Tierra del Fuego

“If you go to Chile and Argentina,” I thought, “then you should see these countries in all their diversity.” So in my route appeared the Perito Moreno Glacier, the road along the Chilean Andes of Carretera Australia, Easter Island, Iguazu Falls, Patagonia and, of course, Tierra del Fuego.

I came to the edge of the earth rugged by the fjords in order to follow the way of the sailors through the labyrinth of the straits, where ships have perished for centuries. At the tip of the continent, separated by only a thousand kilometers from Antarctica, lies Tierra del Fuego - Tierra del Fuego. My journey from the Chilean port of Punta Arenas to the southernmost city of the land of Ushuaia, past blue tongues of ice sliding from the slopes into the cold waters, past fur seals, dancing whales and important penguins basking in the sun, was an amazing adventure that has been remembered all my life.

Land on the dangerous and alluring Cape Horn and find a note from Fedor Konyukhov there, make your way through the forest and rocks to a waterfall hidden from prying eyes, cut waves, competing in speed with dolphins, as if I got into the National Geographic movie!

And most importantly, getting to Tierra del Fuego and experiencing all this yourself is not so difficult!

How to get there

To get from Russia to the archipelago of islands and peninsulas called Tierra del Fuego, you first need to find yourself in Chile or Argentina. And how it is more convenient to do this can be read here and here. And then before you will lie vast expanses of thousands of kilometers, which can be overcome in any convenient way.

By plane

On the territory of Argentina

So, you have arrived in the colorful and pulsating Buenos Aires.

Two airlines fly from Jorge Newbery Airport (Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery, code AEP) and Minister Pistarini Airport (Ezeiza, code EZE) to Ushuaia (airport Ushuaia Estacion Aeronaval, code SAWO):

  • LAN makes one or two direct flights daily (depending on the season), a round-trip ticket will cost from 550 USD;
  • Aerolineas argentinas It offers the most options: from different airports in Buenos Aires, it flies 5-7 flights a day, 2-4 of them are direct, the ticket price is similar and starts from 550 USD.
How to get from Pistarini Airport to Ushuaia

Ushuaia Airport is located 5 kilometers from the city on a small peninsula (which makes takeoff and landing very picturesque). A taxi (from 20 USD) or a minibus (10 USD per person) will deliver you to the city. Both that, and another can be ordered from specialized racks near an exit from the airport building.

On the territory of Chile

If you plan to start your journey from Santiago de Chile, Commodore Arturo Merino Benitez Airport (Aerodrome AM Benitez International, SCL code), then Punta Arenas with its President Carlos Ibanez del Campo Airport (Pres Carlos Ibanez del Campo) will become the gateway to Tierra del Fuego Campo International, PUQ code).

On this route fly:

  • LAN every day sends 5-7 planes (4-5 of them are direct), the cost of the flight is from 190 USD;
  • Sky airline makes only 2-3 flights a day, of which 1 or 2 direct, but the ticket price is lower and starts from 175 USD.
How to get from Arturo Merino Benitez Airport to Punta Arenos

From Punta Arenos Airport, the city can be reached by taxi (from 15 USD) or by shuttle (3 USD per person). It’s hard to miss the stop of the latter near the exit from the building. An excellent guideline is a string of people with backpacks :).

You can see how much it will cost to fly from Buenos Aires or Santiago de Chile to your scheduled dates here.

By bus

If time permits, then I highly recommend going to conquer Tierra del Fuego by bus or car. Not to see the magnificence of pampas stretching beyond the horizon with a strip of snowy mountains in the west, lonely farms and cozy villages stretching out, missing breathtaking lakes and glaciers, mountain peaks and vineyards - this is just a crime!

The bus service in Latin America is excellently developed, the transport is in good condition, the roads are also excellent (mostly straight like an arrow). There are several features that you quickly get used to:

  • drivers like to press the accelerator pedal to the floor, but they know their business and drive perfectly;
  • in the northern provinces, air conditioning works very hard, so you need to carefully insulate yourself.

To get to Tierra del Fuego, you need to overcome more than 3 thousand kilometers and make one or more stops.

On the territory of Argentina

From Buenos Aires (Retiro terminal) to Ushuaia can be reached with a change in Rio Gallegos, a town in Patagonia on the Atlantic coast. Traveling from 250 USD will take 49 hours.

Price depends on class:

  • a bus with 45-degree reclining seats (semi cama), air conditioning and several television sets in the cabin will cost about 250 USD;
  • first class with a 60-degree reclining back and softer seats (salon cama) cost slightly more, from 300 USD;
  • the luxury version with a toilet, a fully convertible seat (cama), a blanket and dinner can cost as much as a plane ticket: at least 500 USD (but believe me, it’s worth a lot to ride such a bus in the first row of the second floor!).

You can book a ticket in advance on the special site plataforma10.com (do not be surprised if the site first gives a loading error - it will work in a couple of seconds) or buy it on the spot at the bus station (you will need a passport).

On the territory of Chile

It is not possible to get from Santiago to Punta Arenas only in Chile, as the road ends south of Villa O'Higgins, surrendering in front of a rugged coastline and glaciers. You need to cross the border with Argentina and return back to Chile, only at Torres del Paine. Therefore, the bus route will be quite difficult:

  1. First you need to drive a thousand kilometers among the vineyards and lakes from Santiago (Retiro) to Puerto Montt. A ticket will cost from 20 USD to 50 USD depending on the class (you can buy it here, here or on the spot), the journey will take about 15 hours.
  2. Then you can immediately go to Argentina in a special boat. She leaves Puerto Varas just north of Puerto Montt and moors in Bariloche. Such a walk costs 280 USD per person. Together with all the stops, the trip takes 12 hours and can only be completed from November to March, when navigation on the lakes is open.
  3. The navigation period also limits travel along the Carreter-Astral - another way to get south. Details about it are written here.
  4. Buses run from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas several times a day, the ticket costs $ 10 (you can buy on the website), and the trip takes 3 hours.

By car

Traveling by car is one of the best ways to get to know Latin America! I traveled 3.5 thousand kilometers from Santiago to Punta Arenas along the roads of Chile and Argentina, got into a bunch of funny stories and completely filled the memory of cameras with thousands of pictures!

The conditions under which you will be given a car in Argentina and Chile are the same:

  • You need to present a driver’s license (Russian and international), as well as a card with a sufficient amount in the account to block the deposit;
  • I recommend making the choice of cross-country tall cars: firstly, there are long sections of gravel road on the roads and low ground clearance will become your curse, and secondly, the winds of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego are strong and dangerous for light cars (a rolling office is most likely not even agrees to give you a small car);
  • if you intend to cross the border, be sure to pre-order a car permit (it costs about 200 USD and takes several days), make sure that you have begun to prepare the permit, we have burned several hundred nerve cells on this.

The cost of renting in Santiago or Buenos Aires starts from 60 USD per day, and the farther south, the more expensive. In Patagonia, you will be given a car for 100-150 USD per day. All offers available at the moment can be viewed on well-known aggregator sites or, for example, here.

There are no toll roads, since the road that you are traveling on is most often the only road. Main highways: Ruta 5 in Chile and Ruta 40 in Argentina.

Refueling is quite common, including in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. Gasoline is quite expensive both in Chile and in Argentina: a liter costs from 1.1 USD in the central parts of the country, the price reaches 1.5 USD in the south.

By ferry

Tierra del Fuego can be reached by cruise ship from Buenos Aires or Santiago. Such a cruise takes from 12 to 18 nights and includes stops in Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, landing on Cape Horn and other interesting places.

The cost starts from 750 USD for a cabin without a view to 3 000 USD for a comfortable cabin with an ocean view. Meals are not included in this price. Cruises are made from November to March by several companies:

  • Princess cruse
  • Norwegian cruise line
  • Celebrity cruises
  • Seabourn cruise line
  • Silversea cruises
  • Oceania cruises
  • Regent Seven Seas Cruises
  • Crystal cruises
  • Ponant and others.
hint: Tierra del Fuego - time now09: October 4113Difference in hours: Moscow & plus; 6 Kazan & plus; 6 Samara & plus; 7 Yekaterinburg & plus; 8 Novosibirsk & plus; 10 Vladivostok & plus; 13

When is the season. When is the best time to go?

