11 Ushuaia Travel Tips to Plan an Awesome Trip!

Here are all my Ushuaia travel tips and travel advice to help you plan your dream trip to the City at the End of the World!

So you’re planning a trip to Ushuaia and you’re not quite sure where to begin. After all, there are many considerations when it comes to visiting a destination so remote that it quite literally feels like you’re journeying to the ends of the Earth.

Depending on where you are in the planning stages of your trip, you may have a lot of questions like:

When is the best time to visit Ushuaia? How much time should I allocate to this city? What will the weather be like? How should I pack? And what activities should I not miss?

This Ushuaia travel guide covers some of the best things to do in the city, however, today we’re going to focus on some practical travel advice and insider tips to help you make the most of your visit.

Ushuaia Travel Tips

1. Choose what time of year to visit

Ushuaia is located in the Southern Hemisphere at the very bottom of South America, and each season brings different highlights.

The first step to planning your trip is deciding when is the best time to visit Ushuaia. Your experience will greatly vary depending on the season you choose.

You may be inclined to think that Ushuaia is a year-round wintry wonderland due to its proximity to Antarctica, however, that is not the case! Ushuaia does have distinct seasons and with that come different activities to enjoy.

During the winter months (June–August), snow sports dominate, and the city exudes a cozy, alpine atmosphere. This is the time of year to go skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and ice trekking. You can also enjoy The Longest Night Festival, which celebrates the winter solstice.

Summer in Ushuaia (December–February), brings longer days with up to 18 hours of daylight. This season provides ideal conditions for hiking, wildlife tours, and even penguin encounters.

Meanwhile, spring (September–November) and autumn (March–May) are shoulder seasons with fewer crowds and often better deals, though weather can be more volatile.

All this to say, that the best time to visit Ushuaia depends entirely on the activities you want to enjoy, but you can visit year-round.

2. Pack for unpredictable weather

Having said all of the above, you still need to pack for unpredictable weather no matter what time of year you choose to visit!

Ushuaia is known for having four seasons in one day and we got to experience that firsthand. We visited in summer and witnessed sunshine and clear skies that turned into freezing rain, plus intense winds that forced us to cancel one of our treks!

Hence, it is crucial to pack a variety of clothing layers. Include a waterproof jacket, warm fleece, thermal layers, and sturdy footwear.

Don’t forget accessories like gloves, a warm hat, and sunglasses to protect against both sun and glare from snow or water.

3. Book in advance if visiting in the summer

Another important Ushuaia travel tip is to book your accommodations in advance, especially if you’re planning to visit during the summer months.

Summer in Ushuaia is high season and it’s when most travellers descend on the southernmost city in the world!

Figuring out where you want to stay in Ushuaia is an important part of the travel equation.

Accommodations in the city are quite varied and range from luxury hotels overlooking the Beagle Channel to centrally located hostels for those who want to explore the city on a budget.

4. Choose your Beagle Channel cruise carefully

If there’s one activity you should do some research on, it’s which Beagle Channel cruise to book. This is another important Ushuaia travel tip because not all tours are created equal!

How do you want to cruise the Beagle Channel? Because there are lots of things to consider.

Larger vessels feel less choppy on the water but you have to share the experience with lots of people, while on smaller vessels you can really feel the waves but you also get a more personalized experience.

Perhaps most importantly, do you want to view penguins from a boat or do you want to disembark and walk among them? This is an important consideration since not all tour operators are permitted to disembark on Martillo Island.

5. Get outdoors when the weather is good

When the sun comes out, get out there and enjoy all the outdoor activities! Don’t think it over twice, because the weather could change by then.

This is your moment to visit Estancia Haberton, trek to the Emerald Lagoon, canoe on Lapataia Bay or anything else that involves being outside.

Visiting Ushuaia means being flexible and readjusting your plans according to the weather.

I would highly recommend booking your must-do tours early on in your visit and that way you can reschedule things for a better day if you must.

6. Plan for a few indoor activity days

Ushuaia’s weather isn’t always ideal for outdoor adventures, so having indoor options is helpful. Thankfully, this city has plenty of attractions to keep you busy on those windy, rainy or snowy days when beyond outdoors isn’t an attractive option.

The first place I would recommend visiting is the Prison at the End of the World also known as Ushuaia Prison. The former prison houses multiple museums; one in each of the five wings which then converge in a central hall. These include the Prison Museum, the Maritime Museum, the Antarctic Museum, the Art Museum and the Art Gallery.

You also have the End of the World Museum which is housed across two buildings on Avenida Maipú.

Or if you’d rather see a bit of the city, you can hop on the double-decker bus for a tour of Ushuaia.

7. Splurge on once-in-a-lifetime experiences

There are a few different ways to splurge on experiences in the world’s southernmost city.

The first is through your accommodations. If I had to choose one property for a luxurious stay, it would be Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa. This is considered to be the best hotel in all of Ushuaia!

Arakur sits on a natural balcony 800 feet above sea level inside the Reserva Natural Cerro Alarkén which means you have hiking trails just outside the hotel doors. The best part is a heated indoor-outdoor pool offering unparalleled panoramic views of the city and the Beagle Channel.

Another way to splurge during your stay in Ushuaia is by going on a helicopter flight. You can choose from different flight lengths, however, the most epic is a 30-minute scenic flight which includes a landing in the Andes and a bottle of champagne.

8. Plan and book all your bus transportation

Booking your bus transportation ahead of time is another important tip to keep in mind.

Ushuaia is connected to Rio Grande, Argentina and Punta Arenas, Chile by bus. There is only one way in via the Fuegian Andes, which means that buses can get fully booked!

Depending on the time of year you visit, there may not be daily connections, so it’s important you sort your bus in and out of Ushuaia with plenty of time.

Also, at the time of writing this, Ushuaia doesn’t have a real bus terminal. Buses arrive and depart from a parking lot just across from the port, which can be a little confusing for travellers.

I would suggest buying your bus tickets in advance via Plataforma10 or BusBud. There’s nowhere to buy long-distance bus tickets in the parking lot, there are no schedules posted, and no announcements regarding arrivals and departures. It’s a fend-for-yourself type of terminal.

The one useful thing you’ll find in this parking lot is a booth for a shuttle service to a few different tourist spots in and around Ushuaia. You can book a ride to Tierra del Fuego National Park as well as numerous trailheads in the city outskirts.

You can find more helpful info on how to get to Ushuaia here.

9. Explore Tierra del Fuego National Park

Just a short drive west of Ushuaia, you’ll find Tierra del Fuego National Park which offers numerous trails that lead to scenic lookouts, pristine lakes, and peat bogs. We enjoyed the park so much that we spent two days hiking there.

We dedicated one full day to Senda Costera or the Coastal Trail which follows the Beagle Channel. We hiked from Zaratiegui Bay to Alakush, an 8-kilometre one-way hike that takes 3-4 hours to complete. We first sent postcards and got our passports stamped at the southernmost post office in the world.

We also hiked in Lapataia Bay, an important spot that marks the end of Argentina’s National Route 3 and the Panamerican Highway. There are a total of 6 trails there, all quite short ranging from 400 meters to 2 kilometres, so it’s very doable to complete them in one day.

Of course, another reason to visit Tierra del Fuego National Park is to ride the Train to the End of the World, which is a bucket list activity, especially if you’re a train enthusiast! This train journey is a great way to learn about Ushuaia’s origins as a penal colony.

10. Try Fuegian cuisine

Now let’s talk about Fuegian cuisine because there are certain dishes you simply have to try when you visit Ushuaia!

Given the city’s proximity to the ocean, seafood is an important component of the local cuisine.

Centolla or king crab, features prominently in most restaurants across town. You can try it in soups, stews and salads. The meat is tender and has a mildly sweet flavour, comparable to lobster.

Merluza negra or Patagonian toothfish is another local seafood dish known for its buttery texture.

As far as meat goes, cordero fueguino or Fuegian lamb, is a regional dish that is slow-cooked on a stake.

You can pair your meal with a glass of Argentine wine or sample a few locally brewed craft beers, which have become increasingly popular in Patagonia.

11. Arrive a few days early if you’re catching a cruise

Last but not least, if you are one of those travellers who is continuing onwards to Ushuaia, try to arrive a few days early.

While there are multiple daily flights from Buenos Aires and a few other select cities, the weather at the end of the world can be quite unpredictable and in cases of extreme wind, flights can be delayed.

You don’t want the cruise ship leaving without you because you decided to fly on the same day the ship is leaving port!

I would suggest arriving at least a couple of days early to give yourself a buffer. There’s plenty to see and do in Ushuaia and this 3-day itinerary can help you fill some of that time.