Ushuaia travel guide

The most southerly town in the world, Ushuaia’s setting is spectacular. Its brightly coloured houses look like toys against the dramatic backdrop of vast jagged mountains. Opposite are the forbidding peaks of Isla de Navarino, and between flows the serene green Beagle Channel. Sailing those waters you can just imagine how it was for Darwin, arriving here in 1832, and for those early settlers, the Bridges in 1871. Though the town has expanded in recent years, sprawling untidily along the coast, Ushuaia still retains the feel of a pioneer town, isolated and expectant. There are lots of places to stay, which fill up entirely in January, a fine museum, and some great fish restaurants. There is spectacular landscape to be explored in all directions, with good treks in the accessible Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego (www.tierra delfuego.org.ar) just to the west of the city, and more adventurous expeditions offered into the wild heart of the island, trekking, climbing or riding. There’s splendid cross-country skiing nearby in winter, as well as downhill skiing too, at Cerro Castor (http://www.cerrocastor.com) . And to the east, along a beautiful stretch of coastline is the historic estancia of Harberton, which you can reach by a boat trip along the Beagle Channel. Ushuaia is also the starting point for expeditions to Antarctica, for more information, see http://www.dna.gov.ar. For more about Ushuaia, see http://www.e-ushuaia.com.