Port guide: Ushuaia, Argentina
Marketed as the city at the end of the world, Ushuaia has a frontier spirit that gets you in the mood for rugged adventure.
Who goes there
Regular cruise ships from the likes of Holland America or Viking pass through on South America itineraries, usually between Buenos Aires and Valparaiso (Santiago). Nearly all expedition ships on Antarctic cruises use Ushuaia as their base. Aurora Expeditions, HX, Ponant, Scenic and Silversea are among the choices.
Sail on in
Only the jaded wouldn't be on deck to sail the Beagle Channel into Ushuaia. Hang on to your hat because the wind whistles. You'll pass some low, scraped-bare islands on which you'll see lots of lazy sealions. Ushuaia, scattered along the shoreline and partly up the hillsides into dark green forest, looks splendid from a distance. The main church, bright yellow with a red roof, is easy to spot. Behind are mountains that might be dusted with summer snow.
Berth rites
Ships tie up at a long concrete pier and, if you're at the end of it, you'll have a long walk past forklift trucks and delivery vans, which gives you a good impression of the organisation necessary to provision ships for the Antarctic. The cruise terminal is a tin shed with salmon-pink corrugated-iron walls and a pale blue roof. The inside has no glamour and one creaking security-screening machine. Beyond that, you're out onto a wharf with souvenir shops and tour-booking services. For useful things like shops, cafes and ATMs, the centre of town is only a couple of blocks uphill.
Before and after
Many cruise lines offer pre- or post-cruise accommodation as part of a package. The best hotels are inconveniently a little out of town and include Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort and Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa up the hillside, plus Los Cauquenes Resort along the bay. Hotels are expensive, so two nights should do.
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