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| Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego National Park (USHUAIA Y PARQUE NACIONAL TIERRA DEL FUEGO) |
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About 3,200 km from Buenos Aires -- is Ushuaia, the southernmost city of the world, in Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of the South American continent. It is the gateway to the South Pole, only 1,000 km away; a lot of people from all over the world start off their tour of Antarctica from this town. And, since the town is designated as a free port, there are lots of duty free shops bustling with tourists. Summer (November-March) is the recommended tourist season, but the colored leaves in autumn (March-April) in Tierra del Fuego National Park (Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego) are also a sight to behold. The name 填shuaia means 澱ay overlooking the west (Bahia Penetrando al Oeste), where a native people, who were called YAMANAS, originally lived.  About the nativesFour major native tribes who lived on Tierra del Fuego Island Ona A tribe that occupied most of the areas in Tierra del Fuego. About 180cm tall,they hunted guanacos for the skin which they wore, so with the skin of other animals. |
| Haush The oldest tribe in Tierra del Fuego. They looked like the Ona tribe, and hunted animals such as guanacos. It is said that they used canoes and caught fish using harpoons and arrows. Alacaluf Nomads that lived in Beagle Channel, and traveled by canoe. They caught fish with the Yamana tribe. |
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Yamana (Yahgan) A nomadic tribe that lived along the Beagle Channel and the coast near Cape Horn, they relocated every 2-3 days. They did not wear clothes and fished with arrows and harpoons, and ate mussels, etc. When on land, they always had a fire. Only the woman could swim. The word YAMANA means 斗iving people. The tribe痴 replicas are exhibited in the Tierra del Fuego National Park as the tribe lived near the present Ushuaia. There is a museum on the Yamana tribe in Ushuaia City. Yamana Museum (MUSEO MUNDO YAMANA) Rivadavia 56, Ushuaia Tel: 02901-422874 http://www.tierradelfuego.org.ar/mundoyamana/index.htm Reference book: 典ierra del Fuego (written by Rae Natalie Prosser Goodall) Main Attractions Museum of the End of the World (MUSEO DEL FIN DEL MUNDO) Located along Maipu Avenue at the corner of Rivadavia Street, it was opened in 1979. Facets of the native peoples lives and culture in Tierra del Fuego and their artifacts are exhibited here. There are also many exhibits of stuffed birds that exist in Patagonia. Upon entrance, you can put a commemorative stamp of the End of the World Museum on your picture card or notebook for free. Former Prison and Maritime Museum (MUSEO DEL PRESIDIO & MUSEO MARITIMO) You can visit a two-storey building which used to be a prison. There are two rows of cells fronting each other with a hallway in the middle. Each cell now serves as an exhibition room. In the adjoining Maritime Museum, you can find various ship models and you can study the history of Tierra del Fuego. |
| The Beagle Channel (CANAL BEAGLE) The Beagle Channel is located in the border between Argentina and Chile, and is a waterway where the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean are connected. It was discovered by Matthew Murray, a mate of the British naval ship, the 釘eagle, during the exploration of the southern part of Tierra del Fuego in 1830. Two years later, in 1832, Charles Darwin, boarded the same ship, introduced the native people and flora and fauna for the first time to the world, and this channel became famous. A cruise ship goes along the Beagle Channel every day, and one can go watching otaries (a kind of eared seal), Magellan penguins, imperial cormorants, Magellan cormorants, sea gulls, and albatrosses, etc. You can see the remains of the fossils of shells that the Yaghan natives used in Lapataia Bay (Bahia Lapataia) facing the Beagle Channel. |
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| The End of the World Cruise (NAVEGACION POR EL FIN DEL MUNDO) You can observe otaries, Magellan penguins, and cormorants, and such as you cruise along the Beagle Channel by catamaran. In summer in Tierra del Fuego, you can join a package tour that brings you to Harberton Estancia (Estancia Harberton) founded by the Bridges Family, the first immigrants to Tierra del Fuego. There is also a tour that takes you by yacht to Cape Horn (Cabo de Hornos) and Staten Island (Isla de los Estados). Other cruises There is an Antarctica cruise (Antartida) and another that visits Staten Island (Isla de los Estados) from November to March. For those who want to have a glance of the Cape, a cruise in the waters between Ushuaia and Punta Arenas in Chile is the only way (September-April). http://www.australis.com Tierra del Fuego National Park (PARQUE NACIONAL TIERRA DEL FUEGO) Designated as a national park in 1960, it hosts more than 90 kinds of animals and southern beech forests. It is located 11 km west of Ushuaia City, with a total area of 63,000 hectares. The Lapataia Bay (Bahia de Buena Madera) at the south end of the park, which means 堵ood wood in the native dialect, is a beautiful bay. It is located at the southern end of National Route 3, along the Pan-American Highway, that runs through the American Continent. It is the southernmost bay located 3,063km from Buenos Aires on the south and 17,848km from Alaska on the north. The park is suited for hiking and trekking as there are no steep inclines; it has rolling terrain. Here, you can enjoy nature to the fullest. You can also view the Beagle Channel and a lot of rock islands from the park. - The origin of the name of Tierra del Fuego - It was the time Magellan discovered the strait from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean (later called Magellan痴 Strait) in 1520. The story goes that Magellan mistook the fire that the people were making on a mountain in the south for fire spouting from the earth, and so named the place Tierra (land) Fuego (fire). The End of the World Train (TREN DEL FIN DEL MUNDO) This is a tourist train that runs in the park. Originally, it was a train that carried the deforested wood for the construction of the Ushuaia Prison. It served as the world痴 southernmost railroad until the prison was closed in 1947. One can watch horses and other animals that live in this area from onboard the train. At one of the stops, you can go down to a place that typifies the lifestyle of the YAMANAS tribe of old. In addition, you can also enjoy other interesting scenery in the National Park, such as the La Macarena Falls, as well as beautiful peat mosses during the 50-minute ride. http://www.trendelfindelmundo.com.ar Activities Skiing in the south end The world痴 southern-most skiing spot in Cerro Castor is 26 km from Ushuaia City. You can enjoy skiing, snowboarding, and snow-blading from early July until the mid-October. http://www.cerrocastor.com Email: contacto@cerrocastor.com Sport fishing You can enjoy fishing for salmon and other fish in the rivers and lakes of Tierra del Fuego. A Route to Rio Grande (CAMINO A RIO GRANDE) There is a route which leads to Lake Escondido (Lago Escondido) and Lake Fagnano (Lago Fagnano) from Ushuaia to the north via the National Route No. 3 going toward the opposite direction of Tierra del Fuego National Park. This is a very scenic route from where you can see wonderful panoramas of the Andes Fueginos mountain range (Los Andes Fueginos). Travel agencies normally offer a half-day tour to Lake Escondido, and a one-day tour to Lake Fagnano. Main attractions are the Andes and the breathtaking view of the mountains around which are no higher than 1,500 m. They may be low but they have a perpetual snow cover since this is a very cold region. At altitudes of 600 m or more, plants cannot grow here; the glacier-covered mountain sides glisten white and bare. From early spring to early summer is a sight to behold, with the green, young leaves that can be seen at the foot of the mountain, contrasting with the snow-white mountain top. From an airplane, the Andes Fueginos mountain range looks like whipped cream, with its stiff peaks and glistening, smooth sides. It is a sight peculiar to this part of the Andes, an interesting comparison to that which can be seen around Mendoza. In Tierra Mayor, on the other hand, which extends to the left of the National Route No. 3, you can go trekking and enjoy the magnificent view along the mountain range. There are many attractions along this route. Usually, when you travel through Andes on land, you enter the Chile territory. However, Paso Garibaldi, which is 450 m above sea level, is in Argentine territory, therefore you can come here without crossing the border. Further north is the Lake Escondido, which means 殿 hidden lake. Here, by the lakeside, one can find a popular hostel and restaurant. An elongated lake, Lake Fagnano, which is 100 km wide in a 545 kmｲ land area, comes right next. Martial Glacier (GLACIAR MARTIAL) The main attraction on this glacier which is 7 km from the city is its observatory. From here, one can get a glimpse of the Beagle Channel. In winter, the whole area, which spans 56 km, becomes a giant skiing ground. Beavers in Ushuaia (CASTOR FIBER CANADENSIS) Beavers (normally around 150cm long and 20-30kg in weight) originally came from Europe, Siberia, and North America. In 1946, 50 male and female beavers were brought to Ushuaia for their fur. It was, however, not possible to use them commercially since the beaver痴 hair became too hard in the cold. Fortunately for the beavers, they had no natural enemy and were inherently prolific; they adapted to the new territory and multiplied. Their population increased too much, however, and aggravated by issues of deforestation, this is regarded as a problem now. In Tierra del Fuego National Park, you can see beavers nests made of tree trunks. This observation tour is being offered by travel agencies only at nighttime as these animals are nocturnal. Gourmet The local traditional dish in Patagonia is grilled (Asado) lamb痴 meat. Lamb normally has a peculiar taste and pungent smell. Surprisingly, the Patagonia lamb Asado is very tender and does not smell that much. Why not try some? Crabs (Centolla - Lithodes Santolla) are also a famous local delicacy. You can enjoy not only the flaked crab meat but also various crab dishes like soup and gratin, etc. Shopping Imported goods such as cigarettes, liquors, electrical appliances, and cameras are available at duty-free rates in Tierra del Fuego as it is a Special Customs Area (Area Aduanera Especial). In addition to these products, you can also buy their famous lenga wood carvings. |
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