The Housesitting Diaries The Travel Diaries

Is Ushuaia Worth Visiting? (+ Itinerary & Free Activities)

HappyGoMucky

February 10, 2025

Table of Contents

Is Ushuaia Worth Visiting?

I see the question ‘Is Ushuaia worth visiting?’ a lot when it comes to people planning their Patagonia itineraries. I spent two weeks in Ushuaia (pronounced U-sue-eye-a), Argentina, and was very surprised by how unique the experience was. My verdict is a resounding YES. I had free accommodation, so I stayed for two weeks, which I will touch on later in the article.

penguin on green luscious island with blue ocean and snow tipped mountains in backgrounds

Walking with Penguins

Martillo Island

clear blue lake wit hsand beach surrounded by people and mountains

Crystal blue lake

Laguna Esmeralda

Whale tail spotted

Beagle Channel

ushuaia glacier hike river trail with wooden crosing

Gorgeous forest trails

Glaciar Martial

Where is Ushuaia?

Ushuaia, Argentina, is the southernmost city in the entire world with a population of more than 80,000 people. Despite being one of the world’s most remote places, Ushuaia is filled with incredible things to do and is totally worth visiting. It surprised me in the best ways. The city is gorgeous, surrounded by the Fuegian Andes and the Beagle Channel. It boasts a tonne of hiking trails, boat tours, and even restaurants, shops, and cafes to enjoy.

This is because it is a well-known stop in Patagonia, both because of it being ‘the end of the world‘ or ‘el fin del mundo’ and for being the launch point for ships to Antarctica.

How to get there

You can fly from other Argentine airports, such as Buenos Aires, Córdoba, or El Calafate, directly to Ushuaia International Airport (USH).

walk like a penguin sign ushuaia fr walking when icy

I flew to Buenos Aires and on to Ushuaia airport. USH airport is located only ten minutes from the city centre. There are no shuttles or public buses connecting the airport to the city, so a taxi is the only option. The taxi cost was 5,000 ARS or 5 USD.

If you have a vehicle, you can buckle in for a long, but equally beautiful, drive to the end of the world!

How long should I spend in Ushuaia?

How long you spend in Ushuaia depends on what you are interested in doing there. If you want to walk with penguins (you heard that right!), hike, and enjoy the Beagle Channel by boat, you will want at least 3 full days, preferably 4. The wind and rain in Ushuaia can be very unpredictable, and the outdoor activities are weather dependent.

selfie of me on a wooden bridge on a hike

If you are more interested in the museums and the history, riding the train at the end of the world and enjoying the city, then 2-3 days would be plenty to make Ushuaia worth visiting. If you are visiting Antarctica, it is totally worth adding a few days on either side to enjoy the city.

4-Day Ushuaia Itinerary

Let me start with this: if you are super flexible with your schedule and have an interest in visiting Antarctica, it is possible from Ushuaia to get a very highly discounted trip. We’re talking 4k USD per person for a 10-day trip. You do this by visiting one of the tour providers. For example call in to Wayfinders, who are well known for their deals, to see if there is a last-minute cancellation.

last minute Antarctica trip sign on Wayfinder's building

Aside from a casual impromptu Antarctica trip, here’s my perfect 4-day itinerary to make Ushuaia worth your while:

Glacier Martial park sign with mountains and forest behind

Day 1: Settle in, explore downtown, and (optional) hike.

Settle into your accommodation and unpack! Most flights get into Ushuaia in the morning, so you should have plenty of time to explore the gorgeous city on this day. Avenida San Martín is the main street of Ushuaia.

Walk downtown and let a café, heladería (ice cream shop), or chocolate shop catch your eye. The city has an alpine feel to it, as it’s really quite modern, with large mountains making the backdrop as you wander through. My favourite café in Ushuaia is for sure Ana & Juana—Onas! It is gorgeous and cosy with a great upstairs area to tuck away and people-watch.

If you’re anything like me, you needed to stock up the fridge or pantry on good food on day one. The best supermarkets I found were Gualdesi, which is small but way cheaper than the others and has great fruit and vegetables, and La Anónima, which is much larger with tonnes of options but is more expensive.

Glacier Martial is the closest hike to the city and can be done in an afternoon. Entry costs 10 USD, and there are multiple routes you can follow with something for all levels, none particularly difficult. For more information on this hike, see my full dedicated blog post here.

Day 2: Hike Glacier Vinciguerra or Laguna Esmeralda (for free!)

Glacier Vinciguerra is a 13 km out-and-back trail that is on the longer and tougher side. I would recommend starting in the morning to not risk losing sunlight. This hike is free. It is much less busy than the other hikes in the area and even has a small (very local) brewpub at the end. For more information on this hike, see my full dedicated blog post here!

Laguna Esmeralda is a more chill and easy 12 km out-and-back hike and therefore much busier than Glacier Vinciguerra, but it is incredibly beautiful. This hike is also free, but you need to pay for transport to it. The earliest shuttle bus back to town is at 3pm. I got the 10 am bus and had to wait 1 hour after I completed the hike for the shuttle back.

After your hike, I recommend checking out the super cool prison museum downtown, where you can learn a lot about Ushuaia’s history. The ticket is 40 USD but remains valid for 48 hours.

Day 3: Walking with Penguins on Martillo Island!

An insane highlight of my Ushuaia stay was the opportunity to walk with penguins on Martillo Island. And yes, I mean walk with them! There is only one tour company, Piratour, that runs the penguin walking tour. It’s expensive, about 260 USD, but if you have the budget to spend, it’s so very worth it. The tour takes about 7 hours in total, including transit to and from the island via bus and then boat. There are two tour times: 9 am or 2:30 pm. See my full blog post on the experience here.

