Tierra del Fuego National Park is bordered, in the south, by the Atlantic ocean and, in the north, by the southern tip of the Andes mountain range. It is has a variety of landscapes from windswept beaches, to thick Patagonian forests and snow topped mountains. The Park’s deep forest coated valleys are studded with glaciers, waterfalls and wide lakes and it is home to a range of wildlife; including Sea Lions on the beaches and Guanacos (mini-llamas) in the hills as well as some spectacular bird life such as the Black necked swans.
A pair of black necked swans
The Park was also once frequented by the nomadic Yaghan people, who the British seemed fond of taking back to England to ‘civilize’. Charles Darwin wrote his surprise when the crew of his ship went back in search of one of these lucky Yaghan, only to find he had long abandoned his ‘civilized’ ways and was happily wandering around with long hair and a loin cloth. On top of which he showed not the slightest desire to return to England – though Darwin suspected this might have something to do with his “young and nice looking wife”.
Ushuaia, the provincial capital of Tierra del Fuego, lies on the edge of the park and was originally started as a Penal colony. The old steam train that used to take the prisoners from the prison to the forestry camp, where they were made to work, has been renovated and today it provides the perfect way to travel into the park.
