Getting There
By Plane -- The International Airport Malvinas Argentinas is 5km (3 miles) from the city (tel. 02901/431232). There is no bus service to town, but cab fares are only about $5 (£2.75). Always ask for a quote before accepting a ride. Aerolíneas Argentinas (tel. 0800/222-86527 or 2901/437265; www.aerolineas.com.ar) operates eight or nine daily flights to Buenos Aires, one of which leaves from Ezeiza and stops in El Calafate. Average round-trip fare is $400 (£220). Frequency increases from November to March, when there's also a daily flight from Río Gallegos and twice-weekly flights from Trelew. LAN Chile (tel. 0810/999-9526 or 2901/424244) flies from B.A. once a day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. They also fly from Santiago de Chile on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Aerovías DAP, Deloqui 575 (tel. 2901/431110; www.aeroviasdap.cl), runs charter flights from Punta Arenas and over Cape Horn. It costs around $3,000 (£1,650) for a group of seven people (round-trip), leaving whenever you want.
By Bus -- There is no bus station in the city. Buses usually stop at the port (Maipú and Fadul). The service from Punta Arenas, Chile, costs $35 (£19) and takes about 12 hours. Tecni Austral (tel. 2901/431408 in Ushuaia, or 61/613423 in Punta Arenas) leaves Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 5:30am; tickets are sold in Ushuaia from the Tolkar office at Roca 157, and in Punta Arenas at Lautaro Navarro 975. Tolkeyen, San Martín 1267 (tel. 2901/437073; ventas@tolkeyenpatagonia.com), works with the Chilean company Pacheco for trips to Punta Arenas, leaving on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8am; it costs $50 (£28). To go to Río Grande, try Lider LTD, Transporte Montiel, or Tecni Austral. They offer eight daily departures, and the $10 (£5.50) trip takes around 4 hours.
By Boat -- The company Crucero Australis operates a cruise to Ushuaia from Punta Arenas and vice versa, aboard its ship the M/V Mare Australis; departures are Saturday from Punta Arenas and Wednesday from Ushuaia, from late September to April.
Cruising from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia -- Crucero Australis (www.australis.com) conducts an unforgettable journey between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia aboard its ship, the M/V Mare Australis. This cruise takes passengers to remote coves and narrow channels and fjords in Tierra del Fuego, and then heads into the Beagle Channel, stopping in Puerto Williams, on Isla Navarino, and later in Ushuaia, Argentina. The trip can be either a 7-night, 8-day round-trip journey; a 4-night one-way from Punta Arenas; or a 3-night one-way journey from Ushuaia. I recommend that you take just the one-way journey, leaving you to explore a new city and then continue on by air or land from there.
What is unique about this cruise is the intimacy of a smaller ship and its solitary route, which takes passengers to places in Tierra del Fuego that few other travelers have a chance to see. Passengers are shuttled to shore via zodiacs (motorized inflatable boats) for two daily excursions that can include visits to glaciers or a sea elephant rookery, walks to view elaborate beaver dams, or horseback rides. Several excellent bilingual guides give daily talks about the region's flora, fauna, history, and geology. Service aboard the Mare Australis is excellent, and the food is quite good. Accommodations are comfortable, ranging from suites to simple cabins. All-inclusive, per-person prices (excluding cocktails) range from $1,200 to $2,200 (£660-£1,210) one-way from Punta Arenas and $3,100 to $5,100 (£1,705-£2,805) round-trip. This cruise runs from early October to late April. For reservations or information, contact their U.S. offices in Miami at 4014 Chase Ave., Suite 202 (tel. 877/678-3772; fax 305/534-9276); in Santiago at Av. El Bosque Norte 0440 (tel. 2/442-3110; fax 2/203-5173); in Punta Arenas at Av. Independencia 840 (tel. 61/224256); or visit www.australis.com.
Getting Around
By Car -- Everything in and around Ushuaia is easily accessible via bus, taxi, or an inexpensive shuttle or tour service. Ushuaia's taxi drivers must be the nation's friendliest, and they're fonts of information concerning the region. The multitude of excursion options obviates the need for a car, though rentals are very reasonable, from $50 to $65 (£28-£36) per day. Note: If you decide to drive, pay the small extra fee for enhanced insurance, because basic insurance requires you to pay up to $1,000 (£550) for initial damage in even a minor accident. Avis, Godoy 46, drops its prices for multiple-day rentals (tel. 2901/436665; www.avis.com); Cardos Rent A Car is at Av. San Martín 845 (tel. 2901/436388); Dollar Rent A Car is on Belgrano 58 (tel. 2901/437203; www.dollar.com); Localiza Rent A Car is on Sarmiento 81 (tel. 2901/437780); Most of them rent 4X4 Jeeps with unlimited mileage. If you wish to cross into Chile at San Sebastian, you will need a special permission document costing $50 (£28).
Visitor Information
The Subsecretaría de Turismo have two very helpful and well-stocked offices on San Martín 674 (tel. 2901/424550 or 0800 333 1476; fax: 2901/432000) and the other one in the tourism Pier, Maipú 505 (tel. 2901/437666; fax 2901/430694; www.e-ushuaia.com). They also have a counter at the airport. From November to March, the offices are open daily from 8am to 10pm. The rest of the year they are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 9pm, weekends and holidays from 9am to 8pm. The national park administration office is on Av. San Martín 1395 (tel. 2901/421315; Mon-Fri 9am-3pm).
