Puerta Natales - The Gateway To Chilean Patagonia

After our two-day stay in Punta Arenas, we were finally ready to head to Torres del Paine National Park, the crown jewel of Chilean Patagonia. After abandoning my hope of doing the famous W-Trek at Torres del Paine, we faced a dilemma about whether to stay within the national park. Although it is convenient to be inside the park, the sky-high prices and subpar quality of the available lodging leave much to be desired. Additionally, the dining options are also limited; most restaurants were reserved for staying guests only. I found it hard to accept paying more than $600 a night for an average hotel room. Well, if only we are wealthy enough to splurge on the ultra-luxury Explora Torres Del Paine.

After much deliberation, we booked two nights at Hotel del Paine in Río Serrano, just outside the park entrance. The $400 nightly rate was still exorbitant, but at least tolerable on a short stay. We also booked an extra night before and after in Puerto Natales to maximize our time at the park. I couldn't help but think that was a compromise out of financial necessity. As I delved deeper into the town, I realized that Puerto Natales was more than just a place to rest our heads, but an excellent gateway for Chilean Patagonia. Little did I know this often overlooked city would be my favorite spot on the entire trip. There is something magical about this place.

Puerto Natales is touristy, charming, quirky, and comfortable.

It was a three-hour drive from Punta Arenas. Much to my disappointment, the scenery along the way was relatively scenic but underwhelming for the most part. It was not until the last thirty minutes that we were gobsmacked by the landscape. Situated along the southern bank of Señoret Channel, the city has front row views of the impressive mountain range. The winding channels led the vistas toward the jagged peaks of the Torres del Paine National Park. For only $110 a night, we had a beautiful sea-view room at Best Western Patagonia. The tranquility of the unspoiled landscape immediately put us at ease.

Founded as a significant port for the once-booming sheep and cattle ranching industry, Punta Arenas was a boom town that fell on hard times. It was only in the last two decades that the city began to rebound by embracing tourism, particularly since the regular passenger services to Santiago and Puerto Montt. Given the scarcity of developable lots within the park, Punta Arenas offers a range of accommodations, including the luxurious The Singular Patagonia and NOI Indigo Patagonia. While there are a few ultra-luxury options inside the park, Puerto Natales is a great place to enjoy creature comforts before heading into the wilderness.

Puerto Natale's persistent challenge is keeping visitors long enough to reap the economic benefits. Without its own major historical landmarks or natural sites, the city sought ways to make itself a destination in its own right. The civic leaders looked to wine routes for inspiration and decided to turn it into a culinary capital of Patagonia. This small town has attracted many exciting culinary talents, from bespoke gin distilleries to some of the freshest seafood. The World Food Travel Association actually awarded Puerto Natales the distinction as the 2024 Culinary Capital. The culinary scene in Puerto Natales is diverse and wide-ranging, reflecting its history of immigration. Many restaurants also incorporate the culinary traditions of the Indigenous Kaweskar and Aónikenk people.

While Brian and I enjoy good food, we are no food experts, so we were happy to get recommendations from friends. Our foodie friends Ivy and Vince recently spent a month in Chile, and their favorite restaurant happened to be Restaurant Santolla in Puerto Natales. Unfortunately, we visited during New Year’s Eve, and many of the most celebrated restaurants were closed. That said, we were delighted that there were still plenty of options. Who knew that vicuña pizza could be surprisingly good?

Memorial to Alberto Maria de Agostini, an Italian missionary who was was among the first explorer of Patagonia.

Speaking with some locals, we quickly learned the challenges of running a hospitality business in Patagonia. Due to its high latitude and the absence of tourism during the winter months, many restaurants and hotels close four or five months a year. The town goes into hibernation, and the population halves during those months. The seasonality of the tourism trade is so lopsided that many buildings in the tourism industry do not even have a heating system. They would drain the plumbing to prevent pipes from bursting. I could imagine how harsh the winter here must be.

In fact, Puerto Natales is known for its strong winds. One of the most famous landmarks is the Monument to the Wind along the waterfront. Designed by Chilean sculptor Marcela Romagnoli Espinosa, the monument was inaugurated in 2012 to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the city’s founding. Having lived in two places nicknamed the “Windy City,” I had seen plenty of sculptures paying tribute to the wind, and this piece is my favorite by far. Even though each figure weighs over half a ton, the piece's dynamism is spectacular on the waterfront. It is easily the most photographed spot in town.

Another popular monument nearby is The Hand. Emerged from the ground, the massive fingertips are the work of famed Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal. You may not know his name, but you have likely seen one of his works on social media. His most famous work is probably the Hand of the Desert in the Atacama Desert, which was featured on the cover of my Fodor's guidebook. I later discovered that he created a series of similar sculptures in locations such as Uruguay and Spain. Fair or not, it is natural to think this is a little bit of a one-trick pony.

Despite the absence of grand monuments, the town center was surprisingly charming. It is anchored by Plaza de Armas Arturo Prat, named after the Chilean naval officer and hero of the Battle of Iquique. There is surprisingly very little information online on the various points of interest in town. However, curious travelers should take some time to explore the city and learn about its history through the multiple artifacts scattered around, such as the old mining equipment and a historic locomotive that once transported livestock between Puerto Natales and the massive cold storage plant in nearby Puerto Bories.

