Puerto Natales travel guide
Puerto Natales is the capital of Última Esperanza province, in Chile's Magallanes Region, in Chilean Patagonia. It sits on the Última Esperanza Sound, 250 km from Punta Arenas on Route 9, and is the base town for Torres del Paine National Park, about 2 hours away by bus. It was founded in 1911, and the Natales municipality has 24,152 residents (2024 census).
Torres del Paine is a 227,298-hectare national park, created in 1959 and named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1978. Its massif rises to about 3,050 m and is home to more than 274 plant species, 126 bird species and 25 mammal species. It holds the Base of the Towers, the French Valley, Grey Glacier and the W and O treks.
From Natales you can also visit the Milodon Cave, where remains of an extinct giant ground sloth were found, the former Bories meatpacking plant and, by boat, Serrano Glacier. The season runs from October to April: in January highs are around 14 °C (57 °F) with about 16 hours of daylight; in winter the trails are snowy and several sections require a guide.
Things to do in Puerto Natales
- 1
Base of the Towers viewpoint
The park's most famous hike. It starts at the hotel sector, reached by shuttle from the Laguna Amarga entrance, climbs the Ascencio Valley through lenga forest and ends with a steep scramble up a rocky moraine to the lagoon at the foot of the three towers. The round trip takes 8 to 10 hours; the last 1.4 km from Guardería Torres takes about an hour and is demanding. In winter a certified guide is mandatory.
See tours - 2
The W Trek
A linear trek of about 70 km over 5 days linking the park's three valleys: the Base of the Towers, the French Valley and Grey Glacier, past Lake Nordenskjöld and the Cuernos del Paine. You sleep in refugios or campsites, and bookings for every night are mandatory before you enter the park; book 6 months or more ahead. At the end, a catamaran crosses Lake Pehoé to Pudeto for the bus back to Natales.
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French Valley and the Británico viewpoint
The middle section of the W. From Campamento Italiano you climb the valley to the Francés viewpoint or carry on to the Británico viewpoint: 5.4 km and about 3 hours one way, rated demanding, in an amphitheater of hanging glaciers and granite walls.
- 4
Grey Glacier
It flows 28 km from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field to Lake Grey, calving blue icebergs from walls about 30 m high. The most popular way to see it is the 3-hour boat trip from Hotel Lago Grey, about 100 km from Natales; guided ice hikes are also available. On foot, Paine Grande to Guardería Grey is 11 km and about 3.5 hours.
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Torres del Paine as a day trip from Natales
If you are not doing a long trek, you can see the park in a day on a tour or by car: Lake Pehoé, Salto Grande waterfall, the Pudeto sector and Lake Grey are the classic stops. Four bus companies leave Natales at 7:30 am and 2:30 pm for Laguna Amarga, Pudeto and the park headquarters. There are no gas stations in or near the park, so fill up in Natales.
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Milodon Cave Natural Monument
About 25 km north of Natales (17 km on Route 9 North, then 8 km on Route Y-290). From 1896 on, skin, bones and dung of the mylodon (Mylodon darwini), an extinct giant ground sloth, were found in the cave. The 189-hectare monument has three easy trails: Cueva Grande (350 m, 30 minutes, wheelchair accessible to the viewpoint), Mirador (650 m, 45 minutes) and Cuevas y Aleros (4.3 km, 3 to 4 hours).
See tours - 7
Boat trip to Serrano Glacier
The Magallanes side of Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, which covers over 3.5 million hectares, can only be reached by sea. Boat tours leave Natales along the Última Esperanza Sound to Serrano Glacier, where a short trail of about 90 minutes leads to the glacier front.
See tours - 8
Waterfront, Cerro Dorotea and the former Bories plant
The Pedro Montt waterfront faces the Última Esperanza Sound and the Patagonian Andes, and Cerro Dorotea is the town's lookout hill. 5 km north is the former Bories meatpacking plant, built between 1906 and 1914, which processed the area's sheep until the mid-1980s. It has been a Historic Monument since 1996 and now houses a museum and a hotel. The local specialties are lamb and king crab.
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Puerto Natales weather
| Month | High | Low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14°C 58°F | 7°C 45°F | 16.0 h |
| Feb | 15°C 59°F | 7°C 45°F | 14.4 h |
| Mar | 13°C 55°F | 6°C 42°F | 12.4 h |
| Apr | 10°C 49°F | 3°C 37°F | 10.5 h |
| May | 6°C 44°F | 1°C 33°F | 8.8 h |
| Jun | 3°C 38°F | -2°C 28°F | 7.9 h |
| Jul | 2°C 36°F | -3°C 26°F | 8.3 h |
| Aug | 5°C 40°F | -1°C 30°F | 9.8 h |
| Sep | 7°C 45°F | 0°C 33°F | 11.7 h |
| Oct | 10°C 50°F | 3°C 37°F | 13.7 h |
| Nov | 12°C 54°F | 5°C 40°F | 15.6 h |
| Dec | 14°C 56°F | 6°C 43°F | 16.6 h |
2015–2024 averages calculated from Open-Meteo historical data (ERA5 reanalysis). They may differ by one or two degrees from the local weather station.
