Puerto Natales Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Puerto Natales showing landscape views, a lake or waterhole and a sunset
Cueva del Milodon showing a park and caves
Puerto Natales
Cueva del Milodon showing outdoor art and caves
Puerto Natales featuring landscape views and outdoor art

Breathtaking national parks, adventure sports and millennia-old caves welcome visitors to this town in the heart of the Patagonian wilderness.

Once a fishing village and a centre for Chile’s 20th-century cattle-ranching industry, today Puerto Natales is the gateway to outdoor adventures in southern Patagonia. The town is on the east bank of the Señoret Channel and faces the snow-capped peaks of the Andes mountain range. Holiday in Puerto Natales to visit ancient caves, walk to scenic lookouts, kayak on vast lakes and tour the awe-inspiring landscapes of national parks.  

The town’s colourful streets reflect a past of European immigrants and indigenous settlers from Chiloé Island. Start your visit at Plaza de Armas, the pretty central square home to an antique steam locomotive. Learn about the town’s colonial years and Patagonian tribes at the Museo Histórico Municpalidad Natales. Go to the waterfront, gaze across the channel’s icy waters toward Andean peaks and watch picturesque sunsets. 

Enjoy a day hike to Mirador Cerro Dorotea, a lookout with uninterrupted views of the town, bay and surrounding glacial landscapes. Walk or bike north along the coastline and investigate the town’s meat-processing heritage at the Museo Histórico e Industrial Puerto Bories.

Just a 30-minute drive from the town is Cueva del Milodón, a series of huge caves and prehistoric relics. Discover the stories of the region’s earliest settlers and animals, such as the giant mylodon, a sloth that lived over 10,000 years ago. 

Puerto Natales is a great starting point for two of Chile’s most famous national parks. Relive the travels of Charles Darwin as you sail past fjords to Parque Nacional Bernardo O’Higgins. Catch a glimpse of the soaring Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. Marvel at the granite peaks and icebergs of Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, the setting for superb bird-watching, hiking and kayaking. 

Reach Puerto Natales by flying to Punta Arenas and then renting a car or catching a public bus. Alternatively, take a fascinating multiday cruise from Puerto Montt. Stay at a cosy guesthouse, hotel or estancia, a traditional working farmstead set amid rural surroundings. 

Hotel Costaustralis
Hotel Costaustralis
3.5 out of 5
Pedro Montt 262, Natales, Magallanes
Stay at this 3.5-star hotel in Natales. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (486 reviews)
"Mi habitación miraba directo a la costanera. El desayuno bueno y variado. Todos los empleados fueron muy amables y simpáticos. Volvería a quedarme en el hotel."

Reviewed on 8 Jun 2025

Hotel Costaustralis
The Veat
The Veat
3 out of 5
Magallanes 73, Natales, Magallanes
Stay at this 3-star hotel in Natales. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (98 reviews)
Great Stay in Puerto Natales
"The VEAT staff and owners were extremely helpful to me during my stay there. The hotel is in a great location - easy walking distance to the waterfront and restaurants. It was very clean and quiet, and I think it's the perfect place to stay in Puerto Natales. The restaurant next door is owned by ..."

Reviewed on 17 Apr 2025

The Veat
Best Western Patagonia
Best Western Patagonia
3.5 out of 5
Huerto 282 Lote 11 Ruta 9, Natales, Magallanes y Antartica Chilena
Stay at this 3.5-star business-friendly hotel in Natales. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Popular attractions Mirador Cerro Dorotea and Cueva ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (37 reviews)
"Friendly staff, very clean and perfect for commuting to Torres del Paine!"

Reviewed on 18 Apr 2025

Best Western Patagonia
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Alto Balmaceda Apartamentos
Alto Balmaceda Apartamentos
3.5 out of 5
456 Manuel Balmaceda, Natales, Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena
Stay at this 3.5-star apartment in Natales. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and rainfall showerheads. Popular attractions Plaza de Armas and History Museum are ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (50 reviews)
"It is a new property. There is construction still going on in adjacent units. The apartment was warm and cozy, perfect for winter. Hot water supply was very good. It is located a short walk from the main shopping street and the bus station. Everything we needed was within walking distance including ..."

Reviewed on 14 Jun 2025

Alto Balmaceda Apartamentos
Trotamundos Patagonia
Trotamundos Patagonia
3.5 out of 5
847 Galvarino, Natales, Región de Magallanes
Stay at this 3.5-star aparthotel in Natales. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Popular attractions Lago Nordenskjold and Plaza de Armas are ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (50 reviews)
"Our stay was wonderful. The department was cozy. The staff was friendly and welcoming. The breakfast was delicious and had many choices. We stayed four nights."

Reviewed on 7 Jul 2025

Trotamundos Patagonia
Loft By Toore Patagonia
Loft By Toore Patagonia
2 out of 5
Miguel Sanchez, 17, Natales, Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena
Stay at this apartment in Natales. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, daily housekeeping and tour/ticket assistance. Popular attractions Old Pier and Puerto Natales Casino are ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (11 reviews)
"We feel so lucky to have stayed at the Loft before and after we did the W trek. Maca is incredibly accommodating and easy to reach. We got to store or our luggage multiple times and Maca took great care of us for giving us many options and recommendations to make our trip easier. The room is spotless ..."

Reviewed on 30 Mar 2025

Loft By Toore Patagonia
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Reviews of Puerto Natales

3.7
Guest rating
5 - Excellent
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5 - Excellent 17%
4 - Good
2
4 - Good 33%
3 - Okay
3
3 - Okay 50%
2 - Disappointing
0
2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
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1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Very nice and authentic