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We will guide you throughout
the most beautiful landscapes.
You
will feel as a local, not just
as a tourist.
Arranges
two excursions a week for you,
included in the final price.
You will be able to keep
learning the language as you
enjoy, getting in touch with
locals, our culture, history,
traditions and, above all, the
untouched beauty of our land!
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Tierra del Fuego
is archipelago, at the southern extremity of South America. In
shape the main island, separated from the mainland by the Strait
of Magellan, is a triangle with its base on Beagle Channel. The
total area is 28,473 sq mi (73,746 sq km), about two-thirds of
which is Chilean and one-third Argentine. The boundary, agreed
upon in 1881, follows the meridian 68°36¢38² W, from Cabo (cape)
Espíritu Santo on the Atlantic, and the east–west Beagle
Channel. Lennox, Picton, Nueva, and several small islands at the
mouth of the channel are disputed between the two republics.
Roads are poor in Tierra del Fuego, and there are no railways.
Air services however, link major settlements to Punta Arenas,
Chile, and Río Gallegos, Argentina. Sea communications are also
important; a regular service links Porvenir and Punta Arenas,
and naval vessels supply Ushuaia and the Isla Navarino, Chile.
There is little agriculture on the island, but oil and gas
reserves have been developed. Many textile and electronic firms
have been established at Río Grande and Ushuaia, the island's
two main cities
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The City
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Ushuaia,
the southernmost city in the
world, is placed on the coast
of Beagle Channel and
surrounded by the Martial
Chain. It is a combination of
forests, mountains and
glaciers that offers an
interesting history to
discover and the magical
experience of reaching the end
of the world.
Land of legends and
adventures, it is an
attraction unable to be
avoided by those who wish to
get to the end of the
continent and the beginning of
adventure.
The city tour can begin along the Coastal Avenue (Maipu), which
borders the Beagle Channel. Along this avenue you will
get to the Port of Ushuaia and the Nautical Club. At the end
there is a catwalk that you must take in order to get to the
peninsula where magnificent views of the city are guaranteed.
This area shelters Bahía Encerrada, which gets frozen during
winter and becomes a Skating rink.
Later, on your way back to downtown along Malvinas Argentinas
street, you will see the historical Beban House and the
reconstruction of the old town, a relic that recreates Ushuaia
during the days of the pioneers.
On the opposite extreme of the city, if going along the main
street (San Martin) up to its crossing with Yaganes St. you will
reach the legendary Jail of the end of the world, now
transformed into a museum (Museo del Presidio). A must visit,
where there are even wax statues of the most famous criminals
that were sent to that place. |
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The History
The aboriginal population was formed by Onas or Selknam
and Yaganes or Yamanas and only at the end of the XIX
century, European sailors started raising cattle in the area.
The Selknam were essentially terrestrial hunters and nomad fruit
gatherers who lived on the island of Tierra del Fuego from the
plains near the Strait of Magellan to the area betwen the river
Grande and the Beagle Channel. They called their land Karukinka.
At the beginning of the XX century there were only some
survivors scattered around the forests, or sheltered by Salesian
Missions and by the Bridges family.
In the first decade of the century, Salesian priests estimated
there were no more than 350 Selk´nam. On 9th October 1966 died
Lola Kiepia, and Angela Loij, one of the last Onas who kept
speaking the language, in 1974.
The Selk´nam ate guanacos and coruros, a kind of rodent, as well
as foxes, birds, wild berries, and sea products. They lived in
tents or in conical huts.
The Yámanas or Yaganes lived on both sides of the Beagle
Channel and the adjacent channels up to Cape Horn, near the sea.
They hunted sea wolves, one of their main food sources. Their
body was long and wide in contrast to their inferior limbs.
During the incursions of European sailors in the XIX century,
The Yamanas were taken by surprise by the brigantine Beagle,
after which the channel was later called. Thus were initiated
the first contacts with white men.
After more than 6000 years of living in the area, the
inhabitants farthest south on the planet started receiving
European explorers, a moment when there were shipwrecks,
combats, sea lions hunting, factors that contributed to
deteriorate their life style.
