Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas is somewhere that repays exploration on foot. The city’s central plaza is surrounded by lavish historic mansions more than a century old, dating from the town’s early years when it boomed on Patagonia’s sheep wealth.

From here, you can explore a selection of excellent museums before continuing on to walk the Costanera, the city’s main waterfront, which extends for several miles. Along the way, enjoy the monuments to the schooner Ancud, with which Chile claimed sovereignty over the Magellan Strait, and the bow of the Yelcho with its statue of Captain Luis Pardo, who carried Ernest Shackleton to Elephant Island in 1916 to rescue his men after the sinking of his ship Endurance.

Torres del Paine is undoubtedly one of South America’s most spectacular national parks – and it lies just a few hours drive from Punta Arenas.

There are myriad ways to explore Torres del Paine. You can hit the trail on any number of day hikes or multi-day treks, including the famous W Trek. Its lakes, rivers and glaciers can be explored by kayak, you can connect with Patagonia’s rich gaucho heritage while horse riding across the windswept pampas, or go puma tracking with expert guides while condors soar high above.

Anyone travelling to Antarctica on a Fly & Cruise trip will spend at least one night in Punta Arenas, due to the need to be on the ground and ready on the day for their flight to Antarctica. 

All passengers on a Fly & Cruise trip will spend the first night of the trip in the same hotel in Punta Arenas to allow for the pre-trip briefing and transfer to the airport. 

If extending your time in Punta Arenas, there is a good selection of accommodation on offer to suit all tastes. There are some classic upmarket hotels close to the city’s central plaza, several of which are in historic buildings, along with some great boutique hotels bursting with character. 

There are no direct international flights to Punta Arenas airport (code PUQ). The airport is 14 miles (22 km) north of the city. 

Punta Arenas has multiple daily direct flights to Santiago (SCL, 3½ hours). Note that some Fly & Cruise Antarctica trips to Antarctica automatically include this domestic flight. There are also flights to Puerto Williams (WPU, 45 minutes) in Tierra del Fuego and other destinations in Chile.

By road, Punta Arenas is about 220 miles (362 km) from Torres del Paine National Park, via Puerto Natales (155 miles/250 km).

There are no direct flights to Argentina, but there is an excellent daily bus service to Ushuaia (12 hours).   

From Punta Arenas, it's a three hour a three hour transfer by road to Puerto Natales (155 miles/250 km), which is the gateway town for Torres del Paine. If you are travelling by this route, we often recommend staying overnight in Puerto Natales in order to catch the morning transfers to the national park.

Alternatively, some of Torres del Paine's all-inclusive lodges offer direct transfer from Punta Arenas. We can also arrange private transfers.