Tolhuin
We leave "Ushuaia" with nostalgia. It was one of the important stages of our odyssey.
The original project was to get us there in 1 year or 1 1/2 from Canada ... It took us 6 years to travel these 101,000 km ... The speed of a tortoise ..
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We cannot describe how we feel ... it is a mixture of joy, fullness and different feelings.
On the way back, we stop at the "Laguna Esmeralda"
A beautiful hike awaits us. The trail starts in a dense forest, then leads to beautiful clearings that we cross by long wooden bridges
The landscapes are sumptuous and in addition to the colors of the trees, the small waterfalls formed by the stream amplify the magic of the place.
On arrival, the show is grandiose and up to our expectations. The 4 hours of walking are quickly forgotten.
We return to Tholuin to prepare our border crossing
Ushuaia
It’s our last day in '" Ushuaia "
Today visit of the " Glacier Martial "
This panoramic view of the bay, the multicolored roofs of Ushuaia and the "Beagle" canal is accessed by the ski slope to the foot of the glacier.
Discovered by the French explorer Louis Ferdinand Martial in 1833, the glacier does not offer a great interest, but the ride is pretty and invigorating, plus it is very beautiful.
We will not go to the top of the glacier but to the edge of the snowy slopes,
In preparation for our next visit to Chile, we spend the afternoon cooking so that we do not have to confiscate prohibited imports.
Ushuaia
Last day in the national park and last hike.
It’s a nice day, we go for 8 km to and from the "Senda Costera".
This trail is a magnificent hike characterized by the coastal atmosphere, where beautiful beaches, forests and incredible views of Hoste Island in Chile and the Beagle Channel to the south stand out.
We leave the park in the middle of the afternoon to land on the parking lot of the stadium, then we take a little tour in the city under a beautiful sun which encourages us to stop at a pastry shop.
It’s incredible, two days ago the temperature was not above zero degrees and today the thermometer shows 15°... We meet locals in shorts and t-shirt!
Ushuaia
The night was windy and rainy, and when we woke up it is cold and the rain is still there.
We take refuge in the cafeteria of the park with our computers and we spend the morning in the warmth, working on our site and video.
After having a snack for lunch we take the hike " Senda Hito XXIV ".
This trail runs along the well-wooded bank of Lake Roca to the border with Chile.
An indicator panel draws the attention of the hiker on the ban of re-entry to Chile!
On the way back we decide to settle down on the other camping area of the park ... Impossible for us to stay there ... Very steep terrain ... We are returning to the municipal campsite.
Ushuaia
This morning we buy our " Annual Pass " for parks and reserves. Some snow falls and temperatures are dropping rapidly.
After a small refuelling we enter the "Parque Nacional de la Terra Del Fuego"
Created in 1960, this park is the southernmost of Argentina and preserves and protects a rich subantarctic-type ecosystem.
Of the approximately 63,000 hectares of the park, only 2,000 are accessible to visitors; the rest is a nature reserve with limited access.
The particularity of this beautiful natural area is that it has 6 km of marine coast. It is the only national park in the country that, in addition to protecting a terrestrial fauna and flora, also protects a marine biosphere.
The terrain is rather rugged, the mountains are steep, the valleys are deep, populated by peat fields and crossed by many streams. The medium mountains are covered with subpolar magellanic forests, also called fuegian.
We are sitting on the camping area of the "Laguna Verde". The word camping means a reserved space to put his tent, his car or his camper with a toilet " dry toilet " no more comfort.
After lunch we hike from " La Bahía Lapataia ". One of the most famous places in the site and for good reason: it is located at the end of the «Ruta 3», the southernmost route in Argentina. It is therefore considered to give access to the end of the world.
* Mirador Lapataia: A short walk through the beautiful Lengas forest, with a view point and a footbridge. The panorama is beautiful; we discover the turquoise water of the fjord, trees bent by the wind, the snow-covered peaks of the surroundings.
* Senda Castorera: Discovering the beavers' dams and their meticulous work with wood
Evening under a mixture of rain and snow.
Ushuaia
We have to be at the port at 9:30 for our excursion.
A shy sun appears but we are surrounded by many clouds very gray.
First stop the "Lighthouse of the Scouts" This is often confused with the "Faro del Fin del Mundo", which is actually more than 200 kilometers from Ushuaia.
As we approach the island, we find that it is populated by a herd of cormorants.
Then we arrive at another island where there are sea lions. At the same time the weather becomes threatening and the sea begins to get rough.
Previously, we landed on the island of "Bridges" for a mini hike ... It is very cold and gray.
