Port Williams

In front of the Beagle Channel, is Navarino Island, one of the largest in the extreme south of the Pacific. Here is located Puerto Williams, a small town of about 2,400 inhabitants, considered the southernmost city in the world.
Puerto Williams was previously called Puerto Luisa and is a relatively new city, founded only in 1953. The Ministry of Defense of Chile ordered in that year that “the southernmost city in the world is called Puerto Williams, in honor of Don Juan Williams (John Williams Wilson), Commander of the Ancud Schooner, who took possession of the Strait of Magellan. ”
Currently, Puerto Williams has become the base of operations for all those who travel to see Southern Chile. From there, and thanks to two airfields that are located nearby, trips are made to Cabo de Hornos, to Antarctica, to the Cabo de Hornos National Park, to Ushuaia and to Tierra del Fuego in general. Its coasts are abrupt, this explains the lack of ports, since there are no natural barriers that keep away the strong wind characteristic of the region. On the island there is only one port and it is located on the northeast edge of Navarino, where there are pastures and forests that keep livestock. Precisely livestock is one of the main activities that take place in Puerto Williams and its surroundings, as well as wood cutting and artisanal fishing.
The most famous images of this sector correspond to the Yamanes, who inhabited these lands before colonization, and who painted their bodies in honor of the gods during the initiation ceremony or “hain”. They called the island “Uspashum” and lived in three groups: yaganes or yamanes, onas or selknam, and alacalufes or kaweskar. They were a nomadic group, hunter and canoeist, that crossed the Channel Beagle in search of foods. It is known that they used sea lions to feed themselves and, in addition, to build canoes and shelters on land.
His story is very interesting. It is said that Captain Robert Fitz Roy, after discovering the island in 1830, took a couple of yamans to instruct them in England for two years. The young people were returned to the island, recovering all their natural habits. One of them, known as Jimmy Button, came to lead a group of natives against the first settlers in the area, all Anglican missionaries. However, as early as 1880, the Yamanes began to coexist with the settlers who came from England, being instructed in agriculture and other activities. One of those settlers was Thomas Bridges, who settled in Ushuaia, but who defended the aborigines of Navarino Island with his son Lucas, who wrote one of the most beautiful epics, “The Last End of the Earth”, which narrates the clash between both civilizations.
In Puerto Williams, in September 1997, the last pure representative of the yamana race died.

Attractions
Step on the last city of Southern Chile and the last place in the world. Puerto Williams delivers comfort, adventure and beauty, both in the small town and in the surroundings of the island where it is located. It is right in front of the Beagle Channel, with a wonderful view towards the Argentine Territory. From here, in addition, you can make trips to Cape Horn and to the Antarctic.

Activities
The southernmost city in the world invites you to photograph it completely, taking walks through its simple streets and enjoying the flora and fauna that inhabits the old wooden houses.

Information

Location: South of Tierra del Fuego, on Navarino Island.

How to get there: Access from Punta Arenas by air or sea. Regular flights depart from Punta Arenas to Puerto Williams, with a duration of just over an hour. The trip can be made by sea, leaving from the Tres Puentes sector (near Punta Arenas) to Puerto Williams, through the Beagle Channel. This trip lasts about 36 hours, always depending on the weather conditions.

When to go: All year.

Climate: Tundra. Very cold and wind throughout the year, temperatures that do not exceed 7 C in summer.

Services: Accommodation, restaurant, hostels, hotels, land interurban transport, airport, travel and tour agencies, museum, telephone, radio and Yacht Club.

Surroundings: Tierra del Fuego, Beagle Channel, Ushuaia, Nassau Bay, Picton Island, New Island, Wellingston Islands, Hermite Islands, Hoste Island, Pasteur Peninsula, Murray Channel.

Value Entry: Free