Playa Larga

Playa Larga launches from a low coastal ridge just 54 m above the sea, right on the edge of Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, with south and southwest wind working the site for thermic and soaring flights. The takeoff is reached on foot: from the parking area, walk back about 100 m along the road, turn up a wide track, cross a small fence and follow the ridge line to an obvious launch spot marked by a windsock streamer. Getting there is easy — head east out of Ushuaia on the coastal road, and the hill is visible across the whole bay, with a parking area that is clearly marked and popular with campers and picnickers, so the launch itself is never hard to find even on a first visit. Because of its location at the far southern tip of South America, wind here is famously changeable, and pilots new to the area are better off asking locally about the day's conditions before committing to a flight rather than trusting a single forecast. Landing is straightforward: the beach below the ridge or the grassy fields next to it both work, giving a wide, forgiving landing area for a site with genuinely dramatic scenery.

Launch & conditions

From the parking area, walk back about 100 m along the road, turn up a wide track, cross a small fence, and follow the ridge line to an obvious launch marked with a windsock streamer.

Getting there & local rules

Head east out of Ushuaia on the coastal road; the hill is visible across the whole bay and the parking area is clearly marked, popular with campers and picnickers.

Local rules & hazards

Wind at this site is very changeable given its location at the tip of South America — check conditions locally before flying rather than relying on a forecast alone.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Playa Larga, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Playa Larga with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.