Tierra del Fuego Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
archipelago off the south of South America
About Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego (translation: "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 aboriginal inhabitants: the Ona, Alakaluf and Yahgan (commonly called Yámana). Four aboriginals 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
Top Attractions in Tierra del Fuego
Explore the best things to see and do in Tierra del Fuego:
- ★Fernando Cordero Rusque Provincial Museum
Tierra del Fuego Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 sections including: