The south of the world: Six days in Punta Arenas and Puerto Williams

Update date: 26 September 2024

Punta Arenas, Puerto Williams, Monumento Natural Los Pingüinos, Cerro Bandera y Canal Beagle.

6 días - 638 KM

Recommended months for the visit: January - January

Difficulty level

Day 1: City tour in Punta Arenas

Start your adventure touring Punta Arenas, capital of the Magallanes Region and a treasure from the extreme south of Chile.

After landing at Presidente Carlos Ibáñez Airport, take a taxi or a transfer to your accommodation and then go to the Muñoz Gamero Town Square. You can visit the monumental Sara Braun Palace and the Hernando de Magallanes Monument there at whose base you’ll find a statue of a native Patagonian. The legend says that kissing its foot assures your return to the city!

Afterwards, go to the viewpoint on La Cruz Hill to get an incredible panoramic view of Punta Arenas, and then continue on to the Costanera del Estrecho (Waterfront of the Strait of Magellan) and visit the Municipal Cemetery, the most beautiful graveyard in Chile.

To conclude your day, visit some of the famous pizzerias in town before going back to your accommodation.

Remember to wear warm clothing for your tour, since you could come across strong gusts of wind.

Day 2: Penguins on Magdalena Island

After breakfast, go to the Tres Puentes terminal to take a ferry towards the Los Pingüinos Natural Monument, made up of Magdalena Island and Marta Island.

You’ll travel for around 1 hour and 30 minutes through the Strait of Magellan until you reach this protected wildlife area, where you’ll see one of the biggest Magellan penguin colonies.

This place is also inhabited by sea lions and different species of shorebirds. You could even spot dolphins and whales! Moreover, at the end of the main path there is a lighthouse where you could see all the austral beauty of the area.

Photo: @solo.expediciones

Pay attention to the instructions in the guide on environmental care.

Day 3: Sailing to Cabo de Hornos

We’re heading to Puerto Williams! In the north of Navarino Island you’ll find this city, which is the capital of Cabo de Hornos, the most southern town hall in the world.

Get ready, because you’ll have to sail for around 30 hours on a ferry. It’s a spectacular trip, where you’ll see the amazing fjords and glaciers of the Alberto de Agostini National Park.

Once you get to Puerto Williams, go to your accommodation and take a deserved break before following your itinerary.

Check in advance the dates when ferries sail from Punta Arenas to Puerto Williams.

Day 4: Touring Puerto Williams

Let’s go on a tour around Puerto Williams. Our first stop will be Yagan Usi – Martín González Calderón Territorial Museum. With free entry, the site is focused on securing the patrimony of the Yaghan town, historic inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego.

Your next stop must be Omora Ethnobotanic Park. It’s a university area that protects the flora and fauna in the area, offering trips that’ll allow you to get into nature.

And to cease your hunger, you’ll find different bars and restaurants with unique products, that have the stamp from the south of the world.

Photo: Sernatur Audiovisual Bank

You must book your visit to Omora Ethnobotanic Park with anticipation.

Day 5: Kayak on the Beagle Channel

Let’s go on an adventure on the Beagle Channel! Kayaking in its frozen waters is a unique experience, that’ll allow you to feel the adrenaline in the middle of amazing surroundings.

For this experience it is key that you go with a tour operator registered with Sernatur which provides you the necessary equipment and that has an accredited guide.

It is a smooth crossing, where the weather and your own rhythm will define how long it takes. Once back on land, we recommend visiting the local artisanal brewery.

Photo: @exploranavarino

You must carry a personal water bottle, a change of clothes, a fleece and something to keep your ears warm.

Day 6: Trekking on Bandera Hill

Would you like to see the amazing Dientes de Navarino up close? A four-hour walk from Puerto Williams will get you to Bandera Hill, where you’ll be able to see this spectacular mountain range from.

It is a beautiful route where you’ll go through exuberant forests, the most extreme southern ones on the planet. It’s 3.5 km uphill until you reach the top of the hill, so it has a medium difficulty.