Beagle Channel Cruise, Ushuaia

After the Amazon River, the Beagle Channel might be the most iconic waterway in all of South America. After all, this is the channel named after the HMS Beagle, the ship that carried Charles Darwin around the continent in the early 1800s. Today's excursion involves a local cruise that sails from the city of Ushuaia along the Beagle Channel, taking in some incredible sights and wildlife sightings that would make any naturalist proud. 

Just departing from the docks in Ushuaia is an incredible experience, because from the water there are breathtaking panoramic views of the bay, the waterfront of the city, and Martial Glacier behind it. Also, be on the lookout for diverse marine life such as cormorants and sea lions, especially near the Lobo and De Los Pajaros islands. If the winds are calm, you can even hop ashore, collect giant shells, and look out to the opposite coast, which stretches across both Chile and Argentina. Before the boat returns to port, it passes the famous Les Eclaireurs, the so-called "Lighthouse at the End of the World."