Ojo del Albino Glacier Trek from Ushuaia: 19 km Adventure

Nineteen kilometers across wetland, forest and frozen lagoon to a glacier that changes with the season

A full-day glacier trek from Ushuaia covering 19 km through the Tierra Mayor valley, nothofagus forest and Esmeralda Lagoon to Ojo del Albino Glacier, with a live guide in English or Spanish, all trekking equipment, and lunch included. The experience differs by season: summer brings icebergs floating on the lagoon; winter opens access to the glacier's ice walls via the frozen lagoon surface. Children from age 15 are welcome; moderate to strong physical fitness is required.

Step-by-step itinerary

Trek to Ojo del Albino Glacier

• Travel 15 minutes from Ushuaia
• View Carbajal Valley and peaks
• See Cerro Cinco Hermanos and Monte Olivia
• Start trekking in Lobos valley
• Cross Tierra Mayor valley and panoramic point
• Reach Esmeralda Lagoon and explore surroundings

The Experience

The trek starts 15 kilometers outside Ushuaia and begins in the valley of Lobos, where the first dog sleds operated in the region. From there you cross the Tierra Mayor valley—one of the largest wetlands in the area—with a panoramic point at Sierra Alvear that frames the most prominent peaks. The first 4.5 km takes you through lenga forest, the native tree of Patagonia, then through foliage and peat bogs until the landscape opens into high mountain terrain around 600 meters elevation.

Esmeralda Lagoon appears after that climb, its greenish water colored by sediment flowing from Ojo del Albino Glacier itself. What you see there depends on when you go: in summer, icebergs drift across the lagoon surface, visible proof of the glacier's retreat; in winter, the lagoon freezes solid enough to walk on, which lets you approach the glacier's ice walls directly—a different kind of epic. The 19 km total distance and 7 to 8 hours of trekking means this is one of the most complete routes in Ushuaia, combining glacier access with the valley and forest in a single day.

A live guide leads the trek in English or Spanish and carries the route knowledge; you bring moderate to strong physical fitness. All trekking equipment—poles, crampons, helmet—is provided, and lunch is included. Private transportation picks you up from your hotel and covers the 15-minute drive to the trailhead, so the day starts on the trail, not in logistics.

What’s included

• Private hotel pickup and return transport to the trailhead.
• a live guide in English or Spanish.
• all trekking equipment including poles, crampons and helmet.
• and lunch during the day.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPets welcomeNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by 54° Trek-expeditions

Is this one for you?You lead the trek yourself with guide instruction and equipment provided—this is not a spectator tour. Choose this one if you have moderate to strong fitness and want to spend a full day moving through multiple landscapes (wetland, forest, high altitude, glacier) rather than stopping at single viewpoints. The season you travel matters: book summer if you want to see icebergs on the lagoon, or winter if you want to walk the frozen surface and approach the ice walls directly.

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Top questions

What's the Ojo del Albino Glacier like when I get there?

Ojo del Albino Glacier sits at the head of Esmeralda Lagoon, and what you encounter depends on season. In summer, icebergs float on the lagoon surface, showing the glacier's ongoing retreat. In winter, the lagoon freezes, allowing you to walk across it and approach the glacier's ice walls directly—a much closer view of the ice face itself.

How much of the 19 km is actual glacier walking versus the approach?

The trek crosses the Tierra Mayor valley and nothofagus forest for the first 4.5 km to reach Esmeralda Lagoon; from there, the route continues to the glacier itself. The full 19 km includes the valley crossing, forest sections, the lagoon approach and the glacier access, so it is a mixed terrain day rather than glacier-only walking.

Can I do this trek if I'm visiting Ushuaia for just one day?

Yes—the full day covers 7 to 8 hours including transport from your hotel, so if you have a full day free, this trek uses it completely. Private pickup is included, so you do not arrange separate transport to the trailhead.

What's the Tierra Mayor valley, and why does the itinerary spend time there?

Tierra Mayor is one of the largest wetlands in the Ushuaia area, and the trek crosses it early in the day. It offers a panoramic point at Sierra Alvear with views of the region's most prominent peaks—a key photo stop and a landscape that frames the scale of the terrain before you reach the glacier.

Is this trek suitable for someone visiting Patagonia for the first time?

If you have moderate to strong physical fitness and are comfortable with 19 km of trekking over 7 to 8 hours, yes. The trek combines multiple landscapes—wetland, forest, high mountain and glacier—so it gives a complete picture of Ushuaia's terrain in one outing. Children from age 15 are welcome if they meet the fitness requirement.