Laguna Esmeralda, Ushuaia

What it is and where it is

Laguna Esmeralda is a glacial meltwater lagoon with turquoise water in the Tierra Mayor Valley, near Ushuaia. The trail starts 18 km from the city on National Route 3, on the left-hand side heading south to north, where there is a large parking area by the road. From there you continue on foot to the shore.

What the trail is like

The trail crosses a lenga forest and a peat bog and then climbs to the lagoon: 9 km round trip, 4 to 5 hours, with 220 m of elevation gain, terrain rated moderate to easy and a moderate level of physical effort. Our hike’s program adds what you will be walking on: the ground is sometimes boggy, with surface roots and peat, and along the way you see valleys, beaver dams and the Andes.

Can you go without a guide?

The trail is moderate and, even so, it is best done with a specialized agency for greater safety. Keep in mind, too, that phone signal is limited: if you go, let your family know about the activity and your times. With our guided hike you get transport from central hotels, a trekking guide and a box lunch.

The guided hike, step by step

We pick you up from central hotels in Ushuaia at around 8:00. At the trailhead, the hike begins with a professional trekking guide, in Spanish, English or Portuguese (a Chinese-speaking guide is available on request), through virgin forest and peat bogs to the lagoon; then you return to Ushuaia. The box lunch has a sandwich, an alfajor or cereal bars, a banana and a bottle of water; if you have a dietary restriction, let us know when you book. The tour is for people aged 12 to 60 and you need to be physically fit: if the guide considers you are not, for safety you cannot join and there is no refund.

What to bring

Waterproof footwear above the ankle, waterproof trekking pants and a waterproof jacket. They are mandatory on the tour and not included: if the guide considers you are not properly equipped, for safety you cannot join and there is no refund. Personal expenses and any other services not listed in the program are not included either.

Higher up: the Ojo del Albino Glacier

From the lagoon, the Ojo del Albino Glacier trek continues with a demanding 5 km climb over rocky ground and large boulders up to the glacier, where you walk on the ice, subject to safety conditions (about 8 hours in total). It includes poles, a helmet, crampons, personal insurance and a box lunch; high-top waterproof footwear and waterproof clothing are mandatory and up to you. Since that trek already passes Laguna Esmeralda, there is no need to do both.

Three ways to see it

• Walking to the shore: the guided Laguna Esmeralda hike, about 4 to 5 hours and moderate, for people aged 12 to 60.
• On the way to a glacier: the Ojo del Albino Glacier trek, about 8 hours and challenging, which skirts the lagoon before the climb.
• From the air: the helicopter flight, about 15 minutes, which involves no walking and includes transfers to the heliport and the safety briefing.

If you only want to see the lagoon, the first is enough. The second makes sense if you want to reach the ice: it is a high-mountain trek, with a helmet and crampons included.

Another valley, another glacier

The helicopter flight also passes over the Ojo del Albino Glacier, the Olivia River Valley and the peat bogs of the Carbajal Valley. And if you are looking for another hike, the Vinciguerra Glacier trek goes through the Andorra Valley to Laguna de los Témpanos: it is 14 km round trip with 350 m of elevation gain. The three hikes are compared in hiking in Ushuaia, and how to add a mountain day to a longer trip is in Ushuaia in 3 or 4 days. To see what else there is near the city, go to things to do in Ushuaia.