Región Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Travel Forum

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 ;)

What is the best way to travel from the Explora Lodge in Torres del Paine to El Calafate or to Los Nostros near Perito Moreno. We want to avoid backtracking to Punta Arenas. Thanks. David

Does anyone know how to contact this lodge? I am looking for a phone number, nobody is responding to the one on their website.

Hi

I'm travelling on my own and would like to join a tour of somekind for the NP. Is it possible to shop around for a tour (3-7 days) when I get to Puerto Natales?
On the internet I've only found tours from $1000 and up - is that the price for a tour in the park or are there some budget alternatives?

Hope you can help!

I am going to providencia and would like tom know if there are any prohibitions against spearfishing and or taking lobsters. I'm blue water hunter, not reef fish. Are there tuna, wahoo, mahi, marlin in this area, and is the fishery developed as in sportfishing charters????

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

Hi

My wife and I would like to hike the circuit in Nov/Dec 2008. We would like to pre book some refugios. Is there a site to do this or list of email addresses. Searching in google only seems to throw up tour operators and we wish to hike independantly.

Thanks

This island does not exist in any map. Maybe is part of the Atlantida.
I suppose it is the Isla de Tierra del Fuego.

Hi

Does anyone know of any hot air ballooning opportunities around Punta Arenas or Ushuaia?

I will be there in Feb/March

Thanks
Stacey

I'm seeking inspiration for my boyfriend's birthday in Patagonia...

We fly into Ushuia on 26th Feb and plan to be in Cape Horn for his birthday on 29th. Then we have a week to get to Punta Arenas for our flight home. By this time we will have been backpacking for 3 months so I'd like to do something really special.

Does anyone know of any special restuarants or hotels in this region? Anything alternative, romantic or breathtaking would be welcomed!

Do you know if one can go from P. Arenas to Torres del Paine in one day by bus. I assume that you would have to change buses in P. Natales - yes?

Thanks so much,

David

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.

Hello,

We're trying to gather information to plan out a trek through Patagonia and would love any recommendations on trekking guides or companies in that area. I found a few interesting ones just searching the internet but would love any personal recommendations from folks who had good experiences with one. Also would love to chat about your first-hand experience on this trek.

What's the best time of year to be there? Is Oct/Nov a good time or would it be better in Jan/Feb?

Any insight, advice, pics or stories to share would be great!

Thanks for your help,

G_G

Which cheap touroperator in Puerto Natales for a two/three day Tour can you recommend.

I have send some e-mails to the touragents but the asked price around 600 and 900$!!!!!

What do we had to see in three days Torres del Paine.

Is it better to book a organized tour from Puerto Natalas? If so, which cheap touragent could you recommend?

Or is it better to book a refugio, hike to Las Torres and after that a refugio near Lake Grey?

Hello,
Are there any bus services that take a direct route from El Calafate to Torres del paine? If not, what is the quickest way to get there?
Thanks, Brad

We're planning a trip to Puerto Natales/Torres del Paine area. Can you recommend a reasonable 3 star hotel that charges between $90-150 for a double room for 2 people?
Thanks!

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.

Hello,

At the end of September we will go to Puerto Natales bij our self and
like to do the W-circuit walking in the Park.
Is it possible to do it in our own ? Or is it not wise at all.

Thank in advance,


Aulia

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.

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, .