Magellan Strait Historic Maps Cape Horn [Click on the maps below for high-resolution images] 1520: Pigafetta, Antonio, ca. 1480/91–ca. 1534. “Figure of the Pathagonian Strait. Of the region of Pathagonia. Ocean Sea. Of the Pacific Sea. And Other Capes.” From volume 2 of Magellan’s Voyage: A Narrative Account of the First Circumnavigation. Translated and edited by R. A. Skelton (New Haven, Conn., 1969). Shown with permission of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library [Rare Books Division]. The first map of the Magellan Strait (in facsimile, oriented south-north) from the first documented European transit. [October 21, 1520] After going and setting course to the fifty-second degree toward the said Antarctic Pole, on the festival of the eleven thousand virgins, we found by miracle a strait which we called the Cape of the Eleven Thousand Virgins [the cape at the eastern end of the Strait of Magellan, at 52°20′ S].

Which strait is in length one hundred and ten leagues, which are four hundred and forty miles, and in width somewhat less than half a league. And it falls into another sea called the Pacific Sea. And it is surrounded by very great and high mountains covered with snow. (1:51) 1600: Quad, Matthias, 1557–1613. “Chica sive Patagonica et Australis Terra, MDC.” Copperplate map, with added color, 2 maps on 1 sheet, 22 × 28 cm. With contemporary manuscript annotation in bottom border. From Quad’s Geographisch Handtbuch. . . . Cologne, 1600. Reference: Martinic, Cartografía magallánica, VIII, 29. [Historic Maps Collection] Two maps, two different projections.

(This is a copy of Corneille Wytfliet’s map of 1597, which appeared in his Descriptionis Ptolemaicae augmentum,but adds a key to the lower map.) The top map, in a flat projection, shows the Strait of Magellan dividing Patagonia from Terra Australis, or the unknown southern land. (See the Terra Australis box in the Pacific Ocean section.) Victoria, Ferdinand Magellan’s ship, is sailing toward it. The bottom map shows Terra Australis, on a polar projection, with four peninsulas: one facing Patagonia (the subject of the upper map), one opposite Africa’s southern point, one below Java, and one confronting New Guinea. These peninsulas, and the mountains and rivers portrayed on the continent, are mere conjecture. The seven-point key on the left offers possible sources. The Solomon Islands, first discovered in 1568 by the Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendaña de Neira (1542?–95) and then lost for two hundred years, figure prominently in this map’s ocean and are correctly located next to New Guinea.

(For more on the Solomon Islands, see Mendaña/Queirós in the Explorers section.) 1602: Bertius, Petrus, 1565–1629. “Fretum Magellanicum.” Copperplate map, with added color, 9 × 12 cm. From Bertius’s Tabularum geographicarum contractaru, Amsterdam, 1602. Reference: Martinic, Cartografía magallánica, VIII, 28. (See the map on the catalogue’s title page.) [Historic Maps Collection] Published before the Dutchmen Jacques Le Maire (1585–1616) and Willem Corneliszoon Schouten (d. 1625) rounded Cape Horn (1616), the map shows the Strait of Magellan separating Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, which still was considered to be part of a vast southern continent. The charm of the map lies in its depiction of Patagonian giants, the mythical race of large people first mentioned by Antonio Pigafetta in his chronicle of Ferdinand Magellan’s voyage.

(See the Patagonian Giants box in this section.) Bertius’s note next to the illustration states that the giants can reach ten feet in height and that they paint their bodies in various colors from diverse herbs. 1630: Gerritsz., Hessel, 1581?–1632. “Provincien van de Straet van Magallanes, ende vande Straet Le Maire.” Copperplate map, with added color, 27 × 35 cm. From Joannes de Laet’s Nieuwe wereldt . . . (Leiden, 1630). Acquired with funds provided by the Friends of the Princeton University Library. Reference: Martinic, Cartografía magallánica, VIII, 89. [Historic Maps Collection] Oriented with north to the right, the map explodes the long-held belief that Tierra del Fuego was attached to a southern continent.

Fifteen years after the circumnavigation of Le Maire and Schouten, Hessel Gerritszoon, the official mapmaker for the Dutch East India Company, is able to show the alternative route navigators can take to reach the Pacific from the Atlantic: around Cape Horn via the Strait of Le Maire. Note that Cape Horn here is still a cape, not an island. Although there is a tentative passage dotted in between San Sebastían Bay on the coast and the Magellan Strait—later proved fictitious—there is no suggestion yet of the Beagle Channel. That discovery would have to wait for two hundred years, until the HMS Beagle’s first voyage (1826–30) under English Captain Robert FitzRoy. (Naturalist Charles Darwin joined the ship on its second voyage, 1831–36.) 1635: Hondius, Jodocus, 1594/5–1629. “Freti Magellanici ac novi freti vulgo Le Maire exactissima delineatio.” Amsterdam, 1635. Copperplate map, with added color, 37 × 48 cm.

