The most important thing to see and to do in Puerto Natales

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Surely, at first glance, you may not know Puerto Natales. But if we tell you that it is the bedroom city to get to Torres del Paine, it may already sound more familiar.

In this post, we give you some advice and recommendations for your accommodation in Puerto Natales on your way to the Torres del Paine National Park.

What to do in Puerto Natales

As we have already told you, the city of Puerto Natales (Chile) is mostly known for being the gateway to reach Torres del Paine, in Chilean Patagonia.

There are many things to do, so many people decide to spend some more days there to visit this area.

Besides, it is the capital of the Province of Última Esperanza, south of the Region of Magallanes, so it is an important city in Chile.

Shopping before visiting Torres del Paine National Park

With the increase in popularity of Torres del Paine, this city has been adapting to visitors.

Here you can make the last purchases that you are going to need for your trekking in Torres del Paine, and even leave your luggage that you are not going to need in the next days.

Tour of the Balmaceda and Serrano Glacier from Puerto Natales

Another daily option is to take a tour of the Balmaceda and Serrano Glacier. These two glaciers can be visited by cruise from Puerto Natales, and before the day is over you will be back in the city. Without a doubt, it is a highly recommended excursion.

Trekking routes in Puerto Natales

You can also take advantage of your stay in Puerto Natales to warm up your legs for what is coming the next day. There are many routes of a few hours to do in Puerto Natales.

Among the most popular is the route to Cerro Dorotea. It is several kilometers from Puerto Natales, but nothing you can’t do in a while. Also, as a reward, you will have the ascent to the hill, from where you can enjoy the beautiful views of the Viewpoint Sierra Dorotea.

Don’t forget to get lost in the city itself. Its Plaza de Armas is the neuralgic center of the city.
Besides, this city still has its charm of a fishing village. Its port and the different wooden docks located on the coast have a lot of charm.

Visit to the Cave of the Milodón in Puerto Natales

Located 24 kilometers north of Puerto Natales, you will find the Mylodon Natural Cave, a place formed by 3 caves that you will be able to visit inside.

As a curiosity, the name of Mylodon was given because there they found the remains of this great animal already extinct.

Accommodation in Puerto Natales

Due to the experience of our partners, it is not necessary to book your hotel in Puerto Natales in advance.

There are multiple hostels and hotels where you can spend the night. However, you must take into account that the average room price is more expensive than what you can find on other tours in Chile or Argentinean Patagonia.

If you want some recommendations, our partner Javier stayed at Hostal de Los Castillos, and his experience there was totally recommendable.

Where to eat in Puerto Natales

As with the accommodation, you will have many options for choosing where to eat.

Our most used advice is that you should ask at the hostel in Puerto Natales for a place to eat. It is very common that the restaurants have discounts with some of the hotels in the area, so it will be cheaper for you and recommended by local people.

If you want something more exact, Javier recommends us again some places. First of all, he recommends the Restaurante el Bote to eat, which was indicated to him by the local people. Good food at a good price.

Please note, that here the price of the wines is quite high. So be careful with what you ask for, you might lose your joy at the sight of the bill.

Another restaurant in Puerto Natales we can recommend is El Boliche, where Javier went for dinner. A highlight of this site for its homemade food, very good.

But as we have already said, there are many other places to eat, so go out and ask the local people, you will surely get what they recommend.

With all this information and knowing what to do in Puerto Natales once it has already reopened its doors, are you already preparing your bags to start your trip to Chilean Antarctica?