Punta Arenas Travel Forum

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

Hi, hope someone can help with a basic question. We'll be in Punta Arenas in a a couple of weeks and have a reservation at the Hotel Diegro de Almagro. Since our stay will be brief we want to stay somewhere central to downtown, but we can't quite work out where the hotel is as I can't find it on the only street map I have. The address is Colón 1290.

Any feedback on this hotel is much appreciated

Thanks,
Lisa

Docking in Punta Arenas Dec.13, AM to Dec.14 PM.
Looking for private tours and "what to visit" recommendations.

Need ASAP so I can book.

Megdeiena tour or Otway tour, which is better for seeing and photographing Penguins?

Will be arriving early November by cruise ship. The ship offers Megdeiena and a tour company offers Otway. This could be a once in a life time trip.

Thanks, Robin

Hello:

I am travelling to Punta Arenas - Torres del Paine in mid september.
Anyone there at the same time?
want to share that travel?

regards,
Andres

I would like to find out what kind of transportation is available and feasible from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia?
I will be in Punta Arenas 5 days, and wouls like to go to Ushuaia for at least 2-3 days. Any advice appreciated. Thank you.

Any advice/info on Mid-range lodging in Ushuaia, Pt. Natales, and inside Torres del Paine?

Bus info to the Park? and Accommodations in the Park that you would recommend? (we are traveling with a 2.5 year old so we are only doing day trips.)

Any Suggestions for hikes that you enjoyed?

many thanks for your input!

looking for bus info from punta arenas to punta natales and then on to torres del paine park. (we are thinking of spending two nights in the park.) any info or suggestions you have would be helpful including times, prices. one other detail: we will be traveling with a 2 1/2 year old.

Hi, I was wondering if its possible to drive from PA to PM in mid jan-early feb. i have been trying to find something written on it but all i have only found taking a boat from Puerto Natales or flying from PA as options. Can someone please let me know if driving is an option? and if it is, would 14-16 days be sufficiant to see most of the things along the way?
i read about someones concern that the roads are pretty bad (even to pn from PA) and help if needed could be a long ways away. do you all agree/disagree?
Thanks!

what is the best way to get to or from buenos aires, primarily in terms of time and cost?
thank you

We recently visited Punta Arenas and, thanks to our taxi driver, visited a fantastic 'animal park' about 40 mins out of town.
It had puma, armadillo and even a south American condor...plus more and all were very accessible.
Sadly however I can't remember what it was called. I think it may have been 'Lolita' or something similar. It was clearly some sort of low-key tourist destination and I would like to be able to recommend it to friends....

Hope someone has been there/can remember the name.

Thanks

Punta Arenas is abeautiful city , if possible, I want to spend several month in Punta Arenas for language studying instead of Santiago!

Is there any school or language center offer courses for foreigner ?

i am planning on visiting argentina and Chile in June 2006. i want to travel down to ushuaia on the Argentinian side and then travel north again on the Chilean side. Ideally I want to travel from Punta Arenas to Puerto Montt by boat. However, my research is showing that there doesn't seem to be any scheduled boats sailing at that time of year. Is that really the case?
Are there trips that only sail at the last minute?
Is it safe enough to sail at that time of year?
Is it a bad idea to visit that part of Chile and Argentina in June?
Sorry, a lot of questions, but advise would be most appreciated.
Thanks very much.

We will be in Punta Arenas on 25 Mar 2006. We are looking forward to visit the Penguin Colony, but from what we read on the guide books of South America, the penguins would migrate by mid Mar. Any info would be helpful.

Thanks

Sandy

Does anyone know if there are any day tours to Magdelena Island that get back before dark? I have only found some day trips but all seem to leave in the afternoon or dont get back until late at night. help!

Also- any suggestions on where to stay in Puntas Arenas for 2 budget travelers is much appreciated.

Thanks!