The last leg of the National Route 3 crosses the island of Tierra del Fuego from north to south. Driving through a scenery of steppes, forests, lakes and mountains, the journey ends at Lapataia Bay.
To get to Tierra del Fuego by car you need to take a ferry to cross the Magellan Strait. Departing from the city of Rio Gallegos, there is a 68 kilometres drive on the National Route 3 to get to the border crossing “Integración Austral” in Monte Aymond Chile.
For more info about the border crossing click here
Once you cross the border, Río Grande is the nearest town where you can make a stop. Located by the sea, it has a nice coastal view and a variety of seabirds. Here the steppe and vast horizons dominate the landscape.
In the outskirts you can pay a visit to an historic site, the Salesian Order Mission. which is closely linked to the town’s development. Other attractions are the Cape San Pablo, where you can see the wreck of a cargo ship named Desdemona, and Cape Domingo, with nice panoramic views and an old Navy lighthouse.
The north of the island is well-known among fishing lovers. The river Grande is synonim of excelent trout catching and quality fishing lodges. Every year professionals and aficionados from all over the world come to Tierra del Fuego to enjoy the fishing season and the long summer days with up to 18 hours of sunlight.
Continuing on Route 3 towards the south the landscape starts to change. The steppe gives way to soft rolling hills and trees, when you reach the town of Tolhuin the magnificent view of lake Fagnano appears, surrounded by green forests. This stunning scenery is the prelude for the next leg of the trip. As the terrain begins to ascend, the Andes mountain range comes into view. The hightest point is the Garibaldi Pass; here you can stop at the viewpoint to take some photographs of the Escondido lake and the mountains. In this area you can do off-road trips and canoeing.
From the Escondido lake to the city of Ushuaia there is a drive of 59 kilometers. The island’s nature diplays deep valleys and mountains, ideal to hiking in summer or to go skiing during winter.During the winter season, besides alpine and cross country ski, there are other activities like snowshoeing, and snow mobiles in the Tierra Mayor Valley, located at just 20 kilometers from Ushuaia. Here you can visit the winter centres and enjoy an excellent gastronomy.
When you reach the kilometer 3017, in the area known as Rancho Hambre, you’ll find the intersection of J Route, that leads to Puerto Almanza. This small village is an ideal spot to taste fresh seafood and fish. You can also do hiking, birdwatching or just stroll along the coastline of the Beagle Channel.
Going back to Route 3, you'll finally get to the city of Ushuaia. Right in front of the town, the famous Beagle Channel keep the stories of explorers and shipwrecks, their echoes intertwined in the wind that blows over the Les Eclaireurs lighthouse. Mistakenly called "the end of the world lighthouse", visitors love to take selfies with the iconic red and white tower in the background, as they sail through the channel and its inlets.
12 kilometers west of Ushuaia, the last leg of Route 3 will take you to the Tierra del Fuego National Park. Once in Lapataia Bay, a wooden sign indicates the traveler that the road has come to an end, here, between the Andes and the sea.
The End of the World route
The last leg of the National Route 3 crosses the island of Tierra del Fuego from north to south. Driving through a scenery of steppes, forests, lakes and mountains, the journey ends at Lapataia Bay.
To get to Tierra del Fuego by car you need to take a ferry to cross the Magellan Strait. Departing from the city of Rio Gallegos, there is a 68 kilometres drive on the National Route 3 to get to the border crossing “Integración Austral” in Monte Aymond Chile.
For more info about the border crossing click here
Once you cross the border, Río Grande is the nearest town where you can make a stop. Located by the sea, it has a nice coastal view and a variety of seabirds. Here the steppe and vast horizons dominate the landscape.
In the outskirts you can pay a visit to an historic site, the Salesian Order Mission. which is closely linked to the town’s development. Other attractions are the Cape San Pablo, where you can see the wreck of a cargo ship named Desdemona, and Cape Domingo, with nice panoramic views and an old Navy lighthouse.
The north of the island is well-known among fishing lovers. The river Grande is synonim of excelent trout catching and quality fishing lodges. Every year professionals and aficionados from all over the world come to Tierra del Fuego to enjoy the fishing season and the long summer days with up to 18 hours of sunlight.
Continuing on Route 3 towards the south the landscape starts to change. The steppe gives way to soft rolling hills and trees, when you reach the town of Tolhuin the magnificent view of lake Fagnano appears, surrounded by green forests. This stunning scenery is the prelude for the next leg of the trip. As the terrain begins to ascend, the Andes mountain range comes into view. The hightest point is the Garibaldi Pass; here you can stop at the viewpoint to take some photographs of the Escondido lake and the mountains. In this area you can do off-road trips and canoeing.
From the Escondido lake to the city of Ushuaia there is a drive of 59 kilometers. The island’s nature diplays deep valleys and mountains, ideal to hiking in summer or to go skiing during winter.During the winter season, besides alpine and cross country ski, there are other activities like snowshoeing, and snow mobiles in the Tierra Mayor Valley, located at just 20 kilometers from Ushuaia. Here you can visit the winter centres and enjoy an excellent gastronomy.
When you reach the kilometer 3017, in the area known as Rancho Hambre, you’ll find the intersection of J Route, that leads to Puerto Almanza. This small village is an ideal spot to taste fresh seafood and fish. You can also do hiking, birdwatching or just stroll along the coastline of the Beagle Channel.
Going back to Route 3, you'll finally get to the city of Ushuaia. Right in front of the town, the famous Beagle Channel keep the stories of explorers and shipwrecks, their echoes intertwined in the wind that blows over the Les Eclaireurs lighthouse. Mistakenly called "the end of the world lighthouse", visitors love to take selfies with the iconic red and white tower in the background, as they sail through the channel and its inlets.
12 kilometers west of Ushuaia, the last leg of Route 3 will take you to the Tierra del Fuego National Park. Once in Lapataia Bay, a wooden sign indicates the traveler that the road has come to an end, here, between the Andes and the sea.
