Puerto Natales

Puerto Natales is the capital of the Última Esperanza province and is located at sea level, on the edge of the Señoret Channel, facing the Patagonia Andes Mountain Range. It is situated 247 km from Punta Arenas, the main airport for flights from Santiago, Chile. The town has a relatively simple airport that receives flights from Santiago and other destinations during high season (summer). Information from June 2018. Always check flights from Santiago.
Teniente Julio Gallardo Aerodrome (code: PNT).

It is the gateway to beautiful natural landscapes, such as the world-famous Torres del Paine National Park and the Milodon Cave Natural Monument (learn about the story of this giant sloth that inhabited this southern region of Chile over 10,000 years ago).

From the gentle slope where it is located, you can see the Riesco Mountain Range, the Paine Massif, and the glaciers of the Southern Ice Field. The town has a population of 15,500 people and is the starting point for the most popular tourist attractions in the area.

Currently, it has a large tourist infrastructure with various types of cafés, restaurants, shops, supermarkets, hotels, hostels, casinos, museums, and a wide range of travel agencies offering different tours for all types of tourists.

Highlighted Attractions:

Puerto Natales Promenade

It gives visitors the chance to observe the mountain ranges surrounding the city, including notable peaks such as Cerro Tenerife, Mocó, Benítez, Ballena, Paine Grande, and Mount Balmaceda. In winter, these mountain ranges are covered with snow, transforming the landscape into something mystical and captivating.

There is also a great diversity of birds, such as black-necked swans, coscoroba swans, seagulls, cormorants, and flamingos that inhabit the calm waters of the Señoret Channel.

Mirador Cerro Dorotea

Via a path, we reach the Dorotea lookout at about 600 meters, where we get the best views of the magnificent glacial landscape surrounding Puerto Natales. This area offers trekking, horseback riding, biking, and climbing. If you're lucky, you may spot the majestic condor soaring at the summit, which nests on the vertical walls of the mountain.

Location and access: 9 km south of Puerto Natales. Permission must be requested as it is a private area, and contact agencies are available for guided visits.

Puerto Bories

An industrial complex founded in 1915 for livestock production for most of the Patagonian estates. It was declared a historical monument in 1996.

Today, it is a museum with impressive facilities, and a hotel operates nearby. The Singular Hotel, a stunning 5-star hotel.

Heritage Route

This is a historic route that runs from Puerto Natales to Puerto Consuelo, passing through Puerto Bories and Puerto Cóndor. The significance of this heritage route lies in the fact that Puerto Consuelo was chosen as the first settlement for colonists who arrived in Última Esperanza at the end of the 19th century. The tour lasts one day, offered by local travel agencies.

Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers

Visiting these two glaciers means admiring a majestic place, almost untouched by humans. Access is only possible by boat, navigating through the Última Esperanza Fjord, named for the "last hope" of finding the Strait of Magellan in 1557 by an expedition coming from the Pacific Ocean.

The journey begins in Puerto Natales, and along the way, you can see buildings belonging to the old Bories refrigeration plant, which was one of the largest meat processing industries in Patagonia (now transformed into The Singular Hotel). You may also observe a colony of Imperial Cormorants, a small colony of sea lions, and a variety of plants, including Coigüe, Canelo, Lenga, Ñirre, chilco, and Calafate, among others.

After arriving at the Balmaceda Glacier, the boat will stop at Puerto Toro, where you can enter the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park for a walk through the forest to reach the lake where blocks of the Serrano Glacier are received.

Enjoy contemplating the calm waters of this lagoon with floating icebergs while hearing the collapse of the Serrano Glacier just a few meters from you. From here, you will have the option to return on the same boat or continue with a kayak or zodiac tour in Laguna Serrano, camp at an ecological campsite, or stay at a hotel within Torres del Paine National Park.

Estancias Turismo

In Última Esperanza, there are many farms and ranches that have opened their doors to tourists interested in learning about Patagonia's customs, providing the best comfort and tourist services.

Pioneering Houses

Emphasizes the large house located at the coastal access, built in 1904, which holds great historical and cultural value. Another heritage property is the house built in 1918, located at one of the corners of Plaza de Armas, where a popular pizzeria operates today.

Source: http://patagonia-chile.com/site/destinos/puerto-natales-y-canales-patagonicos/capital-provincial/

Chile.travel Tip:

Being the last town before entering Torres del Paine National Park, you may want to buy food in this city. In Puerto Natales, stores do not provide plastic bags, so you should make room in your backpack or carry eco-friendly bags.

Access Routes:
Route 9 North is an asphalted road that connects Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales (250 km) and Villa Cerro Castillo. Between the latter location and the Sarmiento and Laguna Amarga goals, the road is gravel. The distance between Puerto Natales and the park via this route is 150 km.

The Y-290 road, also known as Lago Porteño, is a gravel road that connects Puerto Natales to Portería Serrano, near the Park Administration. Between Puerto Natales and the park is the Milodon Cave Natural Monument. The distance between Puerto Natales and the park via this route is 80 km.

Another important access route is through the Don Guillermo River border, which connects to the town of El Calafate, Argentina. This is located in Villa Cerro Castillo (52 km from Portería Sarmiento and 58 km from Laguna Amarga Porter).

Source: http://www.parquetorresdelpaine.cl/es/vias-de-acceso