Discover things to do in the southernmost city of the American continent with this ideal itinerary to visit Ushuaia in 5 days based on our experience.
Located in the extreme south of the American continent, where the Andes Mountains plunge into the ocean, the city of Ushuaia is considered the southernmost city in the world. With its stunning natural beauty surrounding it, the city is one of the must-see destinations to visit in Patagonia Argentina.
Among the many activities to do in Ushuaia in 5 days are the exploration of the Tierra del Fuego National Park, navigation through the channels and fjords of the Beagle Channel, hiking on Patagonian lakes and the tour of the famous End of the World Train and the Presidio Museum.
We have designed this 5-day Ushuaia itinerary based on our experience visiting the city on more than one occasion. Don’t miss it!
🔎 You want to know the best time, the must-sees and how many days to dedicate to it. See our guide to travel to Ushuaia.
Table of Contents
Detailed itinerary in Ushuaia in 5 days
Day 1: Downtown and Martial Glacier
Day 2: Tierra del Fuego National Park and Train to the End of the World
Day 3: Beagle Channel Navigation
Day 4: Escondido and Fagnano Lake Excursion
Day 5: Trekking to the Esmeralda Lagoon
Day 1: downtown and Martial Glacier
A good way to start your visit to Ushuaia is to visit the Martial Glacier, a destination easily accessible from the center of the city of Ushuaia, since it is only seven kilometers away and you can reach the base by cab or car. Also, above the base there is a beautiful tea house with prices a little high, but the environment where it is located is worth a stop for a snack or a bite to eat.
The climb from the base to the viewpoint takes about two hours in total. The slope is quite steep and requires medium physical effort. We recommend wearing trekking shoes as the ground becomes slippery with the presence of snow in winter.
The viewpoint is really impressive with the view of the city of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel in the background. It is worth the effort.
In winter, the ski center operates at Cerro Martial. There is a school where you can even take classes. Skiing down the mountain slopes overlooking the city is breathtaking.
📷 Book here the Martial Glacier trekking which includes guide, lunch, transfers and trekking equipment.
In the afternoon and after the effort, we recommend a stroll through downtown Ushuaia so as not to get too tired in view of the activities of the following days.
The Presidio Museum with extended hours (admits visitors until 19:30) is a fabulous place to explore the history of the city and especially of the so-called End of the World Prison, where highly dangerous prisoners were sent to survive in extreme conditions. There are many stories that the guide can tell you about some of these characters such as Petiso Orejudo or Mateo Banks.
In the same area you can visit the Ushuaia Maritime Museum, Maritime Art Museum and Antarctic Museum, referring to the history that links the local inhabitants with the sea. You can also learn more about the first settlers of Ushuaia.
In addition, we recommend a walk along San Martin Street, which is home to countless shops, restaurants, cafes and the Nuestra Señora de la Merced Parish Church, and go to the waterfront to take a picture with the sign of the End of the World.
📷 Book here the panoramic tour of Ushuaia by bus.
The first day we recommend dinner at the Taberna del Viejo Lobo, a place excellently set in the prison at the End of the World and with a beautiful naval decoration. Here you can eat pasta, fish and meat. Portions are always abundant.
Day 2: Tierra del Fuego National Park and Train to the End of the World
On the second day in Ushuaia it is time to start enjoying the natural beauty that surrounds the city, more precisely to enter the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
This large protected area includes forests with lush vegetation, the presence of animals such as beavers and turquoise water lakes. There are many trails that you can walk through the park, we especially recommend you to go to the Acigami Lake viewpoint, and do the coastal trail, the most popular one.
This trail is one of the most beautiful as it runs along the coast of the Beagle Channel from Ensenada Zaratiegui Bay to Lapataia Bay. The first is where the Post Office of the End of the World is located, a stone beach and a parking lot. The trail ends at the RN3, very close to the Alakush Visitor Center. It takes about 3 hours to walk it.
To enter the Tierra del Fuego National Park you must pay a fee, which varies if you are an Argentine resident or a foreigner. Updated prices can be found on the official website of the national parks.
There are many activities that can be done in Tierra del Fuego National Park, we recommend the excursion with trekking in the park, or the one that includes trekking and a canoe ride on Lake Acigami.
