Highlights
- Sail through the famous Beagle Channel to visit a sea lion colony
- Make new friends among Isla Martillo's penguins
- Hike through Tierra del Fuego to the gorgeous Laguna Esmeralda
- Watch a dramatic tango performance in Buenos Aires
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Buenos Aires, Fly to Ushuaia, Beagle Channel Catamaran Cruise | Ushuaia |
| Day 2 | Visit the Penguin Colony on Isla Martillo, Explore Puerto Almanza | Ushuaia |
| Day 3 | Trek to Laguna Esmeralda | Ushuaia |
| Day 4 | Carbajal Valley & Lakes 4WD Tour | Ushuaia |
| Day 5 | Hike Through Tierra del Fuego National Park | Ushuaia |
| Day 6 | Fly to Buenos Aires, Tango Show & Dinner, Depart |
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Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Buenos Aires, Fly to Ushuaia, Beagle Channel Catamaran Cruise
Welcome to Argentina! Today, you'll fly from Buenos Aires to the Ushuaia-Malvinas Argentinas International Airport, where your driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Located on a bay in the Patagonian region of Tierra del Fuego, the town sits between the jagged peaks of the Martial Mountains and the silver waters of the Beagle Channel, where Charles Darwin sailed over 200 years ago.
The charming downtown is full of colorful shops and buildings, such as mock chalets and tiny cottages. Walk along the waterfront for a better glimpse of the mountains and shoreline. Visit the Maritime Museum, housed in a former prison that once held convicts banished from Buenos Aires. Nearby, the Museo del Fin del Mundo (End of the World Museum) features exhibits on the region's history, local Indigenous traditions, the natural world, and sailing. For lunch, try the local seafood, especially the region's specialty, centolla (king crab), often served au gratin.
After you explore the town, you'll spend the rest of the day sailing through the famous Beagle Channel via catamaran. During this 3.5-hour crossing of the Bay of Ushuaia, you'll enjoy epic views of the canal and surrounding mountains. The boat will take you past colonies of South American fur seals and various seabirds. If weather permits, stop for a short walk on Isla Bridges before passing by the iconic Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse on your way back to the city.
Day 2: Visit the Penguin Colony on Isla Martillo, Explore Puerto Almanza
Your journey of the day will take you east of Ushuaia, through a glacial valley to Brown Bay, where you'll catch another boat in the Beagle Channel. This sailing trip traverses some of the region's most incredible landscapes, crossing islands with colonies of sea lions, rock shags, and adorable Magellanic penguins. After your tour ends, you'll meet a local family for lunch in the small village of Puerto Almanza. Enjoy fresh, local foods, like seafood caught from the waters of the channel, and learn about the traditional ways of the fishermen and other inhabitants of the village.
Head southeast afterward for a hike through the forest along the Río Lasifashaj. The short route passes through meadows before reaching the Cascada Lasifashaj, a hidden waterfall off the beaten path. After the hike, head to the famous Flag Tree of Tierra del Fuego to watch the sunset. The area is full of these "flag trees," or trees that are misshapen and bent due to the extreme winds. Once the sun sets at this Instagrammable spot, you'll head back to Ushuaia for the night.
Day 3: Trek to Laguna Esmeralda
This morning, your guide will pick you up at your hotel to travel north on the beautiful Ruta 3. Heading away from the Beagle Channel, you'll discover one of the most remarkable valleys on the island, Valle de Los Lobos. From here, you'll start what many consider the best hike in Tierra del Fuego to the gem-like waters of Laguna Esmeralda.
This moderate, 6-mile (9.6 km) roundtrip hike takes you through an eerie forest of native lenga trees, across a peat bog, and along a mountain stream before you reach the lake. The turquoise water is framed by the Cordón Toribio mountains and one of the area's most stunning and accessible glaciers, the Albino. Stop by the water for lunch, savoring the views, before heading back along the same trail. When you return to the valley, your driver will be waiting to take you back to the city.
Day 4: Carbajal Valley & Lakes 4WD Tour
Today's excursion takes you on a journey through the wild and scenic glacial valleys around Ushuaia. After a morning pickup at your hotel, your first stop will be the viewpoint of the picturesque Valle Carbajal (Carbajal Valley). After a quick technical stop at the Villa las Cotorras resort, you'll continue to the legendary Andean mountain pass of Paso Garibaldi, where a panoramic postcard of lakes and peaks awaits you.
Hop on a 4WD here to descend through the Fuegian forest on simple logging roads carved by the region's first lumberjacks. Stop at the forest-fringed Lago Escondido for some traditional Argentine maté (tea) and snacks, and continue to the glacial blue Lago Fagnano to see the Magallanes Fault. This continental tectonic fault line helped to form prehistoric South America. After the morning's exploration, you'll head to the small village on the shores of Lago Escondido, where you'll enjoy a homemade lunch before returning to Ushuaia in the afternoon.
Day 5: Hike Through Tierra del Fuego National Park
Spend a full day among the wonders of Tierra del Fuego National Park, one of the most frequently visited places around Ushuaia. Your guide will help you discover some of the best spots within the 155,000 acres (62,726 ha) of the park, which stretches from mountains to the ocean with its landscape of meadows, rivers, valleys, forests, lakes, and bays.
You'll be transferred from your hotel to the park entrance, where you'll take a 4.3-mile (7 km) hike on a coastal path that follows the Beagle Channel. Enjoy the sublime views of the channel, appreciate the diverse flora and fauna of the area, and pass remnants of ancient settlements once occupied by the Yámana people, a local Indigenous group. End the hike at the Alakush Visitor Center for a delicious lunch with views of the Río Lapataia and Lago Roca. After lunch, take the La Lenga Trail to reach the southernmost point of the Pan-American Highway before returning to Ushuaia.
Day 6: Fly to Buenos Aires, Tango Show & Dinner, Depart
Say a fond farewell to Ushuaia and the rest of Patagonia as you fly north to the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires. Here you'll experience your final activity of the trip: dinner with a side of tango. Tango, or Argentine tango, originated in Buenos Aires in the late 19th century, and the popular and magnetic dance captures the soul of the city. Enjoy dinner comprised of local specialties alongside a tango performance.
The trip concludes here, either with your onward travels or for your own further explorations of the lively and charming Buenos Aires. Have a safe journey wherever the road takes you next!
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