Everything to know about Ushuaia
We're so excited to help you in this amazing Adventure. This guide should be a great starting point for you to understand the basics about Ushuaia, where most voyages to Antarctica depart from, and what you may enjoy doing while there.
Below you'll find some important information about getting to Ushuaia, as well as information on where to stay and how to get around this small, remote, and welcoming city at the "End of the World".
Booking flights:
There are a few ways to go about this, and a few sites you can use. I personally always research my flights on Skyscanner and Google Flights, then if the price is about the same, I'll book my flight directly with the airline of choice, based on what I saw on the other sites. I have just found that when it comes to needing to make any changes, or have to deal with any issues that may come up with my flight, it's easier to work directly with the airline than to use a third party booking agency.
You can either book a roundtrip flight itinerary that goes from your home airport to USH and back. This is the safest way to do it because in the event you have a missed connection due to flight delays, you're covered for the cost of your connecting flight. This is my personal recommendation. However, if you're looking to save a little money, and have some time to spare...there is another option. I have found it cheaper, at times, to book a roundtrip international flight from my home city to EZE and back and then book a separate roundtrip flight from AEP/EZE to USH. This comes with risks and if choose this method, we're not responsible for any issues that come up. The main risk here is that if you don't leave yourself enough time between flights, and you have a cancelled flight or missed connection due to a delay, you will not be covered for the cost of your connecting flight because they are not on the same itinerary. I only...ONLY recommend this is you're planning a few days in Buenos Aires before and after your trip to allow for a buffer between flights.
Just a side note...if you get to pick your seats on the plane from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, book a window seat on the starboard/right side of the plane. This will give you the best view of the mountains as you land in Ushuaia.
Important details:
Buenos Aires International Airport Code: EZE (Ezeiza International Airport)
Buenos Aires Domestic Airport Code: AEP (Aeroparque Jorge Newbery)
Ushuaia Airport Code - USH
It's important you arrive in Ushuaia no later than one day before your departure date. This allows a buffer time for lost luggage, missed connections or delayed flights.
All international flights will arrive in EZE, but flights to USH can leave from both EZE and AEP. However flights to USH are much more common departing from AEP.
EZE and AEP are around 45-75 minutes apart from each other, which is heavily dependent on traffic. There are a number of ways to get between airports which include private transfer offered in the airport, bus, taxi or Uber. We suggest Uber for it's safety and convenience, however if you're unable to book one, we suggest only hiring a taxi at the taxi stand inside the airport. The cost should be between $35 and $60 just depending which method you use and the exchange rate. I took an Uber March, 2022 and it was $4400ars which equates to about $44usd.
If you have to change airports in Buenos Aires, I suggest a MINIMUM of 4 hours between your arrival in EZE and your departure in AEP. This allows 2 hours to get you luggage and clear customs, an hour for the Uber and to be at the airport an hour before departure from AEP. The same goes for the reverse when headed home and you need to transfer from AEP to EZE. Four hours is the minimum, however I would try and plan for 5 hours if possible. Another option, which most people do is spend a night or two in Buenos Aires.
Getting from USH Airport to the City Center:
Ushuaia is a very small city. The airport is a whopping 12 minute taxi to the city center and costs less than $10. Taxis are readily available out in front of the airport and there is a 97% chance the driver will know the location of whatever accommodation you booked unless it's an AirBnB tucked away in the suburbs. Once you get your luggage, you'll clear an agricultural checkpoint and you're out the door. It's about 40 steps from the luggage pickup to the front door of the airport. From there, you'll find plenty of taxis to take you in to town. Ushuaia is safe, and I've found every taxi driver to be honest. Just make sure they turn the meter on when you leave you airport. It's a good idea to half smaller cash denominations for taxi.
Here is a map giving an idea of the size and distances. The majority of all the hotels and things to do in the city are within the red box.
If you're traveling in a group, or would like us to arrange a private pickup and transfer from the airport, we can help arrange that. We have a transportation partner with a 12 passenger van.
Map of Ushuaia Airport and city center (in red)
Where to stay in Ushuaia:
As mentioned above, the vast majority of hotels in Ushuaia are within that red box. There are a few outliers, and some AirBnB's might slight be outside the center, but for the most part everything is centrally located and within walking distance to the shops and markets. I like to use Booking.com , HostelWorld, and AirBnB to find accommodation. There are options for everyone ranging from $50 a night up to $700 a night. It just depends on what you're looking for and how long to plan to spend in Ushuaia.
A few places I've stayed and can recommend are
Alto Andino - My top recommendation. Affordable, clean, close to city center
Hotel Albatros - In front of the port, clean, comfortable.
Hostel Antarctica - Cheap, clean, hostel/backer vibes
Hotel Tierra Del Fuego - Central, affordable, clean
Magallena - Close to everything, Apartment style accommodation, affordable.
Arakur Hotel - Luxury hotel with heated infinity pools, pricey.
Getting to the ship:
When it comes to getting to the ship, further details will be communicated to you when we have a better understanding of the post-covid protocols. However the entrance to the pier where the ship is parked is right in the middle of the city center. If we're allowed to enter the pier ourselves, you will be given a luggage drop off location and will walk to the ship yourself. The luggage dropoff and ship are 3 minutes walking. If we're still required to use busses to enter the pier (like we had to in 21/22) you will drop your luggage off at the designated location and will meet a bus at a location right in front of the pier. The bus will be included in your price.
Things to do in Ushuaia:
Ushuaia has a wide variety things to do such as visiting the National Parks, trekking, 4x4 off-road adventures and plenty of other activities. We also offer optional tours to the Tierra del Fuego National Park! If you’re in one of our group trips, don’t forget to check our Tierra del Fuego tour options!
