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Destinations-Puerto Natales

Puerto Natales Chile

Puerto Natales is a rambling town of around 20,000, spread along the sloping coast of the Señoret Canal between the Ultima Esperanza Sound and the Almirante Montt Gulf. This is the jump-off point for trips to Torres del Paine, and nearly all visitors to the park will find themselves spending at least one night here. The town itself is nothing more than a small center with row after row of weather-beaten tin and wooden houses, but it has a certain appeal, and it boasts a stunning location with grand views out over a grassy peninsula with glacier-capped peaks in the distance. From May to September, the town virtually goes into hibernation, but come October, the town's streets begin to fill with travelers decked out in parkas and hiking boots on their way to the park. Puerto Natales is the capital of the Ultima Esperanza Sound , founded in 1911 as a residential center and export port for local sheep ranches. Tourism has now replaced wool as a dominant economic force.

The National Park Torres del Paine is, without doubt, one of the most spectacular national parks in the country. A world biosphere reserve, it has a huge variety of plant and animal species which, with it's incredibly beautiful setting has made it an almost unequalled destination for hikers and backpackers, ecology-lovers and adventure sportsmen alike. Snow-capped mountain peaks, cascading rivers and waterfalls, glaciers and mirrored lakes; in all respects Torres del Paine national park lives up to its reputation.
Enormous glaciers mark the northern boundary of the park. This is the southern extreme of the Patagonian Ice field-- the worlds largest. Glacier Grey melts slowly into Lago Grey providing spectacular crashing ice and tremendous green and blue icebergs. The park is also home to a great deal of unique wildlife from guanacos to ñandus (a relative of the Ostrich) as welt as hundreds of species of birds including the Condor.

TREKKING
There are hiking trails all around the park, with lodges, campgrounds, and transportation on most trailheads. Trails are safe and easy to follow and are all made for the average trekker. In general one can choose between camping and spending the night at the 'refugios', small basic hostels with a few dorms. All refugios provide food (full board).
Please contact us for rates, routes and information.
ACCESS ROUTES
Located at 158 miles / 254km North West of Punta Arenas and 71 miles / 115km South of Torres del Paine, Puerto Natales can be reached by road and by air (in the high season there are daily flights to and from Punta Arenas).
ACCOMMODATION
There is no 5-star accommodation available in Puerto Natales but there is a 4 star. There is decent lodging to be found though, ranging from comfortable 3-star hotels down to moderately priced "hosterías". The best hotel is Hotel Costa Australis. In Torres del Paine the best hotel is the Explora and good 3 star hotels (Hosteria Torres, Hosteria Pehoe and Hosteria Grey), the rates are very high compared to the quality, but one pays here for the location. Another good option is the Hosteria Tyndall, located just outside the park, the hotels offers splendid views of the Torres mountain range and offers good value for money.
WHEN TO GO
The entire zone north Puerto Natales has a low altitude and its relative proximity to the Pacific ocean means that it enjoys a very particular microclimate. For its relatively extreme southern latitude it is notably temperate though unpredictable in its weather pattern. Good wind and rain gear to protect you against the elements is a must traveling here. More importantly though, do not dishearten when rain threatens because the weather here changes often. As one of our guides once aptly commented, "If you don't like the weather just wait fifteen minutes."
Torres del Paine can best be visited during summer: from November to March. However autumn is especially beautiful with all the different colors of the trees and winter (although cold) has in general beautiful whether (actually more stable than during summer) and as there are few tourists, one encounters the beauty and silence of the park.

