Places to Visit in Puerto Natales, Chile, America

Places to Visit in Puerto Natales, Chile, America

Puerto Natales is a city belonging to the commune of Natales in Ultima Esperanza province of Chile. It falls under Patagonia region is located around 245 km from Punta Arenas where Torres del Paine National Park is situated. The economy of Puerto Natales is centered on tourism, the cattle and aquaculture industries.

Geography of Puerto Natales:

Puerto Natales covers an area of 48,974.2 sq. km at an altitude of 3 meters and its coordinates are 51°44′ S 72°31′ W.

History of Puerto Natales:

Alacaluf and Tehuelche people were the original settlers of Puerto Natales. Spanish navigator and explorer, Juan Ladrillero was the first European to visit Puerto Natales in the year 1557. Later it was inhabited by many European immigrants including Germans, English, Scots, Italians and Spaniards. The sheep breeding industry of Puerto Natales magnetized large group of Chilean people from Chiloe Island in later years. The city of Puerto Natales was officially founded on May 31, 1911.

How to reach Puerto Natales?

Puerto Natales airport is situated around 8 km from the heart of Puerto Natales city with limited connections.

Buses form the major mode of public transport for carrying passengers from Puerto Natales to other cities including El Calafate (Argentina). It takes generally 6 hours from El Calafate to Puerto Natales and 5 hours from Rio Gallegos in Argentina.

Also there are frequent buses running between Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas in Chile taking around 3 hours, operated by Bus Fernandez and many other private bus companies.

JBA Company is the cheaper bus option to get around (advance booking is offered).

Food and Shopping in Puerto Natales:

Baguales Brewery and Restaurant and La Guanaca are prominent food corners in Puerto Natales and to purchase traditional handicrafts, Taller del Arbol or Miriam Parra handicraft.

Things to do in Puerto Natales:

Agroturismo Estancia Mercedes – Day Tours
Estancia Travel
Fortaleza Expediciones
Criollo Expeditions Daily Horse Rides

Places of interest in Puerto Natales:

Torres del Paine National Park:

Puerto Natales is the gateway for Torres del Paine National Park is one of the internationally recognized and most popular national parks of Chile with typical and striking rock formation, Torres del Paine. The park houses diverse species of animals and birds and the 3^rd largest ice field of the earth.

Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument:

Located around 24 km from Puerto Natales, Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument is a natural monument lying along the flanks of the mountains of Cerro Benitez. It includes a rock formation (Silla del Diablo) and numerous caves including a cave where skin, bones and other body parts of a monster ground sloth, Mylodon found in 1895.

Old freezer plant (frigorifico):

There is an old freezer plant in Puerto Bories located 4 km from Puerto Natales, built in 1913. Until 2010, it was a museum but presently there is a new hotel constructing within the plant site. This well preserved freezer plant was considered as a national monument until 2010.

Other places of interest near Puerto Natales include:

Glacier Grey
Glaciares Balmaceda – Serrano
Lago Nordenskjold
Kayak en Patagonia
Pingo Salvaje
Channel of Last Hope
Mandala Andino
The Singular Patagonia Spa
Mirador Cerro Dorotea
Dragon de la Patagonia
The Condors Nests
Nao Victoria Museum

Best time to visit Puerto Natales:

From October to April is the best time to travel Puerto Natales, especially Torres del Paine National Park while summer season runs.

Accommodation options in Puerto Natales:

Puerto Natales is a pictorial city packed with full of natural attractions as well as top class hotels and lodges all around. List of prominent hotels in Puerto Natales is: