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Argentina

The end of the world: Ushuaia

At the end of Argentina, at the end of the continent, at the end of the world, there is a city far away from any other. Capital of Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur Province, the city is also known as the world's southernmost city or “the end of the world”. An industrial port and a tourist hub, Ushuaia attracts numerous tourists every year. Located on the shores of the Beagle Channel surrounded by the mountain range of the Martial Glacier, it was founded on October 12 in 1884 by Augusto Lasserre. The word Ushuaia comes from the Yaghan language: ush and waia, meaning "deep bay”.

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Nowhere else on Earth you will feel more like you're at the end of the world than in Ushuaia. There are several travel options to explore when traveling to this legendary city. If you want to avoid interminable bus journeys and are looking for a comfortable option, you can get to Ushuaia in 3 hours by plane from Buenos Aires. If you're not in the capital, you can fly from Puerto Madryn, Río Grande, Río Gallegos and El Calafate. The bus journey from Buenos Aires is split into several stages and takes around 57 hours. However, the buses are very comfortable! Since the bus fares are quite high, it might be worth to compare them with flight tickets. Alternatively, you can get there by a boat. Just imagine rounding the legendary Cape Horn, entering the Beagle channel and arriving in the bay facing Ushuaia. An absolutely magical adventure.
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The unique atmosphere of Ushuaia will inspire you to dive into new adventures. It is so far from everything that it would be a shame not to give it the time that it deserves. We would recommend visiting the Museo Marítimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia. It's housed in the city's former prison. The museum is really interesting and you can find several beautiful maps and splendid model ships. The prison is fascinating and will give you a sense of the incredibly tough conditions experienced by the prisoners. After that, you can visit the Yámana and Fin del Mundo museums. On Plaza 25 de Mayo you will see Philco's 'time capsule' which is a steel container with six video lasers. It has a TV programme televised in 1992 containing messages of hundreds of Argentinians. There is a sign: "Do not open until October 12, 2492". The most important thing to do in Ushuaia is to take a boat trip on the Beagle Channel. You will get close to sea-lions and see the famous Les Eclaireurs lighthouse.
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David Debrincat
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