Flying with Heliushuaia

Nature hides secrets in the City of Ushuaia, both on solid ground and in the air. Those who wish to unveil them will find a private tour offered by the expert pilots of Heliushuaia can help them explore the unknown.

The thrill began at the very moment we saw the helicopter parked at the old city airport. After we were given the necessary instructions, everything was ready for us to see this distant place on the planet from the air.

We had an agile take-off and soon headed for the bay, the harbor and the urban area of Ushuaia. We gained height and found ourselves in front of the Olivia River Valley and the mount bearing the same name. Farther ahead, we spotted the majestic mount known as Cinco Hermanos.

The feeling of being suspended in the air was extremely pleasant and the scenes hurried past below us. It was a silent flight and we soon learned to let ourselves be carried away by the expertise of the fast maneuvers.

The nooks unknown by us so far appeared little by little. “This helicopter is ideal for sightings in this area. It is a window with a panoramic view in all four directions”

The ancient peat bogs of the Carbajal Valley first and the lake known as Esmeralda -whose name stands for “emerald” in Spanish- later dazzled us with its hues. The tone of that water body responds to its origin: the imposing glacier called Ojo del Albino.

Following the layout of Route 3 from the air, we made out the ski trails and the facilities of Mount Castor, the southernmost winter resort in the world, immersed in a privileged environment.

What followed took our breath away: we crossed the Andes Mountain Range through the river called Encajonado (which runs between walls) and, as we approached the Beagle Channel, we landed on top of 1,300-meter-high Mount Le Cloche. As we stepped on solid ground, we noticed it was intensely cold and surprisingly silent. To our feet, the City of Ushuaia looked tiny but impressive. The mountain boasted its best colors and the geographic diversity left a visual track that was hard to describe.

A few minutes were enough to feel the purity of the mountain air and let it in through every pore. We were satisfied to know that the helicopter does not generate pollution and therefore helps preserve the environment.

We went on board again and started our way back to beloved Ushuaia. We had one last look at the valleys, mountains and the huge Beagle Channel to make sure we would remember such combination of pleasure, amazement and adventure for good.

• Type of tour: Flying over Ushuaia on a helicopter

Tips

The flight takes 30 minutes plus a 15-minute stop on top of Mount Le Cloche.
Besides this traditional outing, visitors are usually dazzled by the possibility to reach almost inaccessible places. These include fishing points (both rivers and lakes) where it is possible to catch large trout and salmon in paradisiacal sites. Some other people choose to fly over the famous Beagle Channel. Proposals are open and the Robinson 44 helicopters are always ready to take off.