Estancia Harberton

Harberton was established in 1886 by Thomas Bridges, an English missionary who compiled a dictionary of the Yámana language and was granted this land on the Beagle Channel by the Argentine government, and it remains in the hands of his descendants, making it the oldest estancia in Tierra del Fuego. The house, gardens, shearing shed and boat house are visited on guided tours that cover the family's history and their long relationship with the region's Indigenous peoples. In a separate building the Museo Acatushún holds a research collection of marine mammal and bird skeletons, mostly from strandings, including dolphins and whales, prepared and displayed with the laboratory work visible. Boats visit the penguin colony on nearby Isla Martillo.

Background

Estancia Harberton goes back to 1886, the year the missionary pioneer Thomas Bridges (1842-1898) gave up his post at the Anglican mission in Ushuaia, and it is named after Harberton in Devon, England, the home of his wife, Mary Ann Varder. Bridges compiled a Yámana, or Yaghan, dictionary, and their son Lucas Bridges wrote The Uttermost Part of the Earth, a book about his childhood, the Yahgan people and the family's efforts to publish the dictionary in Europe. In the 21st century tourism is the estancia's main business: visitors can see its grounds, gardens, cemetery and outbuildings and a botanical garden with replica Yahgan huts, and the Museo Acatushún, devoted to the region's marine mammals and birds, is nearby. Ushuaia lies 85 km to the west.

Source: Wikipedia, "Estancia Harberton"

Highlights

• The historic estancia - the 1886 house, shearing shed and gardens.
• The Acatushún museum - marine mammal and bird skeletons from local strandings.
• The Beagle Channel setting - the shoreline and islands from the property.
• The penguin island - Isla Martillo colony visited by boat nearby.

When to go

October to April, when the estancia is open and tours run; it closes for the winter. Penguins on Isla Martillo are present roughly October to March. Access can be combined with a Beagle Channel boat trip from Ushuaia.

Before you go

Visits are guided and on a schedule; wandering the property alone is not permitted. The road from Ushuaia is partly gravel and takes about an hour and a half. Fees for the estancia, museum and any boat add up, and the penguin landing on Isla Martillo is separately and tightly controlled.

Nearby

Ushuaia lies west; Isla Martillo and the Beagle Channel are offshore.

Key facts