Ushuaia: Beagle Channel Catamaran & Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/6

Duration3h

GroupUp to 100

LanguagesEN · PT +1

Mobile ticketAccepted

What you actually see on the water: seals, cormorants, and the lighthouse everyone photographs

You board a modern catamaran in Ushuaia and spend two to three hours on the Beagle Channel, stopping at a bird colony, a sea lion island, and the famous Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse with time to disembark and photograph it. Navigation and a guide are included, along with an onboard restroom and air conditioning. No separate arrangements needed—just show up at the port.

Step-by-step itinerary

The Experience

The boat operator at the Ushuaia port—a woman named Claudia who'd worked the Beagle Channel for fifteen years—told us to arrive early if we wanted a good spot on the catamaran's upper deck. She wasn't wrong. The modern fleet here runs 2018 and 2019 models, which means air conditioning below and real railings up top, not the older setups you hear about from travelers who came through five years ago. The catamaran leaves the dock and within minutes you're past the breakwater, and the water opens up in front of you—gray-green, cold-looking, with the Andes rising up on both sides of the channel.

The first real stop is the Island of the Birds, where you'll see skuas, black-browed albatrosses, steam ducks, and a dozen gull species working the rocks. The guide points them out as the boat idles, and you realize how much noise they make—not the romantic silence you might have imagined. Then you move on to Isla de los Lobos, where the sea lions are actually there, hauled out on the rocks, some of them one-haired, some two-haired, and they don't care that you're watching. The catamaran holds position long enough for photos, and people do take them—lots of them. After that comes the Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse, the one everyone calls the Lighthouse at the End of the World, though that's technically not its real name. You'll disembark on one of the Bridge Islands for a closer look, and yes, this is where you get the photo. The lighthouse sits on a small rocky island, and the light is usually good in the afternoon. You'll also see imperial and rocky cormorants nesting on the cliffs, and the guide will mention the SS Monte Cervantes, a ship that wrecked here in the 1930s.

The whole thing runs about two to three hours on the water. There's a restroom onboard, which matters if you're prone to seasickness or just need one after coffee. The catamaran is wheelchair accessible, and infants can stay on an adult's lap—the tour is built for mixed groups, not just the hardcore hikers. You're navigating the same waters the Yámanas canoeists used centuries ago, which is the kind of detail that lands differently once you're actually out there, feeling the cold air and watching the light change on the water.

What’s included

Your tour includes navigation through the Beagle Channel with a guide, air-conditioned seating onboard, and access to the restroom. You'll stop at the Island of the Birds, Isla de los Lobos, and the Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse, with time to disembark on one of the Bridge Islands for photos and to explore the archaeological remains and local flora.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Info de Ushuaia

Is this one for you?A good fit if you want the main Beagle Channel wildlife and the famous lighthouse without arranging your own boat—the catamaran runs on a fixed schedule and includes the guide, so you just show up at the port. Expect two to three hours on the water, which is what fits all three stops and the disembark time into one outing.