Parque Nacional Tierra Del Fuego

Tierra del Fuego National Park was founded in 1960 and is just 12 km from Ushusia, Argentina. After our train ride we disembarked from the train and boarded buses to see more of this beautiful park. This was Argentina's first coastal national park and and it extends 630 sq km from the Beagle channel to North of Lago Fagnano. According to the lonely planet guide only a few thousand hectares along the southern edge are open to the public. The rest is a Natural Reserve strongly enforced. Those Andean Condors need a lot of room!

During our visit to the park we visited Fagnano Lake. I can't say I've been to Chile like Scott has but I can say that I've seen it! Standing on the shores of Fagnano Lake one can see Chile as the Lake is shared by both Argentina and Chile although the majority of the lake lies in the Argentine Tierra del Fuego Province, and only 13.5 km belong to the Chilean Region. The landscape in this beautiful park

consists of awe inspiring bays and rocky beaches with rugged mountains and valleys created by glacial erosion. The Andean-Patagonian forest is often compared to Alaska's panhandle as it is Argentina's only coastal national park and offers hiking, climbing, fishing and kayaking. Sounds familiar.


Flora and fauna is diverse here in the park. Over 20 species of mammals call the park home including guanacos, foxes both red and gray, rabbits, beaver and muskrats. Condors, albatross, cormorants, gulls, terns, oyster-catcher, grebes, kelp geese, orange-billed steamer ducks and woodpeckers. In fact there are over 90 species of birds including the Magellanic Woodpecker.
As we walk towards the view area we see all sorts of birds and European Rabbits. Bahia Lapatiaia is spectacular. Nearly makes one want to sail around the cape.

Some of the trees in the park have a lichen known as farolito chino or Chinese Lamp. As you can see from the picture it looks like a nest, but is actually a bright yellowish green roundish plant.

We are here on the final end of route 3, southern tip of the Pan-American Highway. For those adventure seekers with lots of time on your hands you can drive from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in North America to Ushuaia, Argentina . Only 29,800 miles except a break of 54 miles in the Darien Province in Panama and the Columbia Border called the Darien Gap. What a way to experience 14 different countries if you have the time and motivation! Perhaps bicycle or motorbike? Having seen the top and bottom portions reading Tim Cahill's book Road Fever about his 24 day journey would be our method. We'll take the planes to the 14 countries. If you do choose to do the road system, take lots of insect repellent, as the gap is rain forest. Time to head back to our bus and back to Ushuaia. Antarctica is calling to us!