Best time to visit Puerto Natales
Torres del Paine's season runs from October to April, when every trail is open and the entrance gates operate from 7 am to 9 pm. From May to September most trails can be snowy, W sections must be hiked with a guide and the O Circuit closes.
Summer
December to February
Highs of about 14–15 °C (57–59 °F), lows of 6–7 °C (43–45 °F) and 14 to 16.5 hours of daylight. Peak season: refugios, campsites and boat trips sell out, so book months ahead. Expect strong, constant wind.
Autumn
March to May
The lenga forests turn red and crowds thin out. Highs drop from about 13 °C (55 °F) in March to 6 °C (43 °F) in May. Winter park hours and snow risk on the trails start in May.
Winter
June to August
Highs of 2–5 °C (36–41 °F), lows below freezing and about 8 hours of daylight. The park opens 8 am to 6:30 pm, W sections and the Base of the Towers require a guide and winter gear, and the Dickson-area trails close. Studded tires are required for driving.
Spring
September to November
Days lengthen fast, from about 12 hours of daylight in September to almost 16 in November, and highs rise from 7 to 12 °C (45 to 54 °F). The hiking season and summer park hours start in October.
How to get to Puerto Natales
By plane
Teniente Julio Gallardo Aerodrome (PNT), 15 minutes from downtown Natales, has seasonal direct flights from Santiago. The rest of the year, fly into Punta Arenas (PUQ), which has more flights, and continue overland.
From Punta Arenas
It is 250 km on paved Route 9, about 3 hours by long-distance bus or rental car. From Natales, buses take about 2 hours to the Laguna Amarga, Sarmiento or Serrano park entrances.
From Argentina
Buses from El Calafate take about 5 hours and cross the border at the Río Don Guillermo pass in Cerro Castillo. The Dorotea pass, close to Natales, is also open to all vehicles. Check border crossing hours before you travel.
By sea
A ferry from Puerto Montt sails the Route of the Channels to Natales, through the fjords and channels of western Patagonia.
How many days in Puerto Natales
4 or 5 days cover the highlights of Natales and Torres del Paine with day trips. Add 5 days of hiking for the W Trek; the O Circuit takes about 9.
Day 1
Arrive in Natales, walk the Pedro Montt waterfront and visit the former Bories plant at sunset.
Day 2
Torres del Paine day trip: Lake Pehoé, Salto Grande, Pudeto and Lake Grey.
Day 3
Hike to the Base of the Towers from the hotel sector (8 to 10 hours).
Day 4
Boat trip to Grey Glacier or, from Natales, to Serrano Glacier.
Day 5
Milodon Cave in the morning and Cerro Dorotea in the afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to visit Torres del Paine?
October to April, the hiking season: every trail is open and days are long, with up to 16 hours of daylight in December and January. From May to September there is snow risk, W sections require a guide and the O Circuit closes.
How many days do you need in Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine?
4 to 5 days are enough for a park day trip, the Base of the Towers hike, a boat trip to Grey or Serrano Glacier and the Milodon Cave. The W Trek takes 5 days of hiking and the O Circuit about 9.
How do you get to Torres del Paine from Punta Arenas?
First to Puerto Natales: 250 km on Route 9, about 3 hours by bus or car. From Natales, buses leave at 7:30 am and 2:30 pm for the park entrances, about 2 hours away.
How do you get from El Calafate to Puerto Natales?
By bus, in about 5 hours, crossing the border at the Río Don Guillermo pass in Cerro Castillo. You can also drive; the Dorotea pass, near Natales, is open to all vehicles.
How do you buy Torres del Paine tickets?
In advance and online at Pases Parques (pasesparques.cl), CONAF's official ticketing site. If you are staying in refugios or campsites, you also need a confirmed booking for every night before you start the trails.
Can you visit Torres del Paine in one day?
Yes. Tours and round-trip buses run from Puerto Natales in a day, and by car you can see Lake Pehoé, Salto Grande, Pudeto and Lake Grey. The Base of the Towers can also be done in a day, but it is a demanding 8 to 10 hour hike.
Is Torres del Paine worth visiting?
Yes. It is a 227,298-hectare UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with granite towers, glaciers calving into lakes and some of the best-known treks in South America, and Puerto Natales adds the Milodon Cave and boat trips to Serrano Glacier.