the refugio. After lunch, there will be a 2-3 hour hike through a beech forest with white orchids, wild berries, strawberries and ferns. Return to the refugio and return by boat to the estancia. From there you will transfer back to Ushuaia.
This hike begins in the Mirador del Beagle neighborhood where you will follow an old trail built by the prisoners of the Presidium at the beginning of the 20th century.
The hike continues through an immense forest for two hours before arriving at a point where the vegetation ends. You will cross a couple of peat bogs on the way to the edge of this unique sub-Antarctic beech forest. After lunch by a small stream, the hike will resume to a lookout point - facing south - for an outstanding view of the city and the island beneath the channel.
The hike then follows another guanaco trail leading to Margot Lagoon, a beautiful area located high on the mountain, which is the easiest access to the summit of Cerro del Medio (3000 ft). From there, you will be able to observe an amazing view of the Tierra del Fuego geography: the Beagle channel, the city, and the peninsula – everything as featured on a map.
You will then hike to Cerro Roy (2700 ft), located behind Cerro del Medio. This peak stands out as a lookout point to observe the Andes in Tierra del Fuego to the North.
After having hiked on the edge of Mt. Roy, you will start the descent to the Club Andino´s mountain refuge at Martial glacier, where you will enjoy tea in front of a giant firewood stove. Lunch included. Half-day.
After a northbound drive crossing the Garibaldi Pass (offering excellent views over lakes Escondido and Fagnano), you'll set off in a four-wheel-drive Land Rover. Enjoy a stop for coffee and biscuits with a view of Lake Fagnano.
You'll travel on an old road and secondary rough trails to reach the shore of Lake Fagnano. Then, stop in the forest for a barbecue lunch (included).
Next, you will stop for coffee at the charming Petrel Lodge by Escondido Lake. You'll have an hour of free time here to drink coffee or walk and enjoy the beauty of the lake. Duration: 7 hours.
You will trek through the forest to get to the glacier. The trekking on the glacier offers the unique possibility of exploring its caves, cracks and morays. This trip is only available October through April.
This is an easy trail that allows the less experienced traveler to get familiarized with the high-mountain environment. You will start by walking on the edge of the city. Then, while following one of the old paths of the prison of Ushuaia, climb to Cerro del Medio.
While hiking, you will experience spectacular panoramic views of Ushuaia and its surroundings. This trip is only available October through April. Duration: 7 hours
This hike to reach a lookout located over 850 meters (2790 feet) above Ushuaia is for those who love heights.
The summit of this mount offers a 360º panoramic view of the following sites: Mount Olivia, Mount Cinco Hermanos, the Carvajal and Andorra valleys, the Beagle Channel, Murray Pass, Navarino and Hoste Islands, and the best view of Ushuaia. During a 3 hour-long uphill hike through the forest, you will have an intimate encounter with this millenary ecosystem.
It is a steep and demanding hike, but you are rewarded with an extraordinary view. Duration: 7 hours.
Available as 2 days/1 night
This trek features the beauty of the “End of the World” lands, with the Beagle Channel and the nearby islands as a background, traveling along the surroundings of Ushuaia.Day 1: Begin at the mouth of the Cañadón de la Oveja (Sheep ravine). You will climb to the vegetation limit and continue along a guanaco trail, where you will encounter high altitude ecosystems. Finally, you will arrive at the campsite on the shore of Laguna del Caminante (Hiker’s lagoon). The equipment will be ready at camp, where you will spend the night.
Day 2: Day two will challenge you with a hike to Cerro Falso Tonelli (False Tonelli Mountain). First, you will cross Laguna Superior and then the Falso Tonelli glacier. You will climb steep, stony ground to the summit.
There you can enjoy an incredible view of the Beagle Channel and the Darwin range, which is always covered by snow, while having lunch and time for relaxing. After about an hour, you will descend to the campsite for the night.
Day 3: After breakfast, you will complete your trek by walking through the immense, millenary forests of Andorra valley and return to Ushuaia in the late afternoon.
Combining a visit by car with short hikes, this excursion introduces visitors into the interesting history of the development of Ushuaia, which has given a very special character to the city and its surroundings.
The hike starts in the El Mirador del Beagle area, a neighborhood located in the highest area of the city which serves as a great example of the smooth transition between the city and nature.
Upon departure and towards the forest, you will obtain amazing vistas of the city which illustrate the history of its development through the years: the Presidium, the Naval base, the Industrial area (which dates from the time when Ushuaia turned into a duty free area), and the recently built neighborhoods.
From the very beginning, all these vistas have the magnificent Beagle Channel and the islands beyond as a backdrop. Half-day.