Without a doubt, the most recognizable landmark on the square is the Church of Our Lady Help of Christians. This three-nave church may look surprisingly modern and austere on the inside. The serenity inside must be a wonderful escape from the harsh winter. I particularly enjoyed the paintings inside, including a portrait of Jesus with Torres del Paine in the background. Since we have been traveling to Latin America, I have been fascinated by the incarnation of the Catholic Church. I remember how giddy I was when I saw a painting in Cusco Cathedral depicting a guinea pig on the table for the Last Supper.

A mural of the Selkʼnam people on Plaza de Armas Arturo Prat.

Like Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales also capitalizes on the imagery of the indigenous Selkʼnam people in promoting its tourism trade. They could be found on various murals and in front of souvenir shops. I was somewhat surprised by the abundance of these tourist shops selling a wide range of souvenirs, from tacky to otherwise. The most popular items are usually associated with Patagonian sheep or the granite peaks of Torres del Paine. Unsurprisingly, most items are made in either Asia or Bolivia, so visitors must do some homework to seek out more authentic souvenirs. The one shop I particularly liked was Autoctonitos, a craft boutique by local artisan Daniela Paz Quezada. Her contemporary Selkʼnam figurines may be the best souvenirs I found on this trip.

As the gateway to the national park, Puerto Natales has no shortage of places to buy outdoor gear. Although there is no REI or Decathlon, you can find just about every international major brand of outdoor outfitters. I did not check their prices, but I could only imagine they are more expensive here due to the geographical isolation. The locals probably think tourists are out of their minds for paying $150 for a pair of hiking pants. However, visitors would not have to venture far to experience the workaday life of Puerto Natales. This city may be particularly photogenic, but it feels very comfortable and even charming.

I found this roadside food stand to be very charming.

Whether you choose to stay in Puerto Natales or not, the city deserves to be more than just a transit point. It's a shame to hear that so many visitors choose to make a beeline for the park from Puerto Natales Airport. I was glad to be there during the holiday period. We were able to appreciate the relaxed ambiance, free from the usual distractions of the overwhelming tourism trade. Set aside all the delightful cuisine, my favorite experience here was enjoying the quiet sunset along the waterfront. I secretly prefer it to the sunset inside the park.

Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument

Puerto Natales may be a great place to unwind, but there aren’t many great excursions within an hour’s drive. We had a few extra hours on our last day in Patagonia before catching our flight back to Santiago. After spending a few days inside the national park, we were keen to explore something other than hiking. The most prominent side trip from the city is the Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument, an important site for studying Pleistocene megafauna. Instantly, Brian hesitated to spend a few hours at a paleontology site. It was not typically on our travel bucket list.

As the name suggests, the cave is most noted for the pre-preserved skeletons of mylodon, a sloth-like giant comparable in size to polar bears. Puerto Natales has embraced mylodon as the city’s unofficial mascot. A life-size statue is at the entrance of the city center. Its enormous size is terrifying, until I was reminded that they move as slowly as a sloth. We had to wonder how these creatures defended themselves from their predators. These seemingly gentle creatures are also featured on the street signs around the town center. I wonder whether the locals really identify with mylodon, or if it was simply a decision by the tourism board.

The infrastructure aroundCueva del Milodón Natural Monument is very well developed.

It was a fifty-minute drive from the city center. It is often included in a long day trip to Torres del Paine National Park, which is already a significant endeavor, so I can’t imagine adding another stop on such a long day. After visiting the small visitor center, it was only a short ten-minute stroll to the main cave. Along the way, a few plaques explain the geological formation and different types of megafauna found here. Among them are the saber-toothed cat Smilodon and the large camel-like ungulate Macrauchenia.

The site was first “discovered” by Europeans in 1895 by German explorer Hermann Eberhard. The following year, Swedish geologist Otto Nordenskjöld excavated the cave and discovered remnants of mylodons, including fragments of intact fur. Experts believe the mylodon here lived between 10,200 and 13,500 years ago. The large herbivore would graze upright, supporting itself through its muscular tail. Based on the jawbone, archaeologists believe they could digest even the toughest tree roots. But like most mammals of that time, the skeletal fragments are relatively incomplete.

It is difficult to describe the scale of the main cave.

The cave is much larger than I anticipated, measuring 265 feet wide, 100 feet tall, and nearly 660 feet deep. Formed by glacial erosion, the cave is so cavernous that it almost looks unnatural. I can’t help but fear a potential collapse during our visit. Visitors follow a marked trail along the perimeter of the cave. It is not difficult to envision how megafauna would find shelter here. Archaeologists also found numerous human remains, dated roughly eight thousand years ago. I wonder how different or similar the scenery may have been back then. I wonder how many people would wrongly assume mylodons were hunted to extinction by humans.

The national monument may be best known for its enormous cave, but it encompasses a large area, including hiking trails, viewpoints, and half a dozen excavation sites. One could easily spend two or three hours here. Unfortunately, we came in late afternoon and did not check out the rest of the park. However, we did get to have a selfie with Devil's Chair, an iconic monolith on the End of the World Route (Ruta del Fin del Mundo). While we could understand why some visitors may be disappointed by Cueva del Milodón, we thoroughly enjoyed the quick visit. It was a wonderful end to our Patagonia visit.

▲

Puerta Natales - The Gateway To Chilean Patagonia

Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument

The Southern Frontiers of Punta Arenas