Then we return to the port. All passengers stay warm inside the boat.
This trip to the sea did not delight us, we didn’t see much and the weather spoiled this mini cruise.
Arriving at the port, the sky is discovered and a beautiful sun shows up ... Bad luck!
On the way to the restaurant we have chosen, we happen to meet " Fanny, Pascal and the children " ... What a joy to see each other again ... We spend a little time together and then we leave each other promising to meet in Chile ... Wait and See.
After our delicious meal we walk around the city and return to the camper before the rain arrives
Ushuaia
After a cool night we return to the city to organize the next tours.
We find a place near the football stadium and head to the national park information desk.
No paper brochure, we need to scan the QR code to get the park map. Nevertheless, we get all the necessary information to visit the park (hikes, bivouacs allowed).
Then our steps lead us to the tourist office to retrieve the city map and information on various activities.
Several agencies offer excursions on the channel crossing the archipelago. All offer the same programs and it is very difficult to choose. An important factor interweaves with choice: the weather.
Before lunch we look for the "museo de historia Fueguina" in vain... In fact, it closed two years ago... Always the same scenario!!!
We are still looking for the " museo maritimo " ... That we do not visit, the entrance price for this mini museum is exorbitant... 36 euros!!! who says better!!
Disgusted by these misadventures we take refuge in a restaurant to taste the specialty of the city: crab.
Then in a very well-known pastry shop for a huge cake with coffee.... Not good for our diet!!!
We book our cruise for the next morning.
On the program: A walk in the bay to the lighthouse of the Scouts and the island of sea lions, an outing in the sea which should also allow us to observe many birds
We return to the camper with the decision to stay there for the night.
Ushuaia
On the way to the "end of the world".
On the way, we had planned to stop at the "Laguna Esmeralda". However the weather is gloomy and we see a blue and sunny sky in the distance.
Change of program : we drive directly to " Ushuaia " to enjoy the good weather, we will visit the lagoon on our way back.
The road is of very good quality, and the landscape is sumptuous. We go from a barren and monotonous plain to a very wooded mountainous region with snowy peaks.
We had not thought of such an arrival in this city with its steep relief ... A certain resemblance to the city of "San Francisco". We go around the bay where the view is breathtaking.
Just imagine a city bordering the canal of "Beagle" with its steep streets and a setting of snow-covered mountains under an azure blue sky.
We have finally reached the end of the world ... A milestone for our odyssey and the realization of a dream thought of a thousand times ... After 1,439 days and 101,690 km ... What a joy and emotions...
All parking points indicated on our preferred site are either full or inaccessible ... We prefer to reach the municipal campsite quite far from the center.
We take the avenue that runs along the bay with the port and its boats going to Antarctica and pass by the oldest houses of the city. The crossing is laborious ...
Our bivouac is in the countryside next to the golf of Ushuaia and the departure of the small train leading to the national park.
The evening is dedicated to preparing our program for the next few days.
Once again the rain is invited. We are parked on a grassy site that quickly becomes muddy. We decide to change places not to be bogged down the next day. The camper is on a roll, Jean-Pierre comes out to lead Christophe while pushing the front of the vehicle ... The manoeuvre succeeds while spraying Jean Pierre with mud!!!
Ushuaia
Who has never dreamed of crossing this lost land at the edge of our civilization and for every traveler a mythical place?
Beyond the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, the largest island in South America shared between Chile and Argentina, there is only Antarctica. A glacial immensity.
Steppes, lakes and forests make up the landscapes of this territory where the Andes Cordillera comes to the end. This mix of sea and mountain is one of the most beautiful images that remains engraved in our memories.
The first European expeditions discovered this small piece of land, inhabited by some indigenous tribes, during the 16th century.
In the 19th century, the coasts became a favourite land for sea wolf hunters, but they were also visited by explorers of the time, including Fitz Roy who discovered the Beagle canal, now named after the ship’s name.
At the end of the 19th century, a large number of European immigrants came to these areas and sheep farmers settled on these extensive lands.
Ushuaia: The world-famous city originated from a penal colony created in 1884 to populate the part of the archipelago belonging to Argentina and assert its sovereignty.
At the beginning of the century, the existing small community grew with a wave of immigrants from various backgrounds who contributed greatly to the development of the city. In 1947, a period of the history of Ushuaia ended with the government’s decision to close the prison.
The weather conditions are faithful to the tourism promotion of the «Bout du Monde»: wind, snow, rain and sun... sometimes in the same day. Today, the town’s activities are based on livestock farming, forestry, fishing and tourism.
ROAD BOOK 191
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