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I’ll try to give my point of view on a question that travelers ask me very often: is it really worth going to Ushuaia? When planning a trip to Argentina (as well as Chile), Ushuaia is of course a place that awakens our attention and our imagination. Nicolas Hulot (among others) has a lot to do with it through his show “Ushuaïa Nature”.
To go to Ushuaia, you often have to make a detour. There are so many things to see in Argentina as in Chile, that the days are numbered during a stay. So Ushuaia, yes or no? As is often the case here, it’s difficult to answer categorically. Everything will depend on a few factors…
The first determining factor, here more than anywhere else, will be the time you have available. Sailing on the Beagle Channel, under a big blue sky with a light breeze, can only delight even the most skeptical. Also, the arrival in Ushuaia will not leave anyone indifferent. Whether by air, by sea, or by road, the excitement will surely win you over!
Ushuaia is the end of the world, a city built in a place of great beauty: in the Bay of Ushuaia. The setting is absolutely sumptuous, especially when the weather is mild.
Another important factor: the time of your visit. Indeed, your perception will not be the same whether you go to Ushuaia during the high season, or completely off season. In the heart of the Austral summer, from mid-December to the end of February, many cruise ships sail on the Beagle Channel and thousands of tourists disembark in Ushuaia during this period. So, “tourist invasion” and the coming and going of boats could disturb you.
The third important factor will simply be the idea that the traveler has before going there. If Ushuaia evokes for you a small town surrounded by deserted lands, beaten by the winds, inhabited by very typical people, well you’ll be quite disappointed. The descendants of the indigenous peoples have almost all been decimated.
Ushuaia is a large city of more than 100,000 inhabitants that continues to grow in a somewhat anarchic manner. In terms of landscapes, they are not “breathtaking” as in other places in Patagonia. But there’s an atmosphere that is nevertheless special. The skies there are even more beautiful than elsewhere for example…
Last but not least, the major factor will depend on your program, the quality of the excursions and the guides to help you discover the tip of the South American continent. Ushuaia is the starting point for Antarctica, the wildest and most magnificent continent there’s, without any possible comparison. An Antarctic cruise is also a good reason to go to Ushuaia.
Ushuaïa c’est aussi le canal de Beagle avec l’île Navaro (chilienne) juste en face. C’est le bout du monde sans pouvoir observer l’horizon. Le canal de Beagle est le refuge d’une faune marine qui se laisse très facilement observer. Un des meilleurs endroits depuis le continent pour observer lions de mer, otaries et manchots.
Ushuaïa, c’est aussi le Parc National de la Terre de Feu, où de nombreuses randonnées y sont possibles. C’est également une région remplie de forêts et de lacs. En s’enfonçant en Terre de Feu, vers le Nord ou vers l’Est, vous pourrez visiter de vraies estancias où les conditions de vies sont difficiles dues aux conditions climatiques. Ushuaïa, et la Terre de Feu, c’est également une partie du monde où se trouvent les plus grosses truites au monde, et où les Lodges de pêche sont de réputation mondiale.
And then Ushuaïa is simply mythical, and like all myths, there’s a part of imagination. Let yourself be carried away, dream and put yourself in the shoes of the pioneers… These are the keys to being conquered.
So, if you like myths, don’t hesitate… go to Ushuaia!