Exploring The Land Of Fire

Tierra del Fuego, at the southern tip of South America is known as the "Land of Fire." Back in 1520, Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to visit the area. He believed he saw the many fires of the native Yaghan people  from the sea, and that the indigenous population was waiting in the forest to ambush him. The Yaghan were some of the earliest known humans to settle in the area, with settlements in Tierra del Fuego dating back to 8,000 B.C.

The area is actually an archipelago, with the main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego often being referred to as simply Tierra del Fuego. The archipelago crosses the political boundaries of Argentina and Chile, with Argentina having slightly more than 1/3rd of the total area. The area is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, both from the air and on the ground.

The picturesque landscape setting of Tierra del Fuego.