Jumping-off point for the Chilean fjords and Torres del Paine – an expert guide to Puerto Natales

Why go? 

One of Chilean Patagonia’s sightseeing hubs as well as a very pleasant town that has been smartened up in the last couple of decades, Puerto Natales lies inside a beautiful, wild region known for its fjords, towering mountain peaks and glaciers – many of the latter spilling out from the vast Southern Ice Field.

Cruise port location

Puerto Natales sits on Last Hope Sound, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean in Chilean Patagonia. It’s a small but important port as this region of Chile has no direct road access to the rest of the country. It’s also the gateway for Torres del Paine national park, 50 miles to the north, and a stopover en route to the city of Punta Arenas, which is 155 miles south of here. For years, local firm Navimag has operated a humble-looking combined cruise/cargo ship to Puerto Montt (three nights’ cruise north of here) year round, while the more tourist-friendly firm Skorpios offers three-night cruises into the fjords from October-February on its “Kaweskar” itinerary. International cruise ships visit between October and March. Note that on very windy days – not a rare occurence in the austral summer – the port, which is basically a jetty, can be closed to large vessels.

Can I walk to any places of interest?

The town centre, which is within walking distance of the jetty, is pleasant but has little in the way of major attractions. You can certainly stroll to any number of cafés and restaurants and catch the air with a walk alonside the coast of Last Hope Sound (Seno Ultima Esperanza in Spanish). 

Getting around

Puerto Natales is small and the town can be easily explored on foot. For anyone planning to visit Torres del Paine national park and/or the Mylodon’s cave, a minibus or car/taxi will be required –  the journey to the park entrance takes around 90 minutes.