Hiking in Torres del Paine
World class hiking and trekking awaits in Torres del Paine National Park. From the iconic W Trek to the park’s most hidden corners, each valley, peak and pass is a treasure.
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Punta Arenas is the region's largest city and the gateway to some of Patagonia’s most spectacular sights. From here, you can board an adventure cruise to Cape Horn and the glaciers of Tierra del Fuego, or hike into the mountainous marvels of Torres del Paine National Park.
The port of Punta Arenas is the ideal starting point for some of Patagonia’s most brilliant expedition-style adventure cruises around Tierra del Fuego.
Sail from here to Ushuaia in Argentina, taking in the dramatic Beagle Channel, brilliant blue glaciers only accessible by boat and even reaching Cape Horn, a windswept totem for sailors down through the centuries. Cruises involve exploring by zodiac boat, hiking in remote forests, visiting Magellanic penguin colonies of remote islands and even the chance of whale watching.
These adventure cruises also sail in the reverse direction from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas.
Adventure cruising in Tierra del Fuego
Punta Arenas offers the opportunity to see colonies of two quite different species of penguin.
Isla Magdelana, a short boat ride from Punta Arenas in the middle of the Magellan Strait, is home to a large colony of Magellanic penguins. These penguins are unusual in that they nest in burrows, and are often called jackass penguins for their loud braying call.
Accessible by a small plane ride or two day trip by ferry, is Tierra del Fuego’s only king penguin colony. The colony is located in the unfortunately named Useless Bay on the far side of the Magellan Strait. The king penguin’s unusual breeding cycle means there is usually a good chance of seeing fluffy chicks.
King penguins in Tierra del Fuego
Punta Arenas is little talked about as a whale watching destination, but its location puts it in prime place to see humpback whales. Between December and March you can make a day trip to the rich waters of nearby Francisco Coloane Marine Park, Chile's largest marine reserve, where you can watch humpbacks feeding and breaching against a spectacular mountain backdrop.
For a truly unmatched experience, it’s also possible to extend your trip and spend two nights at an ecocamp research base run by local marine biologists. Here, you can spend time recording wildlife with scientists, exploring the fjords while you look for whales, dolphins, sea lions, Magellanic penguins and more.
Humpback whale in Francisco Coloane Marine Park
Punta Arenas is somewhere that repays exploration on foot. The city’s central plaza is surrounded by lavish historic mansions more than a century old, dating from the town’s early years when it boomed on Patagonia’s sheep wealth.
From here, you can explore a selection of excellent museums before continuing on to walk the Costanera, the city’s main waterfront, which extends for several miles. Along the way, enjoy the monuments to the schooner Ancud, with which Chile claimed sovereignty over the Magellan Strait, and the bow of the Yelcho, the ship which rescued Sir Ernest Shackleton’s men from the disaster of their Endurance expedition to Antarctica.
Punta Arenas historic waterfront
When you book your trip with Swoop, we'll provide you with our own unique city guide to Punta Arenas, with all the inside knowledge on places to eat and drink and things to see.
We stayed in Punta Arenas for a day and took a boat to see the Magellanic Penguins, which was very fun.
Travelled: January 2023
John Draghi - USA
Spent an extra day in Punta Arenas and really enjoyed the history of the area. Read the full review
Travelled: October 2022
Ann Bossmeyer - USA
I almost overlooked Punta Arenas as an industrial city. Read the full review
Travelled: October 2022
Ann Bossmeyer -
Review:
Most people passing through Punta Arenas find themselves spending at least a night here, to allow them to connect with an onward flight, a cruise or an onward transfer to Torres del Paine or Ushuaia.
There is a good selection of accommodation on offer to suit all tastes. There are some classic upmarket hotels close to the city’s central plaza, several of which are in historic buildings. Alternatively there are some great boutique hotels bursting with character, and more budget-friendly options.
Punta Arenas airport (code PUQ) is 14 miles (22 km) north of the city and has multiple daily direct flights to Santiago (3½ hours). There are further flight connections to Puerto Montt in the Chilean Lake District, Coyhaique in Aysen and Puerto Williams in Tierra del Fuego.
By road, Punta Arenas is about 220 miles (362 km) from Torres del Paine National Park, via Puerto Natales (155 miles/250 km).
By sea, the Navimag ferry from Punta Arenas to Puerto Montt is a scenic four day crossing. A four day adventure cruise also sails to Ushuaia.
Travel to Argentina There are direct buses to Ushuaia and via Puerto Natales (an overnight stop) to El Calafate for Los Glaciares National Park.
Travelling overland between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia?
Swoop Patagonia Expert Iain
Flying in to Punta Arenas
The majority of visitors to Torres del Paine arrive via Punta Arenas, thanks to its more frequent flight connections to Santiago. From here, it’s a three hour transfer by road to Puerto Natales (155 miles/250 km) and from there into the park. If you travelling by this route, stay overnight in Puerto Natales rather than Punta Arenas, in order to catch the morning transfers to the national park.
There are direct bus services to Puerto Natales from Punta Arenas airport and Punta Arenas bus station to Puerto Natales.
Some of Torres del Paine's all-inclusive lodges offer direct transfer from Punta Arenas. Private transfers can also be arranged.
Punta Arenas is the starting point for many expedition cruises to Antarctica. Our team have extensive experience on the White Continent – speak one of our Patagonia specialists if you're interested in continuing your journey even further south.
World class hiking and trekking awaits in Torres del Paine National Park. From the iconic W Trek to the park’s most hidden corners, each valley, peak and pass is a treasure.
Discover MoreTorres del Paine National Park, with its iconic granite Towers, is one of the most popular destinations in Patagonia – a paradise for hikers and outdoor adventure activities.…
Discover MoreTorres del Paine National Park offers a wide range of accommodation. Stay at a refugios or campsites for a fun and traditional hiking experience. Learn about gaucho culture at an …
Discover MoreMaps of Torres del Paine National Park. Find the key routes and landmarks, and choose the best maps for trekking.
Discover MoreImpartial advice and a bespoke service to make your trip perfect.
We are former guides, tour leaders, outdoor enthusiasts & adventurers.
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Whatever your budget, group size, length of stay, preferred activity or appetite for adventure, we can help.
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