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With plenty of thousand-year-old forests, lakes, snowed mountains and steppes, the province offers multiple possibilities for practicing winter sports and tasting a gastronomy based on fish and seafood.
Argentina’s most southern province ‘s official name is ‘Tierra del Fuego, Antartica and Southern Atlantic Islands’. Its Patagonian sector borders with Chile at the west and south, and with the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east.
The youngest Argentine province, it is a large island separated from the American continent. It was inhabited by the yaganes, haush and onas natives
about 10.000 years ago.
The first European people arrived in this region in 1520, in the Spanish expedition lead by Fernando de Magallanes, who named after himself the strait that divides Tierra del Fuego from the continent communicating both oceans.
This southern province’s capital city is Ushuaia, which is the most southern city in the world. It is located on the shore of the Beagle Channel and has an airport nearby.
Ushuaia climate is cold, with an average annual temperature of 5.7ºC, fluctuating from 1.5 in July to 9.4ºC in January
Tierra del Fuego is an international tourist landmark. Visitors come to see the mountains, glaciers, forests, the large old ranches, and the ski resorts. The gastronomy includes plenty of fish and sea food. The spider crab, Patagonian toothfish and mussels are much demanded products. As for meat, the Tierra del Fuego lamb stands out.
Economy
Lumber, fishing, mining, hydrocarbon, and a growing tourism are some of the province’s natural resources. As for exportations, fuel and energy are the main ones, followed by industrial products.
The industry has been granted tax exemptions and a special tax regime that provides better investment conditions and promotes economic activity.
Fishing is another pillar of the economy. Sheep breading is also very important. Its wool, meat and leather are commercialized.
Southern Area. Ushuaia.
Ushuaia was founded as a city in 1884. It is located on the shores of the Beagle Canal and it is surrounded by the Martial and Olivia Mountains, part of the Andes Chain.
With tourist cruises sailing off from it to the white continent and the nearby islands, the city is the entry gate to Antarctica. The trips usually last from one week to ten days.
Built in the early 20th century, the old prison is one of this picturesque city’s tourist sites. Today, it is the home of the Sea Museum and the Prison Museum.
The Train to the End of the World and the Tierra del Fuego National Park
An old train that used to take inmates from the famous Ushuaia prison to the work fields is now working as a tourist attraction, going through hundred-year-old forests and valleys. A terminal located at the entrance of the Tierra del Fuego National Park is connected by the train to a station 7 kilometers away. It runs through Cañadón del Toro and crosses the Quemado Bridge over the Pipo river. Then, it goes into the sub-Antarctic forest, one of the few still standing in the world, and reaching the National Park Station. The wagons are heated in order to make the trip pleasant during the harsh winter.
Besides Ushuaia and the Tierra del Fuego National Park, the Southern Area features other tourist sites such as Escondido Lake and the Harberton and Moat ranches.
Central Area. Alternative Tourism. Lakes
This area features Condor-sighting tours, alternative tourism in 4x4 trucks, and rural tourism in farms. The nice town of Tolhuin offers the chance to spend the night in hotels, cabins or camping sites. There are tours leaving from there to visit the farms in central Tierra del Fuego, go fishing, or walking along through the woods. The Fagnano, Yehuin and Chepelmut lakes, as well as the San Pablo Cape shouldn’t be left unseen.
Northern Area. Ranches.
The area is a typical Patagonian mesa. The many large rural establishments and trout fishing are its characteristic features. Other tourist sites are the Rio Grande city and the Our Lady of the Candelaria Salesian Mission, where the Ona people were converted to Catholicism.
Winter Tourism
The craggy mountain chains are good for alpine skiing (in descent), cross-country or Nordic skiing (on flat terrain) and ski-mountaneering (on varied grounds)
Ice-skating, walking tours on snowshoes, snowboard, and snow climbing are some other activities that can be done.
Many sport and cultural events for tourists are organized in this area.
The Longest Night National Celebration is a music event that kicks off the winter season; the White Walk is a cross-country skiing journey along the different winter resorts that gathers entire families; the Ice Sculptures National Gathering is a snow art exhibition, and the Ushuaia Sled Dog Race is a dog sled competition.
For ski fans, there is the Castor Mountain, the most southern ski resort in Argentina, and therefore the world’s. It is located 27 kilometers away from Ushuaia city. The quality of the snow there is one of the features that is most appreciated by skiers. Not only there is a lot of it, but it is also very soft, made by a white powder that never turns into ice because of the site’s own geographical conditions: low altitude and closeness to the South Pole.
