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Penguins at the edge of the worldChile trip Punta Arenas, on the southernmost tip of Chile is a surprisingly lively place. The town has the rugged atmosphere of a remote sea port, but you’ll also find brightly coloured houses, busy streets, leafy parks and a fascinating history. Punta Arenas may not be the primary destination on your trip, but you want to discover a remote and very unique part of Chile, it’s well worth the detour.During this Chile trip you’ll be staying in a guest house in the centre of town. You can spend the morning exploring the town and in the afternoon you’ll go on a boat trip along the Strait of Magellan to the penguin island to see a huge colony of Magellanic penguins. If you'd like to start building your Chile trip itinerary, take a look at our range of bite-sized Chile tours. Alternatively, if you'd rather leave the planning to us, you can take your pick from our selection of ready-made Argentina and Chile holidays or give one of our friendly Chile travel specialists a call on 01273 322 380. |
| Duration | 3 days - 2 nights |
Accommodation |
Standard Option - category 3 - photos Comfort Option - category 4 (see our accommodation page for more details) |
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Price |
£198 per person - Standard Option £228 per person - Comfort Option Both based on 2 people sharing |
Includes |
Transfers, accommodation with breakfast, boat trip to penguin island |
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Transport |
Airport transfer on arrival |
Excludes |
Other meals |
Day 1 Punta Arenas, arrivalPunta Arenas is the most southerly town in Chile. Try and get a window seat on your flight from Santiago or Puerto Montt to catch the views of fjords, glaciers and snow-covered mountains, a real highlight of your Chile trip.On arrival at the tiny airport you’ll be transferred directly to Punta Arenas 20 minutes away, and dropped off outside your guesthouse where you’ll be staying for the next two nights on your Punta Arenas tour. Punta Arenas has about 120,000 inhabitants and compared to Ushuaia it’s a proper town. The atmosphere here is surprisingly lively; people strolling along the boulevard, the romantic city park, shopping streets, pubs and lots of street stalls selling woolly hats, gloves and fleece jackets. If you forgot to bring a warm sweater you can always buy one here. |
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Day 2 - Punta Arenas
On Day Two of your Chile trip, you can take a walk into town after breakfast, and get to know the local history. Punta Arenas was once a major trading post area ruled by sheep ranchers and sailors. The elegant houses in the centre of Punta Arenas are a reminder of the town’s prosperity. The town’s focal point is Plaza Munoz, a square lined with cypresses, park benches and a monument honouring the first inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego. The stately villas around the square were once the home of rich seafarers and traders. At the Magallanes Museum you can learn more about the history of Punta Arenas since its beginning in 1520 when a group of Spanish settlers came up with the insane idea of founding a colony in this inhospitable place at the edge of the world. It’s hard to fathom when you see what a prosperous, modern sea port it is today. |
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From the Plaza follow the street up to the Mirador Santa Cruz for a view across the brightly coloured houses and red roofs and to the Strait of Magellan beyond. Then walk back past Punta Arena’s graveyard, where not only sailors and sheep farmers but also Punta Arenas rich history lie buried. For lunch, head to one of the small restaurants around the harbour. If you’d like to find out more about the area’s cultural history, visit the Salesiano Museum which tells the story of the life (and destruction) of the indigenous Indian tribes. Around 5pm you’ll be picked up at the hotel and driven down to the harbour for the boat trip along the Strait of Magellan to Magdalena island, home to an enormous penguin colony and one of the highlights of your Punta Arenas adventure tour. If you’re not travelling on to Ushuaia in Argentina, this will be your most southerly stop of your Patagonia trip. You’ll be out on the boat as the sun goes down, arriving back in Punta Arenas around 7.30pm. |
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Day 3 - Punta Arenas, departureIn the morning it’s time to check out of your friendly guesthouse, marking the end of your Chile trip. If you flew here from Santiago or Puerto Montt, you can continue your Patagonia trip to the Torres del Paine. There’s a direct bus connection which takes around 6 hours.From Punta Arenas you can also travel directly to Ushuaia for the start of our Patagonia trip. Admittedly not the easiest connection, but it’s do-able and very convenient if your only other stop in Chile is Torres del Paine. In that case you’ll arrive from El Calafate in Argentina, via Puerto Natales and the Torres National Park to Punta Arenas. From there you’ll travel by bus and ferry via Punta Delgada and San Sebastian to Argentina and on to Ushuaia. The entire trip takes 12 hours, leaving at 7am. Departures daily except Mondays. The more comfortable option to get from your Punta Arenas adventure tour to Ushuaia is by boat. We’ll book a ticket for you on the Mare Australis or Via Australis, small cruise ships that sail from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia in four days, past glaciers, icebergs and mountains. Prices on request. If you started this Chile trip in Patagonia and are planning on heading north, then take a taxi to the airport and board a plane across the Andes to Puerto Montt in the Lake District where you can pick up our Patagonia adventure, or on to the capital: Santiago de Chile. |
Travel tipsThe best time to travel to Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Punta Arenas is from December – March (summer months), when the temperatures are warm and the days longer, although you can still expect cold days and nights in Tierra del Fuego. The winters here are extremely cold, and note that many hotels, restaurants and tour operators are closed and transport is limited.Food and drink: in Punta Arenas head to Sotitos, near the harbour. The restaurant is a Chilean icon and reputedly the best place in the country to eat king crab on your Chile trip. Lomit’s pub has a great atmosphere. |
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A Peek at Our Standard Option (Click to enlarge)
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A Peek at Our Comfort OptionFor those who’d like a taste of 19th Century England during their Chile trip, we can upgrade you during your time in Punta Arenas to an elegant Victorian hotel. The building was constructed at the beginning of the 20th Century and his been carefully converted into a comfortable hotel. The hotel uses recycled paper and renewable energy, and is located very close to the centre of Punta Arenas, within walking distance of Plaza de Armas. This a great spot for sampling the local restaurants! You can find the price for this option in the table above. |
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