Reasons to visit Punta Arenas

  • Plentiful air connections to Santiago make Punta Arenas the main gateway to Torres del Paine National Park
  • Embark on an adventure cruise around Tierra del Fuego, exploring hidden glaciers to reach the end of the world at Cape Horn
  • Visit Magellanic and king penguin colonies for a close encounter with these enchanting birds
  • Watch humpback whales and even spend time in a research camp run by marine biologists studying the region's rich wildlife
  • Explore the historic mansions, museums and monuments that tell the story of how this city became the largest and richest in Patagonia

What to see and do in Punta Arenas

Adventure cruises

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 at Porter Glacier in Tierra del Fuego

Adventure cruising in Tierra del Fuego

Penguins

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

King penguins in Tierra del Fuego

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Tomas says

In Punta Arenas, you can taste the end of the world in the air on winds carried all the way from Antarctica. This is a place for exploring on an epic scale, from heroic glaciers to the craggy peaks of Torres del Paine.

Tomas Hernandez Patagonia Sales Consultant

Whale watching

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 breaching in near Punta Arenas

Humpback whale in Francisco Coloane Marine Park

Historic walks

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 waterfront with Yelcho monument

Punta Arenas historic waterfront

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Swoop says

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.

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What our travellers think of Punta Arenas

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:

Where to stay in Punta Arenas

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.

How to get to Punta Arenas

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

View from plane in flight to Punta Arenas

Flying in to Punta Arenas

How to get to Torres del Paine from 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. 

How do I get to Torres del Paine?

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Swoop says

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. 

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