Beagle Channel

The frigid Beagle Channel provides a watery highway for the world’s southernmost city, Ushuaia, en route to the icy Antarctic.

The strait separates Argentina’s Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, to the north, from remote Chilean islands like Nueva, Picton and Navarino to the south of the channel.

Boat cruises cast off from Ushuaia to visit the lighthouse and islands that are home to penguin and sea lion colonies in the strait.

In summer, boats sail across the Channel to Puerto Williams in Chile. Intrepid visitors take to the waters in canoes, and cruises sail off for nature walks on the Bridges Islands to spot fur seals and sea lions.

Practical Info

The Beagle Channel runs for 240km (130 miles) from Isla Nueva in the east to the Darwin Sound in the west. At its widest point, the Channel measures 5km (3 miles) across.

The Beagle Channel’s eastern section is shared with Chile, while the western section is totally within Chile’s borders.