Car hire Ushuaia

Introduction

Ushuaia is the largest city on the Argentinian part of Tierra del Fuego and the world's southernmost city. It's an operating base for hikes across the island and boat trips to Antarctica. In winter months Ushuaia is a ski resort.

Population

The city has approximately 65,000 inhabitants.

Location

Ushuaia is located on Tierra del Fuego, the far south of Argentina. The city lies on the Beagle Channel, a narrow strait which separates Tierra del Fuego from Navarino Island which is part of Chile. North of town lie mountains with behind them Fagnano Lake.

Economy

Fishing, oil and gas extraction, sheep farming and ecotourism are the main sources of income. There's also a factory producing TV's and washing machines. Tourism to Tierra del Fuego has significantly increased following the economic crisis in Argentina in 2002. The government turned Tierra del Fuego into a duty-free zone, which resulted in many people moving here to start hotels, restaurants and travel agencies. Despite the duty-free status, life on Tierra del Fuego isn't cheap, as most goods need to be brought in from a large distance. Cruise ships moor at Ushuaia's harbor.

Airports

Ushuaia International Airport (officially in Spanish: Aeropuerto de Ushuaia-Malvinas Argentinas) is situated 4 kilometers south of the city center. There are daily flights to the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires and the Chilean capital Santiago with stop-overs in Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas. The airport is easily reachable by rental car via the Avenida Maipú and Avenida Malvinas Argentinas. The way to the airport is clearly signposted.

Public Transport

Ushuaia has city buses, but they mainly run along the main streets in east-west direction and vice versa. Minibuses run to the tourist attractions nearby the city; they are stationed on a parking lot near the intersection of Avenida Maipú and Avenida Juana Genoveva Fadul, nearby the harbor. There are also bus connections with other places on Tierra del Fuego, including Porvenir (for the ferry to Punta Arenas).

Traffic and Parking

All streets in the city center, near the harbor, are one-way streets. You will, however, not get lost in Ushuaia as the city has a very regular street pattern. There are also sufficient parking facilities, including a large parking lot near the harbor. The roads in and around the city are good, as is the main road across Tierra del Fuego, but other roads are often narrow and winding and sometimes unpaved.

Hotels

Ushuaia has an enormous choice of accommodations, including many budget guesthouses and hostels. You can always find a room in those more basic accommodations, but the hotels in town are often fully booked. We therefore advise booking your hotel room in Ushuaia in advance, especially if you want to visit the city in the summer (on the southern hemisphere from November through March).

External Sources

For more information about Ushuaia, we recommend Google and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Ushuaia
• Official website Ushuaia
• Tourist Information Ushuaia