Tierra del Fuego (Chile)

Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the south of South America, separated from the mainland by the Strait of Magellan. The 73,000 km² archipelago was divided between Argentina and Chile in 1881. The western part, belonging to Chile, includes Cape Horn at the southernmost part of the archipelago.

Islands of Tierra del Fuego (Chile)

• Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego — the main island, with an area of around 48,000 km², is commonly referred to as Tierra del Fuego or as Isla Grande. Shaped like a triangle (with its base at the Beagle Channel) and the island's main cities are Ushuaia and Rio Grande (Argentina)|Rio Grande, both on the eastern, Argentine side

}} }}

Cities

Chilean Tierra del Fuego has two towns — Porvenir, capital of the province, and Cerro Sombrero — and a number of small villages.

Tierra del Fuego (Chile) Halal Travel Guide

History of Tierra del Fuego (Chile)

Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire) got its name from Ferdinand Magellan who, on passing the archipelago in 1520, spotted a number of fires burning along the coastline. These fires may have been made by the archipelago's Indigenous People inhabitants: the Ona, Alakaluf and Yahgan (commonly called Yámana). Four Indigenous Peoples were taken from Tierra del Fuego in 1830 by Robert Fitzroy, and were sailed to Britain to meet the King. The three survivors later returned to Tierra del Fuego on the Beagle, with Charles Darwin, who believed the native Fuegans to be "the missing link". The arrival of missionaries, introduction of sheep farming and the discovery of Gold in the 1880s led to European, Argentine, and Chilean immigrants, which gradually killed off the native Fuegans.

An excellent book on the history of the Yámana and their demise is The Uttermost Part of the Earth by E. Lucas Bridges and the son of one of the early missionaries. His father, Thomas Bridges, documented what he could of the Yámana language and found that it had a larger vocabulary than the English language.

Today and the economy is based on petroleum, tourism, textiles, electronics and, to a decreasing degree, sheep-farming.

How is the Climate in Tierra del Fuego (Chile)

The western parts of the archipelago form the southernmost tip of the Andes range. The eastern parts are an extension of the Patagonian plateau. Based in the south of Patagonia and the climate is cold but warmer than many assume; in winter and the average temperature is -2°C (28°F). In summer, it can climb to 30°C (86°F), although in reality it rarely rises far beyond 10°C (50°F). There are frequent high winds and much rainfall, especially in the coastal areas.

Travel as a Muslim to Tierra del Fuego (Chile)

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Tierra del Fuego (Chile)

There are regular Aerolineas Argentinas Flights from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia and Rio Grande (Argentina)|Rio Grande. Air services also link major settlements to Punta Arenas in Chile.

Travel on a Bus in Tierra del Fuego (Chile)

Buses from all over Argentina enter Tierra del Fuego via Rio Gallegos. Note that buses running from Rio Gallegos to Ushuaia all pass through Chile, and thus trips include two border crossings.

By car

Argentine National Route 3 connects Buenos Aires to the Chilean border near Tierra del Fuego. There is no road from main cities of Chile to Tierra del Fuego, so the Argentine road must be used. To reach Tierra del Fuego by vehicle the ferry service must be used.

By ferry

Ferry service on the Melinka regularly links Porvenir and Punta Arenas, and naval vessels supply Ushuaia and Isla Navarino, Chile.

There is also a ferry at the narrowest part of the Strait of Magellan that connects Tierra del Fuego to mainland Chile at Primera Angostura (between Punta Delgada and Cerro Sombrero), with many departures from 8:30AM (mainland) to 11:00PM (island) every day. The crossing takes roughly 20 minutes.

How to get around in Tierra del Fuego (Chile)

Roads are poor in Tierra del Fuego, and apart from the tourist tour train and there are no railways. There is little public transport. However, tours and transport can be booked through the Tourist Office (on San Martin, Ushuaia) or through many of the hostels.

Halal Restaurants in Tierra del Fuego (Chile)

A regional specialty is king crab, called centolla in (Spanish), and seafood is usually excellent. Otherwise, local cuisine follows the general Chilean and Argentine traditions. Fruit and vegetables have to be transported from thousands of miles away and, as such, are rarely tasty and rather expensive.

Stay Safe

Crime rates in Tierra del Fuego are very low. If hiking or trekking, it is important to take warm, waterproof gear.

Explore more Halal friendly Destinations from Tierra del Fuego (Chile)

Flights can be booked from the Aerolineas office in Ushuaia. Buses to Buenos Aires and other destinations (apart from Puerto Natales) all stop at Rio Gallegos. It can be cheaper to just buy a ticket to Rio Gallegos and purchase an onward ticket from there.

Copyright 2015 - 2024. All Rights reserved by eHalal Group Co., Ltd.
To Advertise or sponsor this Travel Guide, please visit our Media Kit and Advertising Rates.

Commons:Category:Tierra del Fuego