Martial Glacier
- Duration
- 4–5 hours
- Transport
- On foot
- Group
- up to 3 ppl
- Season
- November–April
The cheapest "wow point" in Tierra del Fuego. 4–5 hours on foot from the old lift station — and you're standing on the tongue of the Martial glacier with a panorama of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel. I always bring coffee for the break — it's a must.
Program
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Start at Av. Luis Martial 5301 — the old aerosilla station [the lift stopped working in 2018]. Parking, café with empanadas, info
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Climb the wide trail through lenga forest — 1 hour to the open slope zone
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Filo viewpoint — the best lookout. All of Ushuaia is visible, the harbor, the Beagle Channel and the navaho ridge. We stop for a break
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Final ascent on a narrow trail on loose rock — 30-40 min to the glacier tongue. Harder, but worth it [trekking poles welcome]
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The Martial glacier tongue. 1,050 m above sea level. You can get close, but NOT on the ice — it's retreating, with hidden crevasses
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Descent same way — 1.5 hours
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Return to Ushuaia
Included
- ✓Russian-speaking guide
- ✓Transport to the trailhead
Extra cost
- +Lunch
- +Personal expenses
Photos
per group
Related reading
Questions and answers
How long is the hike and how hard? +
7 km round trip, 600 m elevation gain (up to 1,050 m above sea level). 3-4 hours with a break at the top. Moderate-to-hard difficulty. First half — gentle trail in the forest. Second half — narrow trail on loose rock.
Can I do it without a guide? +
Technically yes — the trail is marked. But the weather changes in 30 min, there are spots where it's easy to go wrong, and in case of injury — no signal. With a guide it's safer, plus the story of the ice, forest and Tierra del Fuego.
Can I step on the glacier ice? +
NO. The Martial glacier is actively retreating, the ice is thinning, hidden crevasses. Since 2018 you officially can't go on the ice without a certified guide with ropes and crampons. We go up to the tongue — that's enough for the wow.
What footwear? +
Trekking boots mandatory (not sneakers). After the first km the trail is gravel and loose rock — in sneakers your feet will slide. Trekking poles welcome for the descent.
Cheapest of all — why? +
Because: no long transfer needed (the trail is 7 km from the center), no equipment required (just your legs), entry is free, and it's half a day. The cheapest wow-point in Tierra del Fuego — and one of the most powerful.
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