Marking the start of the Strait of Magellan, Cabo Vírgenes is a cape that juts into the South Atlantic, the final point before the crossing towards Tierra del Fuego. A designated nature reserve, it is home to one of the largest penguin colonies in South America (around 120 000 pairs of these small marine birds congregate here between April and September). The cape is dominated by an old lighthouse, opened in 1804 and perched on top of a cliff.