How To Spend 4 Days At the End of the World
Nestled at the southern tip of Argentina, Ushuaia is often called "The End of the World," but it feels like the beginning of an extraordinary adventure. This picturesque city, surrounded by the jagged peaks of the Andes and the icy waters of the Beagle Channel, offers breathtaking natural beauty and unparalleled outdoor activities. Visitors can explore Tierra del Fuego National Park, embark on a cruise to witness glaciers and marine wildlife, or take a ride on the End of the World Train. Ushuaia is also a gateway to Antarctica, making it a bucket-list destination for explorers. Whether you’re hiking, kayaking, or savoring fresh king crab at a local restaurant, Ushuaia promises an unforgettable journey to the edge of the Earth. This was my second time visiting Ushuaia, and I wouldn’t be surprised to end up there again some day.
Day 1
We disembarked the cruise ship at 09:00AM and grabbed a taxi across the street from the entrance to the port. Our AirBnb was downtown and just a few minutes drive away on the main drag, but with all our bags it was best to consolidate it all in a taxi. I grabbed our driver’s number, Jose, and we ended up using him for our entire stay in Ushuaia. It was pretty convenient, having a driver on call.
After settling into our AirBnB, Jose came by to drive us to the Martial Glacier. The Martial Glacier is accessible via the Cerro Martial Parque del Fin del Mundo, which you can walk up to from town, or drive up to. It is 7km from downtown, so I advise driving. There is an old, decrepit ski lift that is no longer operable, but those learning to ski can do so at the Ushuaia Ski School. This ski school is minimal with a single track and low-angle slope, but it is perfect for beginners and they offer rentals. For those who already ski, Cerro Castor is 27km away and is a full mountain experience.
In order of difficulty, there are a few different trails up the mountain:
Sendero del Bosque, 1.5km round trip, 1 hr round trip
Sendero del Martial, 3km round trip, 1.5 hrs round trip
Sendero del Mirador de Las Lagunas, 5.5 km round trip, 3 hrs round trip
Sendero de Las Nubes, 6.2 km round trip, 3.5 hrs round trip
Sendero de Los Vientos, 7.2 km round trip, 4.5 hrs round trip.
When we were there, the Sendero de Las Nubes was the most popular. Being November, it is their spring and so there was a little bit of snow towards the top of the trail, but otherwise melted. The last time I was there was in January 2016 and there was much more snow on the ground. Goes to show the effects of climate change.
After our hike, we grabbed tea and a sandwich at La Casa de Te, which is right at the base/entrance to the hike. It’s a bit storybook in appearance, and was a nice spot to warm up but it certainly isn’t a must-do by any means. When Jose came to pick us up, we asked him to take us to another hike. He thought we were a bit crazy as we had just hiked 5.5 miles and this next hike was 6.5 miles.
Laguna Esmeralda, a stunning glacial cirque like the Martial Glacier, is renowned for its dazzling green waters set against a backdrop of rocky, snowcapped peaks. Just a 20-minute drive from downtown Ushuaia, this hike offers breathtaking scenery with minimal elevation gain (716 ft total), making it accessible for hikers of all levels. Starting at the trailhead parking lot, you'll pass through a serene lenga tree forest that opens into a picturesque peat bog—keep an eye out for wildlife like beavers or jumping fish in the streams. The trail then reenters the forest before leading to wide-open vistas of dramatic mountain landscapes.Follow the boardwalk that reconnects to the hiking trail, which will meander alongside a stream that flows from the lagoon.
Despite the parking lot being full, the trail was not packed nor was the lake when we arrived. Fastforwarding, our ski touring guide said that on a sunny summer day, he has seen upwards of 200 people at the lake. It gets busy!
On the hike back we popped out maybe 300 feet from the parking lot, along the road. Not entirely sure how we ended up there, but we had started the hike right from the parking lot. Nonetheless, our timing was perfect and Jose had just arrived to drive us back to Ushuaia.
