January 21 – January 24: Ushuaia

Ushuaia, located at the southern tip of Argentina, is often referred to as the “end of the world.” Surrounded by the stunning landscapes of the Andes and the Beagle Channel, it’s a gateway to Antarctic expeditions and a popular base for exploring Tierra del Fuego National Park. Known for its cold, crisp climate, Ushuaia offers unique opportunities for hiking, wildlife watching, and boat tours, making it an adventurer’s paradise. The town itself is charming, with colorful buildings, a lively harbor, and a mix of local culture and history.

Ushuaia is expensive, and not just a little. Expect to spend around 40 USD for a simple meal in a restaurant, and any tours you want to join will tend to cost between 120 and 150 USD. However, the town is small and walkable, and many of the beautiful hikes can be easily done for free – more on that below.

Here at world’s end, there are quite a few attractions awaiting the avid traveler:

• Tierra del Fuego National Park – Explore scenic trails like Senda Costera or Hito XXIV, visit Lapataia Bay, and enjoy stunning views of forests, rivers, and mountains.
• Penguin Boat Cruise – Take a boat to Isla Martillo to walk among Magellanic and Gentoo penguins in their natural habitat.
• Laguna Esmeralda – Hike through lenga forests and peat bogs to reach this stunning turquoise lake, surrounded by snow-capped peaks. The hike is quite short and you can easily reach the lagoon in less than 90 minutes. Since I had no other plans that day I followed a small path behind the lagoon and 3 hours later I found myself on top of the mountains with a second lagoon and amazing views down the valley. You don’t need to join one of the overly expensive tours for the lagoon (nor the moutain hike), just call an Uber to the Trailhead and start following the marked path.
• Glacier Hikes – Trek to Glaciar Martial or Glaciar Vinciguerra for breathtaking views of Ushuaia, the Beagle Channel, and surrounding mountains. I joined a tour since this was my first activity in Ushuaia, but just like the lagoon, this can be very easily done on your own.
• Antarctic Cruise – Depart from Ushuaia for a multi-day voyage to Antarctica, encountering icebergs, wildlife, and untouched polar landscapes. These cost around 15,000 – 20,000 USD. This is obviously way out of my budget, so I will remain with having been only on 6/7 continents… for now. Some people stay in Ushuaia and wait for last-minute deals, which can get as “cheap” as 5,000 USD, but you might have to wait a week or more in Ushuaia to be ready to grab the deal as soon as it becomes available.

Tierra del Fuego pictures :