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Puerto Natales Travel Guide: 136 reviews and 320 photos

Puerto Natales: Seno Ultima Esperanza - Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales: Seno Ultima Esperanza
more than a gateway to Torres del Paine

Puerto Natales is a rather small town (about 20.000 inhabitants) with a lot of colourful houses, most of them with roofs of rusty corrugated sheets, beautifully located on the borders of the Seno Ultima Esperanza. It is the capital of the Ultima Esperanza province.

Puerto Natales has a small centre with most of the shops, banks, travel agencies and restaurants along Avenida Bulnes, Calle Eberhard and some sidestreets. But don’t expect spectacular (gift) shops; we couldn’t find one. Plaza de Armas, the main square, has the cathedral and town hall. Scattered around the town are lots of hostals, guesthouses and hotels. Puerto Natales offers a historical museum and even a casino.
Everything within Puerto Natales is on walkable distance and there is no need to take a taxi.

By far the most important about this town is the fact being the gateway to the national parks Torres del Paine and Bernardo O’Higgins. And most of the tourists are heading as soon as possible to one of these parks and will only stay one or two nights in Puerto Natales.

Puerto Natales is accessible by bus from Punta Arenas and El Calafate (Argentina) and by a (3 night) ferry boat from Puerto Montt (www.navimag.com). Sky Airline (www.skyairline.cl) started in 2009 with flights between Puerto Natales and Santiago and Punta Arenas.

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:pleasant and quiet town, gateway to the national parks
  • Cons:an out-of-the-way town
  • Last visit to Puerto Natales: Dec 2005
  • Intro Updated Aug 6, 2009
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Reviews (20)

photo: Sky Airline - Puerto Natales New: Puerto Natales by plane Transportation (4)

Most probably only during summer Since the beginning of the year 2009 it is possible to fly to/from Puerto Natales. The... more travel advice

'cold as ice' - Puerto Natales It was so cold ... What to Pack (1)

We visited Puerto Natales during late spring (early December) and still it can be ‘winter’. Specially when visiting... more travel advice

Hetty's first pisco ever - Puerto Natales Pisco – pure Local Customs (1)

Pisco is the national drink of Chile (and Peru) and is a rather strong drink (35% alc.) distilled of muscat grapes, with... more travel advice

PN Bernardo O'Higgins: Digüeñes - an edible fungus - Puerto Natales PN Bernardo O’Higgins – native forest Things to Do (12)

Perhaps the most impressive and at least most amazing and remarkable part of our trip to the glaciers in Parque Nacional... more travel advice

Comments (5)

  • Reply
    angiebabe's Profile Photo
    Dec 30, 2008 at 1:39 AM

    lovely photos as usual! esp the stunning glacier and icebergs - what impressed most about my day in Iceland! and so youre back off to South America again soon?!

  • Reply
    barryg23's Profile Photo
    Jun 26, 2007 at 11:41 AM

    Very helpul tips on Puerto Natales. We're planning to to the TDP hike in December. I hadn't heard of the glacier trip before but it sounds great. We'll try fit that in too. We're planning to camp during our trip here - hope we can handle the cold & wind!

  • Reply
    Ekahau's Profile Photo
    Jan 7, 2007 at 3:58 AM

    Torres del Paine is so so beautiful wonderful photos

  • Reply
    Sibbella's Profile Photo
    Nov 29, 2006 at 6:14 AM

    My goodness no wonder you are bundled up there!! Beautiful pictures though!!

  • Reply
    tini58de's Profile Photo
    Nov 21, 2006 at 12:16 PM

    I just started reading your tips - and they brought back some wonderful memories! Great pictures and tips! Well done!

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