Travel Answers

Punta Arenas

Is there a local tour to the penguin reserves that we can get when we exit our cruise ship in Nov. 2012?

Is this Penguin Reserve open on Christmas Day December 25 2012

Hola! Alguien sabe si el shopping mall esta abierto para semana santa? (viernes en particular) Gracias! Saludos desde Ushuaia!

I am hoping to be in Punta Arenas on April 4. I would like to take a 17:10 flight from Rio Gallegos back to Buenos Aires on April 5. The only bus I have been able to find between PA and RG is Pacheco Buses at 11:30 am, which would be cutting it too close. It seems insane that we should be ready to leave Punta Arenas on the night of April 4 but unable to get to Rio Gallegos in time for a 17:10 flight the next day. Do you have any recommendations for other ways to get there? Are there any other buses? Can I take connecting buses (maybe get closer to the Chilean border on the evening of 4/4 and take the bus from there the next morning?). Car rentals that can be dropped off in Argentina? (If you have prices that would be really helpful). I looked up flying from Punta Arenas but it would cost700! I'd really appreciate any help!

Hello; i'm from Belgium and i try to organize a trip to Patagonia, starting in Punta Arenas (airport) I would like to do this trip by camper (4x4 or normal). Is there somebody who can tell me where i can find a rental company for campers or mobilhomes? Is november a good moment to visit Patagonie? Thanks, Phille

I´m new to this forum and have not managed to add a comment to my first question, hence the new post. I just want to thank everyone for replying so quickly and giving me exactly the information I was looking for. I guessed the place was wet and shivery at that period and have decided to go in the opposite direction instead - to the Atacama desert! BTW, I live in São Paulo and if any of you ever have a travel question about it or Brazil I´ll be happy to help if I can.

I´ll be in Puntas Arenas in early-mid July and am planning to go to Puerto Natales by bus. Can anyone tell me what kind of weather to expect? Guide books are rather vague and I don´t know whether I will find just cold temperatures around zero and the kind of dreichy miserable damp weather we have in Scotland or if it will be cold and crisp and sunny as it can be in the Alps sometimes. Any help would be appreciated.

Does anyone know a reliable private car/driver or taxi service to take 2 people from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales at 10pm in the evening? We arrive after the last bus (8pm, I believe) and need to be in Puerto Natales by 8am. What's the cost? Thanks.

We are two huge Packers fans who will be in Punta Arenas during the Superbowl. Does anyone have any ideas on how we could see this game? Thanks!

I've looked at the forums and guidebooks and many suggested that we make reservations for the ride to Puerto Natales during the summer months. Our plane is going to arrive at around 11am, so we are hoping to get on the 1pm bus. In your experience, do you think I need to make reservations for the bus a day or two in advance? My Spanish is pretty bad, so it'll be difficult calling to make a reservation a day or two in advance while I'm in Santiago. Thanks.

What is the best transportation to Ushuaia??Plane or bus??? thanks Adriana Sao Paulo, Brasil

We are coming from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas in the morning but will be catching a late flight to Santiago. We are really hoping to tour Isla Magdalenas but have no idea what to do with our luggage. Do you know if there is a left luggage facility at the Punta Arenas Airport or in town? Would we be able to check in almost 12 hours in advance? Or if the tour company (Comapa, I think) will be able to store the bags for us? I suppose worse case is that we could drag it with us to the Island but that is really not preferred. Thank you.

Is it possible to book a trip on a catamaran to the Beagle Channel when my ship docks at Punta Arenas, rather than use the ship's excursion? Any other suggestions?

Hi, We are family of 3, arriving Punta Arenas on 01/01/2010 by Star Princess. I'd like to get some information on what is like on New Year's day in Punta Arenas? Will there taxi or tour operators at the Port? Will the stores be open? Shall I prearrange a tour just in case everything is closed on that day?

I am going on an antarctic crusies arriving back in Ushuaia on 11 December and then meeting my friend who is flying into Punta Arenas. Please could anyone tell me how I can get to Punta Arenas and whether it is more cost effective to hire a car for a week or so to visit the TDP etc or whether the buses are reliable and economical. Thanks

I visited a few years ago and I thought there was a mural with birds by Picasso's father. I would like to verify if this is true.

With two companions we are wanting to travel from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia on Sunday 29th November 2009 and returning on Sunday 6th December 2009. Sunday seems to be a bad day as I can't find any bus services that operate on Sundays. Does anyone know of any bus services that operate on these days or can suggest any alternatives in addition to flying? thanks, Miriam

My friend and I are travelling around South America and expect to be in Santiago at the beginning of July. We would like to travel to Southern Patagonia and, if possible, Ushuaia, however, we are struggling to find any tour companies that operate at this time of year. We would be very grateful for any advice as to whether it is worth attempting the trip when tour companies in the UK are advising against it and for any suggestions regarding the best way to travel down. Would the best route be to fly to Punta Arenas? Are we likely to be able to find any accomodation on arrival or can anyone suggest somewhere we could book in advance (transport permitting!)? We understand that the weather can be very unpredicatable and we are prepared to face the freezing conditions in order to be able to see the magnificant scenery. We would be grateful for any any assistance. Many thanks in advance!

We are considering doing this hike for abot 2-3 hours while on shore during a cruise stop...can anyone comment on what it's like? Easy or hard, beautiful etc.?

Hello I'll be in Punta arenas for 8 hours. I'm hesitating between a visit to the otway bay and to magdalena island. what do you suggest? I'd go there for the penguins. do you suggest to save a few hours to have a look at the zona franca (duty free market)?

Is it possible to visit that Park from punta arenas (back and forth) in about 8 hours? I was told this park is a must see. What can I see there?

Can anyone help me with this one. I know it may be difficult to answer but I'll visit Punta Arenas in Chile a few days before going to Puerto madryn in Argentina. In Punta Arenas I can visit the Magdalena Island or the Otway bay to see penguins. Also even though I want to see penguins (I want to see a lot of them), I don't want to see the same thing twice Which one would you recommend between Magdalena Island, Otway bay in CHILE OR lombo natural reserve or peninsula valdes IN ARGENTINA (PUERTO MADRYN)? THANKS

I have 2 questions on car driving from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales (we will be there mid February, 2009): 1) we will arrive by flight from Puerto Montt at about 18.30 PM (namely, will be out of the airport about 19.30. Are the car rental offices still operating at the airport? 2) How long is the drive to P. Natales??

We plan to fly into Ushuaia ( from El Calafate ), and then go into Chile ( presumably through Punta Arenas ), see Torres del Paine, and then fly to Santiago. The general question is how should we do it? The particular questions are: 1) Is it easy to rent a car in Argentina and drop it off in Chile? 2) What is the best way to get from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas? Car/ferry? Bus/ferry? Fly? ( not interested in cruise ship ) 3) Where is a reasonable place to stay while visiting Torres del Paine? Puerto Natales? 4) Where do we catch a flight from southern Chile into Santiago? The best we can find requires going back south to Punta Arenas. 5) Or should we scrap the plan above and take the different route of El Calafate to Torres del Paine, back to El Calafate, then down to Usuaia? Also, any general advice on the whole plan would appreciated. Thanks -HB

We will be in Ushuaia in early November and would like to rent a car and drive from there to punta arenas and thereafter to puerto natales and El Calafate. Is this possible feasible given a timeimit of 8 days?

I hear that the roads in Chile are some of the best in South America. I have tentative plans to do a road trip from Santiago to Punta Arenas that would take a week and a half. I'm not sure if this is even possible, so here's my question. I can't find any highways on the maps i've looked at that will take me the whole way - are there ways to drive through that last patch in the south or will I have to fly there? Thank you. Joe

Hi, I'm planning a one-month-trip to Chile betweem mid August and mid September. Wanted to see Puntas Arenas and the Torre del Paine Park at the beginning of September. Is that possible? Is the plane the best way to reach the city in this season? How long is it worth to stay? Thanks for the answers ;)

We are three couples that will be arriving in Punta Arenas on the Celebrity Cruise line on Feb 24th. We would like to engage the services of an English speaking cab driver to take us to the interesting places. We think that we would like to visit the Braun Museums and the Maggiorino Borgatello Museum. From there we are undecided about visiting the Estancia Lolita, the Reserva Forestal Magellanes, or maybe Fuerte Bulnes, or the Cemetery. We would want the cab driver to be knowledgeable about these places as well as provide the transportation. It has been possible to find this sort of cab driver in many places throughout Europe but I am wondering if the population of Punta Arenas is large enough to support this profession and we will be successful in just walking off the ship and finding rows of such cab drivers. Can anyone shed any light on this possibility? Thanks a million. Carolyn

Would appreciate any tips on finding a 2-3 month rental in Punta Arenas for mid-January to mid-April. Thanks, Deborah

I will be in Punta Arenas on Jan. 21 2008 for just the day and I want to hire a private english speaking guide and driver for the day...Any referrals? Thanks