Tierra
del Fuego, the
Land of Fire, is
where South
America finally
funnels into the
icy waters of
the south: the
end of the
inhabited globe.
Known to its
erstwhile
indigenous
Selk'nam
inhabitants as
Karunkinka
, it gets its
Spanish name
from the fires
that these
people lit when
Magellan and his
crew first
sailed fearfully
through the
newly discovered
straits.
Strictly, it
comprises the
entire
archipelago of
southern
Patagonia, but
the term is more
commonly applied
to just the main
island of the
group, the
Isla Grande de
Tierra del Fuego
, which is also
known simply as
Isla Grande
. Roughly a
third of the
island (some
21,000 square
kilometres) is
Argentinian, the
rest lies across
the border in
Chile. The
region has three
principal and
strikingly
distinct
geographical
zones - north,
central, and
southern - but
only one
principal
tourist
destination:
Ushuaia , in
the south. If at
all possible,
introduce
yourself to the
island with the
stunning aerial
views afforded
by a
flight
down to Ushuaia.
Ushuaia
is the base for
visiting the
tremendous
Canal Beagle
and the wild,
forested
mountain ranges
of southern
Tierra del Fuego.
And with the
Parque Nacional
Tierra del Fuego
just 12km to the
west, you should
aim to spend a
week of so in
the area to get
the most out of
your trip.
Estancia
Harberton ,
home to
descendants of
the Bridges
family, is an
easy day-trip
from the city
and you could
also make a trip
across the
Beagle Channel
to Puerto
Williams on
Chile's wild
Isla Navarino.
The north of
the island
consists of
windswept plains
and scrubby
coirón
grassland, and
you won't be
missing much if
you leave it to
the sheep that
thrive there.
The main town
here, Río
Grande , is
a bleak place,
but nonetheless
makes a useful
overnight stop
for travellers
exploring the
island's
heartland, and
for those
heading south
into the region
overland. It's
also popular
with
fly-fishermen,
who come here
from all over
the world,
hoping to outwit
the sea-going
brown trout of
the Río Grande,
the world's
premiere river
for catching
that species.
Central Tierra
del Fuego
spreads out from
Río Grande to
Paso Garibaldi
100km to the
south, an area
of considerably
more interest
than the north,
and is centred
on Lago
Fagnano and
the village of
Tolhuin .
Here, estancias
nestle amongst
patches of low,
transitional,
Fuegian woodland
that looks as if
it has been
exposed to a
tickertape
parade of
shredded rags,
such is the
prevalence of
lichen beards
hanging from the
branches. Much
of the area's
beauty is only
really
accessible for
those with their
own transport:
try the loop
along the RCf
and RCh
or, better
still, the
RCa , which
runs through
some rugged
scenery by the
eastern
coastline.
The
southeastern
chunk of the
Tierra del
Fuego,
Península Mitre
, is one of
Argentina's
least accessible
regions. This
triangle of land
- which lies
beyond the end
of RCa and RCj -
is only for the
very few who are
committed to
slogging it out
on foot,
horseback, or
perhaps a
motorized quad
bike across an
intemperate
boggy
wilderness, with
low scrub and
next to no human
habitation.
You'll need a
gaucho guide,
good waterproof
clothing,
stamina, and a
minimum of a
week to spare.
Finally, to the
east of
Península Mitre
lies the Isla
de los Estados
, known in
English as
Staten Island.
Almost
perpetually
swathed in mist
and cloud, it is
a land of deep
fjords, swamps,
scrubby
subantarctic
forests, and
craggy peaks,
and had a black
reputation
amongst mariners
of past
centuries for
the fierce
currents that
surround it.
There are
currently plans
to give this
place protected
status as a
provincial
nature reserve,
but the only way
to visit at
present is by
extremely
expensive
chartered launch
from Ushuaia;
for details, ask
at the tourist
office or port.
Most people
tend to visit
Isla Grande
during the
summer months
(Dec-Feb), when
places such as
Ushuaia can get
very busy. The
best time to
visit is
between late
March and the
end of April,
when the
mountains and
hills are daubed
with the
spectacular
autumnal colours
of the
Nothofagus
southern beech
woodland.
Springtime (Oct
to mid-Nov) is
also beautiful.
For winter
sports , you
need to head for
Ushuaia between
June and August:
the area is good
for
cross-country
skiing,
especially
around Sierra
Alvear, though
the downhill
facilities are
best suited to
beginners and
intermediates.
The climate
is generally not
as severe as you
may expect here
given the
latitude, and
temperatures
rarely reach the
extremes of
mainland
continental
areas of
Patagonia.
Average
temperatures in
Ushuaia range
from 1°C in
July, to 12°C in
January, and you
could easily
find yourself
sunbathing in
balmy 20°C heat
on a calm
summer's day,
enveloped not in
some stuffy
smog, but in air
of delicious,
Antarctic
purity.
