Ushuaia

Antarctic cruise season

Arrive Early: The Pre-Voyage Checklist for Ushuaia · Why to land at least a night before your Antarctic ship sails, and what to sort out before you arrive.
Where to Stay Before You Sail: Our Guide to Ushuaia Hotels · Beagle Channel shore, hillside views or downtown by the port: how Ushuaia's hotels split, and which suits a cruise night.
One Perfect Day in Ushuaia Before Your Antarctic Cruise · National park in the morning, the old prison in the afternoon, king crab at night.
Beagle Channel Boat Tours: Penguins, Sea Lions and the Lighthouse at the End of the World · The classic lighthouse catamaran, the Isla Martillo penguins, and a full day out to Estancia Harberton.
Surviving the Drake Passage: How to Prepare for the Crossing · Drake Lake or Drake Shake: how to prepare on land and what helps once you're at sea.
After Antarctica: How to Spend Your Last Days in Ushuaia · Rest, king crab, the lakes over Garibaldi Pass, and anything you missed before the voyage.

Where should I stay?

Our top 5 hotels for a cruise stay

For a night before an Antarctic voyage we rank hotels differently than for a normal vacation. You want somewhere memorable, but you also have to get to the cruise terminal with your luggage. Downtown hotels are far easier on boarding day; the big resorts need a transfer.

Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa (Best overall luxury): Our pick if you have two or more nights before the cruise. A 5-star resort high above town in the Cerro Alarkén nature reserve, with sweeping views over the city, the mountains and the Beagle Channel; the heated indoor-outdoor pool and spa are a big part of the stay. The tradeoff: you won't walk to restaurants or the ship, so plan on the hotel shuttle or a taxi.
Los Cauquenes Resort + Spa (Best on the water): Romantic and distinctly Patagonian. It sits right on the Beagle Channel instead of looking down at it, and it's smaller and more intimate than Arakur, with a pool, spa and sauna. It's about 6 km west of the port; ask the hotel about its shuttle to town and the airport.
Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort (Classic mountain resort): Another fine pre-cruise splurge, in the forest above town with views toward the channel, an indoor heated pool, spa and a good restaurant. More traditional than Arakur, and like Arakur it isn't the choice for port convenience.
Cilene del Faro Suites & Spa (Best of both): Something nice without the boarding-day transport. It's downtown near the waterfront and the cruise area, with apartment-style suites and a spa. You give up the resort setting and gain a lot of convenience. Our pick if you only have one night: dinner in town, a walk, breakfast, and an easy trip to the ship.
Canal de Beagle (Closest to the ship): Right across from the port on Avenida Maipú, so you can walk to restaurants, shops, tour desks and the cruise pier. Not as special as the first three, but for one night before boarding the location is hard to beat.

Where should I eat?

El Viejo Marino · Centro · Seafood / centolla: Casual, busy seafood spot on the waterfront known for king crab (centolla) at relatively fair prices.
La Cantina Fueguina de Freddy · Centro · Seafood / Fuegian: Long-running spot on San Martín where you can pick live king crab from the tank.
Tía Elvira · Centro · Seafood: Traditional family-run waterfront restaurant serving centolla, black hake and Beagle Channel fish.
Volver · Centro · Seafood / Argentine: Set in an early-1900s house full of old memorabilia, serving king crab and local fish.
Chez Manu · Camino al Glaciar Martial · French-Fuegian: French chef's restaurant up the hill with local ingredients and wide views over the Beagle Channel.
Parrilla La Estancia · Centro · Parrilla / cordero fueguino: Classic grill where you can try Fuegian lamb slow-roasted on the cross (al asador).
María Lola Restó · Centro · Contemporary Argentine: Relaxed restaurant with harbor views, homemade pasta, fish and lamb dishes.
Ramos Generales El Almacén · Centro · Café / bakery: Café-bakery in a recreated old general store, good for coffee, pastries and a light lunch.

What should I do?

Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego · Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego (12 km west): Coastal forest, lakes and short trails along the Beagle Channel, including the end of Ruta 3 at Bahía Lapataia.
Museo Marítimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia · Centro: Former prison around which the town grew, now housing maritime, Antarctic and penal history exhibits.
Tren del Fin del Mundo · Estación Fin del Mundo (8 km west): Steam train on the route once used by prisoners to haul timber, running into the national park.
Glaciar Martial · Montes Martial: Hike from the top of town up to a small glacier with views over Ushuaia and the channel.
Laguna Esmeralda · Valle de Tierra Mayor: Popular half-day hike through forest and peat bog to a green glacial lake.
Boat trip on the Beagle Channel · Muelle Turístico: Catamaran or sailboat trips pass sea lion and cormorant islands and the Les Eclaireurs lighthouse.
Estancia Harberton · Estancia Harberton (85 km east): The island's oldest ranch, founded in 1886, with guided visits and the Museo Acatushún of marine mammals.
Isla Martillo · Canal Beagle (near Estancia Harberton): Island with a Magellanic and gentoo penguin colony, visited by boat or on limited-capacity walking tours roughly October to March.