Tierra del Fuego National Park

What the park is

Tierra del Fuego National Park lies about 12 km west of Ushuaia and was created in 1960. It protects more than 68,000 hectares of the Patagonian Forests ecoregion, on the Beagle Channel. The National Park protects native wildlife, such as the red fox, the guanaco and the Magellanic woodpecker, the archaeological sites of the Yaghan, the native people of southern Tierra del Fuego, and large expanses of peat bogs, lakes and rivers.

What to see in the park

• Ensenada Zaratiegui Bay: views of the Beagle Channel and Redonda Island, among lenga, ñire and guindo beech forests. It is the first stop on the classic tour, with a hike adapted to the day’s conditions.
• Lake Acigami (Roca): it used to be called Lake Roca, which is why it appears under both names. The border with Chile crosses it from north to south; on the tour, it is the spot to see the international border, the local flora and fauna. Both the classic and the train tours stop here.
• Lapataia Bay: the end point of National Route 3, which starts in Buenos Aires, and the end of the Pan-American Highway. Here you find archaeological sites known as “concheros” (shell middens), traces of the first inhabitants.
• Coastal Trail: 7 km on foot along the Beagle Channel through the forest. It is the first part of the hike and canoe tour, which then continues in inflatable canoes on rivers and lakes.
• End of the World Train: from the End of the World Train’s main station, a ride of about 1 hour ends inside Tierra del Fuego National Park.

Flora and fauna

The park’s flora stands out for more than 60,000 hectares of sub-Antarctic Nothofagus forest. Its main species are lenga, ñire and guindo (Magellan’s beech). Large peat bogs, now protected, also stretch across several parts of the park.

Notable wildlife includes the Fuegian red fox, native to the island, the guanaco, the woodpecker and, in the mountains, the Andean condor.

The beaver is an introduced species that causes problems in the protected area.

Weather

• Summer (December to February): average highs are around 13 °C to 15 °C, and lows between 3 °C and 5 °C.
• Fall (March to May): temperatures drop, with highs below 10 °C and lows approaching 0 °C to 4 °C.
• Winter (June to August): the coldest season, with averages ranging from a low of -2 °C to a high of 4 °C to 6 °C in the city; in the mountains it can drop to -10 °C or -15 °C.
• Spring (September to November): temperatures start to rise gradually, with highs of up to 8 °C to 12 °C.

Which tour to choose?

With half a day, the classic tour (about 4 hours): Ensenada Zaratiegui Bay, Lake Acigami (Roca) and Lapataia Bay, admission included. If you want to add the train, the tour with the End of the World Train (about 6 hours), which adds the train ride and also stops at Ensenada Zaratiegui. To hike and paddle all day, the hike and canoe tour (about 8 hours, lunch included). The full comparison, with a table, is in which National Park tour to choose.

Admission, opening hours and getting there

Admission fees and opening hours are on the official National Parks website. Admission is included in the classic and train tours, but not in the hike and canoe tour. If you go to the train on your own, keep in mind that the train ticket does not include park admission, which is mandatory. All three tours pick you up from your accommodation in Ushuaia; on the classic and train tours, the meeting time is around 8:00 / 8:30.

Near the park

The Beagle Channel that the Coastal Trail follows can also be explored by boat from the port of Ushuaia: islands, a lighthouse and penguins in Beagle Channel. To combine the park with other outings on your trip, see Ushuaia in 3 or 4 days.