Ushuaia’s big claim to fame is that it’s “the city at the end of the world”. Whether or not it really is the world’s southernmost city is a bit of a contentious issue, but for the sake of the locals’ pride, I was prepared to buy it. I arrived there after a few weeks on the road in the North of Argentina and what struck me was the contrast between Ushuaia and the other parts of the country I’d seen. It looks a lot like Alaska, or at least what I know of Alaska from 90s TV show Northern Exposure.

Ushuaia itself is fairly touristy affair, quite expensive and full of people in trekking gear heading off on adventures. The city itself is not the big attraction, rather the amazing natural surroundings it gives you access to. There are glaciers, mountains, The Beagle Channel and for those with really big wallets and a sense of adventure you can hop on a boat to Antartica for $2000. For me the pull was the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, which translates as the National Park of the Land of Fire. In contrast to its name, the park is actually a beautiful reserve of lakes forests and mountains.

After a half day pottering around the museums of Ushuaia (and that’s really all you need) we booked ourselves a ride into the National park. For 10 Pesos we were picked up first thing in the morning and dropped off at the park entrance. You also have to pay an entry fee which was 25 pesos when we went. To really enjoy the park, most people spend a few days camping. However, as my parents had joined me for this leg of the tour, sleeping out in the wild wasn’t on the cards. That said, a day in the park still gave us enough time to see some amazing sights.

At the entrance to the park there were a number of routes clearly mapped out and you could pick and choose depending on how adventurous you were feeling. We opted for a gentle 5 hour hike which took us through some of the main lakes and forests. It’s hard to get across quite how beautiful the scenery within the national park is. My favourite memory of the day came as we stopped for lunch in front of yet another spectacular lake surrounded by snow capped mountains. Behinds us a group of wild horses sat in the midday sun grazing away. All we could do was look on in silence and try to soak it all in.

Back in Ushiaua in the evening, our options in terms of food and nightlife weren’t too varied. Foodwise it’s all about King Crab, the dish that all locals will insist you try. We’d seen some fishermen catching some earlier in the day and not only are they spectacular looking crustaceans, they’re pretty tasty too. However, King Crab will cost you and be prepared for it to be one of the most expensive meals you’ll eat in Argentina. In terms of nightlife, my friends and I didn’t venture too far from the bars in the main strip. What they lacked in variety, they made up for in atmosphere. All the locals we met were all friendly and massively up for it. By 5 o’clock my friends and I slunk off with our tails between our legs marvelling at the locals longevity and ability to put it away.

On our final day in Ushuaia we headed out for a tour of the Beagle Channel, famous for Darwin’s explorations in the 19th century. If you’re interested in seeing some wildlife then taking a boat out is a must. I’d seen my fair share in previous expeditions in South America and once you’ve seen a few thousand penguins, the novelty can wear a bit thin. However, our tour involved stopping off on some of the islands in the channel. Our guide gave us a quick history lesson about the indigenous Yamana people, who used to live on the islands, which was fascinating.

Ushuaia’s a beautiful place and if you’re budget’s not too tight, it’s definitely worth a visit. My final tip for all those considering going is how to pronounce Ushuaia, as I had a fair few problems. After much experimentation the closest thing I came up with is oosh wire. That’s by no means perfect but it’ll get you there.