Travel to Punta Arenas

very much an authentic working port

Set overlooking the Strait of Magellan in the far south of Chile (in a greater area sometimes referred to as Patagonia), Punta Arenas is one of the most southerly cities in the world.

A penal settlement was established here by Chile in 1848, in order to assert sovereignty over the hugely important shipping routes through the Strait of Magellan. Throughout the 1800s Punta Arenas grew in size and importance as the maritime traffic continued to increase.

During this period a gold rush and rapid expansion of sheep farming in the area caused a flood of immigration from Europe, especially Croatia and Russia. In fact the largest sheep farm in the whole of Chile and Argentina was based right here.

The modern city has a population of 130,000 people and has all the facilities that one might expect of a place of that size. It’s not a particularly attractive place, but the remote location does add a certain sense of intrigue and romance.

The majority of visitors to this part of the world pass through Punta Arenas Airport at some point and an overnight stay here is often necessary. That provides the opportunity to undertake a trip out to one of the local penguin colonies.

The majority of visitors head north to Torres del Paine National Park, often continuing north into Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina.

Several small cruise ships offer really excellent four to five night trips between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia over in Argentina, exploring the remote fjords and islands of the Cape.

Punta Arenas is usually accessed by air from Santiago.
It’s also possible to arrive overland, usually by flying from Buenos Aires or Bariloche into Los Glaciares National Park, then overlanding south into Chile, through Torres del Paine National Park and Puerto Natales, to arrive at Punta Arenas, a journey of 4-10 nights.

Another way to get here is by cruise ship from the port of Ushuaia, which is further south on the peninsula, on the Argentine side of the border.

Where to stay

There are no real stand-out accommodation options in Punta Arenas, just a modest range of larger hotels and more intimate guest-houses.

flight connections between Santiago, Torres del Paine and Antarctica