For dinner we went to El Rincón del Bely, a pizza restaurant near our accomodations. Quick and easy, we got an assortment of empanadas and local beer.
Day 2
Sunshine! We rented some bicycles from Ushuaia Extremo Bike Shop and Simon led the way- I had no idea of where we were going except knowing that it was a path along the coast. We biked outside of city limits past to the Playa Larga Reserve, to Baliza Escarpados, where we hid our bikes in the bushes and hiked along the Estancia Túnel - Río Encajonado trail.
Let’s start with Playa Larga. We didn’t actually stop there (we just biked on by) but it was gorgeous! I don’t know if you can camp there or not- but there was a field with a number of grill stations, which would be a great activity on a nice day. The beach is rocky but it is still beautiful and it provides a stunning view of the Beagle Channel and the mountains without having to hike.
There is a small parking lot at Baliza Escarpados, which also serves as the trailhead for the Estancia Túnel - Río Encajonado trail. We ended up seeing a man who was on our cruise ship here. He had biked here as well, and was staying a few days in Ushuaia before biking back up to Buenos Aires. We rented the bikes for 4 hours, but I wish we had rented them for longer because I could have stayed here the entire day. It was STUNNING. Beautiful. Wow. Just wow! Pictures don’t do it justice. The trail starts with a short forested section before opening into vibrant green hills dotted with dandelions. Follow the lightly worn paths down to the water, where you’ll find a rocky beach and a peaceful cove perfect for relaxing. Bring a picnic blanket and soak in the crisp air, Mediterranean-blue waters, and awe-inspiring surroundings—this spot truly feels like a hidden gem.
We joined back into the rolling hills and veered left to go back into the woods. You can also bear right and walk along the coast, but we looped it and returned along the coast. When you reach Estancia Túnel it looks like it is blocked off due to the locked gate, however you will continue on the trail to the left to access it. But, the gate was our turnaround point and we headed back, eager to know if our bikes were still there or not, hidden in the bushes. And happy dance, they were :)
We freshened up and headed to the plaza across from the port, where you could hop on for a city tour via double-decker bus. Ushuaia is a small city (approximately 100,000 residents), and this tour does a great job of showing you Ushuaia as a whole and not just as Main Street, Avenue San Martin. There is a lot of history behind the city which you’ll learn about on this tour, and they’ll let everyone off at a few locations as well for photo ops.
Dinner was at El Mercado, a modern pasta restaurant at the tail end of San Martin. The first floor looked to be more of a cafe style establishment, with the upstairs being the main restaurant space. They had an interesting, and honestly fantastic, method of order pasta: choose your pasta, choose your sauce. I chose spinach ravioli with pumpkin, gruyere, and almonds, paired that with a mushroom sauce. I will note that the service left a lot to be desired as it took forever for our order to be taken, but the food and our drinks were delicious.
Day 3
We woke up bright and early for our day of ski touring with Patagon Mountain Agency, a local guiding outfitter founded by 2006 Torino Olympian, Sebastian Beltrame. We were able to rent gear from them, but we brought our own helmets, goggles, and ski touring backpacks. He picked us up at our AirBnb and took us to the Martial Glacier, where we hiked up to the base of the glacier and then skinned the rest of the way. It was another sunny day, absolutely perfect for this activity. After having been on a ship for 18 days with all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-drink, and minimal exercise, this activity was probably a little harder for me than normal 😅 Getting to the top of the glacier felt sooo good and the views from the ridge were incredible- it was just snowcapped rocky peaks as far as the eye could see.
Sebastian packed a lunch for each of us, which we ate while we rested up top. The snow was not quite slushy but it was soft and wet- definitely what I expected for spring skiing. Let’s just say both him and Simon shredded, and I meandered down. We went up a second time and I skied a bit better but it was still a little rough on my end, haha. It was a great experience to ski tour in Ushuaia and Patagon was a great company to go with. Sebastian grew up in Ushuaia and is just happy to show tourists how beautiful Argentina and this region is.