Excursions

Torres del Paine National Park:

You will be collected from your hotel, leaving Puerto Natales at 8 o'clock approximately to get to the National Park of Torres del Paine. First stop is near the Cueva del Milodón (a declared Natural Monument, separate park fee payment of 1,500 pesos). After this visit you will continue to Cerro Castillo (near the border crossing to Calafate , Argentina), where you can stop and enjoy the services of the village's café. The entrance (separate park fee payment of 4,500 pesos) to the National Park Torres del Paine will be through the entry Laguna Amarga, where you will have a your first full panoramic view of the Torres del Paine, if weather allows. Following the route you will have the chance to enjoy the beauty of such natural resources as the Nordenskjold Lake, Pehoe Lake, the Salto Grande waterfall and Grey Lake. At the last site you can take a 1,5-hour hike to see the icebergs of the Grey Glacier. The trip ends back in Puerto Natales at 7 pm, when you get back to your hotel.

Included: transport, professional bilingual guide (entrance fees have to be paid directly at the entrances to the Park Administration).
Time: Full Day.
Type: This excursion can be booked as either a private and pool excursion. This excursion can also be booked in combination with a transfer to a hotel within the National Park.

Torres del Paine

Glacier Serrano & Balmaceda:

You will depart early from Puerto Natales to start sailing through the Ultima Esperanza Inlet. On the way, it is possible to observe an environment surrounded by hills and forests, sea lions romping on the rocks and an area called "Colony of Cormorants" located in the cliffs, where thousands of these birds make their homes. The boat sails close to the Glacier Balmaceda and stops at the Glacier Serrano. After disembarking a trek will start through the forest until you reach the border of the lagoon with floating ice. It is common to see huge pieces of ice breaking off and falling into the fjord. Later, the boat gets to the Hostería Monte Balmaceda where you can have lunch or start off on a new trek in order to observe the typical flora. Back to Puerto Natales.

Included: transport and professional bilingual guide.
Time: Full Day.
Type: this excursion can only be booked as a group excursion. Daily departures, but in winter this reduces to 2 or 3 times a week.

Glacier Serrano and Balmaceda

Glacier Grey:

Grey Glacier is the biggest of all glaciers that can be visited by means of a regular tour in the park. At present this natural marvel of impressive dimensions - which constitutes the end of the Southern Ice Field - can be visited and admired in all its magnitude by sailing through the lake on board our vessel named Grey II. Weighing anchor in Hosteria Lago Grey we will sail for 35 minutes through a number of icebergs whose shape and color are truly unique. We will then approach the glacier's front wall, which is divided in two by a central island where landing is allowed. Here it is possible to appreciate the glacier as a whole with an infinity of crevasses and risings that constitute the snowdrift that gets lost in the distance. There are times in which large parts of the glacier collapse and fill the lake; the density of this mass of floating ice makes the navigation of Grey II impossible although one can get close to them with infallibles not far from the Hostel.

Included: boat excursion, professional bilingual guide - refreshments aboard.
Time: 3 hours.
Type: this excursion can be booked as a private or group excursion. The excursion starts at the Hosteria Grey, transfer to the Hosteria are not included. This tour can be combined with the Full Day Torres del Paine.

Glacier Grey

Rio Serrano Kayak:

Day 1:

You will transfer from the headquarters of Conaf to the Camping Serrano, where we will prepare our equipment and receive all the necessary information about safety and rowing techniques. During the kayak trip, we will stop in several places in order to enjoy the landscape and have a snack. Finally we will camp in an area belonging to a traditional person of this area (a so-called "Baqueano") and we will share a delicious dinner around a campfire.

Day 2:

After a hearty breakfast we will continue our trip at around 8 am in order to get to Puerto Toro two hours later. Once here, we will travel to the Serrano Glacier, and then replenish ourselves with a nutritious snack. At 1 pm, we will leave on a boat to go back to Puerto Natales, arriving there at around 5 pm.

Included: transport, professional bilingual guide, kayaks, full sailing equipment, wet suit, waterproof shoes, full camping equipment, boat ticket (Fjord Ultima Esperanza), full meals in the trip schedule. Sleeping bag is not included and entrance fees have to be paid directly at the entrances of the Park Administration.
Time: 2 Days.
Type: this excursion can be booked as a private or group excursion.

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