- Address: Horn Island, Tierra del Fuego, Chile;
- Opened: in 1616 year.
The Tierra del Fuego archipelago is one of the most amazing places on the planet. It consists of the main island of the same name and a group of small islets, which also includes the legendary Cape Horn in Chile . Today, on its territory is a large national park, about the features of which will be discussed later in our article.
Where is Cape Horn on the map?
Cape Horn is on the island of the same name and is the extreme southern extremity of Tierra del Fuego. It was discovered by Dutch explorers V. Schouten and J. Lemer in 1616. By the way, many tourists mistakenly believe that this is the most southerly point of South America, but it is not so. On both sides the cape is washed by the waters of the Drake Passage, which connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Cape Horn, which is part of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, deserves special attention. Because of the ferocious storms and strong winds directed from west to east, this place is considered one of the most dangerous in the world. However, this fact does not affect the popularity of the cape in foreign tourists.
What to see?
Cape Horn is geographically referred to the country of Chile and is an important tourist attraction. Among the most interesting places in this region are:
- Lighthouses . At the headland and near it there are two lighthouses, which are of great interest to travelers. One of them is located directly on Cape Horn and is a tall tower of light color. The other is a station of the Chilean navy and is about a mile to the northeast.
- National Park of Cabo de Hornos . This small biosphere reserve was founded on April 26, 1945 and covers an area of 631 km ². The flora and fauna of the park, because of the constant effect of low temperatures, are quite scarce. The plant world is represented mainly by lichens and small forests of Antarctic beech. As far as the animal world is concerned, it is often possible to find Magellanic penguins, southern giant petrel and royal albatross.
How to get there?
Despite the danger of this place, many tourists annually book special tours to get an unforgettable experience for life and make a stunning photo of Cape Horn. You can not get there by yourself, so plan your excursion in advance with an experienced tour guide from a local travel agency.