Cabo Froward, Chile
The bottom of Africa and the bottom of Australia are easy to find, we know as we have been to both. But we thought finding the bottom of the America's would be just as easy, after all, you can walk, take a plane and even a cruise ship to Terra de Fuego, so how hard could it be.
Traveling to the bottom of Africa, which is an hours drive out of Cape Town South Africa by the way, or for that matter Australia are just spots on a map, that you can drive up to, get out, take a photo next to the sign and drive off. But we found America's bottom is almost as hard to get to as it is to agree on where it is.
Since Chile and Argentina have spent some years disagreeing on which country has a stake in the Antarctic and it took until the early 1990's to split Terra del Fuego between the two countries, it should not be surprising that you are likely to get different answers, depending on where you are when you ask where the end of the Americas actually is. The lowest city in the America's is considered to be Ushuaia, Argentina, however, when you stand in Ushuaia you look out on Chilean territory.
We asked around and think that the prevailing wisdom is a place called Cabo Froward. We also learned that this journey is only for those ready to get completely away from the masses and willing to put themselves in a place where the words 'self reliance' cannot be taken lightly. Be prepared for an agonizingly rough trail, relentless wind and two neck-high river crossings carrying your pack over you head. There is no going back me amigo.
The trek begins where the dirt roads end. Old deep forests of Nortofagus: huge coigues that seem never before seen or touched. The views are incredible, not only the Strait itself, but the mountains surrounding it.
Mt. Saromento is impressive, reaching more than 7,000 feet after rising out of the sea. And then there is the Darwin Range, part of Alberto de Agostini National Park. There is also a good chance of being saturated at least once a day. The hike covers sand, rainforest and rock, plus two large river crossings and multiple small ones.
The trail is not always clearly marked, and finding a reliable map is next to impossible. Trails are only marked by the few that try their luck reaching the bottom of the continent. This is what will be a section of the Sendero de Chile project, which aims to create roads and paths and ferries than span the length of Chile, eliminating the need to cross into Argentina. (See our story on the Project in GSTravel Advice).
The final goal is not to find the sign “end of the world” but rather the large crucifix that overlooks the end of the American continent. The view from the lookout provides a true sense of history. At that moment you realize where in the world you are.
This trek is not for everyone, in fact it is like the three to five days hikes on the Inca trail to Machu Pichu over the high Andes through the 12 thousand foot Sun Gate. There is no help, or contact with the world for days in any direction. The weather can be equally beautiful and unforgiving. This completely self supported trip can be called nothing less than extreme trekking.
The trek is only really possible from January to March. Other times of the year you will possibly run into river problems, and deep winter makes for frozen conditions. This route boasts two large, cold, strip down and hold your pack over your head, river crossings. If you have successfully trekked and camped the Torres del Paine 'W' circuit, then you might be ready for Cabo Froward. This trek is about the location itself, the bottom of the continent and the history.
If this seems too extreme for you, then perhaps for you Argentina is right, and you can make your way to Isla Redonda on the Beagle Channel in Tierra del Fuego, drive up take your picture and call it good.