Tierra del Fuego is a harsh land. In the past, when the Panama Canal was not dug, and cargo was delivered, circling South America through the labyrinth of the channels of the Strait of Magellan, many ships died in these places. Insidious weather, fogs, currents and winds created serious obstacles for ships.

The tourist season begins in November and ends in March, and its peak falls in January. At this time, the weather becomes more favorable, more often the sun peeks out and the air warms up to +5, +7 ° C. I was amazed when I saw locals in T-shirts and T-shirts, while I myself was wrapped in a warm jacket and sweatshirt.

At this time, there are quite a lot of tourists and everything needs to be booked in advance: accommodation, tours, transport. We did not book a room in Ushuaia on the 10th of January and were forced to spend the night at the airport (fortunately, they have soft carpet on the floor, not cold tiles).

In autumn and spring, the weather becomes more unpredictable: it can charge rain or a hurricane wind can fly. At such moments, there can be no talk of any landings on the islands. The pleasure of walking in nature is sharply reduced. But there are many empty seats and prices are falling.

In the summer, the most desperate go to Tierra del Fuego - to fight with the forces of nature and win. Fans of surviaval-trips will be delighted!

Conditional areas. Descriptions and Features

Most hostels and hotels are located in Punta Arenas and Ushuaia, the capitals of Chilean and Argentine Tierra del Fuego, respectively. These are two ports from where ships depart for glaciers, fjords, penguins and islands.

In these cities there are supermarkets, clothing and souvenir shops, offices of travel agencies and other benefits of civilization.

You can rent a 2-star room for two from 40 USD per night, but most hotels ask for around 60 USD per room (breakfast is often included in the price).

Ushuaia

In Ushuaia, it is better to settle in a conditional center circled in a red circle (you can get around it from end to end in 20 minutes of a leisurely walk).

There is a port from where ships to penguins depart, a tourist information center, shopping street, restaurants, pubs and the main "number complex", which includes both hotels and private rooms for rent.

Punta Arenas

In Punta Arenas, the main life also boils around the port and the promenade (be sure to take a walk along it).

With red I marked the area where the main square is located, cafes and restaurants, shops are concentrated, and a little to the north - the bus station.

I would recommend looking for a hotel or room in this part of the city.

Alternative option

Those who are tired of civilization and seek solitude can stay in one of several tiny settlements:

  • Timaukel, Munizaga, Porvenir in Chile;
  • Tolhuin, Puerto Williams, Río Grande in Argentina.

The largest of these cities is Río Grande. If you want to stay in it, I would recommend the coast area. The rest of the towns are so compact, settle boldly in any area.

In terms of accommodation, this can be a room in the house of local residents (usually ask for 30 USD per night), in a hostel (from 70 USD) or a room in a lodge (from 200 USD and above). Amenities vary greatly: somewhere you will not be offered towels, in other places they will be served breakfast. All the nuances need to be clarified in advance.

On a note

You can see all hotel offers and choose the one that suits you best for your price and comfort here, and reserve a room on Booking. You can try to find a room in a house or hostel here. But it is worth considering that many local residents do not use the Internet to advertise their services and do not even put a sign on the street (information about vacant rooms is in the local store or by mail).

What are the prices for vacation

Going to Tierra del Fuego, get ready for the fact that prices for food, gasoline, housing and entertainment here are 1.5-2 times higher than in Buenos Aires and Santiago.

For example, in the north of Argentina or Chile, a double room in a good hostel can be rented for 20 USD, lunch will cost about the same for two. In Tierra del Fuego it will be difficult to find housing cheaper than 40 USD per night, lunch will cost at least 30 USD. A liter of gasoline in the center of the country is about 2 USD, and in the extreme south - 3 USD. Bread prices - 0.8 USD against 1.6 USD.

A good way to save:

  • stop in places where there is a kitchen, and cook for yourself,
  • abandon the car in favor of buses (by the way, comfortable and often plying).