Reference: Martinic, Cartografía magallánica VIII, 97. [Historic Maps Collection] 1635: Blaeu, Willem Janszoon, 1571–1638. “Tabula Magellanica: Quâ Tierrae del Fuego, cum celeberrimis fretis a F. Magellano et I. Le Maire detectis novissima et accuratissima descriptio exhibetur.” Copperplate map, with added color, 39 × 51 cm. From Blaeu’s Toonneel des aerdriicx . . . (Amsterdam, 1635). Reference: Martinic, Cartografía magallánica VIII, 98. [Historic Maps Collection] Two of the most decorative maps of the Magellan Strait, from the golden age of Dutch cartography, the seventeenth century, from two of the most famous mapmaking families, Hondius and Blaeu. Though published in the same year, the maps differ substantially in the shape of Tierra del Fuego and the representation of Cape Horn, with Blaeu’s following outdated cartography.

They both share the same table, keyed to points in the strait, for example, a penguin island (a) and a new strait (R,S,T). However, Blaeu’s map continues the idea that Cape Horn is the promontory of a cape, whereas Hondius’s map correctly presents it as an island, following the 1624 confirmation by fellow countryman, Admiral Jacques L’Hermite (1582–1624). Moreover, Hondius shows how the northwestern peninsula of Tierra del Fuego breaks up into islands; here, also, the slanting of the territory begins to mirror the true shape of the land. Blaeu’s map is notable for its scale, which illustrates how, with Mercator’s projection, distances increase toward the poles. Several Fuegians, naked or scantily dressed, stand next to it, reflecting what explorers had reported with both shock and surprise—that the natives of the territory appear comfortable in frigid weather with nothing on. To his credit, Blaeu has deleted any reference to Patagonian giants, while Hondius’s map still bears a note claiming they exist. 1675: Wit, Frederik de.

“Tractus australior Americæ Meridionalis, a Rio de la Plata per Fretum Magellanicum ad Toraltum.” Copperplate map, with added color, 48 × 54 cm. From Wit’s Orbis maritimus ofte zee atlas. Amsterdam, 1675. Acquired with funds provided by the Friends of the Princeton University Library. Reference: Martinic, Cartografía magallánica VIII, 121. [Historic Maps Collection] One of the most elegant and detailed charts of southern South America produced in the seventeenth century. The map continues the now archaic, headland view of Cape Horn but offers a much fuller picture of the west coast of Chile, identifying many capes and ports. In the Atlantic, an unspecified Dutch naval battle takes place. The dramatic cartouche, however, is the tour de force of the map (see the map detail): a meeting between Dutch merchants and natives (Patagonians or Fuegians?) who are mining, refining, and molding what appears to be gold.

The onlooking animal with the spiral horns looks like a blackbuck antelope, native to India, or even an eland or oryx from Africa—but is out of place in South America. At the time of this map, the continent was a literal gold mine for Spain, and Dutch commercial interests were focused on the East Indies. Hence, this iconography seems incongruous: one would expect to see Spanish conquistadors and Peruvian Indians portraying their contemporary master/subject roles. Here, the scene suggests that a new deal or trade could be made. Perhaps the artist/cartographer is dramatizing the possible rather than the status quo in a work of Dutch propaganda. 1753: Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703–1772. “Carte réduite du Détroit de Magellan: Dressée sur les journaux des navigateurs.” Copperplate map, with added color, 17 × 33 cm. Probably issued in l’abbé Prévost’s Histoire générale des voyages . . . (Paris, 1746–1770). Reference: Martinic, Cartografía magallánica VIII, 301.

[Historic Maps Collection] A number of islands in the strait, as well as the capes they confront on the mainland of Patagonia, find identities here. (Outside the central thoroughfare, however, not much is known—“Toute cette Partie est trés peu connue”—more than two hundred years after Magellan’s first transit.) As the center text explains, the map is based on information obtained firsthand by a monsieur “Labat,” who traveled with an expedition (1698–1701) commanded by the French naval captain Jacques Gouin de Beauchêne (1652–1730). The trip was funded by a Crown-backed, nobility-financed French company seeking to establish colonies and trade in countries of South America that were not already occupied by Europeans. Arriving in the Strait of Magellan on June 24, 1699, in the middle of a rather mild winter season, the men tentatively explored islands and shores, interacting with the natives who welcomed them. Finding the climate as temperate as France, Beauchêne felt that a settlement might be possible there.

The ships’ principal home during this time was Port Phelippeaux (named after the captain’s ship) on l’Isle de Louis le Grand(named for the French King Louis XIV, but known today as Isla Carlos III), shown as a on the map. Strong westerly winds prevented them from leaving the strait till January 21, 1700, after a seven-month sojourn. They traveled up the Spanish-controlled coast of Chile and Peru and visited the Galápagos Islands, but found little else to recommend to their sponsors. While returning to France, via Cape Horn, in 1701, they stumbled upon the most remote island in the Falklands archipelago, which they called Beauchene, its name today. 1787?: Bonne, Rigobert, 1727–1794. “Détroit de Magellan: Avec les plans des principaux ports, bayes, &c. de ce détroit.” Copperplate map, with added color, 23 × 34 cm. Probably from R. Bonne and N. Desmarest’s Atlas encyclopédique . . .

(Paris, 1787–1788). Reference: Martinic, Cartografía magallánica VIII, 346. [Historic Maps Collection] Benefiting from the voyages of Englishmen John Byron (1723–1786), Samuel Wallis (1728–1795), and Philip Carteret (d. 1796), this French chart offers an updated view of the passage through the strait—from C. des Vierges on the Atlantic side to C. Victoire on the Pacific. (For more on Wallis and Carteret, see the Explorers section.) Sixteen insets within the upper and lower margins of the map provide detailed plans of ports, harbors, and bays along the route, including soundings, points of reference, and anchorages. 1787: Schrämbl, Franz Anton, 1751–1803. “Karte der Magellanischen Strasse.” Copperplate, with added color, 50 × 67 cm. Probably issued in Schrämbl’s Allgemeiner grosse Atlas (Vienna, 1786–1800).

Reference: Martinic, Cartografía magallánica, VIII, 412. [Historic Maps Collection] An Austrian version of a map first printed in Madrid in 1769 by Don Juan de la Cruz Cano y Olmedilla (1734–1790) of the Royal Academy of St. Fernando, then enlarged and improved by Thomas Jefferys (d. 1771), geographer to King George III, and included by map and printsellers Robert Sayer and John Bennett as the last map in their influential American Atlas (London, 1776). The Madrid-London-Vienna route of the map reflects the interactive, snowballing nature of the European map trade of the period, where to borrow, embellish, and repackage was the norm. This map adds some topography (forests and mountains) and a number of illuminating notes about native populations and the landscape.

Examples (here, taken from the English edition): “Indian Hutts—These Indians are of a good size; they cross the Straits in Canoes made with the Bark of Trees.” “A Warlike Nation.” “A Deep Valley with Woods & fine Meadows.” “Indian Hutts—the Indians of this Cast Light fires when they see a ship.” “A Volcano Cover’d with Snow.” “A Great Mountain which is a Sea Mark.” “Channels and Openings according to the Modern Geographers.” These latter will prove to be only bays and inlets as maps of the region slowly and gradually improve over the years. Because of its geographical complexity, remoteness, and extreme weather conditions, Tierra del Fuego would not be adequately mapped until the mid-1800s. Can a Strait Be Crooked? | Wonderopolis Wonder of the Day #421 Can a Strait Be Crooked? Can a strait be crooked? Where is the Strait of Magellan? What was the Strait of Magellan originally named? Tags: Listen In 1519, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Spain with five ships — the Trinidad, the San Antonio, the Concepcion, the Victoria and the Santiago.

Magellan's goal was to sail west to find a new and faster route to the spice markets of the Indies. His specific destination was the Moluccas, also known as the Spice Islands. He wasn't in for smooth sailing, though. He didn't have a GPS unit or accurate maps to help him. He was an explorer in the truest sense of the word! Three years later, only one ship — the Victoria — returned to Spain. It carried only 18 of the original 270 crew members who started the voyage. The Victoria became the first ship to sail all the way around the world. Unfortunately, it achieved this feat without its leader. Magellan was killed on April 27, 1521, in the Philippines during a battle with tribal natives. Although he didn't finish the voyage, Magellan did see some incredible sights and make some important discoveries along the way. For example, after a stop off the coast of Brazil, Magellan's expedition searched for a route that would allow them to sail around the southern tip of South America. On November 1, 1520 (All Saints' Day), they saw a strait and started their journey through it.

A strait is a narrow channel of water that a ship can use to navigate between two larger bodies of water. Straits are often important shipping channels. However, they don't have to be straight . If you look at a map of the Strait of Magellan, you'll notice that it's quite crooked ! Since he entered the strait on All Saints' Day, Magellan named it Estrecho de Todos los Santos (" Strait of All Saints"). The name was later changed to Estrecho de Magallanes (" Strait of Magellan") in his honor. Magellan discovered that the strait he found connected the Atlantic Ocean to another ocean, which he named the Pacific Ocean because he thought it was calm and peaceful. The Pacific Ocean probably did seem peaceful, at least compared to the strait he had just passed through. The 350-mile Strait of Magellan separates Chile from Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America. Because of unpredictable winds and currents, as well as the narrowness of the channel, the Strait of Magellan can be very difficult to navigate safely. It took Magellan's expedition 38 days to pass through the strait .

When they emerged into the Pacific Ocean, Magellan thought the Spice Islands were only two to three days away. Like many explorers at that time, Magellan thought the Earth was much smaller than it really is. It actually took the expedition about four months to sail across the Pacific Ocean to the Spice Islands. Wonder Words (7) Beagle Channel | Journeys International Journeys International Beagle Channel Beagle Channel The Beagle Channel is a strait separating islands of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, located in extreme southern South America. It separates Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego from several smaller islands to the south. Its eastern portion is part of the border between Chile and Argentina, but the western part is completely within Chile. Beagle Channel is about 150 miles long and is about three miles wide at its narrowest point. To the west the Darwin Sound connects it to the Pacific Ocean. Although it is navigable by large ships, there are safer waters to the south (Drake Passage) and to the north (Strait of Magellan).

Several small islands (Picton, Lennox, and Nueva) near the eastern end were the subject of a long-running territorial dispute between Chile and Argentina; by the terms of a 1984 treaty they are now part of Chile while Argentina has most maritime rights. The biggest settlement on the channel is Ushuaia in Argentina. The Beagle Channel is named after the ship HMS Beagle which was involved in two hydrographic surveys of the coasts of the southern part of South America in the early 19th century. During the first, under the overall command of the Australian Commander Philip Parker King, the Beagle's captain Pringle Stokes committed suicide and was replaced by captain Robert Fitzroy. The second is better known as the "Voyage of the Beagle" and is famous because Captain Fitzroy took Charles Darwin, giving him opportunities as an amateur naturalist. Little-known Facts About the Hazardous Strait of Magellan Follow Us Little-known Facts About the Hazardous Strait of Magellan If you are familiar with Ferdinand Magellan's attempted circumnavigation of the Earth, you must have heard about a strait that he crossed during this voyage.

Here, we will put forth some interesting facts about the Strait of Magellan, which are often overshadowed by the facts about the person who discovered it. Advertisement The Legacy of Ferdinand Magellan Besides the strait, Ferdinand Magellan also has a rail car (Ferdinand Magellan Railcar), lunar craters (Magelhaens and Magelhaens A), and even a penguin species (Magellanic penguin) named after him. On October 21, 1520, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his fleet of ships reached Cape Virgenes, the southeastern tip of continental Argentina. Based on the geography of the region, Magellan came to the conclusion that he had found the passage into the Pacific that he was looking for. As they traveled through it on November 1, which is All Saints' Day, Magellan called this passage Estrecho de Todos los Santos (All Saints' Channel). His assistant Antonio Pigafetta, on the other hand, called it the Pantagonian Strait. Then there were other crew members who called it the Victoria Strait, after the first ship to enter the passage, Victoria.

Eventually, it was named Estrecho de Magallanes, or the Strait of Magellan, in the honor of Ferdinand Magellan. Strait of Magellan Facts The Strait of Magellan, also known as Straits of Magellan, or the Magellan Strait, is a navigable waterway in South America which separates the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego from the continental mainland, and connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It lies in Chilean territorial waters for the most part. The government of Chile took possession of the strait on May 23, 1843, fearing its occupation by Great Britain or France. A map of the Strait of Magellan in South America. ✦ The Strait of Magellan is 350 miles (310 nautical miles) long. It took Magellan's fleet 38 days to cross the strait. At its narrowest point, it has a width of 1.2 miles (1.1 miles nautical miles).

✦ While Magellan became the first European to navigate the Strait of Magellan in 1520, its coasts were only explored in detail by the British survey vessel HMS Adventure―then under the command of Phillip Parker King―with HMS Beagle accompanying it, in 1820s. The report of this survey was presented to the Royal Geographical Society in 1831. ✦ In 1840, the Pacific Steam Navigation Company―a commercial shipping company that operated in the Pacific coast―began the first use of steamships for commercial traffic through the strait. Incidentally, the said company also had the distinction of being the first to use steam ships for commercial traffic in the Pacific. The city of Punta Arenas overlooking the Strait of Magellan. ✦ The Strait of Magellan is curvy and relatively narrow, with several islands along the way, and has rather unpredictable weather. Sudden changes of wind and sea conditions are not rare in this part of the world. Showers can be expected even on an otherwise fair day in summer. The strait is also famous for a geographic phenomenon known as 'williwaw', which refers to a sudden blast of wind descending from the mountainous coast.

✦ Despite its geography and climate, the Strait of Magellan was the main sea route for steam ships plying between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans until the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. It was considered safer than the Drake Passage, separating the Cape Horn―the southern tip of South America―from Antarctica, which was the preferred route for sailing ships. The lighthouse of Magdalena Island is one of the many lighthouses along the strait. ✦ This strait has become one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the region, with several cruise companies sprouting around here. Among the places of tourist interest are the beautiful lighthouses found along the strait, including the famous Evangelistas Lighthouse on the Evangelistas Islets at the Pacific side of the strait, and the lighthouse on the Magdalena Island. ✦ In 1976, American long-distance open-water swimmer Lynne Cox became the first person to swim the Strait of Magellan. On January 17, 2014, 17-year-old Hunter Wright from California became the youngest person to swim across this strait.

✦ In June 2004, the 1,092-ft long USS Ronald Reagan became the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to travel through the strait. Whether Ferdinand Magellan was the first person to circumnavigate the world or not is an issue of contention, but there is no doubt about the fact that it was Magellan who discovered the Strait of Magellan during his pursuit of the Spice Islands. Abhijit Naik Best of Patagonia Private Tour Package | Latin Adventure Tours Best of Patagonia Private Tour Package Price: Customized Vacation Package: Call for Pricing 19 Days / 18 Nights Customized Tour Package (This is a Private Tour Package so Departure Dates Are Flexible) Join us on what is truly a trip of a lifetime to the end of the world! This one-of-a-kind and extraordinary trip starts with your arrival in Buenos Aires, one of the most fascinating and seductive cities of the world. You will travel to one of the greatest natural wonders of the world and visit Iguazu Falls and the National Parks in both Argentina and Brasil. Visit the world-famous lakes region in Bariloche, paradise for outdoor and nature enthusiasts.

Trek on one the incredibly beautiful and wondrous Perito Moreno Glacier before visiting arguably the world’s most beautiful and remote national park – Torres del Paine. Conclude your dream trip to Patagonia by traveling to Usuaia and the End of the World with a visit to Tierra del Fuego National via the historic train and a boat trip through the Beagle Channel. Day 1 Welcome to Buenos Aires! Upon arrival to Buenos Aires you will have a private transfer to your centrally located hotel. The rest of the day and evening is free to rest, relax, and have dinner at a venue of your choice. Night in Buenos Aires at Mine Boutique Hotel Day 2 Private City Tour of Buenos Aires with Lunch at a Traditional Bodegon Following breakfast you will be met by your guide for a private city tour of Buenos Aires. As one of the most cosmopolitan metropolises in South America, Buenos Aires has an amazing history and strong culture. The tour will include a visit to the Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada presidential palace with the famous balcony from which Juan and Evita Peron greeted the masses. During the evening you will experience quintessential Buenos Aires at its best with a wonderful dinner and authentic Tango show.

Night in Buenos Aires at Mine Boutique Hotel Day 3 Welcome to Iguazu Falls! In the morning you will be met by your driver for the Private Transfer from the hotel to the domestic airport for your one hour and forty-five minute flight to Iguazu Falls located in Iguazu National Park. Locted in Misiones Province in the northeastern tip of Argentina and bordering the Brazilian state of Parana to the north, Iguazu National Park jointly with its sister park Iguacu in Brazil, is among the world’s most visually stunning natural sites due to the numerous massive waterfalls. The National Parks became a World Heritage Site as of 1984. The width of the Falls is a staggering 3 kilometers long and the river drops a total of 80 meters during over a series of stepped falls. The river is aptly name afer the indigenous term for “great water” and forms a large bend in the shape of a horseshoe in the heart of the two parks. This constitutes the border between Brazil and Argentina before it flows into the mightly Parana River less than 25 kilometers downriver from the park.

Large clouds of spray permanently soak the many river islands and the surrounding rainforests, thus creating an extremely humid micro-climate favoring lush and dense sub-tropical vegetation that is responsible for the diverse fauna in the area. Night in National Park at Sheraton Hotel Iguazu Falls – Deluxe Falls View Room Day 4 Private Day Tour of Argentina’s Iguazu National Park The Iguazú Waterfalls consists of 275 separate cascades that can be seen and experienced through several different vantage points. The footbridges and the navigation tours take the visitors as closer to the waterfalls as you would dare to go, providing an unforgettable experience. From each of the view points, visitors can enjoy amazing views in the middle of subtropical vegetation full of shrubs, birds and wild animals. The tour starts at the Visitors Center and includes all access points of the Argentine Falls such as the Superior Circuit that offers a panoramic view of the waterfalls. The Lower Circuit gets closer to the Jungle and the Waterfalls themselves. The mighty “Garganta del Diablo” offers the most impressive experience after you walk about 1.000 mts. out on the footbridge jutting toward the edge of the Falls.

Also included on the tour is the Ecological Train of the Jungle and a visit to the Nature Interpretation Center inside the visitors Center Night in National Park at Sheraton Hotel Iguazu Falls – Deluxe Falls View Room Day 5 Private Day Tour of Brazil’s Iguassu National Park Leaving Puerto Iguazu behind, you will cross the border into Brazil and visit Devil’s Throat, which is the largest waterfall in the region and one best seen from the Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls. Here you will witness 14 waterfalls drop 350 feet with such force that a 100 foot tall cloud of mist remains permanently suspended in the air overhead. This area is famous for its rainbows and naturally there are great photo opportunities everywhere you look! For a close up of the Falls, walk through the subtropical forest of Iguacu National Park to the edge of Salto Floriano. From there you can take the elevator to the top of the Falls, or even walk out over the Falls at Salto Union. Night in National Park at Sheraton Hotel Iguazu Falls – Deluxe Falls View Room Day 6 Welcome to San Carlos de Bariloche!

Following breakfast you will be taken by private transfer from the hotel to Iguazú Airport for the flight back to Buenos Aires and then a connecting flight to San Carlos de Bariloche. During the flight from Buenos Aires to Bariloche you can peer out the window at the frosted peaks that surround this lakeside city nestled in the foothills of the Andes. Set along the banks of Lake Nahuel Huapi which is about 40 miles long, Bariloche is the gateway to Patagonia’s Lake District. You will note a distinctly alpine flavour indicative of its strong Central European influence which is most apparent in the wood and stone architecture of the city center. It is also famous for being an international skiiking destination which adds to Barilcohe being known as “Little Switzerland”. After arriving you will have a private transfer to your hotel and dinner will be on your own. Night in Bariloche at Hotel Cacique Inayacal Day 7 Full Day Discover Bariloche Tour – Hiking, Kayaking & Sightseeing Today you will have a full day discovering Bariloche with the best multi-sport adventure tour in the Lake District.

Paddle the pristine waters of Nahuel Huapi & Moreno Lake, enjoy a Gourmet Outdoor lunch and Wine Tasting by the lake in a calm bay, and explore on foot and reach “Miradores del Brazo Tristeza”, with stunning views of Mount Tronador, the lake & the Andean landscapes. Night in Bariloche at Hotel Cacique Inayacal Day 8 Victoria Island Tour Today’s tour starts from Puerto San Carlos and / or scarf in Llao Llao. After a voyage of 11 km. (approximately 30 minutes by boat), we arrive at Puerto Anchorena on Victoria Island. It is feasible to hike and walk around the island, visiting the former conifer nursery. You can take a chairlift to the summit of Cerro Bella Vista at an altitude of 900 meters high that affords spectacular views. The next stop will be Puerto Quetrihue, on the peninsula of the same name, where you can visit the world famous Myrtle Forest. This is a unique arboreal formation with ancient trees. The bark of the tree is cold, totally smooth and tan. It has white flowers similar to orange blossoms and violet fruits.

The Myrtle Forest is protected and has been declared a Natural Monument. Night in Bariloche at Hotel Cacique Inayacal Day 9 Dia de Estancia at Peuma Hue (Day at Peuma Hue Ranch) Today you will visit the Estancia Peuma Hue which offers a wide range of exciting outdoor activities and services. You can go horseback riding and hiking right on the property passing along wonderful mountain trails (that also link to the National Park trail network). They are ideal grounds for birdwatching and nature enthusiasts as well. Lake options include swimming on warm days, even with the horses, to paddling sea kayaks. The horseback riding expedition starts with the guide matching a suitable horse for your personality and skill level. Then you head out over the trails chosen by the guide to maximize enjoyment of the beautiful surroundings of the national park. After a gourmet lunch, you will enjoy being in paradise with the large selection of hiking and trekking trails criss-crossing pristine forest, ancient rocks, gorges, hilltops and stunning waterfalls with gorgeous views over the Gutierrez and Mascardi Lakes. You may choose a more rigorous trail leading to different waterfalls or a more peaceful walk through the valley under ancient trees and forests.

Night in Bariloche at Hotel Cacique Inayacal Day 10 Welcome to El Calafate! After breakfast you will head to the Bariloche airport for your flight to El Calafate. Located about 900 miles south of San Carlos de Bariloche, El Calafate is the gateway to the Perito Moreno Glacier and world-famous Glaciers National Park. It was once a rough frontier town close to the border of Argentina and Chile that was known for the Estancias, or ranches. Now its claim to fame is its prime location as the jumping off point to some of the most spectacular natural wonders in the world. You will have the remainder of the day/evening at leisure to explore on your own and prepare for the extraordinary adventure to Perito Moreno Glacier tomorrow. Night in El Calafate at Hotel Kau Yatun Day 11 Full Day Tour to Perito Moreno Glacier Today’s journey begins with a drive of about 80 kilometers for our full day excursion to Los Glaciares National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Los Glaciares is the second-largest national park in Argentina and comprises more than 1.700 square miles and nearly 50 large glaciers. These glaciers are fed by a giant ice cap (the largest continental ice extension after Antarctica) that begins in the Andes and occupies well over a third of the park’s total area. During our explorations, we’ll discover the wondrous Perito Moreno Glacier, a pristine marvel towering nearly 200 feet above Lake Argentino. It is named after Francisco Moreno, a 19th-century Argentinean explorer who helped resolve his country’s border dispute with neighboring Chile. The constant, cyclical movement of Perito Moreno’s ice mass often forces the glacier to “calve”—an iceberg “birthing” process in which smaller chunks of ice fracture and break off from the glacier to thunderous accompaniment. This spectacle can occur at any time, so we’ll hope to be lucky enough to witness an iceberg calving. Night in El Calafate at Hotel Kau Yatun Day 12 Upsala Glacier and Estancia Cristina This magnificent tour combines the navigation to the Upsala glacier area with a picnic day in Estancia Cristina, located on the right bank of the glacier.

The tour departs, after picking you up at your hotel in El Calafate at 7:00 a.m. from port De la Cruz, which is located in Punta Bandera. You sail in the north arm of Lake Argentino to the Upsala channel and reach the western front of the Upsala glacier where you can appreciate it from the boat. Enjoy browsing icebergs and stunning landscapes. Then, you will head by boat towards the Cristina channel and then to the estancia. When you get to the estancia, you will have a guided tour to the Costumbrista Museum (former shearing shed) and experience a 4×4 adventure journey, admiring panoramic views from the Upsala Balcony in a 9.5 km travel with a gradient of 550 meters above sea level. Then, you will get to the shelter of Hielos Continentales and undertake a 30 minute walk on ground of glacial erosion. There, you will have a privileged view of the Eastern Front of the Upsala Glacier, Lake William, Southern Ice and Cordillera de los Andes.

Finally, you will go back to the estancia and to the boat towards port De La Cross at 19:00 Pm and then on to El Calafate. Night in El Calafate at Hotel Kau Yatun Day 13 Welcome to Torres del Paine National Park! Today we will journey over land for approximately 3 hours to Torres del Paine National Park which is located in the heart of Patagonia at 150 kilometers north of Puerto Natales and 300 kilometers south of El Calafate. Considered by many to be South America’s finest national park, as well as one of the most remote and strikingly beautiful places in the world, the National Park covers an area of 242,000 hectares, crossed by 150 km of gravel roads and hundreds of miles of superb trekking trails opening up to dazzling panoramic views of countless natural attractions. At 57.03 degrees south latitude it is formed around the impressive Paine mountain range which is completely independent of the Andes Mountains. Due to its proximity to the sea the park has a temperate climate with many sunny days.

We will spend two nights here to ensure we cover some of the most important attractions in the park such as Los Cuernos, Mount Paine Grande, Salto Grande (Big Waterfall), Lake and Grey Glacier as well as opportunities to see wildlife that is protected by the park’s status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve site. Night in National Park at Hotel Las Torres Day 14 Private Day Tour of Lago Grey and Visit to Glacier Grey You’ll start out our day this morning with an expedition to Lago Grey which is one of the park’s largest and most famous lakes. An excursion on a small boat affords closer views of the gigantic icebergs – calved from Glacier Grey – that are found floating all over the lake’s surface. If the weather cooperates you’ll be able to navigate around the icebergs and make your way straight to Glacier Grey itself. There you will be mesmerized by such incredible views of its jagged blue-white walls jutting up into the sky. We’ll culminate this incredible experience with a trek along the shores of Lago Grey where hug blue icebergs can be seen resting against the sandy beaches. Later you’ll return to the hotel for a well-deserved dinner.

Night in National Park at Hotel Las Torres Day 15 Transfer to El Calafate and Country Dinner Show Today you will bid the Torres del Paine National Park farewell when you depart after breakfast for the overland transfer back to El Calafate. The remainder of the day is at leisure followed by an authentic Country Dinner and Show in the evening. Meet your driver in the hotel lobby at 5:30 p.m. for your Country Dinner Show consisting of: • 6:00 PM: Reception and welcome, Mate and fried cakes . • Demonstration wattle cross lamb. • Herding sheep dog and shearing demonstration • Visit to Old shearing shed, sheep’s pens and bathrooms of the Estancia. Sample photo. • Saddled Horse / Cow Milk • Walk along Calafate stream (Arroyo Calafate) • Wine tasting in Mirador del Arroyo (stream’s overlook). • Dinner at the restaurant. Entry: Creole Empanadas and pickled eggplant. Main: Lamb Grill BBQ and salads from the garden. Dessert: homemade Flan with caramel or baked apple . • Folk Show with local artists, tour the country dances . • 10:30 PM. End of the tour .

No drinks included -Regular transfers to / from local hotels – Pick up : 5.30 PM / Drop off : 11.00 PM Night in El Calafate at Hotel Kau Yatun Day 16 Welcome to Usuaia and the End of the World! Today is a travel day as we depart from the hotel by private transfer to El Calafate Airport for our flight way down south to the end of the world – Ushuaia. Upon arrival in Ushuaia you will be transferred in a private vehicle to your hotel. After checking in you’ll celebrate your arrival at the end of the world with a welcome dinner comprised of typical southern Patagonian cuisine. Night in Ushuaia at Hostal del Bosque Day 17 Private Tierra del Fuego National Park Tour with End of the World Train Tierra del Fuego National Park is known for its remote natural beauty, located only 11 kilometers from Ushuaia and the end of the world. Its topography is extremely varied consisting of craggy mountains, pure rivers, valleys, lakes, and picturesque streams. Seeing the majestic Beagle Canal for the first time is a sight not to be forgotten.

A little-known fact is that Tierra del Fuego is actually as island and the famous Strait of Magellan separates Tierra del Fuego from the rest of South America. During the summer beautifully colored flowers can be admired and you may have the chance to spot common local mammals such as foxes, rabbits, muskrat, and beaver. We will begin with an epic journey back to a time when convicts rode the End of the World Train each day to chop wood used for cooking and heat to keep from freezing to death. The engines and cars may not be the same today – it’s a vapor locomotive replica of the original – but the route remains unchanged thus offering a very unique experience. After riding the End of the World Train you will continue through the valley of the Pipo River and enter Ensenada Bay with the picturesque islands, Redonda and Estorbo in full sight. On the Chilean coast of the Beagle Channel you can admire the Nevado Mountains. Later you will arrive at Roca Lake for a nice hike along the edge of the lake to Lapataia River. There is an amazing scenic overlook of Condor Hill which marks the border between Argentina and Chile.

Night in Ushuaia at Hostal del Bosque Day 18 Half Day Boat Tour through The Beagle Channel and around Seal Island You begin sailing out of Puerto Tourist our city, towards the Beagle Channel, enjoying the scenery as we move away from the panoramic view of the coast of Ushuaia, overlooking the most important buildings, Museum (old prison), Museum of the End World, the industrial area, and mounts Olivia and Cinco Hermanos. As we sail to the southwest we will approach the island of Los Lobos, where, from the boat, you may view sea lions in their natural habitat. During the afternoon, we drive to the Island of Birds where we have the opportunity to spot different species of marine birds. Continuing to the Eclaireurs Lighthouse located in the archipelago of the same name, the highlight is the Monte Cervantes which is a ship that sank in 1930. On the return we will experience a stunning overlook of the city and Mount Martial Glacier. Night in Ushuaia at Hostal del Bosque Day 18

Question: Which strait, named after a famous Portuguese-Spanish explorer, separates Chile and Tierra del Fuego?
Answer: Strait of Magellan