Ushuaia’s Glaciar Vinciguerra Hike – A Complete Guide
Overview
The Vinciguerra Glacier, or Glaciar Vinciguerra hike, is a trek located 8 km outside Ushuaia city, the southernmost town in Argentina also affectionately known as ‘el fin del mundo’ or the town at end of the world. It’s proximity to the southernmost city makes it a perfect day trip when you want a slightly more challenging hike through a variety of interesting landscapes when based in Ushuaia.
The trail is named ‘Sendero Glaciar Vinciguerra‘ 13km and will take around 6 hours at a moderate pace ending at the gorgeous glacial lake, Laguna de los Témpanos. Upon doing a quick Google search you would be quick to believe that you need to pay for a shuttle and a guide to hike Glaciar Vinciguerra resulting in a potentially very expensive day. Luckily, this is not the case.
I often choose my hikes based on AllTrails reviews. Vinciguerra Glacier came in strong with an overall 4.8 stars with 542 reviews, and even better coming in at 4.9 stars on Google Maps reviews. I would rate it as moderate due to the length of the hike and the steepness and cold conditions at the top where the glacier is.
Can you hike Glaciar Vinciguerra without a guide?
Yes! Absolutely. This trail is very well marked up to the lake.
Know before you go
- The Glacier Vinciguerra hike itself is free!
- It was cold once you got near the top. Bring extra layers, waterproofs and gloves.
- There is no reception throughout this trail. Decide how you are getting back to Ushuaia before you go
- Certain parts of the trails can be very muddy, particularly along the river path and after you cross the large wooden footbridge. If it’s been raining, bring gaiters (here are the ones I wear)
- Regardless of weather, I strongly recommend walking poles. Some brief sections were super slippy
- This trail was much less busy than any other I did while in Ushuaia. Keep in mind there will likely not be taxis ready and waiting to bring you back to town and decide in advance how you will get back
- There is a lovely little bar to enjoy the most INCREDIBLE empanadas and some craft beer beside a toasty fire. From here, you can ask for the WiFi to order a taxi or Uber back to Ushuaia
How to get there
1. Car Rental
If you have rented a car in Ushuaia (which is probably best if you are a couple or group and plan to fit everything in a few days), you can drive up and park at the start point of the Glacier Vinciguerra hike.
2. Public Transport
There is a public bus that leaves from this bus stop. It is a small white minivan (unlike the normal full size local buses), and you need a SUBE bus pass for it. I am not sure of it’s departure times, but I know for sure it leaves Glaciar Vinciguerra from this spot at 6pm back to Ushuaia. I got the 6pm bus back after Jorge, the owner of Shima Bar at the trailhead told me about it, costing me only 800 pesos. Cash is not accepted.
I will always recommend getting a local bus pass if you are travelling for multiple weeks in one country. In Argentina, this works by finding a small shop or kiosk that has a ‘SUBE’ sign in Ushuaia or any other town. Here you can purchase and top up your SUBE card. A bus ride is 800 pesos (less than 1 dollar) in Ushuaia.
3. Taxis
Uber works super well in Ushuaia. Right now, an Uber from Ushuaia centre to the Glaciar Vinciguerra hike starting point costs 6,200 pesos (6 USD) each way. If you are a group, this is likely the most affordable option.
If you are getting a taxi back, it could be worth deciding on a pick up time with the driver as you will not have reception on the hike or even at the trailhead. You can connect to the Wifi however at Shima Karaoke bar after your hike to order one if you need.
4. Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is a super common way to travel in Patagonia. As a solo female traveller, I often got to and from my hikes this way and felt safe. Of course, always be safe and use common sense. Hitch Wiki is my go to guide on hitchhiking best practices in case this is new to you.
If you want to hike to Glacier Vinciguerra, you are going to want to start from about here to ensure the cars are likely going the same direction. A sign may also be useful as there are two possible routes cars can take. Hitchhiking back to Ushuaia would be pretty easy too.
Price
The Glaciar Vinciguerra hike is free! There is no entry fee.
Transport, however, you will pay for unless you hitchhike. If you are a group of 4 or so people, a taxi or Uber would be the best and cheap split between you all (about 6 USD total each way). Be sure to always agree on the price in advance.
Glaciar Vinciguerra Hike Routes
There are multiple routes once you make it to the start point. The one I did, and recommend, is named ‘Sendero Glaciar Vinciguerra‘. It is marked on the trail map as being 10.2km in length and 8 hours long in total. According to my smartwatch, the hike was 13km in total and took me 5 hours and 15 minutes including a good stop at Laguna Encantada at what I would deem a medium pace.
