✦ Top pick
Tolhuin is the best all-rounder for an easy day trip; choose Puerto Almanza for a king-crab lunch, or make the crossing to Puerto Williams in Chile if you want to stand in the true southernmost town on Earth.
Ushuaia sits at the bottom of the world, wedged between the Beagle Channel and the last peaks of the Andes, and the land around it is gloriously empty. Tierra del Fuego has only a handful of true settlements, so "small towns near Ushuaia" means a mix of lakeside villages, fishing hamlets, historic estancias, and, across the water in Chile, the southernmost town on the planet. Each one is a genuine excursion, not a suburb.
Distances here are Patagonian: the paved spine is National Route 3 (RN3), and most trips involve a car, a bus, or a boat. Weather changes fast in any season, so pack layers even in January. We have ranked these by how rewarding and doable they are from Ushuaia, noting travel time, what to eat, and who each suits.
Use this list to build a day trip or an overnight. A rental car opens up the most, but several places are also reachable by scheduled buses or by organized tours, which we flag where they genuinely fit.
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1Tolhuin Google
The one genuine small town within easy reach, Tolhuin sits at the eastern tip of vast Lago Fagnano (Lago Kami) amid lenga forest and peat bog. It grew up as a service stop on RN3 and its beating heart is Panadería La Unión, a legendary bakery where the whole island seems to stop for facturas, empanadas, and hot chocolate. Walk down to the lakeshore at Hain or the Cabo San Pablo turnoff for reflections of the Andes, and you have a satisfying half-day. It is unpretentious, friendly, and the most reliable weather escape from Ushuaia's clouds.
- Facturas and empanadas at Panadería La Unión
- The shore of Lago Fagnano
- Forest and peat-bog walks around town
Best for an easy half-day drive and a proper Patagonian bakery stop
Getting there About 1.5 hours by car or scheduled minibus north on RN3
2tours from $140Puerto Almanza Google
This tiny fishing hamlet is Argentina's southernmost coastal village and the place locals go for centolla, the prized southern king crab. A cluster of simple restaurants right on the water serves the day's catch, often within sight of Chile's Puerto Williams across the channel. The drive out passes Estancia Harberton country and windswept coast, making the meal feel earned. Book a table ahead in high season, because the good spots fill with day-trippers.
- Fresh centolla (king crab) lunch on the water
- Views across the Beagle Channel to Chile
- The scenic coastal road east of Ushuaia
Best for seafood lovers and a long, indulgent lunch
Getting there About 1.5 hours by car, or on an organized king-crab route tour from Ushuaia
3tours from $230Estancia Harberton Google
Not a town but the oldest farmstead in Tierra del Fuego, founded in 1886 by missionary Thomas Bridges, and one of the most atmospheric places on the island. You can tour the historic buildings and gardens, visit the Acatushún museum of marine mammals and birds, and, crucially, board a boat to Isla Martillo to walk near colonies of Magellanic and gentoo penguins. It runs seasonally, roughly October to April, so it is a summer trip. The setting, a green cove ringed by mountains at the edge of the channel, is unforgettable.
- Boat trip to the Isla Martillo penguin colony
- The Acatushún marine-mammal museum
- The historic 1886 estancia buildings and cafe
Best for history buffs and travelers who want to see penguins
Getting there About 1.5 to 2 hours by car on RN3 and a gravel road, or by boat/organized tour; open in the summer season
4Puerto Williams Google
Officially the southernmost town in the world, Puerto Williams is a small Chilean naval settlement of a few thousand people, and reaching it feels like a real expedition. It is the trailhead for the famous Dientes de Navarino circuit, one of the planet's most southerly treks, and home to the excellent Martín Gusinde museum on the Yaghan people, plus the Villa Ukika community. The vibe is remote and end-of-the-line in the best way, quieter and rougher than Ushuaia. Bring your passport: this is a border crossing, and crossings are weather-dependent.