To conclude such an exciting day, we went out for king crab. It’s a local delicacy loved by both locals and tourists, and they’re super fresh as they thrive in the waters around Tierra del Fuego. We settled on La Casa de los Mariscos, a seafood restaurant on San Martin that we had walked by in the evening and it was always busy. The restaurant opens for dinner at 7:30PM each night, and we arrived around 7:20PM. Good thing, because there was already a sizable line. We got in during the first seating, and spent our Thanksgiving enjoying a whole crab.
Day 4
Tierra del Fuego is the local National Park, and it has some great hiking in it. Jose dropped us off in the morning and we set up a meeting point for about 5 hours later at the Alakush Visitor Center. We hiked along the Senda Costera, Senda Paseo de La Isla, and the Sendas del Turban - Mirador Lapataia. We hiked this in one straight shot, so we were briefly on the road.
The beginning of the Senda Costera used to have a post office the southernmost post office in the world, not including the ones on Antarctica. I sent postcards from here back in 2016, but it is now boarded up and closed. That was kind of a sad discovery! It is an easy trail that hugs the coast of the Beagle Channel while winding through native lenga and ñire forests. If you only have time for one hike in the park, this is the one I would recommend. It is about 8km one-way, and on a nice day you could pack a picnic lunch to eat on one of the rocky beaches.
Highlights of the Trail
Breathtaking Coastal Views: Enjoy panoramic vistas of the Beagle Channel as you hike along the shoreline.
Wildlife Spotting: Encounter a variety of native wildlife, including seabirds, foxes, and even sea lions along the coast.
Diverse Terrain: Experience a mix of coastal paths, dense forests, and rocky stretches, adding variety to your trek.
Historical Significance: Learn about the Yamana indigenous people, who once inhabited this region and relied on the sea for survival.
Senda Paseo de La Isla was another easy hike, and one that you may find a bit quieter. It follows the Rio Lapataia before ending at the Laguna Verde and this short yet rewarding trail offers stunning views, serene landscapes, and a chance to connect with the raw beauty of Patagonia.
Highlights of the Trail
Panoramic Views: The trail offers mesmerizing views of the Beagle Channel and surrounding mountains.
Wildlife Spotting: Senda Paseo de la Isla is one of the best trails in the park for birdwatching.
Easy Accessibility: Unlike more challenging hikes in the region, this trail is short and suitable for all ages.
Tranquility and Solitude: Compared to other popular trails in the park, this one is often quieter, making it perfect for relaxation and reflection.
The Sendas del Turbal - Mirador Lapataia trail takes visitors through peat bogs (turbales), lush forests, and ultimately to the Mirador Lapataia, a viewpoint offering sweeping vistas of Lapataia Bay. The trail is relatively short but you get incredible views when you exit to the end of Ruta 3 and the Mirador Lapataia.
Highlights of the Trail
The highlight of the hike is reaching Mirador Lapataia, an incredible viewpoint overlooking Lapataia Bay, the southernmost terminus of the Pan-American Highway. From here, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of snow-capped mountains, pristine waters, and the possibility of spotting marine birds such as imperial cormorants and steamer ducks.
From Alaska to the southern tip of Argentina, Ruta 3 is the homestretch of the Pan-American Highway.
After a day in the park, we ended the evening with dinner at Paso Garibaldi, an Argentinian restaurant one street north of Ave. Saint Martin. I got a delicious beet ravioli dish and many a Pisco sour :) The restaurant had some varying reviews online and it was quiet, but we found it to be the perfect dinner spot.
Day 5
Homeward bound! Our early afternoon flight took us from Ushuaia back to Buenos Aires. I was a bit anxious about our luggage weight as it is strict on Aerolineas Argentinas, but fortunately, when we arrived at the airport, everything was fine—we didn’t have to pay extra despite our suitcases being slightly over the limit. With limited food options at the airport, I was especially grateful that we had picked up sandwich wraps from Isla Vegana beforehand.