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Ushuaia
Southernmost city on earth

Tierra del Fuego
Tren del Fin del Mundo
Centro Beagle
Estancia Las Hijas

Ladatco's preferred hotels in Ushuaia
Las Hayas Resort Hotel
Los Cauquenes

USHUAIA:
Ushuaia (pop 30,000) began as a prefabricated mission hut along side the huts of Yahgan Indians, in 1869. Thomas Bridges and his wife were the first permanent white settlers, opening a mission in 1870. Sixteen years later the Argentine navy paid a visit to the area and eventually opened a naval base and a convict station.

Southernmost city in Argentina, Ushuaia is situated on the northern shore of the Beagle Channel, its streets steeply climbing towards snow-covered Cerro Martial to the north. There are fine views over the Channel and to snow-capped mountain peaks.

The old prison, the Presidio, houses the Museo Maritimo, the Museo Antartico and the Museo Penitenciario. The Museo Territorial has an interesting display of early photos of the local Indian tribes, the first missionaries and the first pioneers.

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Activities you can do in the area:

  • Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, just 20 minutes from town. Covering 63,000 hectares of mountains, lakes, rivers and deep valleys, the park stretches west to the Chilean border and north to Lago Fagnano. There are beautiful walks including along a trail at Lapataia Bay. Day trips can take you to Lago Fagnano or Lapataia.

  • Train to the End of the World also goes into the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, following the same route of the convict train 100 years ago, with stops to visit a reconstructed Indian village or the Macarena Waterfalls, and travel through a sub-Antarctic forest. It is a historic and scenic visit.

  • Cruises along Beagle Channel, along the middle of which runs the southern frontier of Argentina and Chile. View the rugged coast, the cliffs and the lighthouse Les Eclaireurs. Approach Bird Island where a large colony of cormorants and sea gulls share the rocky outcrop with sea lions

  • Visit the town of Ushuaia, southernmost city in the world that combines streets in different levels with colors in a very attractive way. Visit the “Casco Antiguo”, the port and the rugged streets that climb the mountains. You will get a lot of colorful and different panoramic views. The last stop is at the “Museo del Fin del Mundo” to see artifacts from the Ona and Yaganes Indians and mementos of the Bridges and Harberton families, the first settlers.

  • Visit to historic Harberton Farm, the oldest estancia on Tierra del Fuego, built in 1886 by the missionary Thomas Bridges. It still operates today as a working farm, mainly with cattle and sheep, and run by the great-grandson Thomas Goodall. It offers an interesting perspective to life in this remote part of the world and a glimpse of the history of the area.
  • Centro Beagle with an elaborate live musical presentation of the story of Charles Darwin aboard the Beagle with Yamana Indian Jimmy Buttons. An educational and unique experience.
  • Estancia Las Hijas, a historic family run estancia in the heart of Tierra del Fuego, some 100 km from Ushuaia. Begin with a scenic drive, then visit the main installations, enjoy a traditional Patagonian "asado" and a complete sheep demonstation including herding, shearing and conditioning of the wool.