El Calafate to Ushuaia

Ushuaia is a small town and easy to get around on foot. The Yamanas, its first inhabitants, called it Ushuaia, which means "protected bay" in their language. It was officially incorporated into the Republic of Argentina in 1884 and became a penal colony in order to establish a permanent Argentine settlement.

Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel and are free to explore the town or visit one of its curious museums, such as the Thematic Gallery of the Historia Fueguina (with more than 120 life-size figures from the town's history) or unearth the story of the scariest and dangerous criminals at the Prison Museum.

In the evening, you may savor the local gastronomy. Ushuaia restaurants offer incredible seafood dishes, and we recommend the finger-licking Blake Hake.

Tierra del Fuego National Park

Today, your guide will meet you for a private exploration of the End of the World. Experience the unique and impressive landscapes of Tierra del Fuego by vehicle and on foot, hiking on easy to moderate trails through the dense green forest. Your guide offers insight into the landscapes, flora, and fauna and will choose trails that best suit you.

Driving from Ushuaia along the National Route 3, the last section of the Pan-American Highway (the longest road in the world), you stop for panoramic views of the Beagle Channel before arriving at Tierra del Fuego National Park, a dramatic landscape of mountains and valleys.

After a delicious lunch near Acigami Lake, you return to your hotel and have the remainder of the day to yourself. Perhaps enjoy a spa treatment or walk around the town before dinner on your own.

Gable Island & Penguin Rookery

This morning, you join your guide and other travelers for an excursion to the first estancia in Tierra del Fuego, Harberton Ranch, established in 1886. Here, you learn about the history of the ranch and the Yamanas, the region's indigenous people.

Next up is a visit to the Marine Mammal Museum to learn about the natural history of the area before hopping on a motorboat to Marillo Island, home to a large colony of the Magellanic penguin. Get your camera ready to capture the antics of these flightless birds!

After lunch on beautiful Gable Island, there is some time to explore this gorgeous place on your own, crossing over beaver dams and through the impressive forest that leads to the Beagle Channel shore. Enjoy the primal landscapes and meditative sounds of nature.

At the end of the day, you return to your hotel and have the evening to yourself.

Beagle Channel Navigation and Return to Buenos Aires

In 1833 Charles Darwin sailed the Beagle Channel and discovered something great. Today it is your turn: become another explorer of this channel, primitively named Onashaga Channel since the Onas were its first sailers. From the main pier in the center of town, embark on a 3-hour long boat trip along the famous Beagle Channel. Revel in panoramas of Ushuaia Bay, where the city lies proudly crowned by the Martial Glacier. Unearth the diverse marine wildlife, such as cormorants and fur seals frolicking their time away on Alicia Island. With Argentina standing to your left and Chile to your right, explore this natural border until reaching the iconic Les Eclaireurs lighthouse, the ancient guard of the bay. On our way back, you'll stop at Bridges Island to walk a wildlife interpretative path, hear about Yaman's history (the native inhabitants) and see the largest shell deposits of the region. During the excursion, you can enjoy a delicious hot chocolate with cookies or try the local Mate (strong green tea) the favorite Argentine drink.

After your boat journey, depending upon your flight departure, you may enjoy lunch in town, at the hotel, or airport (your guide will advise). You'll be transferred to the airport in time for your flight to Buenos Aires where a Boundless Journeys representative will meet you (with your name on a sign in arrivals) to transfer either to the international airport for your flight home or to your hotel in Buenos Aires.

(Departure flights to the US are not recomended this day in case of any domestic flight delays, and flights from Ushuaia often arrive later in the evening, leaving insufficient time to catch an international flight.)

Departure Day

Enjoy a relaxing morning or day and one last taste of Buenos Aires. At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to the Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini Ezeiza international airport for your flight home. ¡Buen viaje!