At the southern end of the country, between the sea and the mountains, inhabits the southernmost city. Ushuaia calls us from the end of the world to venture into his magic.
The beauty of Ushuaia is not usual. Its unique landscape is painted in many colors: polychromatic houses and buildings are surrounded by mountain ranges with snowy peaks and glowing glaciers, lush forests that grow in their deep valleys and lakes that, like huge natural mirrors, double the view of this living painting .
The capital of Tierra del Fuego, founded in 1884 in a bay on the Beagle Channel, keeps a story full of myths and legends, with many protagonists. Native peoples that were undermined by colonizers and national authorities, explorers and navigators, criminals banished to the end of the world, citizens and millions of visitors traveling to discover its wonders. Today, walking through the city does not only imply going through its aesthetic appeal; part of this story is reconstructed in its many museums and emblematic sites.
In the Maritime Museum (former Presidio of Ushuaia) we can learn the history of a city that grew at the pace of the prisoners' work force. From 1902 to 1947, this “Siberia Argentina” with a panoptic form, launched the life and socioeconomic development of the Fuegian capital. Its residents had to work in various constructions, both for the prison and for the city. For this, the inmates and the materials were transferred to the labor camps, located in what today constitutes the Tierra del Fuego National Park, in a train specially installed for such purposes.
Currently, this railway has become another of the great attractions of Ushua. On board the now luxurious and picturesque wagons of the Train of the End of the World, which goes from the entrance to the heart of the Park, we can retrace the path that those inmate men traveled, and observe the product of their effort along with the splendor of nature native (the Cañadón del Toro, the Pipo river and its valley, the La Macarena waterfall). At the end of the tour, passengers can return or continue walking the trails proposed by the Park, where it is possible to appreciate the typical flora and fauna of the region and enjoy the Roca lake, the coast of the Lapataia and Ensenada bays, the mountains and the subantarctic forest (one of the few in the world).
The attractions of Ushuaia are visible, even in the harsh winter. To the delight of snow fans, Cerro Castor has 24 ski slopes and lifting facilities for all levels. In addition, it offers accommodation at the base and the possibility to enjoy amazing views from its five gastronomic points. But the biggest advantage is its season: from June to October, the longest in the entire hemisphere.
For their part, animal lovers meet on Hammer Island between the months of October and April. There, we can see Patagonian penguins and the only colony in South America of the Papua penguin. Already the very route of this excursion known as "penguin" is a joy to behold: navigating the Beagle we appreciate its small bays and natural harbors.
The richness and diversity of this small city at the end of the continent is unbeatable with the look at the height of the horizon, so the ascent to the Martial Glacier is an excellent alternative. From its height the panorama is impressive: the Beagle Channel, the glacier, the Chilean island Navarino and the city of Ushuaia leave us with our mouths open.
To travel to the end of the world, approach Tangol. The agency (located in Defense 831 and Florida 971, ground floor, local 31) offers you everything you need to stand at the bottom of the map.
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