Esmeralda Lagoon
(November - March)
A relaxed way to enjoy a magical place near Ushuaia, with a lot of information and in good company
An afternoon walk making the most of the long Austral Summer days, when the sun is slow to set.
Key Details:
Duration: 2:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.*
Dinner and drinks included.
Group size: 12 passengers + guide*
9 km walk, medium difficulty, 4 hours
Tierra Mayor Valley, Laguna Esmeralda
*Also available as a private tour.
A colourful hike during a seemingly endless day, to celebrate Fuegian nature in a valley near Ushuaia.
Full-Day PM
Dinner & drinks included
Price in open group:
AR$ 47 500*
* For ages 12 +
Description
From the end of October until late March, we offer a service with an emphasis on the human exchange that tourism enables as a great opportunity to enjoy, share and learn. Our guides, in love with Tierra del Fuego, will give personalized attention so as to make the most of an afternoon shared comfortably and friendly at one of the emblematic places of the Fuegian valleys.
We offer this excursion in small open groups and in personalized experiences. Together we can create a trip tailored to the interests and expectations of any number of people, and families with children under 12 years of age.
Itinerario:
2:30pm - 9:30pm *
*14:30 o 15:00 - Departure from our office to the hike starting point.
From our office at Roca 136, very close to the port, we will go by car to the glacial valleys near the city.
A few kilometers from Ushuaia, the Tierra Mayor Valley and the primitive forest begin to open up to welcome us for a walk to reach one of the gems in Tierra del Fuego.
*15:30 - Start of the walk through the forest.
The beginning of the walk is through the primitive forest, which for at least 7000 years made life possible for the first inhabitants in these latitudes.
*16:00 - Out of the forest and across the Tierra Mayor Valley.
Leaving the forest, surrounded by mountains, we find ourselves in a dreamlike landscape: an imposing valley surrounded by snow-capped peaks.
The glacial water of the Esmeralda River encounters the engineering feats of the beavers, that found some sort of a paradise here: Surrounded by plenty of food, and despite of the absence of predators, they still apply themselves to their favorite entertainment: the construction of dams.
16:30 Start of the ascent towards the Esmeralda lagoon.*
Many of the glacial valleys of Tierra del Fuego are covered in peat: a dark brown, spongy mass of organic material, that grew up from the bottom of the lakes, that still keep most of its water.
Only if the guide considers it necessary, you will be offered rubber boots, the kind used on rainy days, to wade through some marshy areas. We recommend not depending on these last-resort footware to take the excursion and, instead, wear suitable boots, and perhaps bring spare shoes with you.
The walk to the Esmeralda Lagoon does not present much of a challenge to exercise-loving travelers. With the appropriate clothing, this walk is quite easy and very panoramic.
After crossing the valley, we leave behind the lenga forest and begin a sustained ascent along a slightly steep slope.
The Esmeralda Lagoon is located at the foot of the Ojo de Albino glacier, between Cerro Bonete and Cordón Toribio in an area of wonderful chromatic amplitude.
The Esmeralda River foreshadows our arrival to Esmeralda lagoon, where we will stop to contemplate it, and have a tea or coffee before we start our way back.
*17:00 - Arrival at Laguna Esmeralda
Reaching the Esmeralda Lagoon, one of the most impressive landscapes in this region, more than rewards the effort invested.
In full sun or in the rain, the Esmeralda Lagoon and its imposing surroundings shine in the afternoon, which is when we find it less crowded...
*18:00 - We start the return hike...
With the views of Nature, with its colors that vary between October and April, we take back wonderful views.
The way back becomes shorter, in a little steep descent, with new panoramic views.
*19:30 - Arrival to our refuge
The long afternoons mean that dinnertime surprises us in broad daylight. This is ideal to rest with wonderful views of the peaceful Fuegian forest.
*20:00 - Dinner with drinks included
With the changing colors of the sunset, we will have dinner in the forest. The menu includes snacks: salami, olives, cheese. The main course is a legendary lentil stew. Includes dessert and drinks. Vegetarians and celiacs have an alternative menu if requested in advance.
*21:30 Back in Ushuaia!
* Approximate hours. The order and schedule of activities may change as the tour unfolds. Between October and March, the schedule varies according to the length of the days.
Full-Day PM
Dinner & drinks included
Price in open group:
AR$ 47 500*
* For ages 12 +
As a private tour, we can make this experience a “tailor-made trip”! With the exclusive attention of guides, specialized in serving any number of passengers from all over the world, and families with children under 12 years of age.