Ushuaia tours

[mike35]

We will arrive in Ushuaia, Argentina, on January 11, 2006, on Oceania's Insignia. Private tours are available to Tierra del Fuego national park, the End of the World Train, a city tour of Ushuaia, etc. I would appreciate any input from folks who have visited Ushuaia as to what they would (or would not) recommend, prior to my making our reservations.

 

Many thanks

 

Mike

[greatam]

The End of the World train is OK. IF you are into trains, you will probably enjoy it. Otherwise, I thought it was kind of hokey. The bus runs along almost the same route as the train and is about 1/2 price. Tierra del Fuego is not to be missed. The scenery is pretty good (not spectacular, like Alaska), but you definitely need to take a picture in front of the sign which shows the distance to Alaska. Then, the next time you go to Alaska and to the Arctic Circle, take that picture. You will be amazed=the signs are almost identical.

[AWOL]

I just returned from a business trip to Ushuaia and had a couple of days while there to do some exploring. The boat will dock at a long pier and it is a short walk up the hill to get to the main shopping street once you are off the pier. As you walk off to the right will be several booths that sell tickets for the boat trips in the Beagle Channel. Most of them leave around 9:30 in the morning or 2:00 PM. The cost is from 50 Pesos to around 130 Pesos depending on how far the trip goes. I took the long trip to see the penguins and we saw two different types of penguins. You do not get off the boat but it noises right up to the shore and you are about 10 foot from them. It was a good trip as it also included the Sea Lions and Bird Island. Also went on the “End of the World” train trip. It leaves at 9:30 in the morning and one trip in the afternoon but do not remember the exact time. Took a taxi to the train station which cost $9.50(Pesos, the dollar sign is used for the peso in Argentina) and the train was $50 round trip or $47 one way. You also have to pay the National park fee of $12. This has to be paid in cash. The train ticket can be credit card. Get there early as we got there at 8:30 and there were a bunch of people already there. They have two trains running and as soon as they get one train loaded it goes down the track. This was around 9:15 AM. A lot of the folks were on tours that dropped them off at the train station and then met them at the other end for a tour of the National Park. I did not think I would enjoy the train but it is something that we will be doing when we are there on the cruise. If you do not want to do it on your own, walk up the hill from the pier to the first street and turn right about three block is a tour booking service on your right or turn left and there is another one about three blocks that way on the right side of the street. There is a money changing place in the same area on the corner on the left side of the street. I also did the glacier but do not recommend it unless you just want to do some hiking in the mountains as the "glacier" is just a snow bank. The cost of the taxi was around $9.00 each way and the cost of the lift is $10.00. You do get a good view of the bay and the city. By the way the city is very nice and has a lot of places for shopping on the main street and have restaurants that have all you can eat for $19(pesos) and you serve yourself at the buffet and then go to the barbecue area to get your meat which is roasting over a big fire right there were you can watch it being cooked. They open for lunch around 12 noon and I you want to try the local food, I highly recommend it. The one that I found best was on the main street up the hill to the right and about five blocks on the left on a corner. Don’t remember what it was called but had the best tuna/potato salad and king crab salad I have ever eaten. One of the other things you can do is hire a car at the pier and just drive around. There is a taxi stand just when you come off the pier and they charge by the meter or you can try to make a deal. The drivers do not speak English as a rule. Ask them to take you on Federal Highway 3 towards Rio Grande which takes you through the mountains and about a hours drive you will come to a long lake. I was told it is 100 kilometers long. There is a small town on it that has a bunch of cabins for rent. At Rio Grande River, the world’s largest brown trout was caught. The driver I had was the fly fishing guide that was guiding when it was caught and he had some pictures. It looked like a giant salmon but with the coloring of a brown trout. Just to repeat, the prices quoted are close but not to be guaranteed as correct and are in pesos. All the prices are marked with the $ sign but here in Argentina it means Pesos. If you have any other questions let me know and I will try to answer them

[mike35]

Thanks a million for the detailed response, AWOL -- it really helped!

 

Mike

[Lvteks]

On a rainy Friday (we need the rain!), reading your information just makes our trip so much more exciting. I really appreciate the time it takes to respond with such detail. I would choose the Beagle Channel as primary, then perhaps the train....if it doesn't return too close to ship's departure.

 

I remind myself of how CC's like yourself help each other when I see a question I may be able to answer or add to in some way.

 

Muchos Gracias :)

 

Blessings,

Gail

[earljr]

Thanks AWOL -- very helpful in planning our '07 BA to FLL on Regal

 

Earl

[digby]

We arrived there last Christmas Day on the Insignia. We took the Oceania excursion which did the boat trip, the national park, and the train trip. We were very satisfied.

[NewCruiseFan]

I had the pleasure of visiting Ushuaia last December. I got off the ship right away and purchased tickets for the train at the train station - very inexpensive. When I was leaving the buses with my fellow passengers were arriving, some of my friends who were on the bus appeared to be snoozing on the windows.

 

Having done the train on my own allowed me to also have lunch in town, visit the End of the World museum and do my own wandering. Oh, and take a nap and go back for more shopping!

 

That said, the train is a little hokey, it's the former prison train and has been refurbished to have enclosed cars. The prisoners used to ride without shelter strapped to a long bench.

 

The area is gorgeous and you stop along the way to get out and walk.

 

I'm heading back there this year and will try to do the Channel tour and some shopping.

 

Have a fab time!

[juliejoe]

NewCruiseFan, What is on your shopping list for Ushuaia?

[NewCruiseFan]

When I was there last year there was a local artist who, with her husband, works in old German sterling to make jewelry. I purchased a sterling fork that had a new life as a necklace and an ice cream spoon refashioned into a ring.

 

Each piece had a lovely Rhodocrosite stone, the Argentinian national stone. They were more expensive than the usual stuff you buy, they were about $100 for both pieces, but the work is beautiful and very unique. I receive compliments every time I wear them and every one is amazed when they finally realize it's former flatware.

 

I'm hoping she's still there but am also hoping to look into other shopping places. They had a little booth located right at the end of the pier in what was mostly a collection of much less expensive work.

[Suzy Q]

NewCruiseFan--Thank you for the tip. What you've described is exactly the type of item I like to bring home. Unique, representative of the area and hand made.

 

SQ

[Aussie Gal]

New Cruise Fan,

 

Have I got it correct. Is the place where you bought the jewellery at the end of the pier? I hope so, because it just sounds wonderful.

 

Jennie

[NewCruiseFan]

yep, as you reach the end of the pier on your left is a collection of small booths with local craftspeople. there were a couple of booths with exceptional work (like the stuff i picked up) but also a lot of less fab stuff.

 

the artist was super nice and spoke a little english. we juggled languages.

 

SuzyQ you're so right! it's unique, beautiful and completely of the area. the Argentines are very, very proud of their European heritage (we never discussed the circumstances under which a large portion of those folks emigrated to Argentina) so the use of old German sterling and blending it with the native stone was a great way to showcase both.

 

with luck she'll still be there and her prices won't have crept up!

[Aussie Gal]

NewCruiseFan,

 

Thanks so much for that information. I am so looking forward to buying some unique jewellery from them.

 

Jennie