The main attractions. What to watch

Travelers set off for Tierra del Fuego to conquer the mountains and straits of the World's End or Doomsday (Fin del Mundo), as the locals call it. To see penguins at arm's length and wander around the glacier.

No matter how little time you have in the cities of Tierra del Fuego, allocate at least an hour to the promenade along the promenade. Punta Arenas is a modern urban space with a skatepark, playgrounds and a cool fountain.

Ushuaia embankment is more old-fashioned and close to nature: with green spaces, restaurants, a picturesque bay and majestic mountains outside the city.

Along the promenade in Ushuaia is Hernando de Magallanes, the second main thoroughfare in the city, full of shops, restaurants and pubs

If you have only 1 day in Tierra del Fuego (how criminally little!), Go to Ushuaia, and from there:

  1. At 8:00, start on the Penguin Island in a small ship along the Beagle Channel, where these amusing birds walk with an important view at your fingertips.
  2. Dine with the freshest seafood on the city promenade overlooking the bay.
  3. In the afternoon, catch the train that will take you through the magnificent Tierra del Fuego National Park (Tierra del Fuego).

Top 5

Here is the most that cannot be missed in Tierra del Fuego.

Cape Horn

Almost legendary place. The small island of Horn in the Drake Strait separating South America from Antarctica is a key point in any voyage around the continent. Insidious currents and strong winds killed many sailors here, and today it is not always possible to land on the island. Therefore, each lucky person is issued a certificate confirming his success.

A lone lighthouse stands on an island blown by constant west wind, covered with hard grass, in which the officer lives and works with his family. And on the edge of the cape there is a strange sculpture through which travelers pensively look south, trying to make out the snowy plains of Antarctica over the horizon. You can get to Cape Horn as part of an expedition on a cruise ship.

You can read about long cruises above in the "How to get there" section. Cruising on Tierra del Fuego is offered by Cruceros Australis, their comfortable ships fly from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia and back, landing to glaciers, fur seal colonies and Cape Horn. You can choose different options: from a one-way trip (I sailed from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia 4 days) to a round-trip for a week. The cost of a cabin space starts from 1,200 USD (including meals) for 4 days and 3 nights.

Colonies of Magellanic and King Penguins

This is what attracts thousands of tourists every year. It’s worth it to get wet and freeze to see very close to the amusing birds, it is important to waddle in the waddle on land and like a torpedo gliding under water. Excursions to penguins are organized by many travel agencies Ushuaia and Punta Arenas.Usually they are carried out twice a day: in the morning (for half a day and all day) and in the afternoon (for 4-5 hours).

You can choose a sea voyage (two hours on a ship in each direction) or a mixed option: bus and boat. The cost of such tours starts from 120 USD per person. Carefully study the conditions of excursions, since not all of them include landing on the shore to penguins (then you will observe birds from the deck of a moored vessel).

Nature of Tierra del Fuego

Yes, it alone can be considered a tourist attraction. You can touch the amazing nature of these places on hikes, bike and safari tours in jeeps, canoeing. Travel agencies also organize combined routes of varying difficulty and duration (though none of them includes camping in nature due to unpredictable weather conditions).

You will be offered to go to the amazingly colored lakes, overcome the impassability, climb the centuries-old glaciers and even ride a dog sled under the starry sky. The average price for such active excursions ranges around 180 USD per person.

Railway

In Latin America, rail traffic is very poorly developed. Therefore, it is especially unexpected to find on the edge of the earth an elegant bright train passing by the breathtaking landscapes of Tierra del Fuego.

Traveling to national reserves from the station in Ushuaia past lakes, waterfalls, mountain peaks and islands lasts 3-5 hours and costs from 50 USD. Take a thermos and sandwiches with you to keep warm.

Excursion to Antarctica

Ushuaia and Punta Arenas are the gates to Antarctica. Cruise ships depart from here, carrying brave and seasoned travelers to conquer the ice open spaces.

Expeditions for 10-20 days are held from November to March. A ship towards the adventures that grandchildren are told will pass through the Drake Channel. Pleasure is not cheap: a place in a cabin will cost 5,000-15,000 USD depending on the route and season.

Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Catedral Sagrado Corazon)

Erected on the Plaza Munoz Gomero in Punta Arenas at the end of the 19th century, this cathedral is an example of classical architecture.

The strict facade and interior, as if transferred to the End of the World from the Hermitage, are worth a look inside.

Church of Mercy (Iglesia de la Merced)

This Ushuaia church is even more unusual. It was built at the same time as her older brother in Punta Arenas, but in a completely different style.

Small, cozy, with sloping arches and warm yellow walls, the Church of Mercy is full of parishioners on Sundays.

The church is located in the center, near the port, at av. San Martín, 936.

Museums Which are worth a visit

To entertain tourists in Punta Arenas and Ushuaia there are several museums. Some of them are more likely to be open to quantity, but some are really interesting.

In Ushuaia:

  • Doomsday Museum (Museo del Fin del Mundo) located at: Calle Maipu, 465. The museum exposition is dedicated to the history of the discovery of Tierra del Fuego and its present. The rich collection of flora and fauna of the extreme south is quite interesting. The museum is small, quite young (opened in the 1970s) and is made with great love. Open from 9:00 to 20:00, the ticket costs 8.5 USD.
  • Museum "Maritimo" (Museo Maritimo y del Presidio). Address: Yaganes y Gobernador Paz | Ex Presidio. Once there was a prison for repeat offenders, which was closed in the middle of the 20th century and converted into a museum dedicated to maritime affairs and Antarctica. But the Prison Museum remains the most popular wing, to which the laurels of Alcatraz haunt. Opening hours: from 10:00 to 20:00, the ticket price is 8 USD.
  • Museum of the Yaman people (Museo Yámana) located at Calle Pte Bernardino Rivadavia, 56. Dedicated to the now extinct tribes of the indigenous inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego. Hunting nomads survived in harsh conditions for centuries until the white colonialists exterminated them. The museum is open from 10:00 to 20:00, the ticket costs 2.5 USD.

In Punta Arenas:

  • Museum-ship "Victoria" (Nao Victoria Museo) located outside the city (15 minutes by car north on Ruta Y-565). This is a copy of the ship on which Magellan made his way through the straits and canals, named later in his honor. Inside, not only utensils and furniture, but also the figures of sailors - the children will be delighted! The museum is open from 9:00 to 19:00, the ticket price is 6 USD.
  • Museum of Salesians (Salesian Museum), located at Avenida Presidente Manuel Bulnes, 336, is dedicated to the history and culture of the Salesian people who have lived in these places for centuries. The museum contains archaeological finds showing the life of the natives, local history expositions, demonstrating the environment in which they lived. This museum is much larger and more interesting than the Yaman Museum in Ushuaia. Opening hours: from 10:00 to 12:30 and from 15:00 to 18:00, the entrance costs 4 USD.
  • Magellan Museum (Museo Regional De Magallanes) located at 949 Hernando de Magallanes. It was the home of one of the first settlers of Brown Menendez, who later turned into a museum, preserving the interior and furnishings. The exposition shows the life of immigrants from Europe, as well as introduces the first maps of the surroundings, made by Menendez. Opening hours: from 10:30 to 17:00, a ticket costs 1.5 USD.

Parks

The terrain of Tierra del Fuego, rugged by icy waters, is full of amazing corners and breathtaking views. The severe beauty of this region cannot leave anyone indifferent! It is not surprising that several beautiful national parks are located here: Magellanes, Laguna-Parillar, Karukinka and others.

But the most famous, perhaps, are these three:

  1. "Cabo de Hornos" (Cabo de Hornos) - a scattering of small islands in the south, the most famous of which is the Horn with the cape of the same name, looking towards the Antarctic. To get to this national park you will need a yacht or a ship. But even then landing on the islands is not guaranteed and will entirely depend on the capricious weather, which destroyed many ships in these waters.
  2. "Alberto de Agostini" (Alberto de Agostini) - several larger islands around the Strait of Magellan. Here the southernmost peaks of the Cordillera descend into the abyss, between which huge tongues of glaciers are stuck. You can travel through this national park only by water, landing on land here and there to see Mount Darwin or the Marinelli Glacier.
  3. "Tierra del Fuego" (Tierra del Fuego) - the most accessible national park. You can get to it by taxi, car, train or tour (only 12 kilometers from Ushuaia). Here you can spend more than one day walking at the foot of the mountains with snow caps and among the bushes with bright calafate berries. You will find a black lagoon and a gray-blue lake, a waterfall and fast rivers, forests and secluded beaches, foxes and guanacos.

