8 activities in Puerto Natales, Chile
8 activities in Puerto Natales, Chile
"We wanted an adventure vacation, but we wanted to return to a cozy and comfortable place in the evening," said Matt and Kirsty, two Americans, whom we met during our stay in Puerto Natales.
How they visited the wind -flushed levels of the Chilean Patagonia outside of the season, which means that Torres del Paine was out of the question. But that didn't fully subdue our experience. Outside the Torres del Paine National Park, there was still a lot of adventure to experience without spending our days with a hiking trail and only spending a restless night under a tent cloth (not that it bothers me).
The charming small town of Puerto Natales offers an impressive view of the dramatic landscape and offers easy access to the Chilean Patagonia outside the Torres del Paine National Park.
Here are some alternative activities in Puerto Natales and the surrounding area.
1. Explore Seno última Esperanza
Puerto Natales enjoys a picturesque location on the coast of Seno última Esperanza and is best explored by bike. The calm emerald green water is surrounded by diverse vegetation, which makes it an ideal place for bird watching. There is an abundance of seagulls, Chilean skuas, condors and cormorants in the area. From Puerto Natales you cycle to Eberhard Fjord northwest. Upon arrival on the bank of the Fjord, they are greeted from a view of the bay, which extends from the mouth of the fjord to the slopes of Monte Balmaceda in the Bernardo O’Higgins National Park.
2. Catamaran tour of Seno última Esperanz
Alt = "Activities-in-Puerto-Natales Gallery"> Atlas & Boots
If you don't feel like a bike tour, there is a more relaxed option. The catamaran takes off at the ferry terminal and brings them along the same calm shores, albeit a little faster. From the boat you can take a closer look at the many waterfalls and animal life throughout the area. Expect a lot of sea lions, seagulls, Chilean skuas, condors and even a cormorant colony. On a short shore excursion, you can also take a closer look at the Glacier Balmaceda and Serrano.
3. Riding in the Sierra Dorotea
The Sierra Dorotea rocky lead is an extensive mountain range with an extraordinary landscape and offers a wide view over the fertile Pampa lowlands and the meandering Patagonian steppe. Reisions are guided by Gauchos (locally known as Baquedanos), who have lived and worked on their entire life on the site. The day usually ends (and rightly) with a hot cup of mate tea next to a pounding campfire.
4. Natural monument Cueva del Milodón
Alt = "Activities-in-Puerto-Natales-Milodone Höhle"> Dan Lundberg/Creative Commons
on the flanks of the Cerro Benítez, 24 km (15 miles) northwest of Puerto Natales, is the Milodon Cave (Cueva del Milodón). The cave, one of several in the area, is named after the Mylodone, a extinct giant floor sloth that is more like a giant bear.
Numerous fossils of the mammal were found in the cave and the surrounding area, where the animal lived up to 10,000 years ago. A huge life -size model welcomes visitors on arrival.
5. Kayaking on the glaciers Balmaceda and Serrano
alt = “”> Lhormazabal/Creative Commons
From Pier in Puerto Natales, numerous half -day kayak tours start. For a longer adventure on the water, however, you should take a one or even two-day trip from Toro Pier at the entrance to the Bernardo O’Higgins National Park. This quiet corner of Patagonia is almost exclusively reserved for kayakers, with a campsite that is only intended for them. The excursion leads the visitors up close to the glaciers Balmaceda and Serrano.
6. Fly fishing
A thing that stands out to you at this area of Patagonia is that there is a lot of water. And fish comes with water. Experienced anglers come to the area every year because of the fantastic possibilities for flying fishing. There are three main zones to choose from (north, south and middle) as well as half and full-day trips. There are also a variety of places with fjords, rivers, streams and streams to choose from
7. Visit to the city of Puerto Natales
Alt = "Activities-in-Puerto-Natales-Museum"> Atlas & Boots
The city of Puerto Natales itself has enough to keep the visitor busy for at least a day. In the morning we visited the municipal muso Histórico with its collection of archaeological artifacts, including a Yaghan-Kanu, Tehuelche-Bolas and many historical photos. In the afternoon, stroll through the city center and the main square, the Fischerhafen and maybe visit one or two art galleries along the waterfront.
There are also local tours to nearby ranches, where several families grow fruit and vegetables in their greenhouses.
8. Lamb grille in the Villa Bories, Puerto Consuelo
reward yourself after an eventful day with a hearty meal! No matter how you get to the first established Estancia in the province of última Esperanza (there are opportunities for cycling, hiking and boating), the Villa Bories serves an excellent grilled lamb. Señor Erik Eberhard, the great -grandson of the German pioneer, who first populated the area, awaits his guests with a traditional lamb that is slowly sizzling on the spit.
The essentials
was: Puerto Natales is a small town that is known as a gateway to the Torres del Paine National Park. The city and the surrounding area are often overlooked because of the park, but there is a lot to do in Puerto Natales and the surrounding area.
Where: Puerto Natales is the second largest city in Patagonia in Chilean and is located 250 km north of the first city in the region, Punta Arenas. We stayed in the Remota Patagonia Lodge, which is only a short walk from the city. The striking hotel is designed in such a way that it fits harmoniously into the environment and has peat roofs, sustainable local materials and energy-saving innovations such as an inner air system that efficiently recycles the air two to three times a day. The hotel can offer or organize all the above excursions.
- Alt = "Activities-in-Puerto-Natales-Remota-Hotel">
- Alt = "Activities-in-Puerto-Natales-Remota-Hotel">
- Alt = "Activities-in-Puerto-Natales-Remota-Hotel">
- Alt = "Activities-in-Puerto-Natales-Remota-Hotel">
- Alt = "Activities-in-Puerto-Natales-Remota-Hotel">
- Alt = "Activities-in-Puerto-Natales-Remota-Hotel">
- Alt = "Activities-in-Puerto-Natales-Remota-Hotel">
- Alt = "Activities-in-Puerto-Natales-Remota-Hotel">
When: We visited the park in late autumn (mid -May), which is not the best time to visit the park. However, most of the above trips are available all year round, and there were a few clearer days during our stay. The best time to travel is between November and April. Be warned that the weather in Patagonia is inconsistent and can change dramatically all year round without warning, so be prepared for all eventualities.
like: We stayed in Puerto Natales, which is 75 km (46 miles) from the southern entrance to the national park. If you want to visit Torres del Paine, you need to go to the park in 1 hour and 30 minutes.
in 1 hour and 30 minutes.The Remota Patagonia Lodge is a good starting point to explore the city and take day trips to the park itself. The friendly and professional hotel staff can arrange excursions and tailor -made experiences according to your wishes.
The distances in Chile are huge, so we recommend flying from Santiago to Punta Arenas with LAN. It is best to book tickets via skyscanner.net.
from Punta Arenas it is a three -hour bus trip north to Puerto Natales. Buses take off regularly all day and cost around 5,000 CLP (£ 5/$ 8). There are several bus companies to choose from. We used Buses Fernández and Bus Sur and can guarantee it. There are bus connections to other parts of Chiles and for destinations in Argentina, both from Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales.
in Patagonia is a report on Bruce Chatwin's trip to a remote country looking for a strange beast and his encounters with the people whose fascinating stories stop him on the street.
Mission statement: Atlas & Boots
.