Ushuaia

Ushuaia sits on the Beagle Channel at the southern tip of South America, backed by the snow-covered Martial Mountains. It calls itself the End of the World and looks the part: colourful houses climbing a hillside, with glaciers and sub-Antarctic forest behind them. The port is a short walk from the centre. Tierra del Fuego National Park has trails through lenga forest to Lapataia Bay, where the Pan-American Highway officially ends. Boat trips through the Beagle Channel pass sea lion colonies, cormorants, and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse. The End of the World Museum covers the Indigenous Yámana people and the area's history as a penal colony. King crab is the local dish, often served simply with lemon. The duty-free status means leather goods, chocolates, and spirits are priced lower than the mainland. Spanish is the language, though English is understood in tourist areas. Taxis handle longer distances.