Greetings once again from Fin del Mundo, the end of the world. Today was our second day in Ushuaia, and this time we really did travel to the end of the world, or at least as far south as one can go by road. To get any further south from anywhere on the planet requires a ship or a plane. However, we didn’t take a bus from Ushuaia down National Road 3 to its southern terminus just to check a box. Rather, we went because the world’s southernmost road ends at Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, a breathtakingly beautiful national park.
We got an early start on this excursion because we had to be back on the ship no later than 1:30 pm, with the Serenade scheduled to cast off for our next port of call, Punta Arenas, Chile, promptly at 2:00 pm. Setting sail any later would affect our arrival time there tomorrow, which we want to avoid. So, we were off the ship and on our bus at 8:00 am, heading southwest on the southernmost road in the world.
National Road 3 changes from asphalt to dirt just outside the city, and we made most of the 45 minute trip from Ushuaia to the park on a dry, dusty, but fortunately well maintained roadway. The road ends, appropriately, where it meets water, the Bahia Lapataia, a bay extending from the Beagle Channel. There isn’t much at the endpoint, just a turnaround, a few portable toilets, and a small, windowless, wood and corrugated metal building with a sign that says you can get your passport, postcard or whatever stamped there. I didn’t see anyone go in, but there was a small yellow mail drop just outside the front door, so I assume it was real.
That’s not why we were there, though. It’s a very pretty spot, with rugged, snow capped mountains in the distance and a tree lined path leading off to the right along the water’s edge. A sailboat lying at anchor just offshore completed the picture, and I’d have been happy to stay longer to let it just soak in, but we had a couple more stops to make in the park, so all too soon we were back on the bus.
Our second stop was at the park visitors center, where there is a room dedicated to the region’s indigenous peoples, a large coffee shop, and a gift shop. After a few minutes examining the displays and poking around the gift shop, our group met outside, and our tour guide led us on a half hour hike on a pretty trail along the fast moving Lapataia River. We stopped a few times along the way so that our guide could point out interesting plants and talk about the area’s history.
The hike ended at our third and final stop at the park, the incredibly beautiful Lago Acigami, or Lake Acigami. The lake, which is fed by the Lapataia River, is matched in its scenic beauty only by the power of the wind which is funneled down its length by the surrounding mountains. I had to turn my omnipresent ball cap backwards when I faced the lake or I would have been chasing it all the way across the parking area. And even though the temperature was relatively mild, probably in the mid 50s, bundling up with ear protection or a hood was the order of the day. I’ll include a photo below to give you an idea of what I’m describing.
Despite the roaring wind, this is another spot that you don’t want to leave. I’d have been happy to stay there all afternoon with that cold wind in my face to enjoy the view of the lake and its mountainous backdrop. We did stay for quite a while, and in addition to taking some photos I really enjoyed standing along the lakeshore, admiring the view and listening to the wind driven waves slap against the shoreline.
Then it was back on the bus for the return trip to the ship. Our four hour excursion seemed to go by in the blink of an eye, and we were back on the pier a little after noon, in time to enjoy a nice lunch and get a good vantage point to watch us cast off at 2:00.
I had originally planned to include a description of our afternoon sail westward on the Beagle Channel in this blog post, but the section from Ushuaia out to the Pacific turned out to be so epic that it is deserving of its own post. So, the new plan is to post that tomorrow in lieu of a recap of our day in Punta Arenas, which it’s beginning to look like we won’t be able to visit as scheduled. Like Port Stanley in the Falklands, we are unable to dock at Punta Arenas, and must tender into the city in small boats. As of tonight, the weather forecast for tomorrow is positively atrocious, likely making our first stop in Chile impossible. If so, I’ll use the extra time on my hands to fill you in on today’s amazing trip down the Beagle Channel to the Pacific Ocean. As a teaser, I’ll add one Beagle Channel photo at the end of this post to whet your appetite. Until then, enjoy the Tierra del Fuego National Park, and I’ll see you again tomorrow.
I’m standing at, and pointing to, the exact spot where the southernmost road in the world ends.
Once National Route 3 ends, you need a boat or a plane to go any further south.
The Lapataia Bay is an arm of the Beagle Channel. The road certainly ends at a pretty spot.
Start of the trail around the right side of the bay.
A little ways down the trail. Gorgeous views.
Another great view.
You’re pretty far from anywhere when you’re here. Worth the trip, though.
Even here there are signs clearly stating that the Falklands (Las Malvinas) belong to Argentina.
Michele enjoyed the view too.
After a stop at the park visitors center we went for a pleasant half hour hike to a nearby lake.
We hiked along the fast flowing Lapataia River, which you can see in the background.
Our hike ended at Lago (Lake) Acigami, which is fed by the Lapataia River.
Beautiful mountains in the background.
You cannot imagine how hard the wind blows here. If I was to turn around it would lift the hat off my head and it would be a challenge for me to chase it down.
Teaser photo for tomorrow’s post. Don’t miss it!
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