Home › Ushuaia › How many days
How many days in Ushuaia? 4 days on the Beagle Channel, with penguins and the national park
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Ushuaia, capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego, calls itself the southernmost city in the world: a town of coloured tin roofs on the Beagle Channel, backed by the jagged peaks of the Martial range. Most people stay one or two nights before or after an Antarctic cruise. Give it four days: one on the channel, one in the Tierra del Fuego National Park, one with the penguins, and one hiking. Weather changes fast at 55° south; plan flexible days.
Short answer
Three days covers the channel, the national park and the penguins. Four days adds the hike to Laguna Esmeralda or the drive to Lago Escondido and Lago Fagnano, plus a spare half-day for bad weather.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Ushuaia town and the Beagle Channel
Morning. Visit the Museo Marítimo y del Presidio (about US$25-35; check current price), in the old prison where convicts were held from the early 1900s until 1947. One wing is left unrestored, cold and bare; other wings tell the story of the town, Antarctic expeditions and the native Yámana people.
Afternoon. Take a Beagle Channel boat from the Muelle Turístico (about US$50-90, 2.5-3 hours). Most tours pass Isla de los Pájaros, with cormorants, Isla de los Lobos, with sea lions, and the red-and-white Les Eclaireurs lighthouse. Some longer trips land on one of the Bridges islands for a short walk among the low plants and shell middens.
Evening. Eat centolla (southern king crab) or cordero fueguino (Fuegian lamb roasted on a cross over a fire) along Avenida San Martín, the main street, for about US$25-50 per person.
Sit on the open deck for photos but bring a hat, gloves and a windproof jacket: the wind on the channel is cold even in January.
Day 2: Tierra del Fuego National Park and the End of the World Train
Morning. Ride the Tren del Fin del Mundo (about US$50-90 depending on class) from its station about 8 km west of town, a narrow-gauge steam train on part of the route once used to carry convicts' timber, for about an hour into the park.
Afternoon. Enter Tierra del Fuego National Park (entry about US$30-40 for foreigners, paid in pesos; check current fee), about 12 km west of town. Walk the Senda Costera, about 8 km along the shore from Bahía Ensenada to Lago Roca, 3-4 hours through southern beech forest, then drive or take a shuttle to Bahía Lapataia, where Ruta Nacional 3 ends.
Evening. Back in town, go to a parrilla for steak and Malbec, about US$25-40 per person.
Shuttle buses from the town centre to the park run several times a day in summer (about US$25-35 return). Arrive by 9:00 for the quietest trails and look for beavers' dams by the streams; beavers were introduced in the 1940s and have become a serious problem for the forest.
Day 3: Penguins at Isla Martillo and Estancia Harberton
Morning. Drive about 85 km east (about 1.5 hours, partly on gravel) to Estancia Harberton, the first estancia in Tierra del Fuego, founded by the missionary Thomas Bridges in 1886. Visit the house, gardens and the Acatushún museum of marine mammals and birds.
Afternoon. Take a boat from Harberton to Isla Martillo, where Magellanic and gentoo penguins nest from about October to March. Only one operator is allowed to land small groups to walk among the penguins (about US$150-200 with transport; book weeks ahead); others watch from the boat.
Evening. Return to Ushuaia in the evening. For a different end, take a taxi up to the Martial Glacier road for the light over the channel, then dinner in town.
Penguin visits depend on the season and the weather. From April to September, the birds are at sea and landing tours do not run.
Day 4: Laguna Esmeralda or the lakes road
Morning. Take a shuttle or taxi about 18 km along Ruta 3 to the trailhead for Laguna Esmeralda, a green glacial lake below the Albino glacier. The trail is about 9 km return, 4-5 hours, through forest and over peat bog that is often muddy; waterproof boots help.
Afternoon. Or drive north on Ruta 3 over Paso Garibaldi for the view of Lago Escondido and continue to Lago Fagnano, a long lake stretching into Chile, stopping in the town of Tolhuin for a bakery lunch (about 1.5 hours from Ushuaia).
Evening. Have a last dinner by the port, and try local chocolate or a dessert with calafate berries.