The best is to combine in the same day the visit to the Tierra del Fuego National Park and the End of the World Train, since the last station of the train is inside the national park. The last station of the train is located inside the national park and can be linked with hikes and different trails.
The End of the World Train follows the route that prisoners used to take between the prison and Mount Susana to collect firewood and other materials. Nowadays, replicas of the wagons and machinery used at the beginning of the 20th century are still preserved and the route is only used for tourist purposes.
In the evening, we make the second recommendation where to eat in Ushuaia. This is El Viejo Marino, the reference place to eat fresh spider crab in the city. However, it is advisable to go early because it is very crowded and they do not make reservations in advance. We were there around 9 pm, that is a good time to enter without waiting in line.
Day 3 Beagle Channel Navigation
Undoubtedly, in a 5-day itinerary through Ushuaia, navigation through the Beagle Channel is a must. The tour, in most cases, includes the lighthouse of Les Éclaireurs, wrongly called the lighthouse of the end of the world, the island of sea lions and the island of birds with birds such as seagulls and albatrosses.
It is a nice ride to enjoy from the beginning, since you can see the entire coastal area of the city and then when the boat enters the Beagle Channel you begin to observe marine fauna and small islands inhabited by animals.
Among the excursions we recommend are:
- Traditional tour of the lighthouse, bird island and wolf island. In this case, you do not get off the boat at any time. It is the cheapest excursion to navigate the Beagle Channel.
- Traditional tour plus the penguin colony of Isla Martillo. In this case, we add to the previous excursion the observation of the Magellanic penguin colonies on Martillo Island.
- Tour of the lighthouse, Alicia Island to see fur seals, Bird Island and Wolf Island. In this case, a trekking route through the latter island is made.
In all cases, the excursions usually last as long as maximum about five hours. There is still time to stroll around downtown, take a picture with the Ushuaia sign on the waterfront, go shopping at the Paseo del Fuego shopping mall, or just relax with a good coffee and something sweet (for this we recommend Tante Sara with excellent cakes).
In the evening, we recommend eating at Isabel. You may have already tried it in El Calafate, they are from the same owner, but if not it is worth it. It is food prepared on plow discs with a delicious taste, there is a great variety of beef, chicken, pork and fish. The portions are very abundant, even for sharing between two.
Day 4 Excursion to Escondido and Fagnano lakes
On the fourth day in Ushuaia it is time to head towards the interior of the province of Tierra del Fuego to visit one of the most beautiful and largest lakes in the Argentine Patagonia. This large body of water is shared by Chile and Argentina, it is Lake Fagnano.
Very close to it is the small Escondido Lake. In both cases they are surrounded by the Andes Mountains and the Patagonian forest.
There are two ways to make the excursion to Lake Fagnano and Escondido:
- By bus with stops at the viewpoints Valle Carbajal and Garibaldi Pass. It is the cheapest excursion.
- On a 4×4 excursion: a unique experience as you will travel on dirt road, surrounded by the Patagonian landscape.
It should be clarified that both excursions can only be done in Ushuaia in summer, since due to weather conditions and the presence of ice and snow, they cannot be done in winter.
In the evening, we recommend dinner at Ramos Generales El Almacén. Decorated as an old still life with antique objects, here you can drink mate, have a snack or eat. We recommend you try the lamb ravioli, exquisite.
Day 5 trekking to the esmeralda lagoon
On the last day in Ushuaia it is time to make a moderate effort to reach a lake of green water, the Esmeralda Lagoon.
It is a two-hour trek through forests to reach this true paradise. Although it can be done most of the year, it is advisable to do it during the summer, since the rest of the year, due to the thaw and the ice, it becomes slippery and muddy. In any case, good trekking boots are essential to do so.
Although it can be done on your own since the trail is well marked, there is an excursion that includes transportation to the trailhead, guide and lunch.
The last dinner you can have at La Estancia grill to taste the Patagonian lamb or have a free fork and try different types of meats.
The list of activities to do in Ushuaia is much more numerous such as a helicopter ride, a trip to Castor Hill or scuba diving in the Beagle Channel. If you want to stay more days, you won’t get bored.
Where to stay in Ushuaia
If you are looking for accommodation in the city, we made an article with our recommendations on where to stay in Ushuaia for all budgets. Don’t miss it!
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