Day 4 - 6 Ushuaia, Argentina
Ushuaia is a bustling tourist town and is also the southernmost city in the world
Located in Tierra del Fuego, on the shore of the Beagle Channel and at the base of the Andes Mountains, the port town of Ushuaia is a bustling tourist town and is also the southernmost city in the world. While many tourist are destined for Antartica, many other tourists are there for the natural beauty of Tierra del Fuego. In the winter (our summer) Ushuaia is a big ski centre for both cross country and downhill skiing. Many international ski teams train in Ushuaia during our summer months.
The first day was split between flyfishing on Lago Escondido and then exploring the town of Ushuaia
We landed in the evening and had three full days in Ushuaia before sailing for Antarctica. The first day was split between flyfishing on Lago Escondido north of Ushuaia and then exploring the town of Ushuaia. The winds were absolutely brutal and made it almost impossible to fish, but we managed several hits and one large brook trout to the net. Many thanks to our guide Bruno for picking us up at the airport the night before, touring us around the city and taking the best care of us on our time on the water. After fishing we walked the town and booked a tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park for the following day.
There are several tour companies in town that offer tours of Tierra del Fuego National Park and boat cruises on the Beagle Chanel. We were happy with our booking with Tolkeyen Patagonia Turismo. Rumbo Sur is another tour operator that offers similar packages and is worth checking out.
Tierra del Fuego National Park
On Day 2 we were picked up by our tour group and drove 20 km to Tierra del Fuego National Park. The tour stopped at all the notable viewpoints including Bahia Laptaia, the end of Argentina Ruta Nacional #3 - the southern end of the Pan-American Highway and the southernmost point to which you can drive on the planet. We also rode “el Tren del Fin del Mundo” the old convict train that once transported work crews from the prison to the forest to cut firewood for the prison and the town of Ushuaia.
The following day our baggage was picked up for our cruise and we checked in with our tour operator, signing a health declaration forms and presenting proof of vaccination. We didn’t board our ship until 4 pm, so we had the better part of the day to continue exploring Ushuaia.
On our return from Antarctica, we would spend another full day and night in Ushuaia, visiting the prison and naval museum.
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