Ushuaia claims to be the southernmost city in the world, and the setting backs it up: wedged between the Martial mountains and the Beagle Channel on the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego, it feels genuinely remote. The town of around 80,000 people is the main base for exploring Tierra del Fuego National Park and for boat trips through the islands of the Beagle Channel, where you can see sea lions, penguins, and cormorants.
The Ushuaia Prison Museum tells the story of the penal colony that effectively built the city — prisoners cleared the forests and constructed its early buildings. The Museo del Fin del Mundo covers natural history and the indigenous Yagán people who inhabited these shores for millennia before European contact.
For wildlife, the prize is the Isla Martillo penguin colony, accessible only through Estancia Harberton — the oldest ranch in Tierra del Fuego, still run by descendants of the missionary who founded it. The Martial Glacier above town offers views over the channel and a visible record of glacial retreat.
The season runs from October to April, when the weather is mild enough for hiking and the days are long. Ushuaia is also the departure point for most Antarctic cruises — if you are flexible on dates, last-minute berths can sometimes be found at agencies on Av. San Martín.