In winter (June to October), Cerro Castor, about 26 km from town, is the southernmost ski area in the world, and many hikes become snowshoe walks.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, do the channel and the prison museum on Day 1, the national park on Day 2 and the penguins on Day 3. You lose the hike to Laguna Esmeralda.
Got extra days?
Extra days go to an Antarctic cruise (usually 10-12 days, November to March), to Puerto Williams on the Chilean side by boat or flight, or to El Calafate for the Perito Moreno glacier, about 1.25 hours by air.
Where to stay in Ushuaia
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Hostels in the town centre | Walk to the port, shops and tour offices. | US$25-50 |
| Mid-range | Centre near Avenida San Martín | Walk to the boats, restaurants and the prison museum. | US$90-170 |
| Mid-range | Hillside streets above the town | Views of the channel, steep walk or taxi to town. | US$100-180 |
| Comfort | Lodges on the Martial road or by the channel east of town | Forest or water views, spa and quieter nights. | US$220-450 |
Getting around
The centre is small and walkable; Avenida San Martín runs parallel to the port. Taxis and remises are cheap within town, about US$4-8 a ride. Malvinas Argentinas International Airport is about 4 km from the centre, 10 minutes by taxi. Flights from Buenos Aires take about 3.5 hours, and from El Calafate about 1.25 hours. Shuttles run to the national park, the train station and Laguna Esmeralda in season. A rental car (about US$60-100 a day) is useful for Harberton and the lakes; check whether gravel roads are allowed.
What to eat in Ushuaia
Ushuaia's specialities come from the cold sea and the pastures. Try centolla (southern king crab), served cold, gratinated or in soup, merluza negra (Patagonian toothfish), and cordero fueguino, lamb roasted for hours over a wood fire. Argentine parrillas serve steak and sausages, and many cafés make chocolate and hot drinks for the cold. A main costs about US$15-30 in a restaurant, crab more; a coffee and pastry about US$5-8. Restaurants usually open for dinner from about 20:00.
Best time to visit
November to March is summer, with highs of about 12-16°C, up to 17 hours of daylight in December and the penguin season. It is also the Antarctic cruise season, so book rooms early. June to September is winter, with snow, short days and skiing at Cerro Castor. Weather changes fast all year: wind, rain and sunshine can come in an hour.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | US$25 | US$65 | US$150 |
| Food & drink | US$25 | US$45 | US$85 |
| Sights & tickets | US$20 | US$60 | US$120 |
| Local transport | US$5 | US$15 | US$40 |
| Total per person, per day | about US$75 | about US$185 | about US$395 |
Approximate 2026 prices, quoted in US dollars because Argentine peso prices change quickly; you usually pay in pesos, and cards or the official tourist exchange rate are often the best value. Antarctic cruises are not included.
Before you go
Common questions
Is Ushuaia really the southernmost city in the world?
It is the southernmost city of any size, with tens of thousands of residents. Puerto Williams on Chilean Navarino Island, across the Beagle Channel, is further south but much smaller. Both use the 'end of the world' label; for travellers, Ushuaia has the airport, the boats and the hotels.
Can I see penguins from Ushuaia?
Yes, from about October to March, at Isla Martillo near Estancia Harberton, about 1.5 hours east. Most boats watch from the water; one operator lands small groups to walk near the colony and sells out early. Magellanic penguins are the most common; gentoo and occasionally king penguins appear.
Is the End of the World Train worth it?
It is a short, touristy ride, but pleasant with children or in poor weather. It runs on a reconstructed narrow-gauge line once linked to the prison and stops inside the national park. If you are a hiker, you may prefer to spend the money and time walking the Senda Costera.
How do I get to Antarctica from Ushuaia?
Most Antarctic cruises leave from Ushuaia's port between November and March, usually for 10 to 12 days, crossing the Drake Passage in about two days each way. Book months ahead; a few last-minute cabins can be found in town, but there is no guarantee. Fly-cruise options from Punta Arenas in Chile skip the crossing.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan may earn a commission; the price you pay is the same. How we make money.