Thinking of taking a family trip to the End of the World? We detail all the activities you can do in Ushuaia with children.
The city of the End of the World is a real jewel to discover with the family. Most of the activities in Ushuaia can be done with children as the classic excursions and even some trekking.
Both the marine fauna and the landscapes of lakes, forests and mountains will surely attract the little ones.
In addition, there are museums ideal for family visits in Ushuaia, and of course plenty of entertainment in winter at the ski resorts.
Based on our experience, we detail all the possibilities to do in Ushuaia with children.
🔎 To plan your trip to the city, check out our guide to travel to Ushuaia: how to get there, tips, best time of year and what to wear.
Table of Contents
From what age is it advisable to travel to Ushuaia with children?
If you have very young children, it is not an impediment to travel to Ushuaia. You can make the classic excursions such as the train at the end of the world, navigation through the Beagle Channel, the Tierra del Fuego Park, and even go to a ski school in winter for the little ones.
From seven to eight years old, they can do some trekking of low difficulty, such as the Esmeralda Lagoon. Children over the age of eight can ride snowmobiles.
From the age of 15, they can do any activity, such as snorkeling in the Beagle Channel and trekking of greater difficulty.
1) Visit the Martial Glacier and observe the city from the viewpoints
This icon of the city of Ushuaia allows views of the Beagle Channel and the city center. Although there are several trails to follow, the most traditional one is a three-hour hike through the forest to reach the top. We only recommend it for children over 13 years old.
If your children are under thirteen, then you can drive up to the teahouse and take in the views from there. You have the option of hiring an excursion from downtown Ushuaia that includes guide, transfers, trekking and lunch (only children over 15 years old are allowed).
If you visit the Martial Glacier in winter with children, they will be able to play with snow and even watch it snow. In addition, during the winter season there is a ski school operating on site, where your children will experience skiing or snowboarding for the first time. Check out the rates for a ski lesson at the Martial Glacier here.
2) Sailing through the Beagle Channel with children
Undoubtedly, this is one of the best activities to do in Ushuaia with children. For the little ones the adventure is guaranteed, since they will see the famous lighthouse at the end of the world (although it really is not), they will sail through the Beagle Channel with its stories and legends, and they will see marine fauna such as sea lions, seagulls and cormorants in the Isla de los Pajaros.
📷 Book here the navigation through the Beagle Channel to enjoy with your family.
But, without a doubt, watching the penguins on Martillo Island from the boat is something that children will not forget. The sighting of the penguins on Martillo Island can only be done from October to April, when these marine animals arrive to the island to have their young.
📷 Book here the Beagle Channel navigation including Martillo Island. Only available from October to April.
A third option is to sail through the Beagle Channel plus a short trek to Bridges Island, home of the Yamana Indians, the original people who inhabited this region before the discovery of America. You can book this excursion from here.
3) Ride on the End of the World Train
This old train was used to transport prisoners from the End of the World prison from 1909 to 1952, when it was decided to close the prison.
The original route was about 25 kilometers, from the place mentioned above, passing through the Patagonian forest to Mount Susana, final destination where the prisoners worked mainly in logging for timber.
Part of this route can be done as a touristic route nowadays, where the children will see how the prisoners used to work.
4) Go to Tierra del Fuego National Park
Another must to visit in Ushuaia with children. This park houses several attractions for the little ones.
The beaver farms are one of them. There is a trail inside the national park, called the beaver walk, to see the active dams built by these animals over the creek.
Another curious site for the little ones is the Postal Unit of the End of the World, a small post office where you can send a postcard from the End of the World to any place in the world.
In addition to the aforementioned, the scenery of Tierra del Fuego Park is impressive. The inlet bay, the forest, the lakes and mountains are the protagonists.
📷 The excursion to Tierra del Fuego Park is usually combined. There are three options:
– Tierra del Fuego Park only or combine with End of the World Train.
– Full day Tierra del Fuego Park plus End of the World Train plus Beagle Channel navigation. Ideal if you have little time in Ushuaia.
5) Trekking Esmeralda Lagoon in Ushuaia with children
If you want to do a trekking route in Ushuaia with children, this is undoubtedly the most recommended, because the trail, marked with blue signs, has practically no slope. It is ideal to do it with children from six years old.
There are about nine kilometers in total of walking, starting from the beginning of the trail that is on route 3 (you can go by round trip transport from the center to the beginning of the trail). With children it can take about five hours in total.
The trail goes through lenga forests until it reaches the beautiful emerald green lagoon, with the high snow-capped mountains and glaciers in the background.
The landscape has a lot of contrast between winter and summer, since during the snow season you will see the lagoon frozen.
If you want to do the trekking with a guide, hire the excursion to the Emerald Lagoon from here.
📝 Travel tip: It is essential to wear a raincoat, trekking boots, gloves and a hat. Due to the sun and the reflection of the snow, sunglasses and sunscreen are also necessary. Bring some food and a bottle of water. If you have children under 3 years old you should carry a backpack.
6) Snorkeling in the Beagle Channel
This activity in Ushuaia can be done from 15 years old and is a real experience, diving into the Beagle Channel to see schools of small fish.
No previous experience is necessary. The excursion is done with trained personnel and provides all the elements to do the snorkel. Book here the snorkel in the Beagle Channel.
7) Visit one of Ushuaia’s museums with children
The Presidio Museum is the most renowned museum in Ushuaia, although it is not very child-oriented. Our recommendation is that with children in Ushuaia you visit two other museums that operate on the same premises: the Maritime Museum and the Antarctic Museum, very educational for children between six and 13 years. In them there is information about Antarctica and the link between the sea and the island of Tierra del Fuego.
Another museum worth visiting with children is the Museum of the End of the World. Its function is to learn about the first settlers of the island. It operates in two different establishments, the most suitable for children is the one in the Foundational Headquarters at 173 Maipú Street.
8) Family entertainment in downtown Ushuaia
Not everything is scenery in Ushuaia, downtown Ushuaia also offers interesting proposals for the little ones. Among them:
- Landmark with the letters of Ushuaia: ideal for a nice family photo souvenir, with the bay in the background.
- Philco Time Capsule: a curious structure created in 1992 with messages from the people inside. Its purpose is to open it 500 years later, to show that generation how life and way of thinking was five centuries ago.
- Saint Christopher’s Ship: a ship that ran aground more than 50 years ago on the shore of Ushuaia, something attractive for children. It can only be seen from the shore.
9) Skiing, an activity to do in Ushuaia with children in the wintertime
This time of the year is ideal in Ushuaia to do activities under the snow. There are several ski centers around the city:
- Martial Glacier ski school: already mentioned in the first activity to do with kids in Ushuaia.
- Tierra Mayor: it has a ski school for young children and many activities designed for them. It is the best place to go on a snowmobile excursion if your children are older than 8 years old.
- Cerro Castor: the reference ski center in Ushuaia, which also has initiation classes for the little ones.
Where to stay in Ushuaia
If you are looking for the best accommodations in Ushuaia for families, check out our article on where to stay in Ushuaia with recommendations for all budgets.
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