After re-entering Argentina, I took a twelve hour bus South, to find myself in the most Southern city on the planet, Ushuaia, on the island of Tierra del Fuego.

Crossing to Tierra del Fuego

After returning to Argentina, I travelled from Rio Gallegos, back down the motorway, and across the Magellan Strait by ferry, to arrive on the island of Tierra del Fuego. This island is split between Chile and Argentina, and sits within the islands of Antarctica. Therefore, whilst I visited in Summer, it was still snowing frequently. It is also home to Ushuaia, the most southern city in the world.

Ushuaia

Ushuaia is a small city that is surrounded by snowy mountains and ocean. It is popular with tourists from all around the world, and my hostel was full of french and israeli people especially. This was great fun, as I never expected to share a jewish feast with a group of new friends teaching me hebrew in the bottom of South America.

This land once inhabited native people that lived on shellfish, seals or guanaco (like alpacas), several tribes survived here, but after discovery and studies of the island by famous adventurers like Darwin, the Europeans slowly wiped the natives out. Learning about how they survived in the climate here was fascinating.

Later, the town was used to imprison Argentina’s most significant political and criminal prisoners. The prisoners built their own prison by hand from local materials, and were also made to work, building structures for the town. Much of the city’s most important amenities today, exist thanks to the inmates of Ushuaia.

Today, the city is full of restaurants, shops and also some museums that invite you to learn about the history of the city at the bottom of the world. I visited the former prison building that is now a collection of museums, especially featuring the local maritime history. It was very interesting to visit this building and there was more information than I could read! It is a great way to spend a few hours in the town.

I also visited the thematic gallery museum, which is a museum of figures that is quite interactive and provides information about the native people, and the discovery and development of the island. They provided an audio guide, a movie and lots of photo opportunities with the exhibits. I really had fun at this museum!

Tierra del Fuego National Park

Twenty minutes away from Ushuaia is the Tierra del Fuego National Park. You can get a bus from the town to the park and visit for either a day at a time or camp overnight at the park for multi day trekking. Not only does the park have multiple treks that you can enjoy, but it also has kayaking activities, a train attraction and the world’s most southern post office.

I decided to do an easy three hour trek along the coast which had beautiful views of the mountains, and forest, and the beaches were covered in mussels and beautiful clusters of shells. I also visited the post office so I could send a postcard from the end of the world, and got my passport stamped with the extra special ink stamp!

Other activities around the area

There are also other treks that you can carry out around the area, as well as excursions to see wildlife such as penguins that are only found in this remote area. I had already done a penguin excursion in Punta Arenas, so I decided not to do this in Tierra del Fuego. I did do a six hour trek to a beautiful glacier though. I climbed a steep ascent through forests, streams and over a waterfall. I grappled over ice and snow to the Glacier Vinciguerra.

At the glacier, there is a huge lagoon, and a snowy trail to the glacier’s overhang to see ice caves! This was a little nerve wracking as there were many frozen pools of water, and snow covered voids, that would be very dangerous if you stepped in the wrong place. The ice cave was astonishing though. It was an amazing feeling to be underneath a thick clear ice ceiling, with small sediment deposits scattered amongst it. The only downside to the walk was my very cold and wet feet after walking on such thick snow and ice!

Overall, Tierra del Fuego was a unique location and certainly the place to be for hiking and winter activities. The atmosphere was very friendly here, and It was interesting to think that all that visit and live here, have a sense of adventure, that has led them to the end of the earth.

From South to North. Now, I have reached Antarctica, I will be turning around, and attempting the several days of bus journeys to the North of Argentina, and hopefully will arrive in Mendoza in about a week.