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Tierra del Fuego, the Land of Fire, is where South America finally funnels into the icy waters of the south: the end of the inhabited globe. Known to its erstwhile indigenous Selk'nam inhabitants as Karunkinka , it gets its Spanish name from the fires that these people lit when Magellan and his crew first sailed fearfully through the newly discovered straits. Strictly, it comprises the entire archipelago of southern Patagonia, but the term is more commonly applied to just the main island of the group, the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego , which is also known simply as Isla Grande . Roughly a third of the island (some 21,000 square kilometres) is Argentinian, the rest lies across the border in Chile. The region has three principal and strikingly distinct geographical zones - north, central, and southern - but only one principal tourist destination: Ushuaia , in the south. If at all possible, introduce yourself to the island with the stunning aerial views afforded by a flight down to Ushuaia. Ushuaia is the base for visiting the tremendous Canal Beagle and the wild, forested mountain ranges of southern Tierra del Fuego. And with the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego just 12km to the west, you should aim to spend a week of so in the area to get the most out of your trip. Estancia Harberton , home to descendants of the Bridges family, is an easy day-trip from the city and you could also make a trip across the Beagle Channel to Puerto Williams on Chile's wild Isla Navarino. The north of the island consists of windswept plains and scrubby coiron grassland, and you won't be missing much if you leave it to the sheep that thrive there. The main town here, Rio Grande , is a bleak place, but nonetheless makes a useful overnight stop for travellers exploring the island's heartland, and for those heading south into the region overland. It's also popular with fly-fishermen, who come here from all over the world, hoping to outwit the sea-going brown trout of the Rio Grande, the world's premiere river for catching that species. Central Tierra del Fuego spreads out from Rio Grande to Paso Garibaldi 100km to the south, an area of considerably more interest than the north, and is centred on Lago Fagnano and the village of Tolhuin . Here, estancias nestle amongst patches of low, transitional, Fuegian woodland that looks as if it has been exposed to a tickertape parade of shredded rags, such is the prevalence of lichen beards hanging from the branches. Much of the area's beauty is only really accessible for those with their own transport: try the loop along the RCf and RCh or, better still, the RCa , which runs through some rugged scenery by the eastern coastline. The southeastern chunk of the Tierra del Fuego, Peninsula Mitre , is one of Argentina's least accessible regions. This triangle of land - which lies beyond the end of RCa and RCj - is only for the very few who are committed to slogging it out on foot, horseback, or perhaps a motorized quad bike across an intemperate boggy wilderness, with low scrub and next to no human habitation. You'll need a gaucho guide, good waterproof clothing, stamina, and a minimum of a week to spare. Finally, to the east of Peninsula Mitre lies the Isla de los Estados , known in English as Staten Island. Almost perpetually swathed in mist and cloud, it is a land of deep fjords, swamps, scrubby subantarctic forests, and craggy peaks, and had a black reputation amongst mariners of past centuries for the fierce currents that surround it. There are currently plans to give this place protected status as a provincial nature reserve, but the only way to visit at present is by extremely expensive chartered launch from Ushuaia; for details, ask at the tourist office or port. Most people tend to visit Isla Grande during the summer months (Dec-Feb), when places such as Ushuaia can get very busy. The best time to visit is between late March and the end of April, when the mountains and hills are daubed with the spectacular autumnal colours of the Nothofagus southern beech woodland. Springtime (Oct to mid-Nov) is also beautiful. For winter sports , you need to head for Ushuaia between June and August: the area is good for cross-country skiing, especially around Sierra Alvear, though the downhill facilities are best suited to beginners and intermediates. The climate is generally not as severe as you may expect here given the latitude, and temperatures rarely reach the extremes of mainland continental areas of Patagonia. Average temperatures in Ushuaia range from 1°C in July, to 12°C in January, and you could easily find yourself sunbathing in balmy 20°C heat on a calm summer's day, enveloped not in some stuffy smog, but in air of delicious, Antarctic purity.
Tierra del FuegoMaria says "A place along the coastline, mountains surround it and it is lovely."
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