Punta Arenas is the capital of Chile's Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica Region and sits on the Strait of Magellan, at the southern tip of Chilean Patagonia. It was founded on December 18, 1848, when the Fuerte Bulnes colony moved to this stretch of coast, and was declared a free port in 1868. The municipality has 132,363 residents (2024 census).
It is the main air gateway to Chilean Patagonia: Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Airport (PUQ) is about 20 km from downtown, and Puerto Natales, the base for Torres del Paine, is 250 km away on Route 9. Boats leave the city for Magdalena Island, where about 7,000 pairs of Magellanic penguins nest, and ferries cross to Tierra del Fuego.
Downtown keeps the mansions of the sheep-farming boom around Plaza Muñoz Gamero, and the Municipal Cemetery is a National Monument. Penguin season runs from October to mid-April: in January highs are around 13 °C (55 °F) with over 16 hours of daylight; in July highs are about 4 °C (39 °F) with 8 hours of daylight.
Things to do in Punta Arenas
- 1
Penguins on Magdalena Island
Los Pingüinos Natural Monument, made up of Magdalena and Marta islands, lies 35 km northeast of Punta Arenas in the Strait of Magellan. About 7,000 pairs of Magellanic penguins nest on Magdalena Island, and an easy 1.4 km trail, about 60 minutes, crosses the colony. Marta Island has an imperial cormorant colony and a breeding rookery of South American sea lions and fur seals. It can only be reached on tour boats from the Tres Puentes terminal, a crossing of about 1.5 hours, and is open from October to mid-April, always with CONAF-certified guides.
See tours - 2
Plaza Muñoz Gamero and the historic center
The main square and the buildings around it have been a protected historic zone since 1991. At its center stands the Hernando de Magallanes monument, a bronze sculpture about 10 m tall unveiled in 1920 for the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the Strait. Facing the square is the Sara Braun Palace, a Historic Monument since 1981 and one of the mansions built with the wealth of the late 19th-century sheep-farming boom.
See tours - 3
Sara Braun Municipal Cemetery
Opened in 1894, it covers 8 hectares on Avenida Bulnes, in the north of the city, and has been a National Monument since 2012. You walk along avenues of cypresses between the mausoleums of Magallanes' pioneer families, entering through the gateway built between 1918 and 1923. Open daily from 8 am to 7 pm.
- 4
Fuerte Bulnes
About 58 km south of the city, on the Punta Santa Ana peninsula, stands the fort built in 1843 by the expedition from Ancud, the first Chilean settlement on the Strait. In 1848 the colony moved to what is now Punta Arenas. The fort was rebuilt to its original design for its centenary: palisade, moat, blockhouse, barracks and two gun batteries. It has been a Historic Monument since 1968.
See tours - 5
Magallanes National Reserve
A 13,500-hectare Patagonian forest just 7 km west of downtown, protected since 1932. It has easy trails such as Los Ñirres (1.1 km, 1 hour) and El Bosque al Alcance de Todos (470 m, accessible for people with reduced mobility), and longer ones such as Las Lengas (9.3 km, 3 to 5 hours). In winter snow can block access, and a snowshoe trail, cross-country ski areas and sledding areas open.
- 6
Humpback whales in Francisco Coloane Marine Park
Created in 2003, it is Chile's first marine park: 1,506 hectares around Carlos III Island in the Strait of Magellan. It protects the only known humpback whale feeding ground in the Southern Hemisphere outside Antarctic waters, as well as Magellanic penguin and sea lion colonies. Tours leave from Punta Arenas in the summer season.
See tours - 7
Pali Aike National Park
A 5,030-hectare volcanic landscape next to the Argentine border, full of craters, cones and lava fields. It is reached on Route 255-CH, toward the Integración Austral border crossing, with a turnoff to Punta Delgada: the road has 168 km of concrete and 28 km of gravel. The trail to Pali Aike Cave is 600 m and 30 minutes; the Morada del Diablo trail, to the crater of the most recent eruption (16,000 to 10,000 years ago), is 7.4 km and almost 3 hours.
See tours - 8
Nao Victoria Museum and Cerro de la Cruz viewpoint
The Nao Victoria Museum has a full-scale replica of the ship Magellan sailed through the Strait. The Cerro de la Cruz viewpoint looks out over the city's colorful roofs and the Strait. The Magallanes Regional Museum, in the Braun Menéndez Palace, is closed to the public for a full restoration project: check its status before you go. The local specialties are king crab chowder (chupe de centolla) and Magallanes lamb.
