Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago situated at the tip of the South American continent. It’s divided between Chile and Argentina. And the southernmost part is only 965 km (600 miles) away from Antarctica. The whole area covers 72,520 sq km (28,000 sq mi). Its boundary to the north is the Strait of Magellan and to the south, Cape Horn.
Established in 1960, Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego National Park is the furthest southern park in the world, but only a stone’s throw from Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost town.
The park is huge spanning over 680 sq km (243 sq mi) of territory. It’s sandwiched between the Andes to the north and the Beagle Chanel to the south. It’s a natural reserve with spectacular scenery: high peaked mountains and glaciers; verdant valleys; lakes, rivers, coastal waterways, and beautiful wildlife.
In 1520, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan named the area Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire) after seeing the fires along the coast. It turns out that the locals would light and keep these bonfires going for warmth. As Spanish ships approached, they made the fires bigger to signal imminent danger to others.
Excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park
Following our amazing Antarctica expedition cruise, we opted for a post-cruise excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park before heading back to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
As soon as we entered the park we were enchanted by the beauty of this wonderful area.
The 3.5-hour excursion included three stops
The first was a scenic spot by the Beagle Chanel. There was a hiking trail but unfortunately, we didn’t have time to explore much further.
But we did manage to get down to the rocky shore for some photo ops and to check the water temp. It’s very cold and I can’t imagine getting in like the indigenous people had to do!
Next up was the Alakush Visitor Center where we got to try a local treat with dulce de leche and a cup of coffee. From the veranda there was a great view of the glacier that marks the border of Argentina and Chile (we were so close that my phone even told me welcome to Chile!).
The Lapataia River flowed below, and we saw a pair of beautiful black-necked swans and some emperor geese. In the distance we could see birds of prey circling around the glacier.
As we left, we were lucky enough to spot a fox. The poor little guy had some burrs stuck on his tail.
Our final stop was Bahía Lapataia which is situated at the end of Route 3. This road is part of the Pan-American Highway that connect Alaska to Ushuaia in Argentina. And from here it’s 17,748 km (11,000 m) to Alaska. That would be quite a drive!
We had a bit of free time to walk along a boardwalk trail to the lake (Lago Roca). Here too the scenery was breathtaking, and we were thinking that opting in to the post-cruise excursion was the right call for sure. If of course your flight times allow for it.
Argentina is one of the rare places where wild horses roam free and we were lucky to see a band on the way out of the park.
The indigenous people of Tierra del Fuego
After seeing the marvelous scenery, we can see why the indigenous people called this place home despite the harsh conditions.
Somehow, they managed to survive naked or wearing very little even in frigid temperatures and snow during the long winters. Supposedly they had a core body temperature of roughly 1°C (~ 2°F) higher than the typical human average making them more resistant to cold temperature. For warmth they would use pelts of guanacos (Andean lama-like mammals), foxes, or seals.
Like in many places, when the crusaders came to try and convert them to Christianity and educate them, they passed along diseases that unfortunately killed off many of the population. When the conquistadors left, they reverted to their original way of life and got rid of the clothing that was forced upon them.
End of the World Train
At one point there was a penal colony near Ushuaia and prisoners would be transported here by train to cut timber. The railway station is still there and so is the historic steam train. And if your time permits, you can take a scenic train ride in vintage carriages along a narrow-gauge steam train line through Tierra del Fuego.
Conclusion
Overall, we were very happy to have taken the excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park instead of being stuck waiting for our mid-afternoon flight back to Buenos Aires. Many of our fellow passengers were stuck waiting in the small terminal. Keep in mind that the wait can be long because they want you off the cruise ship by 8am.
Instead, we saw spectacular scenery, beautiful wildlife, and learned about this national wonder at the end of the world. We would highly recommend taking the excursion if it is offered and your flight times allow for it.
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