In 1881started the exploitation of gold in the territory.
Miners settled in the north of the island got in contact with
the Selk´nam and ill-treated them, what caused their violent
reaction.
The Rumanian Julio Popper arrived to Argentina in 1885 and
settled in El Páramo, in Tierra del Fuego in 1888. He exploited
gold, and achieved power, success, and influence in the area. He
even coined his own currency, a postage stamp, and created a
small private army .
In 1871, the Anglican mission in charge of reverend
Thomas Bridges settled in the peninsula where the airport is
today.
On 18th June 1872, Tomás Despard Bridges was born on the island,
the first white Fuegian baby.
In September 1884 the expeditionary division to the South
Atlantic of the Armada Argentina commanded by Comodore Augusto
Laserre landed in Ushuaia, and on the 12th October they raised
the Argentine flag in the newly built subprefecture. Every year
that date is celebrated as the birth of the city.
By presidential decree, the 27th June 1885, Ushuaia was
appointed capital and see of the government of Tierra del Fuego.
Pioneers arrived attracted by commentaries on the
existence of gold in the area. But the central government was
interested in permanent residents, and so took as an example the
policy of countries like France and Britain to build a prison in
the archipielago. It was first built in States Island, and then
in Bahía Golondrina, near Ushuaia, in 1902. It marked the
characteristics of the city during the first half of the
century.
Since the main supply center was very distant, they had a press,
a photography lab, shoe makers, bakers, medical service, and
chemistry to cover the needs of the population.
At the beginning of the century, many Lituanian, Libanese,
Spanish, and Croatian families came to Tierra del Fuego for
different reasons. Once they finished their work, many of them
decided to stay.
In 1947 the central government closed the prison, and the
building was acquired by the Ministery Of Marine to create in
1950 the Base Naval Ushuaia Almirante Berisso.
The seventies marked another moment in the history of the city.
Law 19.640 of industrial promotion was passed and many
Argentinians from different provinces were attracted by the
possibility of working and saving. Since then, Ushuaia´s
population has been constantly increasing. |
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Ushuaia offers a lot of
activities during the four
seasons of the year, giving
you the opportunity of
enjoying nature and visiting
unexplored lands:
walking
along old paths,
trekking
inside Tierra del Fuego
National Park and on glaciers,
boat trips
through Beagle Channel towards
the penguins' rookery, visit
to
typical ranches of
Patagonia, horse-riding,
canoeing, fishing tours. |
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The
legendary “Southern
Fuegian Railway” visits,
with its mythical Train of the
End of the World, the circuit
done by prisoners of the
famous
Ushuaia's jail,
today transformed into a
museum. Yamana Museum,
keeps the history of native
cultures that inhabited this
island, the Museum of
the End of the World
is also a very interesting
place to visit. |
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Departing from Ushuaia´s
tourist pier, we can get
aboard ships to Cape
Horn and the
White
Continent, visiting different
places of Argentinean
Antarctica.
During its long southern
winter, Ushuaia offers a large
variety of activities:
alpine
and cross-country skiing,
snowboard, nocturnal tours
through the forest, trekking
on snowshoes, rides on sledge
dog, ice skating and the most
popular events: the
traditional
White
March, Sledge dog race,
National Snow Sculptors
Meeting, etc. |
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All year long, you can enjoy
the excellent fuegian food:
king crab or the traditional
fuegian lamb.
Ushuaia offers not just its
amazing beauties but also the
hospitality and warmth of its
people.
Getting to know it is reaching
the end of the world…. But
beginning of everything. |
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Suitable clothing:
It is mandatory to always pack winter clothes. Nights are always low
in temperature. As for footgear, the best is boots or shoes with
rubber soles, trekking style. Avoid common sneakers. If it is winter,
do not forget your scarf, skiing type gloves and winter caps. However,
you should also wear light clothing underneath because all the closed
spaces are very well heated. Finally, always carry solar protectors
because the sun, the wind and the snow altogether may produce an
overexposure. |
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Tel.
+54-11-4782-7173 | e-mail:
d_pateau@yahoo.co.uk
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