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Punta Arenas weather
| Month | High | Low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13°C 56°F | 7°C 45°F | 16.3 h |
| Feb | 14°C 56°F | 7°C 45°F | 14.5 h |
| Mar | 12°C 53°F | 6°C 43°F | 12.5 h |
| Apr | 9°C 48°F | 4°C 39°F | 10.4 h |
| May | 7°C 44°F | 3°C 37°F | 8.6 h |
| Jun | 4°C 40°F | 1°C 33°F | 7.6 h |
| Jul | 4°C 39°F | 0°C 32°F | 8.1 h |
| Aug | 5°C 41°F | 1°C 33°F | 9.7 h |
| Sep | 7°C 44°F | 2°C 35°F | 11.7 h |
| Oct | 9°C 48°F | 3°C 38°F | 13.8 h |
| Nov | 11°C 52°F | 5°C 41°F | 15.8 h |
| Dec | 12°C 54°F | 6°C 43°F | 16.8 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 Punta Arenas
The best time is October to April: it is the visiting season for Magdalena Island (October to mid-April) and days have 14 to 17 hours of daylight. Winter, June to August, is cold and short on daylight, but the city and the Magallanes National Reserve can be visited year-round.
Summer
December to February
Highs of 12–13.5 °C (54–56 °F), lows of 6–7 °C (43–45 °F) and 14.5 to almost 17 hours of daylight. It is peak season for penguins and boat trips on the Strait, so book tours ahead. Expect strong, constant wind.
Autumn
March to May
Highs drop from about 11.5 °C (53 °F) in March to 7 °C (45 °F) in May, and daylight from 12.5 to 8.5 hours. Magdalena Island visits end in mid-April.
Winter
June to August
Highs of 4–5 °C (39–41 °F), lows around 0 °C (32 °F) and about 8 hours of daylight. The Magdalena Island trail closes, snow can block access to the Magallanes National Reserve, and snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and sledding open there.
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 11 °C (45 to 52 °F). Penguin season starts in October.
How to get to Punta Arenas
By plane
Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Airport (PUQ) has direct flights from Santiago and seasonal connections to Argentina. It is about 20 km from downtown, served by buses, taxis and shuttles. Flights from Punta Arenas to Puerto Williams take about 1 hour 15 minutes.
From Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine
It is 250 km on paved Route 9, about 3 hours by long-distance bus or car. That is why Punta Arenas is often the first or last stop of a Torres del Paine trip.
From Argentina
Cross-border buses from Río Gallegos cross at the Integración Austral (Monte Aymond) border post, on Route 255-CH, which is open to all vehicles. Check the crossing's hours before you travel.
By sea
Transbordadora Austral Broom (TABSA) links Punta Arenas with Porvenir, in Tierra del Fuego, from the Tres Puentes terminal, and also sails to Puerto Williams: a voyage of about 30 hours through the fjords of Alberto de Agostini National Park.
How many days in Punta Arenas
3 or 4 days cover downtown, the Magdalena Island penguins, Fuerte Bulnes and the Magallanes National Reserve. If you are heading to Torres del Paine, add 4 or 5 days from Puerto Natales.
Day 1
Plaza Muñoz Gamero, the Sara Braun Palace, the Municipal Cemetery and sunset at Cerro de la Cruz.
Day 2
Boat trip to Magdalena Island to see the penguins (October to mid-April).
Day 3
Fuerte Bulnes in the morning and a hike in the Magallanes National Reserve in the afternoon.
Day 4
Day trip to Pali Aike National Park or a boat trip to see humpback whales.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to visit Punta Arenas?
October to April. It is the visiting season for Magdalena Island, which runs from October to mid-April, and days have up to almost 17 hours of daylight in December. In winter highs are 4–5 °C (39–41 °F) with about 8 hours of daylight.
How many days do you need in Punta Arenas?
3 to 4 days are enough for the historic center, the Magdalena Island penguins, Fuerte Bulnes and the Magallanes National Reserve. If you continue to Torres del Paine, add 4 or 5 days from Puerto Natales.
How do you see the penguins on Magdalena Island?
On tour boats from the Tres Puentes terminal in Punta Arenas, from October to mid-April. The island is 35 km northeast of the city, the crossing takes about 1.5 hours and visits are made with CONAF-certified guides along a 1.4 km trail.
How do you get from Punta Arenas to Torres del Paine?
First to Puerto Natales: 250 km on Route 9, about 3 hours by bus or car. From Natales, buses run to the park entrances, about 2 hours away.
How do you get from Punta Arenas to Tierra del Fuego?
On the Transbordadora Austral Broom (TABSA) ferry from the Tres Puentes terminal to Porvenir. To Puerto Williams there are flights of about 1 hour 15 minutes and a ferry of about 30 hours.
What is the weather like in Punta Arenas?
Cold year-round and very windy. In January highs are around 13 °C (55 °F) and lows 7 °C (45 °F); in July highs are about 4 °C (39 °F) and lows around 0 °C (32 °F). Pack layers, a windbreaker and a waterproof jacket even in summer.
Is Punta Arenas worth visiting?
Yes. Few cities let you walk among about 7,000 pairs of nesting penguins on a half-day trip, see humpback whales in their feeding ground and visit the fort where Chile's first settlement on the Strait of Magellan began, and it is the natural gateway to Torres del Paine and Tierra del Fuego.