- The Dientes de Navarino trekking circuit
- Martín Gusinde Anthropological Museum
- The world's southernmost town title and waterfront
Best for adventurers and travelers chasing the true end of the world
Getting there Zodiac/ferry crossing of the Beagle Channel (about 1 hour, seasonal, passport required), or flights via Punta Arenas
5Río Grande Google
Tierra del Fuego's second city is windswept, industrial, and unglamorous, but it is a pilgrimage site for one thing: world-class sea-run brown trout fly fishing on the Río Grande river, which draws anglers from around the globe. Beyond the rivers, visit the Salesian mission museum and walk the bleak, beautiful Atlantic shoreline. It works best as a stop en route to or from the mainland, or as a base for a fishing trip. This is the working, practical face of the island rather than a postcard town.
- Sea-run brown trout fly fishing
- The Salesian mission and museum
- The raw Atlantic coastline
Best for fly-fishers and anyone crossing the island overland
Getting there About 3.5 hours by car or bus north on RN3
6Porvenir Google
The main town of Chilean Tierra del Fuego is a low-key place of Croatian immigrant heritage strung along the Strait of Magellan, and its big draw is nearby: the King Penguin Park at Bahía Inútil, one of the only spots outside the sub-Antarctic islands where you can see wild king penguins. It is the most committing trip on this list from Ushuaia, requiring a long overland loop north through Argentina and a border crossing, so treat it as a multi-day plan rather than a day trip. Pastel-fronted houses, a small history museum, and empty steppe roads give it a lonely charm. Go for the penguins and the sense of true remoteness.
- King penguins at Parque Pingüino Rey, Bahía Inútil
- Croatian heritage and the waterfront
- Wide-open Magellanic steppe
Best for wildlife travelers with time and their own transport
Getting there A long overland trip via the San Sebastián border crossing (best as an overnight); passport required
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✦ Good to know
Before you go
Getting aroundA rental car gives you the most freedom, since RN3 is the paved backbone and side roads to places like Harberton and Puerto Almanza are gravel. Scheduled buses connect Ushuaia, Tolhuin, and Río Grande daily.
When to goThe penguin colonies at Isla Martillo (via Harberton) and boat crossings operate mainly in the summer season, roughly October to April. Winter (June to August) is for snow and skiing, and some rural sites close.
Book aheadReserve king-crab lunches in Puerto Almanza and the Isla Martillo penguin boat in advance during high season, as both sell out. For Puerto Williams, check ferry and flight schedules well ahead, as capacity is limited.
Border crossingsPuerto Williams and Porvenir are in Chile, so bring your passport and do not carry fresh food, meat, or plants across the border. Crossings can be delayed by weather or wind.
WeatherConditions change fast in every season. Pack windproof layers, waterproofs, and sturdy shoes even for a summer day trip.
The land around Ushuaia is thinly settled, but that is exactly the appeal: each of these towns and outposts feels like a small victory over distance and weather. Pick Tolhuin for an easy afternoon, Puerto Almanza for crab, and Puerto Williams if you want to stand somewhere almost no one does. Rent a car, watch the forecast, and let Tierra del Fuego's emptiness do the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Which small town near Ushuaia is best for a day trip?
Tolhuin, about 1.5 hours north on Lago Fagnano, is the easiest and most rewarding day trip. It is famous for the La Unión bakery and has lovely lakeshore and forest walks.
Where can you eat king crab (centolla) near Ushuaia?
Puerto Almanza, a tiny fishing village about 75 km east on the Beagle Channel, is the go-to spot. Its waterfront restaurants serve fresh southern king crab, and it is about 1.5 hours by car or reachable on a crab-route tour.
How do you get to Puerto Williams from Ushuaia?
Puerto Williams is in Chile on Isla Navarino, reached by a seasonal zodiac or ferry crossing of the Beagle Channel (around an hour, weather permitting) or by flights via Punta Arenas. You must bring your passport as it is an international border crossing.
What is the southernmost town in the world near Ushuaia?
Puerto Williams, across the Beagle Channel in Chile, holds the title of the world's southernmost town. Ushuaia is often called the southernmost city, while Puerto Williams is the southernmost town.
Can you see penguins on a trip from Ushuaia?
Yes. Boats from Estancia Harberton (about 85 km east) and Beagle Channel tours reach Isla Martillo, where Magellanic and gentoo penguins nest, mainly from October to April. For king penguins you would go much farther to Bahía Inútil near Porvenir in Chile.
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