Introducing Tierra Del Fuego
Reluctantly shared by both Argentina and Chile, this ‘land of fire’ really is the end of the world. Its faraway location has drawn explorers since the days of Magellan and Darwin, and this tradition continues with today’s travelers. A triangular archipelago surrounded by the stormy South Atlantic and the Strait of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego offers plenty of natural beauty: scenic glaciers, lush forests, astounding mountains, clear waterways and a dramatic sea coast. The region’s largest city, Ushuaia, is also the ‘southernmost city in the world’ – a major draw for list-tickers – but has also become the main gateway to wondrous Antarctica. Tierra del Fuego is isolated and hard to reach, but for true adventure-seekers in Argentina it’s a must.
Passing ships gave Tierra del Fuego its name: they spotted distant shoreline campfires that the Yámana (or Yahgan) people tended. In 1520 Magellan paid a visit, but it wasn’t land he was seeking – it was passage to the Asian spice islands. So as ships sailed by, the indigenous Ona (or Selknam) and Haush continued hunting land animals, while the Yámana and Alacalufe (‘Canoe Indians’) lived on seafood and marine mammals. Spain’s withdrawal from the continent in the early 1800s, however, brought on European settlement – and the demise of these indigenous peoples.
Activities in Tierra Del Fuego
Ushuaia
A busy port and adventure hub, Ushuaia is a sliver of steep streets and jumbled buildings set between the Beagle Channel and the snowcapped Martial Range.
Tours in Tierra Del Fuego
Parque Nacional Tierra Del Fuego
Banked against the channel, the hushed, fragrant southern forests of Tierra del Fuego are a stunning setting to explore.
Tierra Del Fuego destination guides
Río Grande
A monster trout sculpture at the entrance to town announces that you have come to the de facto fly-fishing capital of Tierra del Fuego, with some of the world’s best blue-ribbon angling for colossal sea-run trout.
Hotels in Tierra Del Fuego
Budget Hotels & Hostels in Tierra Del Fuego
Guesthouses and B&Bs in Tierra Del Fuego
Apartments in Tierra Del Fuego
Tolhuin & Lago Fagnano
Named for the Selk’nam word meaning ‘like a heart, ’ Tolhuin (population 2000) is a lake town nestled in the center of Tierra del Fuego, 132km south of Río Grande and 104km northeast of Ushuaia via smooth pavement.
Need to know
Entertainment in Tierra Del Fuego
Estancias Around Río Grande
Shopping in Tierra Del Fuego