Two incredible excursions that can be enjoyed in conjunction are the visit to the awe-inspiring Tierra del Fuego National Park and the historic Train of the End of the World.
Tierra del Fuego National Park: Overview
This remarkable landscape boasts lakes, valleys, expansive peat bogs, and a unique stretch where the Patagonian forests meet the coastal marine environment. Within, highlights include Lapataia Bay, Argentina’s sole fjord within the Beagle Channel, and Ensenada Zaratiegui.
The park’s forests primarily comprise lengas, which blaze with intense red hues during autumn. In moister areas, they intermingle with cinnamon and cherry trees or Magellanic cohiue, whose leaves persist through winter. Along the edges of moss bogs, ñires flourish. Among the resident mammals are guanacos, huillíns, and Fuegian red foxes. Along the waterways and coastlines reside carancas, black-browed albatrosses, quetros, oystercatchers, gulls, and macaes. Within the forests and surrounding areas, one may encounter cachañas, giant woodpeckers, rayaditos, and Patagonian thrushes.
Check some general facts about this amazing place in Tierra del Fuego Island, Patagonia:
Location: Province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica, and the South Atlantic Islands
Ecoregion: Patagonian Forests
Area: 68,909 hectares
Establishment: 1960 (Law No. 15,554/60)
Tierra del Fuego National Park: Wildlife and typical flora
As Argentina’s southernmost protected area, the park lies within the Patagonian Forests ecoregion. Here, the foothills of the Andes gradually meet the sea along the Beagle Channel. The coastal regions, lakes, valleys, extensive peat bogs, and magnificent forests combine to create a truly unique environment within the country. Notable features include Lapataia Bay, the lone Argentine fjord within the channel, and Ensenada Zaratiegui.
Weather in Tierra del Fuego National Park
The climate is characterized as wet and cold, with a low annual thermal amplitude (7.5°C) and an average annual temperature of 5.6°C. Rainfall is consistent and of low intensity throughout the year (approximately 200 days annually), with heavy snowfall occurring from May to September in mountainous and inland valley regions. The optimal season for visiting is from late October to April; snowfall during other times of the year may impede hiking.
Fauna and Flora
The park’s significant forested areas are predominantly composed of lengas, which lend the landscape a striking reddish hue during autumn. In wetter locales, sour cherry trees are interspersed with cinnamon trees. Along the margins of the mossy peat bogs, ñires thrive.In terms of fauna, notable mammals include guanacos, huillíns, and the endemic Fuegian red fox. The park boasts a diverse avian population, with species such as carancas, black-browed albatrosses, quetros, oystercatchers, gulls, and macaes frequenting the waterways and coastlines. Meanwhile, within the forests and their environs, one may encounter cachañas, giant woodpeckers, rayaditos, and Patagonian thrushes.
Train of the End of the World: overview
After four decades of dormancy, in 1994, the End of the World Train revived a portion of the original route traversed by the prisoner train departing from Ushuaia prison, situated in the heart of the city, to the foothills of Mount Susana for sourcing construction materials such as wood and stone.
Train of the End of the World: Estacion del Fin del Mundo
The train station lies a mere eight kilometers from Ushuaia city center, serving as the starting point for passengers embarking on a journey to retrace the final seven kilometers of the historic route. Aboard the train, travelers are treated to narrations detailing the daily endeavors of prisoners who once toiled in this region, harvesting wood. The captivating landscapes include the winding Pipo River, La Macarena waterfall, tree cemetery, and the grand lenga forest. This excursion grants access to a secluded segment of Tierra del Fuego National Park, offering an immersive experience aboard a vintage railway featuring steam locomotives and elegant carriages equipped with spacious windows and individual audio systems, delivering historical anecdotes in seven languages. Thus, visitors not only revel in the surrounding natural beauty but also gain insights into Ushuaia’s rich history.
Train of the End of the World: Puente Quemado
Crossing the Cañadón del Toro and spanning the Río Pipo is the Puente Quemado, where remnants of the old bridge lie beneath the new tracks. This bridge marks the train’s first stop at La Macarena Station, overlooking the changing Pipo River, a characteristic meltwater river flowing from the mountains to the Beagle Channel.
Train of the End of the World: Cascada La Macarena
La Macarena Station holds historical significance, once serving as a watering stop for the steam locomotive named La Coqueta. Visitors can ascend to a viewpoint offering panoramic vistas of the Pipo River Valley, Cerro Guanaco, Cerro la Portada, and Mount Susana. Further upward, one can reach the source of La Macarena waterfall in the Le Martial Mountain Range, fed by thawing waters from the summit. The station also features prisoner-operated photography services and a souvenir shop. After a brief interlude, passengers are summoned back aboard the train by the guards’ whistle, resuming the journey toward Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Train of the End of the World: Tierra del Fuego National Park Border
Upon reboarding the train, the journey progresses toward the National Park Station, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and valleys near the park’s border. Established in 1960 by executive decree, Tierra del Fuego National Park sprawls over 63,000 hectares, distinguishing itself as Argentina’s sole national park with coastal, forest, and mountain landscapes. Throughout the excursion, passengers are accompanied by an audio guide system narrating the area’s history and scenery. Additionally, onboard guides, seasoned tourism professionals, provide insights into the original prisoner train’s history and the region’s diverse geographical features, flora, and fauna, ensuring passengers have a comprehensive understanding of the journey ahead.
Train of the End of the World: Cemetery of Trees
Along the banks of the Pipo River lies the Cemetery of Trees, bearing witness to the prisoners’ daily toil in supplying firewood to the town for nearly fifty years. Here, visitors can witness remnants of the prisoners’ labor, such as the “stumps” – remnants of felled trees protruding no more than 50 cm above the surface, frozen in time as testament to the prisoners’ efforts. Nearby, vestiges of the Lombardich sawmill, which operated in the area before its conversion into a protected natural area, can be observed. Additionally, visitors can explore the peat, a characteristic Fuegian ecosystem comprising compacted organic and mineral materials.
Train of the End of the World: National Park Station
The final stop on the journey is the National Park Station, where passengers joining organized tours or excursions will find their guides and transportation awaiting them to continue their exploration of Tierra del Fuego National Park. For those traveling independently, the train offers a return journey to the Main Station, completing the memorable excursion.
Train of the End of the World: A Glimpse into History
Commencing in 1902 with the arrival of engineer Catello Muratgia, construction of the Ushuaia prison commenced, coinciding with the inauguration of the first xylocarril – wooden tracks traversed by a steam locomotive with flat cars, powered by oxen, horses, and occasionally, the prisoners themselves. In 1910, the xylocarril was replaced by a “decauville,” a narrow metal railroad, becoming the primary mode of transport in Ushuaia. The End of the World Train departed from the prison each morning, bound for Mount Susana, returning in the evening, often laden with prisoners or their collected materials. In 1947, spurred by humanitarian concerns, President Juan Domingo Perón and National Director of Penal Institutes Roberto Pettinato Senior initiated the prison’s closure. Although the train continued operations for local sawmills, a devastating earthquake in 1949 rendered the tracks impassable, leading to its abandonment until its revitalization in the 1990s. Tranex Turismo S.A. breathed new life into the legend in 1994, inaugurating the famed “End of the World Train,” featuring tourist and first-class services, modern amenities, and replicas of the original steam locomotives. Departing from the “End of the World Station,” just 8 km from Ushuaia, the train embarks on a nostalgic journey, offering passengers an immersive experience of Tierra del Fuego’s captivating landscapes and rich history.
Book the excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park and Train of the End of the World
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