Food. What to try

The main culinary treasure of Tierra del Fuego is the king crab and other seafood. A huge, the size of a large plate, crab is boiled in boiling water and served on the table. Shrimp is cooked with maize (corn), fish and shellfish are pickled in lemon juice or salted. In any Ushuaia or Punta Arenas restaurant you will find the freshest products and delicious dishes.

A gourmet in Tierra del Fuego will find not only fish and seafood. From the middle of the XIX century, immigrants from Europe, mainly Germany and Scandinavia, began to settle in these places. They brought with them sheep and the secret of brewing.

To this day in Punta Arenas, the Cervecería Austral brewery (Serveseriya-Astral), opened more than 120 years ago, produces rich, delicious ales of various varieties. You can go on an excursion to the brewery and see copper boilers and devices that the founder brought from Germany, and, of course, taste local beer. Today it is known throughout South America and is sold in supermarkets.

Sheep, who are more numerous here than people, graze freely in the foothills of the Andes - furious winds and hard grass do not bother them. Free spaces make the local lamb juicy and tender. Be sure to try cordero en la cruz - a lamb fried over an open fire on the cross. This holiday dish is prepared on special occasions. I never loved lamb, but here I fully appreciated this dish!

If you plan to eat on your own, and not in restaurants, then in Ushuaia and Punta Arenas there are supermarkets with a large selection of products (prices are much higher than in the central regions of Chile and Argentina). In other settlements you will come across only small shops with a modest assortment: mostly groceries, canned goods.

The common truth "eat where the locals do it" fully works in Tierra del Fuego. Do not pay attention to the interior and the "relaxed" service, and you will try the most delicious and freshest food. But the search for such places requires time and dexterity, because as soon as independent tourists turn up appearances and passwords on the Internet, local cafes flood the tourists, and the establishment spoils. Another good option is to find an institution on the waterfront. Go to any that you like.

If you don’t have time or desire to experiment, then here’s a couple of tips for very high-quality and pleasant places.

In Punta Arenas:

  • La luna (O'Higgins, 1017). It serves fresh seafood, wonderful lamb and an excellent traditional Pisco Saucer cocktail. Main dishes cost from 5 USD. The place is very popular.
  • Dino's pizza (av. Bories, 557). The place is simpler, it is cheaper here (a big pizza for two from 4 USD) and sometimes local people even meet.

In Ushuaia:

  • Gustino (av. Maipú, 505). Upscale establishment with amazing cuisine (especially seafood), a good wine list and excellent service. The average cost of a hot meal is 10 USD.
  • El turko (av. San Martín, 1440). No pathos, but a huge and impossibly tasty salmon steak - 4 USD!

Security. What to watch out for

The dangers awaiting a traveler in Tierra del Fuego are mainly related to nature: you can fall from a boat into the water, turn your ankle up while climbing the slopes and glaciers, freeze and catch a cold. Therefore, you should carefully consider the equipment: be sure to take waterproof and windproof clothes, shoes that are comfortable for walking (ideally fixing the ankle, but I was perfectly treated with ordinary sneakers). And do not save on insurance. It is always better to foresee everything in advance!

The risk of being robbed, deceived, or somehow injured by people is almost zero. When such harsh conditions are around, people become kind and sensitive to each other, ready to come to the rescue and help out.

Still, the main danger is to irrevocably and completely fall in love with this land and spend all the money on trips to Tierra del Fuego.

Things to do

They come to Tierra del Fuego primarily to enjoy the unspoiled beauty of the wild, having renounced the bustle of the world. But civilization has reached the southern edge of Latin America, so those who wish can enjoy its benefits - for example, shopping.

