Have you heard of the “End of the World”? It is not a movie, nor a song, but an Argentinian city. Ushuaia holds this title since it is the southernmost populated area on the planet. It gathers great landscape diversity from mountains to sea, glaciers to forests, rivers, and is definitely a real paradise for travelers seeking nature and adventure, legend and inspiration. In spite of being the most remote civilization in the world, Ushuaia is easily reachable from Buenos Aires by direct flights.
Visiting Ushuaia area
Once you are at the very end of the planet, you have plenty of places to discover, and among the most famous: the Beagle Channel, the National Park Tierra del Fuego, Lakes Fagnanao & Escondido, Cape Horn, etc.
Visiting the region between November and March? This is the perfect season to go to Isla Martillo and meet its sweet inhabitants: the Magellan Penguins! This tiny island is located in the Beagle Channel, 90km away from Ushuaia, and requires a full day excursion. While you will be walking with the penguins, a professional guide will show you around the island.
Navigating through the legendary Cape Horn
If you are willing to know Punta Arenas, the southernmost continental city in Chile, then you should definitely get an Ushuaia Punta Arenas cruise and navigate in the most breathtaking fjords of the Chilean Patagonia. There is nothing like exploring the legendary Cape Horn on board of a comfortable cruise ship that takes 3 nights to join both cities. Note that this cruise can only be done during summer time (southern hemisphere).
On your way to Punta Arenas, you will cross Nassau Bay and enter the most remote archipelago that comprises Cape Horn National Park. If the weather and sea conditions are good, you should be able to go ashore on the windswept island that harbors the legendary Cape Horn. This 425-meter sheer rocky promontory was discovered in 1616 by a Dutch maritime expedition and overlooks the turbulent waters of the Drake Passage. For many years, it was the only navigation route between the Pacific and Atlantic until the Panama Canal was built at the start of the 20th century.
Then you will anchor at fabled Wulaia Bay. Originally, it was one of the region’s largest Yámana aboriginal settlements, making the human history of this site just as compelling as the natural environment. If you want to know more about the Yámana people and European missionaries in the area, do not miss the Australis-sponsored museum in the old radio station.
If you are up for a hike, you can ascend the heavily wooded mountain behind the bay. Choose the most suitable trail to your physical condition. This area is very renowned for its mesmerizing beauty, especially for the flora diversity, and dramatic geography. The park was classified as a World Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO in 2005.
Visiting Punta Arenas area
Punta Arenas is another strategic hub to discover for wild adventures. It is a starting point to go either to Torres del Paine, Antarctica, or many other places at the end of the world.
Ocean wildlife is just amazing and so diverse! You will get to see many penguin species, humpback whales. We recommend you to go to Isla Magdalena which is a great place to see a colony of Magellan penguins. Have you heard of the very small penguin rookery of Pingüino Rey (King)? They settle seasonally in the Chilean part of the Island of Tierra del Fuego (this Island is shared between Argentina and Chile), in a group of about 25 individuals.
With their outstanding flora and fauna diversity, breathtaking viewpoints, Ushuaia and Punta Arenas are definitely the best two locations to make your trip to the southernmost point of the world an unforgettable experience!
