Discover Ushuaia
The End-of-the-World City

Ushuaia at a Glance

Perched on the southern tip of Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia calls itself “the End of the World,” and the claim feels honest the moment you glimpse the jagged Martial Mountains sliding into the Beagle Channel.

Founded as a remote naval outpost and later a penal colony, the city now thrives on Antarctic logistics, eco-tourism, and a rugged, quietly confident culture that lives comfortably with rough weather and big horizons. Downtown is compact—walkable in an afternoon—but packed with history. The former prison now houses the Museo Marítimo y del Presidio, delivering a stark account of early settlers and convicts who carved a community out of sub-Antarctic cold. A few blocks away, the Museo del Fin del Mundo showcases native Yámana artifacts and early exploration lore. Food leans hearty: king crab stew, Fuegian lamb slow-roasted over open flame, and pastries laced with locally picked calafate berries. Between cafés you’ll notice gear shops—locals treat outdoor adventure the way other cities treat happy hour.

Gateway to Wilderness

Ten minutes west, Tierra del Fuego National Park folds glaciers, peat bogs, lenga forests, and wind-raked coast into a single protected corridor. Hike the easy coastal trail from Ensenada Bay to Lapataia Bay for sea-bird watching and postcard views, or push inland on the Cerro Guanaco track if you want lungs-and-quads bragging rights.

The historic Tren del Fin del Mundo (End of the World Train) now runs as a scenic narrow-gauge railway; it’s touristy but the commentary helps first-timers decode the region’s human and natural history.

Winter Playground

When snow settles (June to September), Ushuaia pivots from trekking hub to ski town. Cerro Castor—Argentina’s southernmost ski resort—delivers reliable powder, modern lifts, and off-piste tree runs with ocean backdrops you won’t find in the Alps. Nordic skiers and snowshoers claim the valleys, and dog-sled outfits run twilight tours beneath low, Antarctic-tinted stars. Even if you don’t ski, the season’s clear nights are prime for rare aurora australis flickers low on the horizon.