After breakfast, enjoy a full day to explore Ushuaia—the southernmost city on Earth—at your own pace. Wander the waterfront for views across the Beagle Channel, browse artisan boutiques along Avenida San Martín, or settle into a café for king crab chowder and a rich submarino (melted chocolate in hot milk). If you’d like to deepen your Patagonia experience, choose from our curated optional excursions (not included) below.
Easy Ideas for a Free Day
• Harbour promenade for lighthouse and cormorant views at golden hour.
• Museo del Fin del Mundo and the Maritime & Prison Museum for Fuegian history and exploration lore.
• Handcraft market (when operating) for woollens, woodwork and local chocolate.
• Slow stroll to the Bahía Encerrada reserve—great light for photos on calm days.
Optional Full-Day — Fueguinian Lakes & Andes Crossing
Hotel pick-up 08:30 • ~8 hours • Gentle scenic touring with short strolls
Depart north on Route 3 to Mirador Valle Carbajal for sweeping vistas over russet peat bogs framed by serrated ridgelines and distant glaciers. Pause at a cosy winter centre, then continue to Paso Garibaldi, the southernmost road crossing of the Andes. By mid-morning, reach Puesto La Carmen for a hot drink before a leisurely lakeshore walk at Lago Fagnano—known to the Selk’nam/Ona as “The Rest of the Horizon” for the way its mirrored surface slices the mountain skyline. Around midday, crest the Garibaldi Pass viewpoint to gaze down on jade-green Lago Escondido, cupped in a steep-sided valley. Expect a day rich in lookouts, photo stops and quiet moments with the Fuegian landscape.
What to Bring — Lakes Day
• Layering: thermal base, warm mid-layer, wind/waterproof shell (breezy passes).
• Footwear: trainers or light hikers with tread (boardwalks can be damp).
• Essentials: reusable bottle, SPF, sunglasses (glare off water), lip balm, snacks, and a small dry bag for phone/camera.
Optional Half-Day (Private) — City Highlights & Martial Glacier
Min 2 pax • Hotel pick-up 08:00 • ~4 hours • Gentle walking + viewpoints
Unpack the story of Ushuaia with your local guide: panoramic stop at Mirador Las Hayas, sweeping views of Ushuaia Bay, the heritage lanes of La Misión Anglicana, and the wetland mirror of Bahía Encerrada. Cruise past shopfronts on Avenida San Martín, step into Nuestra Señora de la Merced church, and—time permitting—touch on the Museo del Fin del Mundo and the Maritime Museum (former prison). Finish above town at Glaciar Martial for alpine air and knockout views over rooftops, channel and islands; short, steady paths lead to brilliant photo perches.
Practical Tips — Bookings & Access
• These excursions are not included; pre-booking secures preferred times and private guiding.
• City tour venues may rotate based on opening hours—your guide will optimise pacing.
• Martial Glacier paths can have loose gravel/patchy ice outside summer; trainers with grip are sufficient for viewpoint walks.
Foodie Note
Reserve dinner for regional classics: centolla (king crab), merluza negra (black hake), Fuegian lamb, and craft beers. Popular spots fill early in peak months.
Overnight: Ushuaia.