Beagle Channel Cruise: Sea Lion Island and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse
Seabirds, sea lions, the Bridges Islands and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse.
End of the World Lighthouse: where the real one is
The End of the World Lighthouse is San Juan de Salvamento, on Isla de los Estados (Staten Island), more than 200 km from Ushuaia: it was built in 1884 and inspired Jules Verne’s novel. Access to the island is restricted. From Ushuaia, boats sail to a different lighthouse: Les Eclaireurs, on the Beagle Channel.
Where the End of the World Lighthouse is
On the northeast of Isla de los Estados (Staten Island), in the province of Tierra del Fuego. It is called San Juan de Salvamento Lighthouse and it is more than 200 km from the city. Isla de los Estados lies in the South Atlantic, east of the Mitre Peninsula of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, separated from it by the 24 km of the Le Maire Strait.
The lighthouse was built in 1884 on that inhospitable island, swept by wind and rain, together with a subprefecture that served as a rescue station. It went out of service on October 1, 1902, the day the Año Nuevo Lighthouse, a little farther north, was lit.
Jules Verne and The Lighthouse at the End of the World
Jules Verne was inspired by this lighthouse, and by its history of shipwrecks, to write the novel The Lighthouse at the End of the World, published after his death, in 1905. Because of that novel, the lighthouse got the name “End of the World Lighthouse”. That is why, when someone asks about the real End of the World Lighthouse, the answer is San Juan de Salvamento.
The replicas: Ushuaia, Isla de los Estados and France
- Ushuaia: the Ushuaia Maritime Museum has a 1:1 scale replica, built from the plans of civil engineer Mirón Gonik and the archaeological survey of the original remains, especially the foundations. It opened on October 3, 1997, and inside it displays the archaeological work carried out at San Juan de Salvamento and on Isla de los Estados. The remains of the lighthouse reached Ushuaia in February of that year aboard the icebreaker ARA Almirante Irízar.
- Isla de los Estados: in the summer of 1998 a team of eight French people, supervised by André Bronner, built a new lighthouse, similar to the original, on the original site. It was lit on February 26, 1998, and the French association donated the building to Argentina’s Naval Hydrographic Service (Servicio de Hidrografía Naval).
- France: in 2000, André Bronner promoted another replica off the coast of La Rochelle.
Our city tour passes through the surroundings of the Maritime and Prison Museum, but does not include admission: if you want to see the replica from the inside, the museum visit is on your own.
Can you visit the End of the World Lighthouse?
Only on special trips. Isla de los Estados has been declared a provincial ecological, historical and tourism reserve, and access is restricted to certain tourist groups that leave from Ushuaia and spend the night on board. Caravana does not offer that trip. From Ushuaia, on a day trip, you can see Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse on the Beagle Channel or the replica at the museum.
So if you are looking for an “End of the World Lighthouse tour” from Ushuaia, what we offer as a day trip is the Beagle Channel cruise to Les Eclaireurs. It is not Verne’s lighthouse, but it is the channel’s lighthouse, facing the city, and the route adds islands with seabirds and sea lions.
The lighthouse you see from Ushuaia: Les Eclaireurs
Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse stands on the northeastern islet of the Les Eclaireurs group, in the Beagle Channel, facing Ushuaia Bay. It went into service on December 23, 1920: an 11-meter brick tower, painted in red, white and red bands, which today runs automatically, controlled remotely, and is closed to the public. It is the icon of Ushuaia and is often mistaken for the End of the World Lighthouse.
The two lighthouses compared
| Detail | San Juan de Salvamento | Les Eclaireurs |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is | Northeast of Isla de los Estados | An islet in the Beagle Channel, facing Ushuaia Bay |
| Distance from Ushuaia | More than 200 km | In the channel, facing the city |
| Built or in service since | 1884 | 1920 |
| Today | A new lighthouse, similar to the original, lit in 1998 on the same site | In operation, automated and remote-controlled |
| Jules Verne | Inspired The Lighthouse at the End of the World (1905) | No: it opened after the novel |
| Visiting | Restricted access to the island | Seen from the boat: it is closed to the public |
| On our tours | No | The lighthouse cruise and the penguin colony boat trip |
How to reach Les Eclaireurs on our boat trip
The cruise to Sea Lion Island and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse leaves by catamaran from the port of Ushuaia: you make your own way there and show your voucher to enter the pier. On the way it passes Bird Island (Isla Casco), with cormorants, albatrosses, skuas and gulls, and Sea Lion Island (Isla Alicia), with South American sea lions and fur seals. On the Bridges Islands there is a landing to visit an archaeological site of the Yámana or Yaghan people, and then the boat sails on to the Les Eclaireurs Islands, where the lighthouse stands, before returning to port.
It includes the boat ticket, the port fee and a guide in Spanish, English or Portuguese (a Chinese-speaking guide is available on request). It does not include the transfer to the port or food and drinks at the café. The program does not state the duration: it is confirmed when you ask. The penguin colony boat trip also passes Les Eclaireurs, as well as the two islands.
The boat trips that pass Les Eclaireurs
More of the Beagle Channel
What else there is to see on the channel, including Martillo Island and Estancia Harberton, is in Beagle Channel. If you are torn between the boat trips, the comparison is in which Beagle Channel boat trip to choose, and if you are after penguins, in penguins in Ushuaia: where and when to see them. The museums and what you can do in the city on your own are in things to do in Ushuaia.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the End of the World Lighthouse?
On Isla de los Estados (Staten Island), in the province of Tierra del Fuego, more than 200 km from Ushuaia. It is San Juan de Salvamento Lighthouse, built in 1884.
Is Les Eclaireurs the End of the World Lighthouse?
No. Les Eclaireurs is on the Beagle Channel, facing Ushuaia Bay, and has been in service since 1920. The End of the World Lighthouse is San Juan de Salvamento, on Isla de los Estados.
Which lighthouse inspired Jules Verne?
San Juan de Salvamento, on Isla de los Estados. Verne drew on it for his novel The Lighthouse at the End of the World, published in 1905.
Can you visit the End of the World Lighthouse?
Only on special trips: access to Isla de los Estados is restricted to certain tourist groups that leave from Ushuaia and spend the night on board. Caravana does not offer that trip.
Where is the End of the World Lighthouse replica in Ushuaia?
At the Ushuaia Maritime Museum: a 1:1 scale replica that opened on October 3, 1997. The city tour passes through the surroundings of the museum, but does not include admission.
How many replicas of San Juan de Salvamento Lighthouse are there?
There are three: the one at the Ushuaia Maritime Museum (1997), the new lighthouse built on the original site on Isla de los Estados (1998) and one off La Rochelle, in France (2000).
Can you go up Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse?
No. It is closed to the public and runs automatically. The boat trip goes as far as the lighthouse, and the landing is on the Bridges Islands.
Which tour goes to Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse?
The cruise to Sea Lion Island and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, by catamaran from the port of Ushuaia, with a landing on the Bridges Islands. The penguin colony boat trip also passes the lighthouse.
