Beagle Channel + lighthouse
- Duration
- Half day
- Transport
- Boat
- Group
- up to 3 ppl
- Season
- Year-round
Half a day on a catamaran to Les Éclaireurs lighthouse and sea lion colonies. The most popular boat trip in Ushuaia — and yes, I love it too, even after a hundred times leading it. The Beagle Channel is the water that separates us from Antarctica.
Program
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I pick you up at Ushuaia port [pier opposite the main square, not the cruise terminal]
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We head out into the Beagle Channel by catamaran. To the left — the port; to the right — the Andes on the other side of the channel, in Chile
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Isla de los Lobos — two species of sea lions on the rocks, right at the side of the boat. Noise, smell, fur
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Isla de Pájaros — cormorants, skuas, black-browed albatross. Binoculars come in handy
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Les Éclaireurs lighthouse, 1920 — the postcard of Ushuaia. The Monte Cervantes wreck was filmed here. Colonies of imperial and rock cormorants on the surrounding cliffs
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Optional: 20-min trek to a viewpoint with views over the channel and the mountains
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Return to port
Included
- ✓Russian-speaking guide
- ✓Boat transport
- ✓Life jackets
Extra cost
- +National park entry (if route includes it)
- +Personal expenses
Photos
per group
Related reading
Questions and answers
What's the weather in the channel in summer and winter? +
In Ushuaia, the main thing isn't the season — it's the wind. In summer (Dec–Mar) it's +10°C on the water, sometimes sunny but always windy. In winter (Jun–Aug) it's around 0°C, but the catamaran still runs. Bring a windbreaker, hat and gloves any time of year.
I get seasick. Will I be okay? +
The Beagle Channel is a strait between islands, not the open sea. The swell is minimal even with wind, which is why many people choose this trip as practice for the Drake Passage before Antarctica. You can bring pills just in case, but usually they're not needed.
Can we see whales? +
Not on this trip — whales are around Cape Horn and in the Drake Passage. Here we see sea lions, cormorants, sometimes Commerson's dolphins. But you see them close up.
What should I bring? +
A warm jacket, hat, gloves, a camera with a zoom (at least 200mm for the birds). Sunglasses — the UV index here is stronger because of the ozone hole. Water — there's coffee and snacks on board.
Can I go with kids? +
Yes, the trip is calm. Kids 5+ are fine. Under 5 — they get bored on deck, bring something to keep them busy.
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