We traveled to Argentina over Christmas Vacation in 2016 with our twins who were 6 ½ at the time. Here is what we did in Ushuaia with kids.
Tierra del Fuego National Park
- Usuaiah is the capital of the Argentinian province Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire).
- The southernmost city on earth, Ushuaia is known as Fin Del Mundo (“End of the World”).
- The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet here.
- We walked through the National Park forest along the bank of the Beagle Chanel.
- The gnarled roots of the ancient trees were like those of a fairy tale
- The earth here is rich and you can see a variety of wildflowers growing, including orchids!
- Our guide was amazingly child friendly. He allowed frequent breaks and he was flexible and altered our schedule as needed. He even taught Nina and Alex how to skip stones!
- The tour company had a make-shift kitchen and a chef set up in the middle of nowhere.
- The dining tent was comfortable and we enjoyed lunch with travelers from other tours.
- It was a unique experience.
- Donning life jackets and wellies, we got to paddle on The Beagle in an inflated canoe.
- We got to boat to Chile! SO COOL!
- On a larger boat, we sailed around La Isla de los Pájiaro (bird island), home of the albatross.
- To visit seals, we got up close to the rocks surrounding Les Eclavireurs Lighthouse.
Fly Fishing in Ushuaia with kids
- On our second day, my husband Renato took our son Alex fly fishing at Rio Grande. Their guide’s name was Bruno Gard, and Renato said that he was very child friendly. Renato and Alex had a great time, despite the cold and rainy weather.
A Day In Isolation – Ushuaia with kids
- Nina and I went on an excursion of our own.
- We took a bus to a row boat and went to an isolated and (mostly) untouched island to explore. The landscapes were beautiful.
- Sadly, the trip was too long and slow for us. It was cold and rainy, and Nina and I were kind of bored.
- We took a motorized raft to Gable Island, a small patch of land inhabited only by penguins (the highlight of the day!). Don’t worry…we stayed on the boat and did not disrupt their habitat!
- The next stop was to a shack on an uninhabited island where we were served a freshly cooked meal.
- After lunch, the group was set to go on a hike.
- Worried that the excursion would be too strenuous for Nina, the guide advised us to stay put.
- Our isolated shack life began fine, but as the hours passed, I became increasingly terrified that the group would never return for us
- Good thing I had an ipad for Nina!
- After an eternity of waiting, someone came with a boat to rescue us!
- The sailor brought us to a ranch where we warmed ourselves by a fireplace and gratefully gulped hot chocolate.
- I definitely could’ve done without this day.
Where to stay: Arakur Hotel
- We had connected rooms here that were comfortable and had an incredible view
- The views from the swimming pools here are also amazing.
General Notes
- The town of Ushuaia is okay. It does not as much charm as El Calafate, IMHO
- There are many shops and restaurants on the main street.
- December in Ushuaia is chilly. Don’t forget to pack a fleece and a windbreaker…and warm socks!
If you enjoyed reading about pour adventures in Ushuaia with kids, you can read more about our trip to Argentina at: