Best Time to Visit Tierra del Fuego National Park: Month by Month

The short answer

For most visitors the best time to visit Tierra del Fuego National Park is December to March, when the days are longest, the weather is mildest and every trail is open. If you would trade some warmth for fewer people, choose May to August: it falls outside the cruise season, and there is snow. For hiking, aim for November to April, when the long trails open. In any month, our pick for a first visit is the Tierra del Fuego National Park Tour, Train Optional (our breakdown →), from $52 per person and rated 4.8 from 509 reviews.

Month by month

These are Ushuaia’s long-term averages from Argentina’s national weather service (1991–2020). The park lies just west of the city, so its weather follows the same pattern.

Two things stand out. Summer is cool, never hot: even January averages under 14 °C. And there is no dry season. Precipitation stays between about 28 and 47 mm every month, and December and January have the most wet days. Whatever month you pick, pack a waterproof layer.

Ushuaia weather at a glance

Ushuaia is cool, damp and changeable all year. It is never truly hot and only bitterly cold in rare spells. The yearly mean is 6.0 °C; January has a mean high of 13.6 °C, and June and July about 4.5 °C. Five figures from the same 1991–2020 normals sum it up:

• Rain is frequent but light. Only 457.8 mm of precipitation falls in a year, spread over 175 days with at least 0.1 mm. That means drizzle on roughly every other day, not downpours.
• Snow is mostly a winter thing. Days with snow average 9.3 in June, 10.6 in July and 10.2 in August. Snow can still fall in any month: even January averages 0.2 snow days.
• Sunshine is scarce. Ushuaia averages 3.9 hours of sunshine a day, about 30% of what is possible. June is darkest at 1.5 hours a day; November and January are brightest at 5.3.
• Daylight swings hugely. The day lasts about 17 hours 20 minutes at the December solstice and about 7 hours 12 minutes at the June solstice.
• Records are wider than the averages. The record high is 29.5 °C (January) and the record low −21.0 °C (July).

The figures are Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) normals for the Ushuaia airport station. Model-based websites disagree: Climate-Data.org shows 926 mm of rain a year and a mean of 2.0 °C, which does not match the station record, and some sites show winter mean lows just below zero (−0.3 to −0.5 °C) where SMN shows +0.2 to +0.5 °C. Treat winter lows as “around freezing” either way. The airport sits by the water; the park, Martial and Cerro Castor are colder.

Daylight, wind, crowds and prices by month

Daylight and sunrise–sunset times are for the 15th of each month in 2026, at UTC−3. Wind is relative, from Weather Spark’s modeled hourly averages. Crowds and price levels are our assessment from port, INFUETUR and INDEC figures (see the crowds section below).

The summer high of about 13–14 °C is what you feel in a sheltered spot in town in the afternoon. On a boat in the Beagle Channel, or at Lapataia in a southwesterly, it can feel close to freezing. Average humidity runs from 70% in spring to 81% in June.

Spring: October and November

In spring, highs climb from about 10 °C to 11.5 °C, snow still falls on 4 to 6 days a month, and sunshine is close to its summer level. The park opens 8:00 to 20:00. November is the more useful month for walkers, because the long trails open that month. The cruise season is already under way, but the busiest months are still ahead.

Daylight returns fast, gaining about 2 hours over September alone, and the penguins start arriving. Spring is also the windiest stretch: Weather Spark’s model puts the year’s windiest day around 3 November. Trails are at their muddiest in October, and the ozone hole can push UV to “extreme” between August and November. From late October spring is good shoulder-season value, and November is a strong all-round month if you pack for wind.

Summer: December to February

Summer is the warmest and brightest time, with average highs of 12.5 to 13.6 °C and almost no snow. Around the December solstice Ushuaia gets about 17 hours 20 minutes of daylight, and the park stays open 8:00 to 21:00, so there is time for a morning tour and an evening walk. Every trail is open, including Cerro Guanaco (last entry 12:30).

It is also the busiest time, with most of the year’s cruise calls, and End of the World Train seats sell out. Ushuaia’s municipality counted 209 cruise ships carrying 79,517 passengers and 995 flights in January and February 2026, plus 75,055 visitors to the national park. Summer suits first-timers, penguin trips and long hiking days; book everything early.

Autumn: March and April

March keeps most of summer’s advantages: an average high of 12.2 °C, only about one snow day, all the trails open and park hours of 8:00 to 20:00. The lenga beech forests turn red and yellow in autumn. April is cooler (9.4 °C), snow becomes more likely, and from April the park closes at 18:00. The long trails stay open until the end of April.

In May the town empties out: INFUETUR’s count of nights stayed fell to 39,799 in May 2025, the lowest of the year. CADIC-CONICET researcher Natalia Dellabianca told Mongabay in May 2026 that humpback whales are a permanent presence in the channel from February to June, with sightings possible from November to August. Autumn suits photographers and value hunters, and late March to mid-April is the best window.

Winter: May to September

Winter brings snow on about 9 to 11 days a month from June to August, highs of 4.5 to 5.7 °C and only about 7 hours 12 minutes of daylight at the June solstice. The park stays open, 9:00 to 18:00, and the End of the World Train runs every day in heated carriages. The long trails are closed, and operators report that Ensenada Zaratiegui is usually off the route. The winter page covers the season in detail.

The ski season usually runs from late June or early July into September or early October; in 2026 Cerro Castor opened on 4 July and closed on 4 October. The town fills again for the July school holidays and Brazilian ski trips. Winter suits snow, sledding, festivals and cozy evenings, not long hikes. Our Ushuaia in winter guide goes through the snow activities one by one.

Ushuaia month by month

Ushuaia in January

The warmest, longest and busiest month, with good weather odds and the highest prices.

• Weather: average high 13.6 °C and low 5.4 °C; 45 mm over 16 days, the most wet days of any month; 5.3 hours of sun a day. Sunrise is around 05:00–05:55 and sunset around 22:13–21:40; on 1 January the sun is up for about 17 hours 12 minutes.
• What’s open: everything. The park keeps summer hours (8:00–21:00, December to February). The Senda Costera, Laguna Esmeralda, the penguin boats (Catamaran Tour through the Beagle Channel and Penguins in Isla Martillo, from $240 on Viator, 4.2/5 from 127 reviews), Estancia Harberton (closed Tuesdays), Martial and the End of the World Train on its 9:30, 12:00 and 15:00 timetable are all running.
• Wildlife: penguin chicks are in the nests at Isla Martillo, gentoos as well as Magellanics. Summer wildflowers are out, and sea lions are there all year.
• Events: New Year at the end of the world. The busiest Antarctic turnaround days fall around New Year and early January.
• Crowds and prices: the busiest month for hotel nights (106,544 in January 2025, per INFUETUR). The Argentine Tourism Chamber (CAT) put first-half-of-January 2026 occupancy at 77%. Port peaks are intense: more than 10 ships and more than 9,000 people arrived in 72 hours in January 2026.
• Pack: a waterproof shell, a fleece and sunglasses, plus an eye mask for the 10 p.m. sunsets.

Ushuaia in February

January’s weather with slightly thinner crowds, and our top pick for a classic summer trip.

• Weather: average high 13.6 °C and low 5.2 °C; 35 mm over 13 days, the driest summer month; 5.2 hours of sun. The sea is near its warmest at about 9 °C (49 °F, per Weather Spark). Daylight drops from 15 hours 41 minutes on 1 February to about 14 hours 41 minutes by mid-month.
• What’s open: everything, on summer hours.
• Wildlife: penguin chicks fledge, and adults start to molt late in the month. Humpbacks are a regular presence in the channel from February, according to CADIC researcher Natalia Dellabianca.
• Events: the Carnival long weekend runs 6–9 February 2027, with the holidays on Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 February.
• Crowds and prices: still high season. CAME estimated 66% occupancy over Carnival 2026 and average spending of AR$290,000 per tourist per day.
• Pack: as for January, with gloves for boat trips.

Ushuaia in March

Summer-like weather, whales at their peak, the first autumn color by the end of the month and calmer air.

• Weather: average high 12.2 °C and low 4.6 °C; 38 mm over 15 days; 4.1 hours of sun. Daylight falls from 13 hours 39 minutes to about 11 hours 20 minutes, and the equinox around 20 March gives roughly 12 hours.
• What’s open: everything. Park hours drop to 8:00–20:00. Penguin boats keep running to about 31 March or early April, and Harberton’s season ends around the end of March.
• Wildlife: CADIC scientists report that whale sightings in the Beagle Channel peak in March and April. The penguins are molting, and by late March you see mostly adults.
• Events: Ushuaia by UTMB (trail running) ran 18–22 March 2026 with about 2,500 runners. The 2027 edition is expected in mid-March; confirm the dates with the organizer. Semana Santa 2027 is early: Holy Thursday is 25 March and Good Friday 26 March, joined to the Memoria holiday on Wednesday 24 March.
• Crowds and prices: busier than you might expect. INDEC measured 64.2% room occupancy in March 2025, and UTMB plus Easter week will fill beds in 2027. Book early for 18–28 March 2027.
• Pack: add a warm hat and a second insulating layer for the evenings.

Ushuaia in April

Peak autumn color and calm air, with fewer boats running.

• Weather: average high 9.4 °C and low 3.0 °C; 47 mm over 15.5 days, the highest monthly total; 3.2 hours of sun. Snow days rise to 4.3. Sunrise slides past 08:00 and sunset comes before 19:20.
• What’s open: the park switches to winter hours (9:00–18:00) from April. The penguin boats wind down, and the Senda Costera runs only from November to April. INFUETUR’s start cut-off for Laguna Esmeralda moves to 12:00 for autumn and winter. The cruise season ends in mid-April; the last ship of 2025–26 was the Ventus Australis on 17 April.
• Wildlife: the last penguins leave, while whales are still in the channel. The lenga forests turn red and gold, usually strongest in mid- to late April (local guides cite mid-April to early May as the peak).
• Events: Malvinas Day (2 April) is a national holiday and especially meaningful in Ushuaia. In 2027 it falls on a Friday, creating a long weekend.
• Crowds and prices: medium early in the month, then falling fast. Easter 2026 (early April) reached 73% occupancy per INFUETUR and 77% per CAME. Easter falls in March in 2027, so April 2027 should be quieter.
• Pack: a proper down or synthetic jacket and waterproof boots, because the trails are wet with leaf litter.

Ushuaia in May

The cheapest, quietest month, moody and beautiful if you accept short, gray days.

• Weather: average high 6.9 °C and low 1.7 °C; 35 mm over 13.5 days; just 2.5 hours of sun and snow on 4.8 days. Daylight shrinks from 9 hours 13 minutes to under 8 hours by the end of the month. Weather Spark’s model shows May as the calmest time of year for wind.
• What’s open: the park (9:00–18:00), the End of the World Train (every day of the year), the classic Beagle Channel catamaran (Navigation Beagle Canal to the Lighthouse, from $70 on Viator, 4.6/5 from 42 reviews) and the museums. The penguin boats, Harberton and the Senda Costera are closed.
• Wildlife: humpbacks can linger into June. Birds include Andean condors, kelp geese and steamer ducks. No penguins.
• Events: the Labor Day (1 May) and 25 May holidays. 25 May 2027 is a Tuesday, a possible bridge to a four-day weekend.
• Crowds and prices: the low point. Nights stayed fell to 39,799 in May 2025 (INFUETUR). The Labor Day 2026 long weekend reached only 45% hotel and parahotel occupancy, per FM Origen 99.1, and José “Pepe” Recchia, president of the Cámara Hotelera Gastronómica de Tierra del Fuego, told Aire Libre FM that the off-season “normally” runs at 30–40% occupancy. Expect the best rates of the year and some places closed for maintenance.
• Pack: winter layers, waterproof boots and microspikes for the higher trails after early snow.

Ushuaia in June

The darkest month: atmospheric, and best for night owls and early snow seekers.

• Weather: average high 4.5 °C and low 0.5 °C; 43 mm over 14.7 days; the year’s lowest sunshine at 1.5 hours a day; 9.3 snow days. On the shortest day, around 21 June, the sun rises at about 10:00 and sets at about 17:12, giving 7 hours 12 minutes of daylight. Civil twilight stretches usable light to about 09:14–17:57.
• What’s open: the park, the train (winter timetable 9:45, 12:15 and 15:00 from 1 May to 31 August), the catamaran and the museums. Snow activities depend on snowfall: in 2026 the Martial chairlift opened on 19 June, while Cerro Castor did not open until 4 July.
• Wildlife: winter seabirds and sea lions. Whale sightings become occasional.
• Events: the Fiesta Nacional de la Noche Más Larga (National Longest Night Festival). In 2026 it ran 12–21 June with free concerts, a torch march and a closing folk peña on 21 June, per the municipality. Holidays fall on 20 and 21 June 2027 (Belgrano and the moved Güemes holiday).
• Crowds and prices: low until the last week, then rising. June 2025 had 50,604 nights stayed.
• Pack: full winter kit: insulated waterproof boots, a down jacket, thermal base layers, a headlamp and microspikes.

Ushuaia in July

The snow-holiday peak, the most reliable month for winter activities, and crowded and expensive.

• Weather: average high 4.6 °C and low 0.2 °C; 36 mm over 15 days; 10.6 snow days, the snowiest month; 1.9 hours of sun. Daylight grows from 7 hours 18 minutes to about 8 hours 30 minutes. The all-time record low, −21.0 °C, was set in July.
• What’s open: Cerro Castor, Martial, the Nordic centers and husky sledding in the Tierra Mayor valley (snow permitting), plus the park, train, catamaran and museums. Laguna Esmeralda becomes a snowshoe trip, with INFUETUR’s 12:00 start cut-off.
• Wildlife: quiet. Look for winter birds along the coast.
• Events: the Fiesta Nacional del Invierno (National Winter Festival) ran 4–12 July 2026. Its centerpiece is the torchlight descent (Bajada de Antorchas) at Cerro Castor on 10 July, organized by INFUETUR and Castor. Independence Day is 9 July; it falls on a Friday in 2027, creating a long weekend.
• Crowds and prices: the winter peak. INFUETUR recorded 82% occupancy in the first week of July 2026 and 86% in the second, and INFUETUR president Dante Querciali told FM La Isla on 23 July 2026 that occupancy was running at 82–90% depending on hotel category. New direct flights from Brazil (GOL, LATAM, Aerolíneas) are adding demand.
• Pack: ski or snow gear; you can rent most of it at Castor.

Ushuaia in August

The best snow month for skiers who want slightly longer days and a little less of the family-holiday crush.

• Weather: average high 5.7 °C and low 0.1 °C, the coldest mean minimum; 38 mm; 10.2 snow days; sunshine climbs to 3.0 hours. Daylight goes from 8 hours 34 minutes to over 10 hours.
• What’s open: as in July. The ski season is usually in full swing.
• Events: the Marchablanca cross-country ski race at Tierra Mayor was postponed a week in 2026 for lack of snow and held on 23 August on shortened courses (El Diario del Fin del Mundo). The Ushuaia Loppet (Worldloppet) was canceled in 2025; organizers are working on an August 2027 return. A second torchlight descent was held at Glaciar Martial on 8 August 2026. The San Martín holiday falls on Monday 16 August 2027.
• Crowds and prices: busier than many expect. Nights stayed reached 101,754 in August 2025, second only to January.
• Pack: full winter kit and sunglasses or goggles, as UV off the snow rises late in the month.

Ushuaia in September

Late-season snow and the first signs of spring: underrated, and variable.

• Weather: average high 7.6 °C and low 1.0 °C; 31 mm over 12.6 days; 7.7 snow days; 4.2 hours of sun. Daylight jumps about 2 hours across the month, from 10 hours 37 minutes to 12 hours 48 minutes, with the equinox around 22–23 September. The wind picks up.
• What’s open: the ski areas into late September or early October in good years. The train switches to its 9:30, 12:00 and 15:00 timetable on 1 September. The cruise season opens in mid-September: the 2026–27 season began with the Ventus Australis around 15 September. Penguin boats and Harberton are not yet running.
• Wildlife: Magellanic penguins begin arriving at Isla Martillo from September, but the boats don’t usually start until mid-October.
• UV warning: the ozone hole drifts over Ushuaia in some years. On 16–17 September 2025 the SMN and Copernicus flagged a UV index above 10 (“extreme”), and SMN spokesperson Cindy Fernández said these displacements happen every year between August and November.
• Crowds and prices: medium. INDEC put September 2025 room occupancy at 67.4%.
• Pack: winter layers, SPF 50 and UV-blocking sunglasses.

Ushuaia in October

The shoulder-season gamble: cheap and quiet, but windy and muddy, with many summer services only just restarting.

• Weather: average high 10.1 °C and low 2.3 °C; 28.4 mm, the driest month by amount; 5.0 hours of sun; still 5.5 snow days. Daylight runs from 12 hours 48 minutes to 15 hours 2 minutes by the end of the month.
• What’s open: park hours extend to 8:00–20:00. Penguin boats start around mid-October (some operators wait until 1 November), and Harberton opens around mid-October. The Senda Costera is closed in October 2026, and October is peak mud season at Laguna Esmeralda. Antarctic departures begin, with the MV Ushuaia’s first 2026–27 departure listed for 13 October.
• Wildlife: penguins pair up and build nests, and seabird activity rises.
• Events: Ushuaia’s founding anniversary is 12 October (founded 1884). Cultural Diversity Day falls on Monday 11 October 2027.
• Crowds and prices: one of the quieter months; INDEC recorded 53.9% room occupancy in October 2025. Expect good deals, but check that your must-do tours are running.
• Pack: waterproof boots or gaiters, a windproof shell and SPF 50.

Ushuaia in November

A strong all-round month: long days, penguins on eggs, everything reopening and prices below December’s. Bring windproofs.

• Weather: average high 11.5 °C and low 3.3 °C; 39 mm over 15.5 days; 5.3 hours of sun, tied for the brightest month; 4.4 snow days still possible. Daylight reaches 16 hours by mid-month. This is the windiest time of year: Weather Spark’s model peaks around 3 November at a mean of 25.6 km/h.
• What’s open: nearly everything. The Senda Costera reopens for its November to April season, and the penguin boats and Harberton are running.
• Wildlife: penguins are incubating eggs, and wildflowers start in the park.
• Events: the Antarctic season is in full swing. National Sovereignty Day falls on Monday 22 November 2027.
• Crowds and prices: rising. INDEC put November 2025 room occupancy at 72%.
• Pack: a windproof and waterproof shell, plus SPF 50, because UV can still spike.

Ushuaia in December

Maximum daylight and a festive atmosphere. Book months ahead for the Christmas and New Year fortnight.

• Weather: average high 12.5 °C and low 4.7 °C; 43 mm over 16.4 days; 5.0 hours of sun. On the longest day, around 21–22 December, the sun rises at about 04:52 and sets at about 22:12, giving roughly 17 hours 20 minutes of daylight. Civil twilight lasts from about 03:55 to 23:09, so it never gets properly dark.
• What’s open: everything, on summer park hours (8:00–21:00) and the train’s 9:30, 12:00 and 15:00 timetable.
• Wildlife: penguin chicks hatch, and lupins and other wildflowers bloom.
• Events: Christmas and New Year at the end of the world. 8 December is a holiday (a Wednesday in 2027).
• Crowds and prices: very high from mid-month. INFUETUR’s December 2025 cruise schedule listed 108 voyages with 35,920 berths, 90 of them Antarctic sailings.
• Pack: summer layers and an eye mask.

Best overall, fewest crowds, best for hiking

What’s open in Ushuaia by month (2026–27)

✓ = normally operating · ~ = partial or season edge · ✗ = closed · ❄ = snow-dependent

*The Senda Costera is closed in October 2026; it normally opens from November to April.

Park hours: December to February 8:00–21:00; March, October and November 8:00–20:00; April to September 9:00–18:00. Foreign visitors pay ARS 40,000 since 1 June 2026, and children aged 6 and under enter free; see the entrance fee guide.

Train timetable: 9:30, 12:00 and 15:00 from 1 September to 30 April; 9:45, 12:15 and 15:00 from 1 May to 31 August. Details are on the End of the World Train page.

Daylight in Ushuaia: sunrise, sunset and day length

Ushuaia gets about 17 hours 20 minutes of daylight at the December solstice and about 7 hours 12 minutes at the June solstice, a swing of more than 10 hours. The city uses Argentina Time (UTC−3) with no daylight saving. Because it sits well west of its time zone’s meridian, solar noon falls at about 13:20–13:48, which is why summer sunsets are so late and winter sunrises so late in the morning.

Times are calculated for 2026 (sunrisesunsettime.org); sources differ by a few minutes depending on how they treat refraction. Civil twilight adds about 45–60 minutes of usable light at each end in winter and much more in summer. In June and July a full-day park tour fits almost exactly between sunrise and sunset. In December and January you can do a morning park tour and an evening boat trip and still have light at 22:00.

Wind, UV and “four seasons in a day”

Wind: Ushuaia is steadily breezy, without the extremes of the Patagonian steppe. The prevailing wind is from the southwest. Weather Spark’s model shows the windier part of the year from about 4 August to 22 March, with mean winds above 22.4 km/h and a peak around 3 November at 25.6 km/h. The calmest period is roughly April to July, bottoming out at about 19 km/h in late May. The city itself is fairly sheltered: a provincial forestry report on station data records frequent calms in Ushuaia compared with Río Grande on the Atlantic coast. Exposed spots such as the channel, Lapataia, Martial’s upper slopes and Paso Garibaldi are much gustier.

UV: strong, especially from September to November, when the Antarctic ozone hole can drift over Tierra del Fuego. On 28 November 2022 the SMN reported ozone below 220 Dobson units over Ushuaia, with a UV index above 11 (“extreme”), and on 16–17 September 2025 the SMN and Copernicus again flagged extreme UV over the city. Cold air hides sunburn, so wear SPF 50 and UV-blocking sunglasses even on cloudy or snowy days.

Four seasons in a day: with 175 days of measurable precipitation a year and frost possible in any month, a sunny morning can turn to sleet by lunch. Keep some days flexible, and put boat trips early in your stay so you have spare days if wind closes the channel.

When does it snow in Ushuaia?

It snows on about 60 days a year on average (59.5 in the SMN normals), mostly from June to September, and it can snow in any month.

• In town: the first flakes typically come in April and May (4–5 snow days a month). Lying snow is most likely from June to August. Late-season snow is still common in October (5.5 days) and November (4.4 days). Midwinter often hovers near freezing, so snow in town can melt between storms.
• On the mountains: Cerro Castor (about 26 km from town, with skiing from about 200 m to 1,003 m) and Martial hold snow far better than the town. Ski seasons usually run from late June or early July to late September or early October.
• 2026: Castor opened on 4 July, a week later than planned, and closed on 4 October, in a season Diario UNO said faced a snow shortage “unprecedented since 2016”. The Marchablanca race was postponed a week and run on shortened courses on 23 August. Snow in 2027 cannot be predicted, so treat any “guaranteed snow” marketing with skepticism.

Wildlife calendar

Our Beagle Channel boat trips guide covers the boats and their seasons.

Crowds and the cruise calendar

The busiest days in the park follow the cruise calendar. For the 2026/27 season the national ports agency ANPYN has confirmed more than 590 passenger-ship calls between September 2026 and April 2027. In an earlier published schedule of 572 ship movements, December (125), January (117) and February (114) together accounted for about 62% of them. On those days the End of the World Train and the park tours fill quickly, so the train in particular is best booked well ahead for summer dates. September, October, November, March and April share the remaining 38% of sailings, while May to August falls outside the cruise season.

For the town as a whole, January is the busiest month, followed by August and the July school holidays, and May is by far the quietest. INFUETUR’s count of hotel nights stayed from September 2024 to August 2025 shows the two peaks:

Cruise traffic. The 2025–26 season brought 495 calls by more than 60 ships, carrying about 135,000 passengers between 1 September 2025 and 17 April 2026 (ANPYN, via Infofueguina); January and February accounted for 209 ships and 79,517 passengers, roughly 59% of the season. A national report in April 2026 cited 155,000 cruise passengers; we use ANPYN’s figure as the official one. The 2026–27 season opened on 14–15 September 2026 with the Ventus Australis (210 passengers), and the busiest port days usually fall in late December and early January. Our shore excursions guide times tours around the ship schedules.

Hotel occupancy snapshots:

• January 2026: 75–80% (INFUETUR); 77% in the first fortnight (CAT).
• Carnival 2026: 66% (CAME).
• Easter 2026: 73% (INFUETUR) and 77% (CAME).
• 1 May 2026: 45% (FM Origen 99.1).
• First two weeks of July 2026: 82% and 86% (INFUETUR).
• INDEC monthly room occupancy: September 2025 67.4%, October 2025 53.9%, November 2025 72.0%.

INDEC changed its hotel occupancy survey (EOH) from January 2026 after a funding agreement was not renewed, so official 2026 monthly figures for Ushuaia are patchy. The 2026 snapshots above come from quick surveys (CAME, CAT) or INFUETUR booking forecasts and do not compare directly with INDEC’s monthly figures.

Hotel prices. We found no reliable published average nightly rate for Ushuaia, so the price levels in the month table are inferred from occupancy. Rates are usually highest at New Year, in January and in the July holidays, and lowest in May and early June, when some hotels close or renovate.

Holidays to plan around in 2027: Carnival 6–9 February; the Easter cluster 24–28 March; Malvinas Day on Friday 2 April; 25 May (Tuesday); 20–21 June; 9 July (Friday); 16 August (Monday); 11 October (Monday); 22 November (Monday); 8 December (Wednesday). Argentina’s winter school holidays fall in July, with dates set province by province, and the summer school holidays run through January and February. Check the final 2027 decree on argentina.gob.ar/feriados.

Events calendar 2026–27

What to pack for Ushuaia by season

Whatever the month, dress in layers: a base layer (merino or synthetic), an insulating mid-layer (fleece or light down) and a waterproof, windproof shell. Add a hat and gloves; on boats they are never optional.

• Summer (December–February): a waterproof shell and fleece; a light down jacket for boats and evenings; waterproof hiking shoes; sunglasses and SPF 50; an eye mask, a buff and light gloves.
• Autumn (March–May): everything from summer plus a warmer insulated jacket; waterproof boots and gaiters for leaf litter and mud; a warm hat; a headlamp for May’s short days.
• Winter (June–August): insulated waterproof boots with good grip; microspikes for icy streets and trails; thermal base layers and a down parka; ski gloves and goggles (you can rent them at Castor); hand warmers.
• Spring (September–November): a windproof shell, which is essential; waterproof boots or gaiters for the October mud; SPF 50 and UV-blocking sunglasses for ozone-hole days; winter layers in September.

