A walk to Mirador Lapataia

Our next stop was to do a 30-minute walk through woodland to a viewpoint overlooking Lapataia Bay. It had started to rain at this point, and not knowing how steep the terrain would be, Mark decided to stay on the minibus and be driven to the endpoint. In the event, the view was largely obscured by trees but it was a pleasant enough walk. Jackie, our guide, pointed out lots of local fauna including tree mushrooms. Apparently, they are tasteless but they add bulk to a meal!

At the end of the trail, we came to a sign marking the end of Ruta 3, the Pan-American highway that starts in Alaska 17848 kilometres away. There was also a sign declaring that the Falkland Islands belong to Argentina! Here, we were able to walk to the shores of Lapataia Bay to take photos.

There were lots of information boards along the walkway explaining all about the lives of the original inhabitants of the area. Nomadic people have lived along the Beagle Channel for over 6500 years, making a living from hunting, fishing, and collecting. Some communities still survive today, on both the Argentine and Chilean sides of the border.

From the bay, we went to Alakush, the park's main visitor centre, to use the toilets and have a bite to eat if we wanted. Because circumstances meant we had nothing with us, we bought two flavoured waters and a ham and cheese sandwich which we shared. The cost? A whopping US$26!! Argentina is soooo expensive!!Read more