Camino Estancia Túnel

Playa Larga to Estancia Túnel, 10km

After moving to a more comfortable, closer-to-the town apartment, we went for a walk to Playa Larga, east of  Ushuaia.

Along the rugged coast scattered with windswept trees (bent down to 45 degrees) we could see small islands floating on the Beagle Channel and the snow-capped mountain range of the Isla Navarino (the Navarino Island) of Chile on the other side of the water. I thought of the wild 5-day mountain hike on the island roaming under the unpredictable weather, which I read in one of the hiking guidebooks. Even for a mountain lover like myself, these mountains look too wild and inhospitable…

Walking up and down hills and crossing a beautiful stream flowing down to the sea, we arrived at the gate of Estancia Túnel, a forlorn farmhouse, located at the isolated shore. It looked abandoned at the first sight, but someone seemed to be working there. Beyond that, the path continued on the seemingly endless, isolated coastline where no one lives.

As usual, the weather was temperamental. There was sun, there were clouds, then very very dark clouds and windy rain at the end. We decided to hitchhike back to town and were picked-up in no time by a friendly kayaker. A blue sky with a rainbow was waiting in Ushuaia, which was only 5km away…