If you can visit Ushuaia, in Argentina, without once quietly humming the REM song “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” to yourself well then… fair play. You’ve done well. Why exactly? Well, because the city, one widely regarded as the southernmost city in the world, literally carries the nickname “End of the World.”
Does the paragraph above feel like a slightly forced intro? Hmmm. Quite possibly. Feels like we’ve gone fishing for a joke that maybe isn’t there to be quite honest. Let’s move on quickly shall we and discuss everything you need to know about Ushuaia. It’s located on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, didn’t you know?
How To Get There
Cards on the table time. From the UK, Ushuaia isn’t exactly the easiest place in the world to get to. From London, for example, you’re probably going to have to fly to Madrid first, then get a connecting flight to Buenos Aires, and then, from there, get another flight to Ushuaia airport (the airport also receives flights from Santiago in Chile).
If you’re feeling adventurous, got a bit of time on your hand, and fancy going on the mother of all road trips, the drive from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia is over 3,000km long and requires 37 hours of drive time.
Things To Do In Ushuaia
The first thing you should know about Ushuaia, in case you hadn’t realised, is that it’s in Patagonia. The second thing you should know about Ushuaia, and this should go without saying now you know where it’s situated, is that it’s situated in amongst some of the planet’s most spectacular outdoor terrain.
OK. First up while in Ushuaia, and this really is in no particular order, be sure to pay a visit to Laguna Esmeralda. It will almost definitely be one of the prettiest lagoons you’ve ever had the privilege of trekking to and from. It’s flanked by the mighty Albino Glacier and the peaks of Las Torres and Cordón Toribio, and is located about 20km from Ushuaia.
“It’s flanked by the mighty Albino Glacier and the peaks of Las Torres and Cordón Toribio”
The starting point of the Laguna Esmeralda trail is in Valle de Los Lobos, roughly 17km east of Ushuaia, along Ruta 3. There’s a small parking lot, and it’s clearly signposted. You can’t miss it.
It’s not a strenuous trek by any stretch. In fact, it’s a relatively short one and doesn’t really serve up much of an ascent. The scenery on it though will blow you away and, most likely, cause your Instagram to crash under the sudden surge of likes and follows you’ll be getting.
Quick word of warning regarding the Laguna Esmeralda trail. After you’ve gone through the lenga forest you’ll come to very muddy, peat moss, section. Be sure to have appropriate footwear on your feet at this point.
