Outings and excursions · Ushuaia
Road to Fagnano Lake
Text: Miriam Coronel · Photos: Interpatagonia.com
The walk to Fagnano Lake is one of the must-sees of Ushuaia. The ice giants left their mark on the valleys, forming magnificent landscapes.
During the walk the glacial modeling that gives rise to the great valleys of Ushuaia is revealed. This is how the valleys of the Beagle Channel, Carbajal, Tierra Mayor and Lago Fagnano were carved. During the tour, we will discover the beauty of the hills, the small remnants of glaciers, the so characteristic peat bogs that originated thousands of years ago and the forests of Magellan coihues, cherries, lengas and ñires.
Glacial valleys and incredible lakes
The tour begins around 9 in the morning from the city of Ushuaia. From there we depart on the Pan-American route to cross the mountain range through the Garibaldi Pass. Before starting the ascent, the transfer takes us through the slope of Mount Olivia, whose slenderness magnifies the surroundings of Ushuaia. Its steep slopes generate a lot of appeal for climbers and climbers, due to the difficulty of climbing. Cerro Cinco Hermanos is another recognizable icon, with its five beautiful summits. Both hills form a kind of eternal vigilance over the city.
Several winter centers are accessed through this route section. Moving away from the Beagle Channel, the Olivia River slides encased by the wide Carbajal Valley. At the foot of Mount Olivia, the water channel crosses a winding valley of jumps and waterfalls and then goes to its mouth in the Beagle Channel. Next, the Tierra Mayor valley reveals its mysterious landscapes, crossed by the Lasifashaj river.
The Sierra Alvear delimits to the north these two valleys of Lake Fagnano, our final destination. The walk continues along Route 3 towards Paso Garibaldi to cross the mountain range. Located at 450 meters above sea level, it allows one of the best views of the valleys and the Escondido and Fagnano lakes. The first is nestled deep in the mountains. From there, the descent begins gently and the route sticks to Lake Fagnano, on its way to the town of Tolhuin. Our walk deviates and takes an alternative route to the west, to Margarita lagoon, a haven of peace
We can see a spectacle of waterfowl, such as the huala, the duck with a brown neck and brown plumage. Also cauquenes that swim in pairs with their family of pigeons behind.
Lake Fagnano, Khami in Selk’nam language, lies on the Magellan fault and has an approximate length of 105 km, of which a small portion is shared with neighboring Chile. Its course parallel to the prevailing winds makes the swells emulate the sound of the sea.
Our final point is South 54 ° Lodge, on the coast of the lake, where we will have lunch and do a mini trekking to know and admire a unique natural beauty.
