PUERTO NATALES: THE GATE TO TORRES DEL PAINE
ACTIVITIES FROM PUERTO NATALES AND THE AREA

City Tour to the Past
Duration: 2 hrs 30 min
It was the first civilized population center to remain on a permanent basis in Southern Patagonia. Punta Arenas is history and every corner evokes the adventures and experiences of its pioneers, who founded this city on December 18th, 1848 as an incipient colony, and which in the years to come was turned into the major cultural, industrial, commercial and livestock center of the region.
The one-day tour covers the well-planned avenues, squares and some of the approximate 30 monuments of the city, including a fascinating visit to the Maggiorino Borgatello Salesian Museum, which exhibits fabulous collections of the Magellan flora and fauna specimens, exclusive folklore and crafts of the indigenous tribes (yaganes, tehuelches onas and alacalufes) who inhabited the territory. As background you can see the breathtaking panoramic views of the city and the Strait of Magellan, which makes this tour one of the most comprehensive tours of Punta Arenas city.
It includes:
o Bilingual guide.
o Museum entrance tickets.

Otway Inlet
Duration: 3 hrs 30 min
Birds, birds and more birds... That's what you are going to see in this particular one-day tour departing from Punta Arenas and which covers part of route number 9, follows through the Kon Aiken livestock settlement and continues into the Pecket mine coastal road until arriving to destination: the penguin colony at Otway Sound. There, you will be able to admire the grace of the Magellan penguins within their natural habitat, the real stars (protagonists) of this beautiful tour. You will travel through signaled trails to enjoy the view of these birds in or outside their nests, or from the lookup located some meters away from the beach. All of this in a landscape full of flocks of wild geese, rheas and other sea birds.
It includes:
o Bilingual guide.
o Entrance tickets to the penguin colony at Otway Sound.
o It operates from October 15th to March 15th.

Panoramic Tour
Duration: 2 hs
Located just 9 km from the city of Punta Arenas is Fenton mountain, a place that is part of to Magellan forest reserve. From the top it offers breathtaking views and trekking trails in summer, as well as interesting places to practice skiing during winter. To reach the top of the mountain, there is a chair lift. From there you'll have an imposing view of the Strait of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego Island and Dawson Island. Descending is on foot through any of the trails of lenga (nothofagus pumilio) and coigüe (nothofagus betuloides) large forests.
It includes:
o Bilingual guide.
o Cableway ticket.

Magdalena Island
Duration: 5 hs
One of the paradises of birds watchers. The Magdalena Island, together with Marta small island, make up the natural monument Los Pingüinos, natural habitat of more than 120,000 Magellan penguins and one of the biggest southern penguins colony of Chile.
The trip to the island is a real spectacle. Two hours sailing through the Strait of Magellan where it is possible to have astonishing panoramic views of Punta Arenas, Tierra del Fuego plains and oilfields of Cabo Negro or Laredo Bay. All this to reach to this place located 35 km from the city of Punta Arenas and immersed in the strait itself. Once there, the landscape is even more beautiful, and penguins, cormorants and sea wolfs, among others, are the main characters. During one hour, you'll see thousands of penguins and nests in a walk through the trails that go from the coast to the top of the island, where there is a lighthouse that houses the Environmental Interpretation Center with the history of the strait and the fauna of the area.
The island has rangers who take care of the ecosystem and guide visitors if required. At all times, the group will be accompanied by a local guide. Please, help us preserve the environment without throwing wastes and avoiding disturbing birds. The use of flashes is prohibited. There are no stores in the place. The boat has snack services and restrooms.

Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers
Duration: 9 hrs from Puerto Natales
Visiting them means admiring a majestic place almost never touched by men. The only access to this zone is by sailing through the Seno de Última Esperanza (Last Hope Sound). The 2,035 meter Balmaceda mountain is part of the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park. Travelling to Balmaceda is a pleasure. The journey starts at Puerto Natales pier, going through forests of coigües, canelos, lengas, ñires, chilcos and calafates, and discovering sea wolves, cormorants, quetru ducks, condors and seagulls. When going along the coast, the ship gets closer to sea wolves colonies to finally reach the mountain. There is the Balmaceda glacier, where huge pieces of ice detach falling into the fjord waters and the Serrano glacier, located in the north where you can arrive by land next to a small lagoon formed by the de-icing activity.
The return trip starts around 2:30 PM and it includes one stop at the Perales estancia, where passengers have the chance to enjoy a delicious typical regional lunch. Around 5:30 PM, the tour returns to Puerto Natales.
It includes:
o Bilingual guide on board.
o Set menu type lunch.

Milodon Caves
Duration: 3 hrs from Puerto Natales
Huge natural ground accident, which is 200 m deep, 30 m high and 80 m wide, and it is located 25 km north of Puerto Natales. Thus is how the Milodon cave can be described, one of the millenary attractions of the area that no visitor should miss. It is believed that this cave of incalculable anthropological value was the natural habitat of the primitive Patagonian man, and of course, of the "Milodon", a huge herbivorous animal, probably, extinguished by the end of the last glacial age, after which this astonishing natural ground accident is named. Likewise, landscape is complemented by a great variety of typical regional flora and fauna.
It includes:
o Bilingual guide.
o Entrance tickets to the Milodon Cave.
o Per person rate US$ 66 (Double occupancy basis

Full day Torres del Paine
Duration: 11 hrs from Puerto Natales
Visiting the Patagonia without going to Torres del Paine National Park is almost a sin. This tour departs at 8 AM from your lodging place in Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park. The first stop will be the millenary Milodon Cave, a huge natural ground accident with an incalculable anthropological value, which is believed to have been inhabited by the primitive Patagonian man, and the Milodon, an extinct herbivorous animal. Once 30 minutes have elapsed and 36 km have been traveled, the second stop will be made: Cerro Castillo, where passengers will be able to enjoy cafeteria services. A perfect preamble to later arrive to Torres del Paine National Park through the Amarga Lagoon area, a stunning scenery where you can enjoy watching red foxes and condors which usually are part of the beautiful panoramic views of the Paine mountain range. What comes next is even more impressive. Following the route, you can see the Nordenskjold and Pehoé lakes, together with groups of guanacos and lesser rheas or ñandúes. The journey continues with a 10 minute hike, where it is possible to discover the astonishing Salto Grande (Large waterfall) to continue through the front of the imposing horns towards the Grey lake area. A stop will be made at the Grey inn to have lunch. During the afternoon, the tour continues towards the glacier area, where an approximate one-and-a-half-hour stop will be made, as well as a beautiful hike among forests of lengas and breathtaking ice floes of the Grey glacier. The return trip concludes at Puerto Natales between 7:30 and 8 PM, and passengers are left in their respective lodging places or at the bus station.
It includes:
o Bilingual guide.
o Lunch at the Grey inn (1 soft drink or beer, soup, main course and dessert).
It does not include:
o Cafeteria service.
o Park entrance tickets.


Historic Fuerte Bulnes
Duration: 3 hrs 30 min
The historic Fuerte Bulnes invites us to evoke old experiences. It is located to the south of Punta Arenas (58 km) and constitutes an unforgettable milestone of those who lived in that place. The fort is on the banks of the legendary Strait of Magellan and then, it goes into Punta Santa Ana. Today there is a rebuilt of the first Chilean garrison in southern lands, opened by Mr. Manuel Bulnes with the Ancud schooner expedition on October 30th, 1843, and abandoned when population moved to the current location of Punta Arenas city.
Details:
The tour will take us through a beautiful Road on the banks of the Strait of Magellan surrounded by flowers and fields… Once at the Fort, it is possible to visit the various buildings, such as the church, the prison, the canyon area, houses, stables and dinning rooms…all of them made of ax-hewn native wood. On the way back to Punta Arenas, new stops will capture our attention, the ruins and monument that remind us of the old settlement Rey Don Felipe, later called Port Famine due to the tragic death of all its inhabitants because of starvation famine and the spectacular fishing bay Bahía Mansa. Finally, we will make a short stop at the milestone which marks the center of Chile as measured from Visviri to the Antarctica.
Departures: every day at 10 AM.

It includes:
o Fuerte Bulnes.
o Specialized guide accompanying the whole tour.
o Snack.

MORE THAN ONE DAY
Full Patagonia: code PAINEFULLPAT

Duration: 4 days 3 nights

Visit most main attractions of Patagonia in just 3 nights! Consider one night in Puerto Natales, one night in Torres del Paine National Park and a third night in Punta Arenas, and visit places as interesting and fun as the Otway Sound penguin colony, the Milodon Cave and Torres del Paine National Park. And if you have extra time, add more nights to your tour to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales, and visit Patagonia with some of the tours we have specially prepared for you.
It includes:
Local transportation.
Return ticket in regular bus between Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas.
Transfer between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales in regular tourist transportation.
1 night stay at selected hotel in Punta Arenas.
1 night stay at selected hotel in Puerto Natales.
1 night stay at selected inn in Torres del Paine.
Full day tour to Torres del Paine National Park, including guide and lunch at inn in the Park.
Entrance tickets to Otway Sound penguin colony, Milodon Cave and Torres del Paine National Park.

Basic Paine; Code BASICPAINE

Duration: 2 days 1 nights
Brief, but complete. That's the way you will visit Torres del Paine National Park with this program including the basic and necessary elements to know the park, as well as local transfers and transportation from and to the airport. We have also included transportation between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales in regular buses.
And as if that were not enough, this tour also includes a visit to the millenary Milodon Cave, entrance tickets to attractions and a reviving lunch at the inn in Torres del Paine.
The program includes one night stay in Puerto Natales, which may vary if you wish to add extra nights in Punta Arenas, in Puerto Natales itself, or, if you prefer, add the interesting tour to the Última Esperanza fjord towards Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers.
It includes:
. Local transportation.
. Round trip ticket in regular bus between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales.
. 1 night stay at selected hotel in Puerto Natales.
. Full day tour to Torres del Paine National Park, including guide and lunch at inn in the park, as well as entrance tickets to the Milodon Cave and Torres del Paine.

Fluvial Paine: Code FLUVIALPAINE

Duration: 3 days 2 nights

It includes:
. Local transfers.
. Round trip ticket in regular bus between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales.
. 2 night stay at selected hotel in Puerto Natales.
. Navigation through the Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers.
. Navigation in zodiac boat from the Balmaceda glacier to Torres del Paine National Park.
. Transfer from Serrano river to Puerto Natales in regular tour.
. Entrance tickets to Torres del Paine National Park.

Paine Express: Code PAINEEXPRESS

Duration: 2 days 1 night

Paine, Paine and more Paine… That's how this tour is. It begins at the arrival from the Punta Arenas airport, continues with an interesting visit to the Seno Otway penguin colonies and arrives close to midnight to the selected inn at Torres del Paine National Park. The return trip may be done directly or by departing very early in the morning from the inn to the Punta Arenas airport, or you may add extra nights in Puerto Natales or Punta Arenas in order to take some spectacular optional tours like city tours, sailings, among others.
It includes:
. Local transportation.
. Tourist regular transportation round trip ticket with bilingual guide, between Punta Arenas and Torres del Paine.
.1 night stay at selected inn in Torres del Paine.
. Entrance tickets to Torres del Paine National Park.

Patagonia A
Duration: 8 days 7 nights

This tour offers a comprehensive glance in 8 days and 7 nights. The first stop is Torres del Paine National Park, making the mandatory visit to the millenary Milodon Cave. The second segment goes from Puerto Natales to El Calafate to arrive to the breathtaking Perito Moreno glacier with spectacular and noisy ice detachments. Then, a flight is made from El Calafate to Ushuaia, where one of the Australis Cruises will be boarded. The tour finishes after two days of sailing. You may be lodged in 4- or 3-star hotels.
Itinerary:
Punta Arenas - Puerto Natales
Welcoming at Punta Arenas airport and transfer to the bus station to board a regular bus to Puerto Natales.
Welcoming and transfer to the hotel. Lodging.

Torres del Paine National Park
Breakfast. Early departure from the hotel starting with a visit to the Milodon Cave. The tour goes along the shore of the Sarmiento, Nordenskjold and Pehoé lakes, always with the stunning presence of Torres del Paine mountain mountain range and a varied fauna, highlighted by the typical herds of guanacos. Grey lake is reached through an internal trail. From there, you can see the Grey glacier and the huge ice floes in the lake. Lunch at inn. In the afternoon, the tour returns to Puerto Natales. Lodging.

Puerto Natales - El Calafate
Breakfast. Transfer to the bus station to board a regular bus to El Calafate.
Welcoming and transfer to the hotel. Lodging.

Perito Moreno Glacier
Breakfast. Departure from the hotel to make a SIB tour to Perito Moreno glacier, declared Natural World Patrimony by the UNESCO. In this huge 4 km long mass of ice over the Argentino lake waters, noisy ice detachments take place.
Lunch at passenger's expense at the cafeteria of the area. In the afternoon, the tour returns to El Calafate. Lodging.

El Calafate - Ushuaia
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport to board the flight to Ushuaia. Welcoming at the airport and transfer to the pier to board the Mare Australis cruise.

BASIC PROGRAM TO VISIT THE AREA

DAY 1 - Arrival to Punta Arenas Airport and transfer to hotel. 03 nts of accommodation with breakfast

DAY 2 - Excursion to Torres del Paine National Park

DAY 3 - Excursion to Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers

DAY 4 - Transfer to airport

This is a basic program to visit Torres del Paine Area. Please visit our tour list to see more tours combining this area and others place in Argentina and Chile

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RIPIO TURISMO - Incoming Tour Operator Argentina & Chile- Leg. 10.687 Secretaría de Turismo de la Nación Argentina.
info@ripioturismo.com.ar

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