Ushuaia is the capital city of the province of Tierra del Fuego, placed in front of the Beagle channel and surrounded by the Martial Mountains, along the beautiful bay that gave it its name. It has been translated, from yamana (aborigine) language, as “bay overlooking the west”. It is the southernmost city of the world.
 
The combination of mountains, forest and sea turn it in a unique city of Argentina. An irregular topography imprints a picturesque appearance, adding the colorful houses made mainly of wood and corrugated iron. It is surrounded by a series of Natural Protected Areas as The Tierra del Fuego National Park, Playa Larga, Tierra Mayor, etc, and is the most active gateway to Antarctica.
 
It is the southernmost urban area in the world, a source of inspiration and challenges, land of myths and legends made up for centuries, even for those who have never been to the south of the south.
 
The Beagle Channel follows the southern extreme of Tierra del Fuego and is, at the same time, the border with Chile. There's a route that goes into the woods to reach Victoria Lagoon.
 
One of the best itineraries through the channel passes by Alicia Island to observe a colony of sea lions. Afterwards, the boat approaches Isla de los Pájaros (Birds’ Island) where you will be able to see king cormorants and imperial shags. Finally, it reaches Isla de los Lobos (Sea Lions’ Island) in order to spot specimens of these mammals, both South American sea lions and South American fur seals. On the way back, after passing by the symbolic Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, you will land on Bridges Island to go hiking on a wildlife mapping tour. This islet preserves important vestiges of the primitive Yámana communities that dwelled in these lands. The tour continues up to Makinlay Pass and to Martillo Island in order to see a colony of Gentoo and Magellanic penguins.
 
Tierra del Fuego National Park was created in 1960. It covers 63,000 hectares and protects the Argentinean sub-Antarctic forest, preserving the ecosystem.
 
It houses a vast variety of flora and fauna. The lengas are the typical trees, reaching many specimens almost 30 meters of height and 1,5 meters of diameter in its trunk.
 
The local birds are the cauquen, which build his nestle near the water and feeds from grass leaves; you will also see the woodpecker flying in pairs or in small groups, and the bandurrias with its very peculiar color and shape.
 
The thousands of beavers and rabbits which inhabit the area are not original from Tierra del Fuego. They were brought from other countries and are actually a big attraction of the island. Touring the park you will find Ensenada Bay, the Pipo River Waterfall, the viewpoint of Redonda Island, the Roca Lake, Negra Lagoon and Lapataia Bay.
The legendary jail was built in 1902 and, until it was finally closed in 1947, the jail was a vital point in the development of the city. Those prisoners with good behavior were rewarded with the chance of working outside the jail, or in the workshops as press, photography, shoe repair, tailor, carpentry, bakery, medical service, pharmacy and so on, giving to the Ushuaia inhabitants the basic supplies. Otherwise, they would depend on ships arriving to the port only once a month, or even less.
In this way Ushuaia life was being built around this prison and along with it.
Nowadays, it has become a museum: "Museo Marítimo y ex presidio de Ushuaia".
 
The train of the End of the World is another of Ushuaia attractions.
An elegant and antique formation of heated wagons, with wide windows and pulled by a steam locomotive, will take you along an 8 Km. long tour departing from the End of World Station up to the Tierra del Fuego National Park Station. The round trip total time is approximately of 1 hour 40 minutes.
Most of the way you will go bordering River Pipo. You will see a reconstruction of a yámana settlement (aborigines of the region), when you enter into a dense and beautiful wood of cohiues and lengas it will mean you are already inside the National Park.