• Understand
• Get in
• Get around
• See
• Do
• Buy
• Eat
• Drink
• Get out

Situated on the Beagle Strait, Ushuaia is the largest city in Argentine Tierra del Fuego, and arguably the southernmost city in the world. In the past, the town has been a missionary base, penal colony and naval base for the Argentine navy. Ushuaia is now a major tourist town, complete with casinos and nice restaurants, and commonly used as a base for hiking, winter sports and cruises to Antarctica.

Ushuaia

[edit] Understand

In the late 19th century, the land that is now called Ushuaia was inhabited entirely by Yamana Indians and a handful of missionaries. At the time of writing (October 2005), there is allegedly one pure-blooded native-speaking Yamana Indian left. An excellent book on the history of the Yamana and their demise is The Uttermost Part of the Earth by E. Lucas Bridges, the son of one of the early missionaries. His father, Thomas Bridges, documented what he could of the Yamana language and found that it had a far larger vocabulary than the English language. Darwin, who famously sailed through the Beagle Channel, thought that the Yamana, were "the missing link".

Today the town is growing fast as a result of increased tourism since the 2002 economic crash. The government has encouraged this growth by designating Tierra del Fuego a virtually tax-free zone to encourage people to settle (many of the inhabitants of today's Ushuaia come from Chaco, in the north of Argentina). The cost of living however, is relatively high as all goods have to be transported long distances, usually by container ship.

Climate-wise, Ushuaia is warmer than many assume; although (arguably) the southernmost city in the world, it is no further south than Belfast is north, and temperatures rarely drop below -10°C. However, summers tend not to climb much above +12°C and, as in all of Patagonia, strong winds add a significant wind chill factor.

[edit] Get in

There are daily Aerolineas Argentinas flights from Buenos Aires. LAN Chile (through its LAN Express services) flies a few times a week (currently three) from Santiago de Chile, stopping over in Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas. Flights can be booked from the Aerolineas Argentinas office, as well as from some local travel agencies. The local LAN Chile representative is the Rumbo Sur travel agency. Online bookings are now (Feb 2006) possible from the sites above, although you might then have to pick up your tickets at the airline office/representative rather than at the airport. Buses from/to all destinations (apart from Puerto Natales) all stop at Rio Gallegos. It can be cheaper to just buy a ticket to Rio Gallegos and purchase an onward ticket from there.

[edit] Get around

There is no public transport around Tierra del Fuego. However, tours / transport can be booked through the Tourist Office (on San Martin) or through many of the hostels. Taxis are another option, costing, for example, Ar$8 to get from the city centre to either the airport or Glaciar Martial. There are also several car / bicycle hire companies.

[edit] See

View of a restored wing of Presidio. Exhibits are located in each prison cell.

• Museo Marítimo, Yagones y Gobernador Paz [1]. Located in an old prison displays a collection of the history of Tierra del Fuego. Admission includes entry into the Presidio which is located on the same site as el Museo Marítimo.

• Presidio - Museum of the historical military prison of Ushuaia. One wing of the museum has been converted to an art gallery featuring the work of local artists.

• Museo del Fin del Mundo, Website. Highlights include the largest exhibited collection of birds from Tierra del Fuego, the figurehead of the Duchess of Albany (a sunken vessel), and library dedicated to the history and nature of Tierra del Fuego. Admission price of 10 pesos.

• Estancia Haberton - Open only in the summer months, Estancia Haberton is a worthwhile trip for those interested in the Bridges family and their role in the local history.

• Mastil de General Belgrano - A remote area west of the city of Ushuaia on Isla Redonda, paying tribute to one of the founders of Argentina, and to the navy cruiser named after him which was sunk by the UK in the Falklands War. It was a stop on one of the televised Amazing Race contests, and features a one-person post office for sending letters from the end of the world. Accessible by boat from Playa Larga (approx Can$20).

[edit] Do

• Hike the Glacier Martial - Provided that you wear comfortable shoes and have the patience, a hike up the Glacier Martial will provide a very beautiful view of Ushuaia and the Beagle Chanel. There is also a single ski slope open during the winter months, and ski hire is available from the site.

• Catamaran trips - Catamaran trips will take you around the Beagle channel and give you nice views of the mountains, cormorants, sea lions and penguins.

• Tierra del Fuego National Park - This national park provide some nice day hikes on well marked trails.

• Cerro Castor - This centre for winter sports offers skiing and snowboarding. Nearby, you can also ride snowcats or husky sleighs.

• Kayak the Beagle Channel - Kayaks can be hired near the Aeroparque on the promontory jutting out from Ushuaia.

• Motonave Barracuda sail -ship trips will take you around the Beagle channel and give you nice views of the mountains, cormorants, sea lions and penguins.

[edit] Buy

The main shopping district of Ushuaia is located near the waterfront and offers everything that souvenir-seekers and Antarctic travelers could want. While Antarctic travelers should (obviously) arrive with proper gear already in their possession, quality winter gear including boots, coats, and other necessities can be purchased from a variety of shops.

[edit] Eat

[edit] Drink

• Dublin Bar, on 9 de Julio, is popular with tourists.

• Galway Bar, on San Martin, is another popular Irish pub although it usually has less atmosphere than Dublin.

• Nautico, on Maipu, is Ushuaia's only real nightclub / disco, and is open until 6am on the weekends.

[edit] Sleep

Hotels in Ushuaia are often booked, especially during peak tourist season, thus it is advisable to arrive in Ushuaia with reservations. Hostels on the other hand are numerous and even in mid summer you should have no problem finding a bed.

[edit] Budget

[edit] Mid-range

[edit] Splurge

[edit] Get out

• Tierra del Fuego National Park

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