Ushuaia Hotels

Ushuaia is the capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego. It is commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world. Ushuaia is located in a wide bay on the southern coast of the island of Tierra del Fuego, bounded on the north by the Martial mountain range and on the south by the Beagle Channel. Its population is estimated today at about 64,000. It is the only municipality in the Department of Ushuaia, which has an area of 9,390 km2 (3,625 sq mi).

Ushuaia is a key access point to the southern regions and a popular vacation spot for people from Buenos Aires. It receives regular flights at Ushuaia International Airport from Buenos Aires and Santiago, Chile, and its commercial pier is a major port for Antarctic tourist and research traffic.

Tourist attractions include the Tierra del Fuego National Park and Lapataia Bay. The park can be reached by highway, or via the End of the World Train (Tren del Fin del Mundo) from Ushuaia. The city has a museum of Yamana, English, and Argentine settlement, including its years as a prison colony. Wildlife attractions include local birds, penguins, seals, and orcas, many of these species colonizing islands in the Beagle Channel. There are daily bus and boat tours to Harberton, the estancia of the Bridges family. Tours also visit the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse. Les Eclaireurs is sometimes confused with the "Lighthouse at the End of the World" (Faro del fin del mundo) made famous by Jules Verne in the novel of the same name; but the latter lies some 200 km east of Ushuaia on Isla de los Estados (Staten Island).

There are a number of ski areas nearby, including Cerro Castor and Glaciar Martial. The glacier is popular even during the summer months, when the chairlift operates in both directions. Hiking trails lead from the city's edge to the base of the glacier, which has receded dramatically over the past century, as shown in photographs on display. On Cerro Castor, a mountain located 27 km (17 miles) north of Ushuaia, it is possible to ski just 200 m (660 ft) above sea level. The summit reaches an elevation of 1057 meters (3468 ft) above sea level, and consistently cool temperatures allow the longest skiing season in South America: winter temperatures fluctuate between 0 degress celieus and -5 degrees celieus.

Cruise ships visiting the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and Antarctica dock at the port, as well as Princess Cruises, Holland America, Celebrity Cruises which transit between Valpara¨ªso, Chile, to Buenos Aires and beyond. Lindblad Expeditions, Orient Lines, MS Marco Polo, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Hurtigruten, and other ships provide expeditions to Antarctica out of Ushuaia, such as Quark Expeditions. The cruise boats periodically provide scenic cruises to Antarctica, as do expedition yachts such as S/V Seal and S/V Pelagic.

Tourists can also visit Cape Horn island (in Chilean waters) by boat or helicopter.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ushuaia