Cabo de Hornos National Park, National park in Wollaston Archipelago, Chile.
Cabo de Hornos National Park covers dozens of islands and smaller landmasses within the Wollaston Archipelago, with rugged terrain rising to rocky peaks. The landscape supports seabirds, marine mammals, and specialized plant communities adapted to the extreme southern climate.
Dutch merchant Isaac Le Maire discovered this region in 1616 and named it after Cape Horn. Chile established the national park in 1945 to protect this land at the southernmost edge of the Andes.
The park forms part of Chile's Route of Parks, connecting seventeen national parks through 2,800 kilometers from Puerto Montt to Cape Horn.
The best way to reach the park is to fly to Punta Arenas, then travel by ship through Tres Puentes to Puerto Williams. From there, visitors must take additional boat trips through Beagle Channel to explore the islands.
The protected area preserves the world's southernmost forest ecosystem and contains roughly 5 percent of global bryophyte diversity. These tiny plants form an essential part of the landscape in such harsh conditions.
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