Despite the fact that Ushuaia is a duty-free zone, the prices of goods are high. The stores sell mainly souvenirs, as well as clothing and accessories for outdoor activities.

You can safely go to San Martin Street and choose any of the many small shops or a large shopping center Atlantico sur duty free. The assortment is about the same everywhere. For a change, you can return from the center to the docks next to the canal and wander around indoor souvenir market. There are interesting finds that will remind you of the southernmost city on the planet. Cards are accepted everywhere except the market.

In Punta Arenas, there are also two points of attraction for shopaholics: a huge center of duty-free trade located on the outskirts of the city Zona franka and the city center selling souvenirs (Chile tipico) and works by local artists (Almacen antano).

To get to Zona Franka, you need to take a taxi (from 10 USD) or take a minibus (collectively) with a sign Zona Franka (1.5 USD), which depart from the bus terminal every 15 minutes.

The shopping center is an entire block of malls and open-air fairs and is open from 10:30 to 20:30.

Bars

In Tierra del Fuego, there is a special love for pubs, where the eyes run wide from the number of varieties of beer and ale served.

In Punta Arenas, I especially want to note La taberna, Jekus and Olijoe pubwhere good drinks are served in a solid interior. But food is usually very mediocre everywhere.

Ushuaia praised Ideal, Dublin and Galwaybut about Viagro there are different reviews.

These bars are known far beyond Tierra del Fuego, and the average check for this reputation is consistent.

If you want something more democratic, go further from the center and look for places where locals drink beer. Only one or two varieties are served there, paint peels off the walls, and no one understands a word in English. But authenticity beats over the edge.

Clubs and nightlife

There are several nightclubs in Punta Arenas, such as Nanos, Kamikaze, El madero (admission is free) and Klub (entrance costs 4.5 USD and includes one drink). All are located in the center, with the exception of Nanos, which is located northwest of the city cemetery.

In Ushuaia, nightlife is not in full swing: mostly tourists and locals spend leisure time in bars and pubs. But there is one restaurant with a beautiful view of the bay, where the DJ plays (Dreamland) And for lovers of tango every weekend a bar is open Milonga del fin del mundo.

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

The most popular souvenirs in Tierra del Fuego are penguins of all kinds and sizes. Wooden, ceramic, plush and even semi-precious stones. Such figures cost from 1 USD to 120 USD depending on the material.

The second most popular thing brought from the End of the Earth is sheep’s products. It can be hats, mittens, slippers, sweaters and rugs of all colors of the rainbow and with patterns. In more expensive stores, styles, colors become calmer, and the quality of products increases along with the price. In a street tent, you can buy a pullover for 20 USD, and in a boutique, prices go up to 400 USD.

How to get around the island

Punta Arenas and Ushuaia are small cities in the center of which you can easily walk. If you are tired and cold, you can use a taxi that stops with a wave of your hand. A trip from one end of the city to the other will cost 10-15 USD, to the airport - 20 USD.

Public transport in these cities is absent as a class, and the only alternative to a taxi is a rental car (offers for car rental can be found, say, here) or bicycles (if you decide to ride a bicycle under a gust of heavy wind).

Tierra del Fuego - holidays with children

Holidays with children under 5 in Tierra del Fuego can become a real test of strength: harsh weather conditions can negate all the pleasure of a trip.

But older children will be delighted with the majestic nature surrounding them, from fur seals, penguins and whales, which they will see on excursions.

Ski vacation

From June to October, people come to Punta Arenas to ski. The ski resort Cerro Mirador is located just 8 kilometers from the city and offers 11 kilometers of pistes with magnificent views of the city and the Strait of Magellan. A ski pass for the day costs 38 USD for an adult and 23 USD for a child.

In the vicinity of Ushuaia, the Cerro Castor ski resort is even cooler than in Punta Arenas - it has 29 kilometers of slopes and 8 ski lifts with a height difference of 860 meters. Pleasure to ride here will cost 65 USD for an adult and 45 USD for a child.

Watch the video: Exploring the Land of Fire! Tierra Del Fuego. PATAGONIA DAY 2 (March 2024).

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