Seasickness: the Beagle Channel is sheltered but gets choppy in strong westerlies, especially from spring into summer. Book boat trips for the morning, when winds are often lighter, take medication beforehand if you are prone to it, and sit low and in the middle of the boat.

Climate change: what’s shifting

• Glaciers are shrinking. Glaciar Vinciguerra had lost about 50% of its 1970 area by 2011 and retreated about 500 m between 1970 and 2008. Its retreat sped up from about 11.5 m a year (1970–2002) to 19.5 m a year (2002–2008), according to monitoring by the province’s Dirección General de Recursos Hídricos. Laguna de los Témpanos, now at its snout, did not exist before 1970. CONAE reports that Glaciar Martial thinned by about 50 cm a year between 1984 and 2003, with a slower trend in 2003–2011 thanks to cooler summers.
• Snow is less reliable. The thin 2026 season, which Diario UNO called a snow shortage “unprecedented since 2016”, is a reason to keep winter plans flexible.
• Wildlife is changing. Humpback whales have become a regular summer and autumn sight in the Beagle Channel over roughly the past decade; CADIC-CONICET’s Natalia Dellabianca calls it “the response of nature to the ban on commercial whaling”.

Our picks by kind of trip

1. First trip, flexible dates: go from mid-February to mid-March for summer weather, full services, whales and fewer crowds than in January. Avoid 18–28 March 2027 if you dislike crowds (UTMB plus an early Easter).
2. Penguins first: go in December or January for chicks, or in late November for eggs. Book the Isla Martillo boat before your flights.
3. Photography: go in the first three weeks of April and accept fewer boat options.
4. Snow: go from mid-July to late August rather than early June or late September, given 2026’s thin snow. Book July months ahead.
5. Budget: go in May or the first half of June for the lowest prices, or in late October for longer days at shoulder-season rates. Confirm that your tours are running.
6. Antarctica travelers: add 2–3 days before your ship in case of flight or weather delays, and use them for a park tour and the Beagle Channel. Our guide to Antarctica from Ushuaia covers fares and last-minute berths.
7. King crab: come between July and February if you want centolla caught that season. Fishing is closed from 1 March to 30 June, when restaurants serve frozen crab; our guide to where to eat in Ushuaia has the crab houses and prices.

Prices through the year

The park fee does not change with the season: ARS 40,000 per foreign visitor, with children aged 0 to 6 free. The train does. A Turista adult ticket costs ARS 70,000 until 30 September 2026, then ARS 80,000 from 1 October 2026 to March 2027. Premium goes from ARS 217,000 to ARS 250,000 on the same date. Tour prices on GetYourGuide vary by date, so check the calendar for yours. On our pick, one adult paid $58 for the standard option and $124 with the train on 8 October 2026.

Which tour suits which season

In summer, if you want to be active, the Trekking and Canoeing in Lapataia Bay is a full 8-hour day: a forest walk along the Beagle Channel, lunch with drinks, then a paddle in inflatable canoes down to Lapataia Bay. It is from $184 per person, rated 4.8 from 101 reviews on Viator, collects you at your hotel and does not take cruise passengers.

For general sightseeing in any season, our pick covers the three main stops in about five hours, with the train as an option. In winter the same tour is the simplest choice, since someone else drives the snowy roads. The hiking tours page compares every hike and canoe day. Outside the park, the Laguna Esmeralda hike is the classic half-day walk from November to April and a guided snowshoe trip in winter.

If you are still deciding how to reach the park, see how to get there. Cruise passengers will find port-based tours on the shore excursions page, and our cruise port-day guide plans the rest of the day ashore. When you have your dates, check availability.