Argentina's Patagonia
Tierra del Fuego National Park
Separated from the southernmost tip of South America by the Estrecho de Magallanes, the triangular shaped island of Tierra del Fuego is indeed a world unto itself. Upon its northern reaches, find vast plains dotted with trees long bent by the savage winds that erode the coast. To the south, discover mountains equally as intimidating, traversed by massive glaciers slowly making their way to sea.
Discovered in 1520 by Spanish explorer Hernando de Magallanes, Tierra del Fuego earned its name for the smoke rising from the fires of the natives. King Charles V of Spain changed the name to that which now titles this intriguing world. Split in half, the northernmost tip of the island is well within the Chilean territory. Here, Porvenir is the only town of size. To the southern extremity, part of Argentina, find Ushuaia on the shores of the Canal Beagle. Venture further south and discover Cape Horn, the southernmost bit of land before you reach Antarctica.