Along this trail there were gorgeous birds, countless horses and spectacular rugged Argentinian wilderness that you expect to see in Patagonia.
Upon arrival to the trailhead, you immediately get the sense that this is a step up from the other Ushuaia hikes thus far. The mountains here are larger and seem further away. Don’t worry, it is definitely do-able, but a nice step up from Laguna Esmerelda and Glaciar Martial.
Sendero Glaciar Vinciguerra Hike
- Duration: 6 hours
- Distance: 13km out and back
- Difficulty: Moderate difficulty
- Elevation gain: 660m
At the trail head you will pass through a blue gate and right onto a wide, nicely paved path.
Your first turn off comes as you decide between Laguna de Caminante or Glacier Vinciguerra. For Vinciguerra Glacier keep to the right, following the river along.
The trail is very pretty here, winding alongside the gorgeous glacial river. Some sections here can be muddy, especially if there has been quite a lot of rain. Gaiters and walking poles are advised if this is the case. Along the river path I saw quite a bit of Argentinian wildlife including a number of horses, fouls and birds.
After a few kilometres you will get to a wide wooden pedestrian bridge. After crossing, you enter a forest where elevation starts to slowly go up. About 2km into the forest trail, elevation increases more significantly.
Through the forest the path is rather peaty and sometimes muddy, but not too bad. You will notice several clear signs along this trail keeping you on track for Vinciguerra Glacier.
The forest trail continues for several kilometres. Eventually it turns into a more sparse creaky forest. At points along here there are ropes in place to aid you up the incline.
Once you pass the Mirador sign to the left, you keep right and continue uphill a bit more aggressively. This is where the cold began to hit me and I bundled up. If you have not already chosen a walking stick, here is your chance to pick one up Argentinian style.
After a couple of kilometres, the trail opens up onto a flat expanse and here you can clearly see the zigzag trail up to Laguna de los Témpanos. This section is very exposed to the elements, so be prepared with waterproofs and extra layers.
At the top of the zigzags, you will reach the icy blue lake.
To catch a glimpse of ice caves and getting closer to the glacier, cross the river leading down out of the lake and walk around the right hand side of the lake. Be very careful when walking on the ice or near the glacier. Only do so if conditions are safe. In summer (Nov – Jan) the ice is quickly melting at the top which can lead to ice caving in.
Congrats! You’ve made it to the top. The route back is identical.
Safety Tips
I completed this trek as a solo female and felt safe while trekking Glaciar Vinciguerra. I got a taxi there, and the bus back to town after. The trail was surprisingly quiet, with not many other hikers to be seen especially in the starting kilometers.
As always in Ushuaia, start with the weather which is notoriously bad. The top of the Vinciguerra Glacier is very exposed so check for wind and rain conditions and dress accordingly. Waterproof clothing is absolutely necessary to at least bring in your bag, as well as packing a hat, gloves, woolly socks and decent boots. Walking poles (or a great stick!) are highly recommended.
I always travel with maps downloaded, an emergency foil blanket, a headtorch, and small first aid kit. Ushuaia is famous for being often grey, cloudy, windy and rainy though there are also days of gorgeous sun. Sun cream and waterproof clothing are essential for staying safe on the trails. Sun cream will also protect your face from the wind. Bring plenty of water and pack a lunch.
One of the great things about summer months in Ushuaia (December – February) is that the sun does not set until 10.30 pm. Still, you should always aim to hike in the morning or early afternoon at the latest.
This trial, like the Laguna Esmerelda hike, had no phone reception the entire way.
Other activities around Glaciar Vinciguerra
Shima Karaoke Bar is an absolute MUST! With 200+ 5 star reviews on Google Maps – the people are not lying. I had the best empandas (3,000 pesos or 3 USD) in all my 6 months spent travelling Argentina in this place, served with an incredible fresh salsa. Jorge, the owner, is a delight and home cooks everything himself. The bar is like an open sitting room, and there are even craft beets on tap for your post hike reward. As mentioned, there is Wifi here should you need to order a taxi home or look up your favourite karaoke song to sing!
There is nothing else around the Vinciguerra Glacier hike.
Useful links & Map pins
- Glacier Vinciguerra trailhead on Google Maps
- AllTrails trek for Glacier Vinciguerra link for map download
- Local bus leaving point from Ushuaia
- Local bus leaving point from Vinciguerra (6pm!)
- Shima Karaoke Bar
Spanish Vocabulary
- La senda – the trail
- La laguna – the lake
- El puente – the bridge/gate
- Chocolate caliente – hot chocolate
- Cerveza artesanal – craft beer
- Ida y vuelta – return (i.e. for ordering a taxi there and back)
