En route to Tierra del Fuego

The Ruta del Fin del Mundo leads us south from Puerto Natales through mostly flat, uninhabited landscapes, accompanied by strong winds. Approximately 50 km before reaching Punta Arenas, we eastward. To reach Tierra del Fuego, there is no way around the Strait of Magellan. We cross this famous and turbulent strait for the first time. Fortunately, the sea is fairly calm that morning and, after an hour’s sailing, we reach land. The archipelago “Tierra del Fuego” – Land of Fire – was named by navigator Ferdinand Magellan during his 1520 circumnavigation of the globe, due to the numerous fires visible on the distant land at night from the boat.

Tierra del Fuego & the king penguins

After about an hour and a half’s drive, we arrive at Bahía Inútil, home to the Reserva Natural Pingüino Rey. This unique reserve is home to a colony of around 90 king penguins, the only one of its kind in all of South America. In 2010, a few king penguins unexpectedly settled here. Shortly afterwards, the area was transformed into a nature reserve. Amidst a radiant sun and an icy Patagonian wind, we observe these beautiful animals from a respectful distance without disturbing them.

Following this wonderful experience, our journey continues along a bumpy natural road along a wild, deserted coast as we make our way to Porvenir. From here, we embark on the ferry to cross the Strait of Magellan once again. Discovered in 1520 and named after the famous explorer, the historic Strait links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Despite fine weather and a relatively moderate winds, the afternoon crossing proved to be much more eventful than our morning journey. The ferry sways from left to right and up and down throughout the trip. We are relieved to arrive in Punta Arenas and grateful to find solid ground beneath our feet after two hours of hectic travel.

Punta Arenas

The next morning, we set off to explore Punta Arenas. With around 130,000 inhabitants, it is the largest Chilean city in Southern Patagonia.

The city center appears is very quiet and somewhat deserted. We particularly enjoy strolling along the pleasant harbor promenade. It definitely feels like we are following in the footsteps of the famous navigator Ferndinand Magellan, whose legacy is omnipresent here. The city center boasts a large statue in his honor, and everything seems to bear his name: hotels, streets, restaurants, beers and much more.

Museo Nao Victoria

Finally, we visit the “Nao Victoria” open-air museum, where it is possible to admire, among other things, a replica of the ship with which Magellan achieved his round-the-world voyage.

It is hard to imagine and truly remarkable that such a feat was accomplished with such a small, fragile sailing vessel. The museum provides a highly instructive experience as we discover and learn more about the history and context of navigation during that time. Of a crew of over 240, only 35 survived the expedition. Unfortunately, Magellan himself was not one of the survivors, dying in 1521 fighting warriors in the Philippines.