Snowy season: ski resorts and winter activities

Snowshoeing through centuries-old lenga forests

-Skiing or snowboarding on slopes located 200 m above sea level.

-Moonlit nocturnal excursions in the Fuegian valleys

-Dog sledge rides

-Driving snowmobiles on a white blanket

-Outdoor ice skating with a view of Ushuaia's mountains.

-Gliding in the snow on Nordic skis

-Having a hot chocolate in the warmth of a salamander in the middle of the forest.

Did you imagine that in Ushuaia you would be able to do this and much more?

Get your tickets out and pack your bags because the winter season at the End of the World is truly magical.

Ushuaia, being in Tierra del Fuego, has an insular climate and consequently does not have much thermal amplitude and this is one of the conditions that makes the snow stay longer and of very good quality. This makes it the longest winter season in the country.

IN USHUAIA

Inside the city you can enjoy a stroll through the shopping centre along San Martin Street. There you can enjoy the chocolate shops and cafes with handmade pastries. A few blocks away from the centre you will find the Tachuela Oyarzún Skating Rink, located in the surroundings of the Polideportivo Municipal, with skate rental and figure skating lessons provided by instructors of the Club Andino Ushuaia. The open-air rink has views of the Encerrada Bay and the Andes Mountain Range.

 

MARTIAL GLACIER

This is the place Ushuaia's closest and cheapest for those who want to take up snowboarding and downhill skiing. It is located 5 km from the city centre. There is an old ski centre on the site, but the lifts are no longer in operation but the slopes can be used. At the base is the Ushuaia Ski School which offers locals and visitors the services of personalised or group lessons, equipment rental and cafeteria.

There are also a number of winter resorts in the inland valley northeast of Ushuaia:

HUSKY PARK / NUNATAK

Located 21 km from Ushuaia, in winter it offers a combination of snowshoeing, snowmobiling, Siberian and Alaskan dog sled rides.

They can be held in the morning or in the evening and include dinner and a guitar party around a campfire in a shelter in the middle of the snowy valley.. It also has slides (sledges, culipatines) for fun on small slopes.

MAJOR EARTH

A few metres away from the previous one, you will find this winter centre with a spectacular view, as it is located in a clear area of the forest, where you can observe the extension of the Tierra Mayor Valley, surrounded by the Andes Mountain Range. This is the oldest winter centre, founded in 1976 by Gustavo Giró Tapper, an Argentinean Antarctic explorer who participated in the first national expedition to reach the South Pole by land.. After that feat he decided to settle in this cosy place with his family and dedicated himself to promoting winter activities. Today his family continues his legacy and the centre is a base for international events such as the Marcha Blanca and the World Loppet, Nordic skiing competitions, as well as the Ushuaia Sled Dog tournament.

BEAVER PLAINS

23 kilometres from Ushuaia on the RN 3, you will find this winter resort. Being in the shade of the forest and on the southern slopes of the mountains, snow begins to accumulate in this area from June onwards. the first to start winter activities. Here they offer combined snowshoeing, snowmobiling and dog sledding tours, and the tour concludes with lunch or dinner in the restaurant located in a large hut surrounded by snow-covered trees.

VILLA “LAS COTORRAS” (THE PARROTS)”

This winter resort located at the base of the Tierra Mayor Valley is also on National Route N 3, 25 km from Ushuaia. It is one of the first winter resorts created in Tierra del Fuego and run by its owners. It features a large restaurant where photographs of regional history and flora and fauna are on display. Most of the diners come here to taste the traditional lamb stew after some snowmobiling or cross-country skiing.

CASTOR HILL

Finally, the largest winter resort in Tierra del Fuego is Cerro Casto.r which is located 26 km from Ushuaia. The complex has 12 lifts and 34 ski runs with different levels of difficulty. You can also practice cross-country skiing at the base of the winter centre. For snowboard lovers, Cerro Castor offers a park with 4 hills for jumping, an area for beginners with doobies, boxes and rails, ideal for those who practice Freestyle. It also has an outdoor ice rink where it is possible to take lessons and rent skates.

The services most sought after by tourists in winter are:

- Transfers to Cerro Castor, If you do not have experience in driving on snow or ice, or in fitting chains, the ideal is to travel safely by hiring a private or regular service.

- Combined snowshoeing, snowmobiling and/or dog sledding excursions. Keep in mind that only two winter resorts operate these activities for all the demand of visitors that come to Ushuaia in winter. That is why we advise you to book in advance and ensure your amazing holidays in the snow at the End of the World.

Write to us now! We will explain what services we have to offer you.