Book in advance! This tour books out very quickly, especially in peak season (December–February).

In the evening, visit Dublin, the lively Irish bar at the end of the world where everyone seems to hang out! What can I say? Us Irish know how to do it.

Day 4: Chill day with a Beagle Channel Boat Tour

I always love to include a slower day. I recommend renting a bike and riding out to Playa Larga for a cold water dip or cycling along the marina to the more local neighbourhood of La Mission.

In the afternoon, you can book in for a 3pm tour of the Beagle Channel with El Che (400 5-star reviews) for 85 USD, which includes coffee, tea, or a beer and snacks if you pay in cash (100 USD if you pay by card). This tour lasts for 4 hours, and on it you can get a glimpse of what the wildlife so near Antarctica is like! See the famous sea lions of Ushuaia, whales, seals, penguins, dolphins, and birds in this unique part of the world. The tour runs from 3 to 7 pm, including walking around the islands, making it a perfect pair with getting some work done.

If that isn’t chill enough, there’s a cinema in a large shopping centre a short bus ride away from Ushuaia town that sometimes plays titles in English. This may sound nuts, but I hadn’t been anywhere with a cinema in over a year, and I got to buy a bunch of snacks and go to see Wicked!

4-day budget for Ushuaia

Argentine Patagonia is not cheap, not anywhere, and Ushuaia is no exception. However, there are ways to make it cheaper by choosing your activities well and doing an exchange like a house sit to get free accommodation. With that, here is my realistic budget for Ushuaia, including fun activities that will make Ushuaia worth visiting!

✈️ Flights: 557 USD

Return ticket from San Juan, Argentina, where I’m currently based.

🏠 Accommodation: 0 USD total

I had a two-week house sit in a B&B, where I stayed for free in exchange for watering the plants, taking care of the garden, and checking in on the rooms. There was also a bike there that I could use for free. I used TrustedHouseSitters to apply and get the sit (click here for a 25% discount on your membership).

🍴 Food: 91 USD total

I ate out 4 times (including 2 café workdays). These cost me an average of 14 USD, and in the supermarket, I spent 35 USD for 4 days of food.

⛰️ Activities: 190 USD total

150 USD (normal cost 250 USD) for walking with penguins, 40 USD (28 USD for students) for the prison museum entry, and 14 USD for a cinema ticket. All hikes I did for free.

🚂 Transport: 64 USD total

20 USD shuttle bus to and from Lake Esmeralda, 4 USD on local buses, 40 USD on taxis (airport, Glaciar Vinciguerra, and Tierra del Fuego National Park).

Total spend (excluding flights, as these are different for everyone): 345 USD

Restaurant recommendations

Ushuaia is a great foodie location! Due to the popularity of the city at the end of the world, I was super impressed by the number of options for vegetarians and vegans in the majority of restaurants. Argentine dinner time is between 9 and 12 am. To my surprise, I loved going out for a meal late at night after an evening activity. I loved that the streets were packed with people until 12 am.

In Ushuaia, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to gorgeous cafes to enjoy. I love Marcopolo Freelife restaurant; it has super cosy couches that look out onto the street for people watching. They have a tonne of pre-made vegetarian and even vegan sandwiches and salad boxes. I got the goat cheese, pesto, and sun-dried tomato sandwich heated up like 3 times in 2 weeks. Obsessed. Apparently the burgers and other food off the menu aren’t great, but I’m a huge fan of the sandwiches.

For dinner, my vegetarian recommendation is Isla Vegana, but it closes at 8pm. I super recommend Taberna Del Viejo Lobo for local Argentine food with some veggie and vegan options. Kaupé Restaurant is a more bougie, elevated, and expensive option, but I didn’t go as it’s not great for veggies. All the locals recommended El Viejo Marino for the cheapest, famous king crab in Ushuaia.

What is not worth visiting in Ushuaia?

For me, the Tierra del Fuego National Park was totally skippable. The exception is if you plan on conquering the difficult Cerro Guanaco hike in Tierra del Fuego National Park if you are up for the challenge! For me, the other treks in the National Park were not worth the visit or price of entry. For a full breakdown of my experience in the National Park, including how to get into the park for free, read my blog all about the Tierra del Fuego National Park.

Alakush visitor centre sign and building with mountains in the back

Bahía bay emerald green water, stone beach and grey rocks

The hikes I loved in the order I recommend them are 1) Glacier Vincinguerra (best hike), 2) Lago Esmeralda (easiest but most beautiful hike), and 3) Glacier Martial (most accessible from the city).

Know before you go

Money—bring cash with you! It’s a whole lot cheaper to pay for things using cash, but it’s super expensive to withdraw from ATMs in Argentina, and for me, I could only withdraw about 60,000 ARS (60 USD) max at one time. Bring cash and convert it in a local Western Union for the best rate.

Weather—Ushuaia can be notoriously rainy and cold, even in austral summer (December – February). Bring appropriate and waterproof clothing, especially if you plan on hitting the trails.

Solo travelling—I came to Ushuaia as a solo female traveller and felt super safe on hikes and in the city, even at night. Hitchhiking is also a popular way to travel in Patagonia. 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.

Safety—Many hikes and excursions have no phone reception, such as Glacier Vincinguerra, Laguna Esmeralda, or the Isla Martillo Penguin tour. Have a good idea of how you will get home.

Navigation—My top tip for navigation while hiking in Ushuaia is downloading the AllTrails app on your phone. Even in offline mode, and without paying for membership, it shows all the hiking trails that are not visible on Google Maps. Honestly, this saved me!